Jacket - Appalachian Trail

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#21

Dear Big Slick,

Skip the fleece as a jacket: Not warm enough, won’t block the wind, won’t resist the rain, and too heavy (I refer, of course, to straight fleece designed primarily for warmth).

Synthetic insulation is superior in every way and much lighter for the effect.

Fleece’s part in all this as follows: From the skin outward: A t-shirt, a long sleeve microfleece pullover, a jacket with synthetic insulation. This is the most effective combination, the most bang for the buck.

Build on the above combination.

Again–good luck.

Sincerely–Conan.

Conan

#22

The weight of all the cuffs and zippers and pockets and material containing the fancy Polarguard insulation makes simple fleece the cheaper and more weight-efficient option in the moderate temperatures you should expect in April on the southern end of the AT.

As tribes pointed out above, 200-weight fleece is all the same, whether it comes from Campmor or Patagucci. For example, here's essentially the same fleece jacket for four times the price. You can see for yourself: it's made out exactly the same stuff: 200-weight Polartec fleece. The label is different, but they're both made of exactly the SAME material bought from RIGHT HERE.

Eric

#23

Someone arnswer my question pleese:

I took the plunge and ordered the Patagonia Micro Puff Pullover, and my first impression was that I’d been suckered. $150 for THIS? The insulation is incredibly thin, especially in the front by your upper chest, basically there’s nothing between the shell material except a very thin gauze like material. You can pinch your fingers together in the front and they touch.

Is it worth it? I’m thinking of returning it for a $26 Campmor fleece jacket or going the other extreme and get the WM Flight Jacket.

White Oak

#24

WESTERN MOUNTAINEERING FLIGHT - I saw the Western Mountaineering Flight on the PCT in 2003 and was jealous that I didn’t have one. I tried to order it, but they were backordered for a few months. I did get one for the CDT in 2004, and I love it! I ordered it from backcountrygear.com. The person I talked to at backcountrygear told me that the Flight jackets are handmade, that’s why they’re sometimes out of stock. If you want one, don’t wait until the last minute to order it.

The Flight weighs 10 ounces. I am not aware of any 10-ounce fleece that is anywhere near as warm as the Flight. This is not a jacket that I would wear while hiking. But I do put it on every time I stop, and I usually wear it while sleeping. My only complaint with the Flight is that wind blows in at the neck area. But this problem could be unique to me because I have long arms and a small neck. The size small was good for my neck, but the arms were too short. So I went with a medium. Male hikers don’t seem to have this problem, because men have bigger necks. I would just wear a zip-neck shirt under the Flight, and that seemed to solve the wind problem.

Order the Flight. If you don’t like it, just return it.

MARMOT DRICLIME WINDSHIRT - Try this, too. The windshirt is an excellent piece of gear. I wear it while hiking when it is cold. For hotter sections of the trail, I would bounce my Flight jacket ahead and use the Windshirt as my warm top. It’s really warm - much warmer than it appears. And it dries really fast.

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#25

I have the Driclime Windshirt and Yogi speaks the truth. I wore it on a cool hike in November with nothing but a t-shirt underneath. When I hit the ridge and a 25 mph wind that was freezing cold, the Windshirt cut the wind completely and still kept me reasonably warm. It’s a great layering piece, too.

I’m still nailing down my final gear list, struggling to decide between carrying:

  1. my old REI down jacket that weighs 22 oz but is extremely warm, or
  2. a beefy fleece like the microsynchilla, weight more than a pound, or
  3. biting the bullet and just getting the WM Flight jacket.

A weight savings of 12 ounces for the cost of the WM jacket is a tough call. And trying to decide on this with the knowledge that I certainly will not ever be wearing this extra-warm piece while I’m hiking. Any wisdom on this? --thanks.

Tyger

#26

Hey, Yogi— The Flight jacket looks light and warm.

However, I wonder whether it is not more appropriate for the dry PCT as opposed to the relatively wet AT since the insulation is down? Do you give it a good soggy-weather test on the CDT? Were you able to keep it dry enough?

Eric

#27

The phrase most frequently heard from locals in CDT towns: “This has been an unusually wet and cold year.”

It snowed and rained for the whole CDT in 2004. Granted, the AT is more humid. And no, I haven’t had the Flight on an AT hike.

