Found it for £180, which is more than I intended, but the other half offered to chip in the extra!
Insulated jacket recommendations?
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Found it for £180, which is more than I intended, but the other half offered to chip in the extra!
Depending on the cut medium will max out at 40-41 I'm a 40 chest and find most medium jackets will be cut for base layers so would think the medium should be the better fit.
well I'm hoping a medium will do the job as the large is to wide, otherwise it's back looking for another jacket!
My recommendation is absolutely the swedish M90 parka. And it has to be the version with insulated hood.
I know its too late, but
https://www.fifecountry.co.uk/mens/outerwear/fleeces/ghillie-waterproof-fleece-2250
https://www.fifecountry.co.uk/mens/outerwear/casual-jackets/sherpa-fleece-jacket-0829
https://www.fifecountry.co.uk/mens/outerwear/casual-jackets/aviemore-padded-jacket-0600
aimed for farmers who want to pay nowt, be out and about and complain if their grandsons finally wear it out
https://www.fifecountry.co.uk/mens/outerwear/fleeces/ghillie-waterproof-fleece-2250
https://www.fifecountry.co.uk/mens/outerwear/casual-jackets/sherpa-fleece-jacket-0829
https://www.fifecountry.co.uk/mens/outerwear/casual-jackets/aviemore-padded-jacket-0600
aimed for farmers who want to pay nowt, be out and about and complain if their grandsons finally wear it out
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should be good, large is cut for up to 44inc chest plus layer, so that's about 100mm more than you want!well I'm hoping a medium will do the job as the large is to wide, otherwise it's back looking for another jacket!
Snugpak sleeka great bit of kit, alpkit colours are just a bit bright, weird not for me but are good. Buffalo my favourite.
I've had an interest in buffalo for years but they're an expensive buy into a different clothing system so I've never taken the plunge. Even when through contacts I could get a trade price on a buffalo copy product from another manufacturer.
A lot of friends I used to kayak with got them for putting on straight after a trip when you're most likely to be freezing cold and wet. Followed by the waiting around for the car shuttle to come back. I got a windbloc jacket which was cheaper instead, probably not as warm or durable.
So now I'm thinking again about buffalo. I love the smock versions. I owned a windshirt as a kid for cycling. Great top and well designed. The pertex - pile tops are even better if they have those straps inside the handwarmer pockets to pull out closer in to your body. But which ones have that feature? All those smocks (over the head tops - OTHs) or just some of them? How warm are they? I've got a primaloft belay type jacket. It's OK for say 5°C but colder I need a primaloft gilet under it, even a fleece as well.
Which is best for nighttime dog walking (9ish in winter), slow walks with family in the lakes in winter or out and about in cold days? A general use rather than ultimate Scottish winter use but it could easily be used as a walking about a ski resort in Norway this December in the evening.
A lot of the products seem so similar. I run hot if being active but get cold when going slower. Can tops like mountain shirt cope with times when you're cold and hot? If you open the side zips do you get a cold blast of air where the zips are? How well do they work? My windshirt was only used as a summer showerproof top when cycling so never a cold weather item so I don't know how the PP system feels like with it's ventilation if working hard.
The other thing is I think they're sizing it's similar to a lot of paramo. By this I mean they seem to fit wider people not slim people. I tried one size which fitted length, length of arms, etc but looked baggy. I was swamped a bit. I'm 42" chest but 6'5" tall and more slim than not.
Last look at buffalo the fit didn't seem right for me, is there something similar to try for better fit? What's the closest thing to it in terms of performance?
A lot of friends I used to kayak with got them for putting on straight after a trip when you're most likely to be freezing cold and wet. Followed by the waiting around for the car shuttle to come back. I got a windbloc jacket which was cheaper instead, probably not as warm or durable.
So now I'm thinking again about buffalo. I love the smock versions. I owned a windshirt as a kid for cycling. Great top and well designed. The pertex - pile tops are even better if they have those straps inside the handwarmer pockets to pull out closer in to your body. But which ones have that feature? All those smocks (over the head tops - OTHs) or just some of them? How warm are they? I've got a primaloft belay type jacket. It's OK for say 5°C but colder I need a primaloft gilet under it, even a fleece as well.
Which is best for nighttime dog walking (9ish in winter), slow walks with family in the lakes in winter or out and about in cold days? A general use rather than ultimate Scottish winter use but it could easily be used as a walking about a ski resort in Norway this December in the evening.
