I ordered an Outdoor Vitals jacket the first day of their campaign. I love their stuff. Can't wait to test it.

Great review 👍 answer all my questions about MHW. I’m hoping to see your reviews about sierra gear ( bear can, ice axe, microsoikes )

You probably shouldn't be concerned with packing your synthetic jacket down as small as you can get it into your pack as that contributes to its accelerated demise. You should definitely more loosely pack any synthetic insulated garments to keep them healthy longer. By and large I prefer synthetic insulation for all the reasons you do, and I live in the North East where everything is forever damp. I recently just got the Rab Alpha Direct softshell jacket and am in pure love, its got amazing warmth to weight and I feel no wind thru it. Next on the list is the Arc'Teryx Proton AR.

I have the ghost whisper jacket -love it ! also order the New outdoor vitals synthetic, looking forward to it.

Just got an REI 850-fill down jacket on a holiday sale. Kept me very warm on my recent AT trip in MD when temps were in high 10's. But I was too paranoid about trying not to let it get too smoky around the campfire because I dont really want to wash it if I dont have to.

since you are 14 please watch this video before going hiking: ukposts.info/have/v-deo/q12IeW9_ead9lps.html

Be careful of your safety too. You are growing up, do everything possible to avoid being victimized or doing wrong things that ruin your future!

I used to be an adventurer, just like you. Then I took an arrow to the knee.

raise a cat. It does work too. Be happy person.

@@yozhhhh lmao he might not be old enough to remember that one. Classic tho

If he didn't repeat everything 3 or 4 times, he could probably get it down to 3 or 4 minutes....

Hey John would you wear one as we both rub the backs of them together

I’ve got one too, it’s really good, but seems to ware out quickly, mush have at least 10 patches on mine

NICE CHOICE! Hike On, Darwin

I hope you love yours, I love mine.

Check out Arc'teryx or Weatherwool. Both companies/websites my friends

3M Thinsulate beats all of the mentioned above. Unfortunately it's poorly marketed and expensive. There are many types of Thinsulate including down substitute.

Nathan Keel this is kinda how I roll now. I got a trevail north face 800 and a Gore-Tex summit series NF. I rock an adidas veritlite in the city and I have a huge vintage mountain Hardwear for ski like weather

Bad idea. You can t use a down jacket like you use your hardshell. In my opinion Gore-tex coating on down jackets is uselles. Down jackets are great to use under your hardshell in extreme cold situations or when you want to take a break from hiking. Why using them like a soft/hardshell, I really don t understand that.

@@bogdanchis2026 I didn't quite understand you, are you saying wearing a down jacket under a Gore-tex hardshell jacket is useless? Or l understood you wrong? I have TNF 700 down and l wear it under my Gore-tex hardshell which is pretty thin but it's completely waterproof and windproof. So l though to keep me warm, a down jacket is great, and then to protect it from getting wet l wear my my Gore-tex hardshell over it as they are compatible with each other.

Thanks Vito! Hike On, Darwin

@@DarwinOnthetrail I love the content - thank you. Please tone down the constant hand movement though - I know why you are doing it but it's way too much to watch. ...Ask your (brutally honest) friends and see what they say. Again, thanks for putting these videos together - content is outstanding.

@@daninsf648 As an Italian, I vehemently disagree with you on "too much"! XD

Had an old army greb years ago, it stood up on its own but nothing got through, wind, water, nothing lol I think it was german issue moleskin.

@@OldNavajoTricks Those old coats were amazing. Heavy, very hardwiring, button in liner, great hood. Had one for years and it’s still useable apart from the zip needing to be replaced. The newer flecktarn ones are decent as well with the quilted liner but nowhere near as heavy duty.

@@Dreyno Not sure on the jackets, a greb is a blanket/cloth that gets used for everything lol, it's a windbreak, it's a bedroll, it's a water-carrying thing, Grebs just a nickname we called them because they were invariably grebby, i.e. 'dirty' lol. But definitely a lifesaving bit of kit to strap on the bike :-D

Totally agree, but they are horrible for thru-hiking because of how heavy they are. I love my US Navy issue brown sweater, but I only wear it at home.

I’m 60, and I’ve been an outdoors person my entire life, living in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California, and now in Washington. You will be tempted to go cheap and save money, but don’t. Stretch yourself and get the best you can get - get the crying over once. The worst is to compromise and later wish you had spent that $100 or $150 more to get the best item or one you really wanted. You won’t miss that money years later when you’re still enjoying the higher quality item you purchased. Buy right, buy once. I have been the king of upgrading my entire life, and I would have saved a lot of time and money if I had bought right initially.