I stored the Flight in one of those new white silnylon stuff sacks. I can’t remember what the brand is. They come in a tiny little round plastic container. Anyway, I stuffed the Flight into that stuff sack . The Flight does have one of those pockets where you can stuff the jacket into its own pocket. I chose to use the extra stuff sack to protect the jacket. It never got soaked. I’d often wear it under my raincoat (Marmot pre-cip) for extra insulation. Sometimes, when I was getting out of my tent while wearing the Flight, I would brush against the condensation on the inside of the tent and the Flight would get a little wet. But it never got soaked. I’m extra careful with my warm clothes because I get cold very easily.

In fact, I’ve never had any clothing or a sleeping bag get soaked UNLESS it’s clothes I was wearing when it was raining. I’m pretty careful.

More appropriate for the PCT: probably. But if you’re in Georgia in March, it will be really cold.

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#28

I started the AT on March 8 or 9. I can’t remember the exact date. It was pretty cold until for the first 500-600 miles. On the AT, I would typically get to the shelter by 4-5pm, then sit around cooking dinner, talking to other hikers, stuff like that. Yeah, you can lay in your sleeping bag to be warm, but I would have loved a down jacket for those nights. A thru-hike isn’t all about hiking.

And I should clarify a couple points: I’m ALWAYS cold. And I’m not the most lightweight packer out there. I carry more clothing than most people.

yogi

www.pcthandbook.com

yogi

#29

Thanks, Yogi.
I’m 99 percent sold on the down jacket. I’ve never had a problem with getting down stuff wet, so I’m not worried about that. Just a question of whether I get the WM or not.

Tyger

#30

I would definitely recommend fleeces. 200 weight, I think, is too heavy. 100 was fine for me. Campmor is a good place to go to get expensive items cheaper. Very cool place. Eric, you’ll notice that the fleece you point out is actually a $50 fleece. Campmor is just having a super sale on them. The fleece is right in line with Patagonia, Marmot, The North Face… etc… $40 - $70.

On the note of Western Mountaineering, I would recommend just about anything of theirs. They have a great line that I can personally vouch for. I hiked with a WM sleeping bag.

Like I said before, cheaper isn’t always better, but somtimes you can cut corners. Just be sure to get exactly what you are looking for. Gotta think about longevity too.

Dave and Miranda

#31

I need a jacket to keep me warm in camp down to 0 degrees. That’s why I’m considering the WM Flight. Would a 200 fleece do the trick, with insulationg layers underneath and a Marmot Precip over it? I don’t think that flimsy Patagonia Micro Puff pullover will do it.

White Oak

#32

My hubby and I are from Houston, Texas - it doesn’t get cold here and I was petrified of freezing my buns off. At Neal’s Gap Winton did a shakedown on our packs and suggested we trade in 3lbs each of fleece + cheap down vests for a 9 oz patagonia puffball pullover. They’re pricey ($140), but turned out SO WORTH IT. With my puffball, a silk or med weight capilene and a rain jacket on top I was toasty. Plus they’re wind resistant - unlike fleece. And they make a very comfy and warm pillow. Puffballs rule!!

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#33

Dear Big Slick,

Be aware that some people are mixing apples and oranges in this thread.

In comparing a synthetic insulation jacket with a fleece jacket (straight fleece), of equal weight, the synthetic insulation jacket will be superior in all other categories, the most important being warmth, windbreaking capacity, and performance in wet weather.

Sincerely–Conan.

Conan

#34

Maybe we’re getting a little off topic, but I have to come to the defense of the Patagonia Puffball Jacket.Spent Christmas & New Years in San Francisco.Walked across the Golden Gate Bridge during a driving rain,Temps of about 40 deg.Wearing Patagoina light weight underware,Puffball Jacket,Nylon Windbreaker.The Windbreaker was soaked but I stayed very warm during the hour long hike.I’am not sure I would take the jacket on a A.T.Thru hike but I like the very light weight and compactness of the jacket.I also use a Pactagonia Puffball Vest while Packpacking in the early spring and fall.

old&in the way

#35

I have heard so many different things about jackets I think I am losing my mind.

Well, Big Slick, I hope that clears everything up for you!

:lol

Eric

#36

Yup, some sort of fiberfill jacket seems like the way to go.

Aldo