A lot of the products seem so similar. I run hot if being active but get cold when going slower. Can tops like mountain shirt cope with times when you're cold and hot? If you open the side zips do you get a cold blast of air where the zips are? How well do they work? My windshirt was only used as a summer showerproof top when cycling so never a cold weather item so I don't know how the PP system feels like with it's ventilation if working hard.
The other thing is I think they're sizing it's similar to a lot of paramo. By this I mean they seem to fit wider people not slim people. I tried one size which fitted length, length of arms, etc but looked baggy. I was swamped a bit. I'm 42" chest but 6'5" tall and more slim than not.
Last look at buffalo the fit didn't seem right for me, is there something similar to try for better fit? What's the closest thing to it in terms of performance?
Seems to be uncommon. Can you buy Carhartt coats in the UK? Carhartt Arctic Duck or a Carhartt Canyon?
Carhartt is all you see here on people working outdoors at -20C. Coats and bib fronts. Patched with low-temp duck tape.
Many wear outfits good to -40C for the oil patch but it's rare in most other situations.
They are heavy and windproof. The cuffs are tight. Probably water-resistant but nobody cares at -20C.
I can't wear what I own if it's as warm as 0C.
All YKK brass Carhartt zippers are big and thick and covered with a quilted tube.
I don't know how a better "fit" matters.
To me, the singular issue is to choke off the air exchange between the inside of the coat and the outdoors.
By that I mean to have control over whatever air exchange suits your activity level.
My newest Carhartt has a double zipper which opens from either the top or the bottom.
Probably matters more for comfort when sitting down in a vehicle.
Carhartt is all you see here on people working outdoors at -20C. Coats and bib fronts. Patched with low-temp duck tape.
Many wear outfits good to -40C for the oil patch but it's rare in most other situations.
They are heavy and windproof. The cuffs are tight. Probably water-resistant but nobody cares at -20C.
I can't wear what I own if it's as warm as 0C.
All YKK brass Carhartt zippers are big and thick and covered with a quilted tube.
I don't know how a better "fit" matters.
To me, the singular issue is to choke off the air exchange between the inside of the coat and the outdoors.
By that I mean to have control over whatever air exchange suits your activity level.
My newest Carhartt has a double zipper which opens from either the top or the bottom.
Probably matters more for comfort when sitting down in a vehicle.
It's been a few years since I got into even -15°C temperature. Most recent might be that cold if you factor on windchill. My coldest is probably -30°C with severe windchill. That's a guess by looking at a reliable mountain weather forecast for where I was for the wind and temperature then looking it up on windchill charts I had. IIRC in Langmuir's mountain leadership book. I only remember the day for it b being the only winter trip I've found it bitter enough to cover my whole face up with a windproof buff. Hat, windproof buff (that's too warm for 9 out of 10 British winters for me) and a wind resistant but not proof hood up that day. Plus we didn't really stop moving all day because it was too cold.
BTW two points I will make. The UK mountains are too low to be called mountains in the rest of the world but UK does have a climate that means they're no walk in the park in full winter conditions (not as dangerous as us or Canadian areas though). Also bad winters for England at least means a week or two of temperatures close to or just below zero degrees Celsius, occasionally you'll get worse. I suspect that's not even as cold as spring for Robson.
One last point (sorry three points) the UK has the potential to produce sublime winter days out in the hills. Two weeks after a spell of 29 avalanche deaths over a few weeks saw us sitting in just base layers on top, with sleeves pulled up on top of possibly the 10th highest hill in the UK getting sunburnt in February. Having had a very nice, snow filled walk to get there. Sublime experience with blue skies as far as the eye could see which was actually very far because there wasn't much higher around for many miles. The view was amazing.
So it does seem to me that carhartt probably don't sell well in the UK because they're over specced for outdoors work use and they're not as practical for outdoors leisure use. Although a work colleague bought a leather coat from Texas that apparently is the sort of coat they wear in the mountains and all the way up to calgary in Canada in winter. It was heavy, solidly built and very warm. Plus cheap. Could that have been a Carhartt's coat?
BTW two points I will make. The UK mountains are too low to be called mountains in the rest of the world but UK does have a climate that means they're no walk in the park in full winter conditions (not as dangerous as us or Canadian areas though). Also bad winters for England at least means a week or two of temperatures close to or just below zero degrees Celsius, occasionally you'll get worse. I suspect that's not even as cold as spring for Robson.