@@richarde1355 100% Buy Once, Cry Once.

I've been pretty interested in their jackets in the past. I know a lot of hikers that really dig em'... I'll add it to the list! Thanks! Hike On, Darwin

@@DarwinOnthetrail You should definitely get hold of one. The Rab Microlight Alpine down jacket is a great piece of kit, its windproof, pretty durable and importantly keeps you toasty ! The ghost whisperer jacket types may be lighter, but its durability concerns me.

That's a good one! My buddy Craynip swears by it. Just wish Patagonia stuff would fit me... 😕 Hike On, Darwin

How much did you pay for the As Tucas? seems they only sell from their website

@@Jessetheoutdoorman I paid 270 euros for mine and 80 euros for the doggy one they made. They only sell from their site, but their service is great. They make the quilt within a few days and send it to you. You can ask for costum stuff too. From ordering to receiving was 8 to 9 days.

Weeponybjorn thanks for the tip with the quilt. I must check that out. Do you have a good tip for a tent to use in Europe?

@@jamespants6591 Europe is a bit of a broad term😉 It depends on where you want to use it and which season. The south of spain is pretty different from where I'm from and it's also europe😉 I'm from the Netherlands and its pretty damp, wet and windy here and cold in fall, winter, spring. I tried the zpacks here and found it to be cold, did not like it. I only use tents with solid mesh in countries with weather similar to mine or in scandinavia. I use a Nordisk telemark 1 or a Tarptent notch 1. These are good online stores btw. backpackinglight.dk www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/rucksacks-c19/backpacking-rucksacks-c361#sort32

Thanks John! Glad you dug the video. I get so many questions about which type of insulation to go with, I figured its was time to finally break it "Down" (get it?)... Synthetic Quilts are the only thing that I haven't wanted to make the switch to yet. They are definitely getting lighter tho! It's just a matter of time. Hike On, Darwin

@@DarwinOnthetrail Oooh! Groaner! :)

@@DarwinOnthetrail Is the life cycle of synthetic that much different than down. I just bought a Fjallenraven jacket with synthetic, which I love. I'm hoping it will last for many years. That said, does vigorous activities like hiking make the synthetic wear down faster.

Or just wear a rain shell/pants? 😆 Down is superior, synthetic is wack. Wool + down + shell = yes.

Nope, not Southern at all.

Indiana

Have you tried a wind-block fleece? I have a polar tec (material, not brand) wind block vest that does a great job when compared to a regular fleece. I believe the original wind block technology was developed by Vortex, but there seem to be several variations on the market now. And people who work out of doors (as opposed to recreate) need a robust garment that resists wear and tear. In Alaska, people running trap lines want a tough outer layer to their down jacket that will not tear on branches or sharp objects. Of course the heaver fabric in the outer layer makes the whole garment heavier too.

@@professorsogol5824, thanks for the suggestions. The fleeces were both from REI and they were "Polartec." They were also at the very least 5 to 3 years old a piece, one was much older than the other. Sadly, I lost my favorite (newer) fleece, but it prompted me to buy the Patagonia NanoPuff jacket and vest to try something different. I'm a horseperson who will ride in all kinds of weather from around 20 degrees Fahrenheit to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. I also volunteer every Sunday with a therapeutic riding program in an outdoor, but covered arena. The barn rides below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Most barns won't ride lower than 20 as it's just too cold for the riders (most of whom are kids under 12-years-old and the horses, but some do. Also, when I have volunteered at a horse rescue facility, the barn there is on a bald hill letting wind gust through their like a freight train and nothing to block it. As much as I usually don't get too cold in the winter with the right clothes and layers, I found these fleeces to just not keep me warm enough even with many layers under and above them. So far, I've found these Patagonia products to be much warmer, much lighter, and more flexible for me as a horseback rider and a side-walker with the volunteering. If I ever need to change out, I'll consider your fleece suggestion. P.S. I got 2 good pairs of Woolrich wool long underwear and these also help to keep me warm.

@@cybrarian9 The only item I could find on the REI website with wind block tech is here www.rei.com/product/133629/arcteryx-a2b-comp-jacket-mens Seems like they had more in the past. If you want to test it out without spending so much, there are also some gloves for about $50 - 60. That's how I first tried it out: bought a inexpensive pair and put wind block on one hand and a regular glove I already had on the other and went for a bike ride on a cold day. The bike of course generates an artificial wind and the two hands get similar exposure.

