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Topic Date User

synthetic vs down puffy jackets 14-Jun-2007 At 1:45:36 AM Andrew_M

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yeah, like as everyone says, it depends. Pretty much a repeat of what you say yourself...

Down is great if you are sitting around a dry hut or you're at the foot of a crag on a nippy but clear morning in the mountains. It lasts for ever and ever (if you don't mind being out of fashion after a couple of years). It costs more.

Synth packs less well, has a shorter lifetime and is not quite as warm, but it is generally cheaper and is less likely to wet out...and dries relatively quickely when it does. Synth is great for belay jackets because you can just chuck it on over your shell layer when you are at a belay, then stuff it into your pack while climbing, without stressing that you'll end up with a ball of mush. It is also good for extended use in damp conditions (eg shivering for days under a leaky NZ bivy rock).

I've got an integral designs dolomitti. It's been great in both backcountry winter in Aus/alpine summer in NZ for belay and bivy systems (cool wet conditions) and as a belay jacket in Canada (winter - bloody cold but dry). http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=696&CFID=9050020&CFTOKEN=51473082&mainproducttypeid=5

ID will modify/make things to order to a certain extent, eg I got mine with extra long arms because my knuckles drag on the ground.

After saying all that...if you've already got a good down jacket then then do you really need buy something else? There's no probs with down under most circumstances and synth probably really only beats down out if you are critically relying on it for survival under specific (ie wet + cold) conditions. If you're popping it on around the stove on a ski tour but can retreat to a warm sleeping bag in a dry tent if things turn nasty, then save your $$ and buy some new cams.