One last point (sorry three points) the UK has the potential to produce sublime winter days out in the hills. Two weeks after a spell of 29 avalanche deaths over a few weeks saw us sitting in just base layers on top, with sleeves pulled up on top of possibly the 10th highest hill in the UK getting sunburnt in February. Having had a very nice, snow filled walk to get there. Sublime experience with blue skies as far as the eye could see which was actually very far because there wasn't much higher around for many miles. The view was amazing.
So it does seem to me that carhartt probably don't sell well in the UK because they're over specced for outdoors work use and they're not as practical for outdoors leisure use. Although a work colleague bought a leather coat from Texas that apparently is the sort of coat they wear in the mountains and all the way up to calgary in Canada in winter. It was heavy, solidly built and very warm. Plus cheap. Could that have been a Carhartt's coat?
if you're a bit reluctant to pay full whack for a Buffalo, hit Fleabay. i bought a Special 6 for about £40 - i think it was 10+ years old and in pretty much perfect nick.
i was never able to work out the differences between what look like very similar garments - what i can tell you is that the mountain shirt is covered in Pertex 5, which is less weatherproof, but more breathable, than the Pertex 6 of the Special 6, and is about 2 inches shorter. i went for the special 6 - i like it covering my bum, and i like the 'being wrapped up' feeling. infact i have two - the older, scruffier one for hillwalking, and the newer, smarter-looking one for mooching about with the good lady wife.
i was never able to work out the differences between what look like very similar garments - what i can tell you is that the mountain shirt is covered in Pertex 5, which is less weatherproof, but more breathable, than the Pertex 6 of the Special 6, and is about 2 inches shorter. i went for the special 6 - i like it covering my bum, and i like the 'being wrapped up' feeling. infact i have two - the older, scruffier one for hillwalking, and the newer, smarter-looking one for mooching about with the good lady wife.
They come up on here too, I bought my Special 6 for around that and it was like new.
Particularly as they need to be close fitting, when people lose weight* they tend to sell them on.
*they can get sold on when people gain weight too, but not as quickly since most people will try to lose the weight rather than buy a new Buffalo, very few people want to gain weight to make sure the buffalo still fits. Strange really
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Particularly as they need to be close fitting, when people lose weight* they tend to sell them on.
*they can get sold on when people gain weight too, but not as quickly since most people will try to lose the weight rather than buy a new Buffalo, very few people want to gain weight to make sure the buffalo still fits. Strange really
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I have used a variety of Buffalo products on the mountains in winter conditions and they have been more than adequate. Another manufacturer of similar products worth looking at is Montane. My montane jacket is of a better finish quality than Buffalo in my opinion.
You might do well at that price, especially on sale or from Ebay, in Mountain Equipment, Rab, Berghaus or Montane. It depends on how heavy/warm you want the jacket, because relatively heavy weight synthetic jackets are not that popular, and of course down, even with a dwr shell, isnt that great with rain, although even synthetic struggles.
Lightweight ones could be the ME Arete, Rab Microlight, etc. I have the Arete (92 quid at Go Outdoors at the moment, although i got a sample for 76 from ebay), but its pretty light. The Rab Microlight is warmer (didnt fit me, sadly), but is still more a midlayer. This Berghaus or something similar might fit the bill, and millets have it at 120. I am after a Montane North Star (a bit lighter than my Lightline), and that looks similar in terms of bulk and style. I think something like that might do very well for what you want.
ME do the Rampart, which is a bit like the Arete, but synthetic, and their Superflux is warmer and synthetic as well. Taunton and Facewest are both doing this for 153.
You can do warmer, but then you are into ME Lightline, TNF Nupstem etc, which might be more than you need. Ebay can get you some deals, especially on brands like ME or Rab, obviously 2nd hand or samples. This seller does ME and other brands samples (i got my Arete from him), and there are other sellers who do Patagonia, ME, etc. But even a quick look on ebay can bring up some good deals - like this lightline for 50 quid.
Best thing is to go into Cotswolds or Go Outdoors and try some things on. Black Friday is coming up as well, so if you know what you want, you might pick up a good deal soon.
Montane also used to make a more extreme version of the extreme smock. It used Epic fabric which is waterproof and slightly breathable. It's an Arctic use version and a bit heavyweight winter top. Stiff because it's basically a kind of treated ventile outer I think.
I once got to a hall in Ambleside where montane were selling off samples and end of lines for dirt cheap prices. Extreme jacket and smocks plus this extreme extreme smock too fit about half price. I gave it a good chance of fitting but whilst two jackets with the same size were not the same size in reality they didn't fit because they're size medium samples. The epic fabric smock was very stiff.
