Re: Puffy

--- In [email protected], Chris Gilmore <chris_gilmore2001@...> wrote:
>
> Folks,
>     I'm looking at purchasing a new puffy. So far I'm looking at sub 10 oz models. 
> http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=70&p_id=2301154

I have what is basically an earlier version of that particular jacket. 

Pluses:

1) Very light.
2) Compresses very well.
3) Quite warm for its weight once it uncompresses (it takes a little time to poof back up once it's been compressed for a while, but it does poof back up).

Minuses:

1) The material that it's made of isn't as feather-proof as it should be -- I regularly notice a feather or two floating around inside my shell when I take it off and sometimes have to pull a feather back into the shell (from the backside) when it starts poking out through the material.
2) The material is very fragile -- you *must* wear a shell or other protective layer over this jacket at all times because even just catching on a small twig would rip it.

Regarding temperature range, I layered a polyester t-shirt, a polyester fleece shirt, this jacket, and an eVent shell, and was decently warm at 20F while walking around outside looking at the ruins of an old ghost town (I also had two layers over my legs and some snow boots to handle the snow). If you're going to go colder you'll need something a bit poofier for around camp though.

Would I buy it again? Definitely. It has served me well for several years now, and it's hard to beat its weight to warmth ratio at that price. Yes, Feathered Friends has a better jacket. But not for $169, and frankly I simply didn't need something that warm for my purposes.