|
|
| Post Number: 1
|
Vorter 
Group: Members
Posts: 4
Joined: Oct. 2012
|
 |
Posted on: Oct. 09 2012, 10:56 pm |
|
   |
So I live in Georgia and I want a jacket that will keep me warm in temps that are around 50F now down to as low as 30F in the winter.
Budget is $200 and the most important factors for me are warmth and comfort
Windproofing is also a big plus, as it can get windy some days
Waterproofing is nice, but not really a priority
This will be worn around the city almost daily and worn on the few occasions I go camping/hiking (2-4 times a year)
I'm considering either a softshell or fleece jacket, whichever will work better for my needs (I only know some of the differences)
So far i've been looking at jackets such as this one
http://www.columbia.com/Men%27s....pd.html
(Is Omni-Heat as good as it claims to be?)
and this one
http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog...._2.html
|
 |
|
|
| Post Number: 2
|
Tigger
Woods Pouncer
Group: Members
Posts: 10504
Joined: Apr. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 09 2012, 11:12 pm |
|
 |
The focus of this forum is backpacking. If you want to find something for around town, you're in the wrong forum.
Dry equals warm so waterproofing should be a higher priority. Warmth also equals loft so look for insulative value.
Temps down to 30 depends on if you are active or stationary. If you are stationary, you'll want a bit of insulation. If you're active, you just want a shell. Shells will also have a natural wind break.
If you want something for backpacking, you should buy something designed for backpacking and dealing with weather. If you want something for around town, go find it.
--------------
If I'm going to be lost, in the woods is where I want to be...
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 3
|
scroat
Group: Guests
Posts: 168
Joined: Oct. 2012
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 09 2012, 11:23 pm |
|
|
Check out First Ascent for sweet deals on some down puffys that meet your criteria.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 4
|
Vorter
Group: Members
Posts: 4
Joined: Oct. 2012
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 09 2012, 11:23 pm |
|
|
(Tigger @ Oct. 09 2012, 11:12 pm)
QUOTE The focus of this forum is backpacking. If you want to find something for around town, you're in the wrong forum.
Dry equals warm so waterproofing should be a higher priority. Warmth also equals loft so look for insulative value.
Temps down to 30 depends on if you are active or stationary. If you are stationary, you'll want a bit of insulation. If you're active, you just want a shell. Shells will also have a natural wind break.
If you want something for backpacking, you should buy something designed for backpacking and dealing with weather. If you want something for around town, go find it.
This was just the most relevant forum I could find as there's no dedicated forum out there for jackets (at least I dont think)
Stationary mostly, with the most activity being hiking, but there will be some wind.
I will be using this for camping/hiking trips occasionally, so it's not exclusively for around town.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 5
|
High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39564
Joined: Aug. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 09 2012, 11:26 pm |
|
|
I'd say go with an affordable hardshell for its windproofness and water shedding ability and stick most anything under it to suit the temps.
I've a seriousely old North Face Mountain Light parka that has been doing serviceable duty for me on visits to NYC and such for a very long time. Nice and flexible as its not inherently warm by itself. The whole "layering" concept works as well for around town and traveling as it does in the backcountry I find, in both locales flexibility for changeable conditions is nice. My insulation layers these days are just a lighter fleece jacket (Patagonia R2?) and some vests though I now have a nice down vest in reserve for real chilly walks. Maybe Christmas in NY this year....
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 6
|
|
|
| Post Number: 7
|
hikerjer
Group: Members
Posts: 9139
Joined: Apr. 2002
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 09 2012, 11:27 pm |
|
|
I'd go with a nano puff from any of the major manufactures - North Face, First Ascent, Mountain Hardware, REI, etc. Windproof, water resistant and fairly packable and they should be in your price range esp. if you can find them on sale.
--------------
"Too often I have met men who speak only of how many miles they've traveled and not of what they've seen." - Louis L'Amour
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 8
|
|
|
| Post Number: 9
|
eggs
That's sofa King assume
Group: Members
Posts: 4235
Joined: Nov. 2007
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 5:30 am |
|
|
Vorter,
Here is what I and a few other that already posted suggest
I can't say which if the two jackets you listed is worth it or not. I can say I can't find a use in my backpacking or even around town needs, for a shoftshell jacket.
But other do and you might find they meet your needs. Good luck let us know how it works out for you
--------------
Eggs
Home of the egg
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 10
|
|
|
| Post Number: 11
|
|
|
| Post Number: 12
|
BradMT
Group: Members
Posts: 3410
Joined: May 2005
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 9:08 am |
|
|
(Vorter @ Oct. 11 2012, 5:52 am)
QUOTE
(eggs @ Oct. 11 2012, 5:30 am)
QUOTE Vorter,
Here is what I and a few other that already posted suggestI can't say which if the two jackets you listed is worth it or not. I can say I can't find a use in my backpacking or even around town needs, for a shoftshell jacket. But other do and you might find they meet your needs. Good luck let us know how it works out for you Okay thanks I looked at the micropuff and some other Patagonias but I need something that's thin and it doesn't necessarily look good. It's also pushing my budget where the other ones are around $100-130
Personally, I find my Patagonia Nano-Puff too warm in the temps you're describing. Obviously, however, 30* in Georgia feels colder than 30* in Montana.