Montane don't have the strap inside the n hand warmer pockets to cinch it in. I know buffalo is a bit baggy in the smock versions but their straps really pull it in to make it less baggy and a nice fit. Montane seems to fit me better but it does still need cinching on.
I once got to a hall in Ambleside where montane were selling off samples and end of lines for dirt cheap prices. Extreme jacket and smocks plus this extreme extreme smock too fit about half price. I gave it a good chance of fitting but whilst two jackets with the same size were not the same size in reality they didn't fit because they're size medium samples. The epic fabric smock was very stiff.
Montane don't have the strap inside the n hand warmer pockets to cinch it in. I know buffalo is a bit baggy in the smock versions but their straps really pull it in to make it less baggy and a nice fit. Montane seems to fit me better but it does still need cinching on.
Take a drive over to Decathalon and have a look in there, you can find decent warm coats for around £50 easy.
If its for insulation at stops i definitely recommend some form of synthetic insulation, primaloft etc..
There isn't such a thing as a perfect jacket for all weather, however for me usually i prefer a well-cut jacket that gives room for a baselayer and medium fleece underneath comfortably. Be aware of large loose fitting parkas, the looser the fit the more air you need to keep arm, and the more likely that warm air is going to find a way out, being replaced by cold.
Snugpak have taken a great step backwards with their latest bits of kit, i wouldn't wear one of the new softies if it was given to me for free. Gash zips, stitching quality and overall cut. Fiber pile like the buffalo is heavy for its insulation, especially compared to synthetic filled jackets. Montane do a good smock called the extreme, as well as a jacket. Both are better than the buffalo options imo, the jacket seems a size up from the smock however.
My current winter set up is;
- Baselayer
- Lightweight fleece if baltic
- Windproof shirt
- Insulated jacket (in bag, its by paramo)
- Waterproof (in bag, usually a keela or paramo)
I'll walk with just the baselayer unless its properly cold or windy, in which case i'll put the fleece or windproof shirt on. At a stop i through my insulating jacket over everything i'm wearing, then take it off again before heading off. If its raining i take everything but the baselayer off before putting the waterproofs on. Nothing worse than sweating.
If its for insulation at stops i definitely recommend some form of synthetic insulation, primaloft etc..
There isn't such a thing as a perfect jacket for all weather, however for me usually i prefer a well-cut jacket that gives room for a baselayer and medium fleece underneath comfortably. Be aware of large loose fitting parkas, the looser the fit the more air you need to keep arm, and the more likely that warm air is going to find a way out, being replaced by cold.
Snugpak have taken a great step backwards with their latest bits of kit, i wouldn't wear one of the new softies if it was given to me for free. Gash zips, stitching quality and overall cut. Fiber pile like the buffalo is heavy for its insulation, especially compared to synthetic filled jackets. Montane do a good smock called the extreme, as well as a jacket. Both are better than the buffalo options imo, the jacket seems a size up from the smock however.
My current winter set up is;
- Baselayer
- Lightweight fleece if baltic
- Windproof shirt
- Insulated jacket (in bag, its by paramo)
- Waterproof (in bag, usually a keela or paramo)
I'll walk with just the baselayer unless its properly cold or windy, in which case i'll put the fleece or windproof shirt on. At a stop i through my insulating jacket over everything i'm wearing, then take it off again before heading off. If its raining i take everything but the baselayer off before putting the waterproofs on. Nothing worse than sweating.
I have two versions of the Snugpak Softies, wouldn't hesitate to buy them again, might actually get their SJ9 version anyway just in case we get another Ice Age !
Quality on mine are good, no complaints at all, very functional, and very warm and comfy indeed
Quality on mine are good, no complaints at all, very functional, and very warm and comfy indeed
I went for the buffalo Alpine jacket and so far haven't regretted it! Although so far I've only used it for walking the dog,!
It does get a bit toasty when you get going, but I just unzipped a bit and was just fine.
I've got other coats that will do for when active in cold weather I wanted one for colder whether when I'm less active. It isn't going to be my last coat, but it certainly is going anywhere either!
It does get a bit toasty when you get going, but I just unzipped a bit and was just fine.
I've got other coats that will do for when active in cold weather I wanted one for colder whether when I'm less active. It isn't going to be my last coat, but it certainly is going anywhere either!
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