Halffastcyclist much obliged for the help. I don’t need to tell you that technical outdoor clothing ain’t cheap, so for now, like all my other outdoor gear, I’ll use what I have till it falls apart and then I’ll buy something new. Gear changes all the time, so who knows what’ll be available in a few years. Many thanks for your help and happy new year! 😀🎉🎇

Wholesome conversation

You can Definitely get away with Fleece & Down in the SouthWest... Fine choice sir! Hike On, Darwin

Yes, the precipitation in AZ is notoriously... predictable.

I'm mostly wearing Alpkit gear these days. Ethical company that does some great work. Their gear is great given they aren't quite as expensive as the more well know brands.

Halffastcyclist That is only partly relative. You can have a cheep synthetic fiber that is airy and spongy so looks like it lifts out, but that free movement of air is not warmth. Restricting the movement of air is where you get your warmth. Down feathers are great for that. I have a synthetic sleeping bag and when it gets wet you can wring it out till you are blue in the face and it will not provide warmth, it’s even not great at warmth when it is dry. The moral don’t get wet, but if you do the synthetic will likely dry sooner though in the wild, but you may have gone hypothermic by then.

you are correct but there is more to it than thickness. like randy described above you must trap the air. For example take 5 individual layers that are the same thickness together as 2 layers of the same material. even though they are the same thickness the one with 3 extra layers will provide more warmth it traps the air better.

Just to add to this and the other 2 comments, you can really only do this within the same material. AKA you need to compare the thickness of 2 down jackets to figure out which is warmer, and two synthetic jackets. You can't use this method to compare a down to synthetic jacket. I find the numbers game to be more helpful with synthetic jackets as they will tell you the weight of material in the jacket: like 60g Primaloft, 30g Coreloft, etc. But as the others said, trapping in air is what really gives the jackets warmth. This is also why you shouldn't over- or under-size your insulated jackets (and something I constantly have to educate customers about at work).

@@vikingbrowski3718 There is also much more to it than trapping air. Heat moves via radiation, conduction and convection. Typical clothing insulation works via reducing convection and conduction (mostly). When it is compressed it increases its conduction and reduces its convection, when you loft it the reverse happens. When you layer clothes you are not just trapping air, you are also providing radiant barriers (though not highly effective ones). You are also reducing surface contact, increasing mass, and increasing path resistance as well, all of which works to decrease effective conduction.

@@donaldendsley6199 I believe you are correct. I actually do not know the science behind it. I only know from my own personal experience, and something I read once. multiple layers has always worked for me. Somewhere in my brain I connected that heat will try to escape the body and it will be more difficult for it to escape with more barriers. Wind breakers help bounce the wind off you i think which helps too. when i wear multiple layers I make sure to have my outer layers larger sizes to have as much air between layers as possible.

I used to have a 700 Fill Marmot Zeus that I basically lived in! Great Jacket! Hike On, Darwin

Good point!

Those are actual feathers and not down. Lower quality down is usually cut with up 20% in feathers. Good down definitely doesn’t do that and more importantly, if you have a good quality jacket that has a good quality lining, it definitely won’t do this.

loughrey101 Not really, depends on conditions. I’m based in northern England and spend most of my time mountaineering in England, Scotland and Wales. When I get chance, I hit Norway, Italy, Spain and further afield. I storm chase. Having just come back from a 3 day British storm trip, ascending the mountain I wore: Merino base, fleece mid, TNF Thermoball second mid (temps were -15C), £500 TNF Goretex 3 hardshell. By the time we hit our first camp, 3 hours after setting off (night hike in a blizzard with 80MPH winds), I was soaked to my base. The Thermoball was saturated because, in sustained hard, wet conditions, water *will* get in. It will push past your face and into your hood, up sleeves, etc and this will percolate through most of the jacket eventually. I didn’t notice I was wet until I removed my hardshell as the Thermoball is synthetic and had retained its heat. In Britain in winter, I always pack a down jacket for camp / tent use or emergency overlayering; a cheap 700 fill, hydrophobic down. This is useless on hard ascents as it will wet out from sweat. It is also useless in hard conditions as per above. I wore this in the tent at night so that I could just cover my bottom half in my sleeping bag and stay warm / able to move around. It can also be worn inside the seeping bag which boosts the temp rating dramatically. In Britain, in the hard conditions we were having, there is virtually no hope of drying kit unless you get creative with hand warmers or body heat, so the freezing cold, soggy synthetic gets put on each day which isn’t pleasant at first, but within 5 minutes it is doing its job. The down jacket gets packed in a dry bag and goes back in the backpack. Down would have almost completely failed in these conditions within 3 hours, losing probably 90% of its insulation for standard down, maybe 40% for hydrophobic. Darwen, I don’t know how much you have tested hydrophobic down, but I wore mine on a Day 2 descent under my hardshell as a test. Horrendous conditions, it started to wet out after a few hours due to ingress. By the time we made camp that night it was pretty soaked. In temps of -17C, I could definitely feel the difference as it lost loft and the equivalent 500 fill Thermoball would have been warmer. I would say the down lost 50% of its loft. However, that night in the tent I wore it next to a dry base and it did dry and restore to about 80% loft. There is no way a synthetic, or non hydrophobic down jacket could have been dried with body heat, I don’t think. Might be worth doing a real world test of synthetic vs down vs hydrophobic down in serious conditions :)