Personally I'd recommend a good soft shell... the market abounds with them.
Here's a nice one on sale at REI:
http://www.rei.com/product/826287/patagonia-adze-jacket-mens
--------------
Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty. – Socrates
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 13
|
hikerjer
Group: Members
Posts: 9139
Joined: Apr. 2002
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 11:34 am |
|
|
Boy, Brad, that is a nice deal. However, like others I find that I don't use my softshell much in the backcountry. For me it's just too warm and doesn't breath well enough. However, around town, it's prefect in cool/cold weather (with a fleece vest). I especially find it useful when bicycling in cool weather especially if there's drizzle or light rain. I also use it a lot for fair weather downhill sking. Each to his own I guess.
--------------
"Too often I have met men who speak only of how many miles they've traveled and not of what they've seen." - Louis L'Amour
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 14
|
Tigger
Woods Pouncer
Group: Members
Posts: 10504
Joined: Apr. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 11:51 am |
|
|
(BradMT @ Oct. 11 2012, 6:03 am)
QUOTE
(Tigger @ Oct. 09 2012, 9:12 pm)
QUOTE The focus of this forum is backpacking. If you want to find something for around town, you're in the wrong forum. What an arrogant, BS response. Typical.
If I responded to your posts every time I thought you were being arrogant, we'd crash the server.
And thanks for pointing out how clearly I was being arrogant. Silly me thinking this was a backpacking forum...
--------------
If I'm going to be lost, in the woods is where I want to be...
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 15
|
leadbelly2550
Group: Members
Posts: 1042
Joined: Apr. 2009
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 1:35 pm |
|
|
innocent quest for jacket degenerates into surly insult-fest. charming.
no one wears their gear 'around town' when they aren't using it for backpacking, skiing, cycling, canoing?
of the two columbia soft shells you identified, one is clearly warmer but less able to vent moisture than the other. that reflective inner lining in the more expensive soft shell will keep you warmer but won't vent moisture as well. for actual hiking, the soft shell without the warmer inner lining might be a better and more flexible choice. that columbia soft shell without the reflective lining is probably similar to the north face apex bionic - which i have used for a number of years, and it's a fine jacket. if you get the soft shell that is the less warm of the two, keep in mind that for walking around or evenings in camp after backpacking, you might want to layer a sweater or fleece underneath when the temperatures are in the 30s - so you want to make sure the shell is roomy enough to accommodate the layer or layers you plan to wear underneath.
i haven't worn a columbia jacket in a number of years. Columbia has owned Mountain Hardwear for a while, and in the interest of avoiding product confusion or cannibalizing each others' business, the company has steered Columbia to appeal to the mass market and has tried to keep mountain hardwear a little more focused on the outdoor sporting niche - skiers, hikers, and so on. However, Columbia has a limited lifetime warranty, so they at least appear to stand behind their products. I'm confident that "omni-heat" has some utility but is at least 50% marketing.
regarding the original question, it really depends how you plan to use the jacket. as hikerjer astutely observed, most people who are carrying any reasonably sized backpack and hiking steadily will overheat wearing a soft shell (or hard shell), unless it's quite cold outside, colder than the temperatures you anticipate. soft shells vent a little more heat and moisture than most hard shells, but not much more. most of the time, unless it's really cold or windy, you are probaby hiking in a base layer or base layer plus something more breathable, like a fleece jacket or vest, and putting on the shell during rest stops so you don't get chilled. (as an alternative to a hard or soft shell, one could also put on a down or puffy synthetic insulation sweater or vest to stay warm during stops, and the same can also serve as a warm layer you wear in camp in the evenings and mornings).
most soft shells are water resistant but not waterproof, though some newer fabrics blur that line. there are a few waterproof/breathable soft shells. they tend to be somewhat less stretchy than non-waterproof softshells due to the membrane. mountain hardwear's kepler softshell uses a mildly stretchy waterproof/breathable membrane called DryQ elite, which is really eVent licensed to Mountain Hardwear under a different name. i tried it on - it's best suited for people with a fairly narrow frame, very "athletic" cut. Marmot's Zion uses polartec's neoshell to accomplish the same goal. the zion is outside your price range, but I picked one up on sale last summer, and it's a very fine jacket - a softshell that is equally happy around town or in a driving rain. it doesn't impart much warmth, so i layer underneath as the weather has cooled off.
puffy jackets and vests are better suited for mornings or evenings or stops, when you aren't actually hiking and exerting a ton of energy. if you hike in these, you will likely overheat pretty quickly in the temperature range you are talking about. around town and for mornings/evenings when you hike, however, down sweaters and lightweight down vests are pretty fabulous. this may draw some whining from patagonia-haters, but they make a fine down sweater, and you can often find them on the web, in discontinued colors, in the $100 to $120 range. if you want a really awesome down sweater, call Feathered Friends, who may have a few Daybreak Jackets on sale/clearance for about $170. super light at 8 ounces and very warm for the weight due to amazingly lofty down fill.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 16
|
Owen571
Group: Members
Posts: 536
Joined: Apr. 2011
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 2:19 pm |
|
|
Softshell jackets are a horrible choice for Georgia. Too warm for hiking in, and no real insulation when you're stopped. They're for high levels of activity in cold, dry climates. You're looking for something to use when stationary in a wet climate with relatively warm temps, which is the exact opposite. I have four softshell jackets, and the vest version of that TNF Apex Bionic. The Marmot Gravity softshell I thought I would love, so much so I bought a duplicate, can only be hiked in a few days per year. As a result, it's a glorified windbreaker that gets used for casual wear. I might be able to use it mountain biking this winter. Much too hot the rest of the time. The vest and a Carharrt softshell both get used at work, where I'm outside in all weather, but only active for short periods of time. An OR Ferrosi hoody is my favorite, and is used constantly out West on vacation, but I've deemed it next to useless for backpacking here unless conditions are just right. Much like the fancy mountaineering shells whose claim to fame is extreme breathability, these jackets cannot deal with the humidity here in the South(I'm in N. AL). Whatever you get for weather-resistant outer layers, make sure it has plenty of options for venting. Staying dry is a lot harder here. I hike in a lightweight baselayer shirt in all but the coldest of weather, and use a windshirt or hardshell with pit zips, and mesh pockets if it's really windy.
For around camp, the synthetic puffies and fleece under a hardshell suggestions are good. I use a down puffy, and have no complaints, but recognize that synthetic would fare better in some circumstances.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 17
|
scroat
Group: Guests
Posts: 168
Joined: Oct. 2012
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 2:22 pm |
|
|
The more I think about this guy and his jacket needs, I think a Marmot Driclime windshirt would be perfect.
http://marmot.com/products/driclime_windshirt
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 18
|
BradMT
Group: Members
Posts: 3410
Joined: May 2005
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 8:37 pm |
|
|
(hikerjer @ Oct. 11 2012, 9:34 am)
QUOTE Boy, Brad, that is a nice deal. However, like others I find that I don't use my softshell much in the backcountry. For me it's just too warm and doesn't breath well enough. However, around town, it's prefect in cool/cold weather (with a fleece vest). I especially find it useful when bicycling in cool weather especially if there's drizzle or light rain. I also use it a lot for fair weather downhill sking. Each to his own I guess.
I hear you Jer... I only take a softshell when backpacking in the elk rifle season, and only then I take a light version. I've used them, when active, down to as cold as -30F. Works well for that purpose.
I guess, from the sound of his post, it seems this garment will be used far more as an urban garment than a backcountry garment.
I always take a light primaloft backpacking, even in summer... around town however, I find I like a heavy-ish softshell better (think Polartec Power-shield).
--------------
Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty. – Socrates
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 19
|
|
|
| Post Number: 20
|
FamilyGuy
Group: Members
Posts: 5080
Joined: Jun. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 9:13 pm |
|
|
I have been using the Golite Demaree jacket this fall. Warm to freezing. Decent quality and good price. Two zipper is handy for venting.
--------------
"This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time."
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 21
|
Trinity
Group: Members
Posts: 240
Joined: Feb. 2004
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2012, 10:04 pm |
|
|
For $200, I definitely think you'd be better served to buy a decent fleece (I recently bought a nice Mountain Hardware fleece pullover on sale for $50), and a hardshell for wind/rain protection, when needed (maybe a Marmot precip or something comparable). This would provide better comfort and far more versatility. I do have a Mountain Hardware Compressor, similar to the Patagonia nanopuff, which I got for hiking and backpacking, but has turned out to be a great everyday around town winter jacket. More warmth than I typically need here in Texas, but the full length zipper allows for plenty of venting, and in colder temps when I'm not actually exerting myself, breathability is rarely an issue.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 22
|
scroat
Group: Guests
Posts: 168
Joined: Oct. 2012
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 12 2012, 10:09 am |
|
|
(BradMT @ Oct. 11 2012, 8:38 pm)
QUOTE
(Tigger @ Oct. 11 2012, 9:51 am)
QUOTE And thanks for pointing out how clearly I was being arrogant. Silly me thinking this was a backpacking forum... His was an honest gear question and he mentioned he'd use the garment in the backcountry... get over yourself son.
Pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little
Cheep cheep cheep, talk a lot, pick a little more
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