@@wittsend541 I have worked in some very damp conditions and would choose a good down over synthetic anytime just make sure you have a good breathable shell

@@wittsend541 You should post that comment as a new comment under the video, if you not already have, it's a very good one! Thank you for that!

jhjh It’s not just damp conditions I am talking about, it’s seriously wet conditions when you are working hard climbing a mountain with a heavy pack stuck to your back, and you’re sweating hard. I have tried and tested many different materials, methods and techniques ranging from Paramo’s Analogy system through Goretex, eVent, and others and nothing can protect a mid layer from heavy sweat. It can’t just vaporise, it must be wicked away through each layer until it can vent through your hardshell. So no matter how breathable your hardshell, your mid layer will wet-out from the inside.

@@wittsend541 I am also an avid climb to include ice climbing and would again chose layering with a down over synthetic. Good down systems will always have ventilation system in place. I do agree that unless you have a way to vent, body sweat can become a problem but proper down with vent zips etc have always alleviated this for me.

That's how I roll too.

🤔... It's just a figment of your imagination. Hike On, Darwin

Darwin onthetrail Oh. 🤔🤪🤷🏻‍♀️

I have military surplus synthetic fill and polarguard 200 polyester fleece. Also have a bunch of merino wool socks, buffs, and one big alanak. Since i just live in the mountains rather than through hike, this gets the job done very well. Hiker's needs would obviously be different.

Unacceptable. You must have one of the "must have" outdoor brand and wear the logo proudly and act smug to others.

Dang, mine cost $45. I guess I got ripped off. ;-)

Aaron mine is a puffy and it came with a zip off hood and it is black.

I got a sweet polyfil jacket from walmart for 25 it is warm I wear it ocassionally and when I ride my electric scooter dont want to fall in my patagonia.

depends. for multiday winter hikes down sleeping bags are a must. a -20 synthetic will take up my whole bag while my -20 down takes up 20 liters stuff sack.

@@KrazyKrzysztof "for multiday winter hikes down sleeping bags are a must." Actually, the opposite tends to be true. Down will continue to get wet from condensation in your shelter night after night. A 5 lb down bag rated to minus 20 F will weigh 9 lbs and only keep you warm to plus 5 F. The synthetic bag will gain weight too, but it will retain more insulation performance than damp down.

@@wisenber yea we know this. Unfortuantely u won't fit a minus 20 synthetic bag in your backpack and I don't think this is necessarily true since I have read about people using down on everest and Denali

@@KrazyKrzysztof "Unfortuantely u won't fit a minus 20 synthetic bag in your backpack " Depends on your pack. Most expeditions, you'll be pulling a pulk sled to base camp. "and I don't think this is necessarily true since I have read about people using down on everest and Denali" For Everest and Denali, most will bring more than one bag: a base camp bag and a summit bag. For Denali, plan on a wet bag. You'll be cooking, melting snow and drying gear in your tent which drives the humidity off the charts. The constant freeze and thaw makes it unavoidable. Most commercial Arctic expeditions require a synthetic bag for those reasons. Down is great...until it isn't.

@@wisenber yea sorry man u won't sell me on the idea that professionals are using synthetic sleeping bags on multiday expeditions . No way everyone is carrying 7 lb sleeping bags that take up 40 liters of space on these peaks . But you can believe it if you want

Mountain Hardware makes one!

@@profribasmat217 hahahhaaa i see what you did there xD