synthetic Insulation??

[JP100]

Hi Guys
I am after a new insulation jacket. I have been using the Kuiu super down and found it to be very light and thats about all it is. It is not warm enough(has about 12 feathers in the whole jacket haha) and I seem to allways end up wet or damp.
I am looking at possibly:
Kifaru parka
Sitka Kelvin jacket
Sitka Kelvin lite hoody
Anything else I should be looking at??

I want a durable warm jacket that functions in wet climates that will hopefully last me longer than a down jacket. I found down just falls out very quickly.
Weight,bulk and color are down the list.

Thanks

 

[rileybassman]

First Lite Puffy deserves a look... My favorite Synthetic Puffy

 

[idig4au]

I used the kifaru parka up in NWT earlier this month on a sheep hunt. Absolutely outstanding piece of kit. Blocks the wind well, very warm, good DWR and packs down alright. Makes a good pillow at night. Good reinforced elbow area. I lived in it for nearly 2 weeks. only thing I didn't like was the lack of full zipper. Not a show stopper as the 1/2 zip helps with thermal efficiency but a little less convenient.

I have the Kuiu super down as well and it has its place. I think for warmer hunts to take the chill off at night. I find I'm cold in it and I can almost see through it. Just a little too light.

 

[kodiakfly]

I have the Kelvin and the Kelvin Light Hoody...The Kelvin hoody is heavier than the old standard Kelvin Light, but not as heavy as the Kelvin. The Kelvin is pretty beefy and warm. The hoody is lighter and would seem to pack down a bit smaller, but add the hood and it's probably a wash as far as packability. I'm not an ounce counter, so I've not looked at their weights. But I'm a wet-climate guy that gets cold easily, so they're what I use. Admitedly, the Kelvin Light Hoody is new to me this year, so I've not worn it in anything cold yet.

 

[Yellowknife]

I've used Mountain Hardwear for a number of years now. They are fairly light and quite warm (100g/m), but the shell may not be quite as durable as the Sitka pieces. Their insulation seems to hold up at least as good as Primaloft though. Might be easier to find MH gear in stock down there?

Yk

 

[davescarp]

might want to take a peek at this article...

http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-05-09-42/clothing/367-synthetic-insulation-technology-for-hunting

 

[mddat]

I run the kuiu kenai and also have a FL uncompahgre vest, if you want warmth the first lite would be the way to go, it's super warm and holds up great in the rain

 

[jwb300]

Hey JP I just picked up a Kuiu Kenai jacket. I have found it very warm and light but it isn't super durable. I wore it for 3 weeks in Alaska and the fabric is pilling a bit already. It's definitely not an outer layer if you are bush bashing a lot.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I hear ya! Froze my butt off sitting in a Kuiu "less-than-super" down jacket and find for most hunts a Sitka Kelvin vest is sufficient however, I have the Kelvin pants and full jacket as well but rarely see temps where I need em. The Kelvins are like ovens. No shivering even in long glassing sessions on windy mountasides. They do not lose their warmth when wet which is a huge plus!

 

[Jason Snyder]

I have the Kelvin Super Down Hoody, that thing is awesome. It's like sitting right next to the furnace. I also have a North Face primaloft coat, think it's like 80g/m or so? It's a good layer also. If you shop around, you can find pretty good puffys for $100 or so.

 

[tipsntails7]

I have the Kelvin Super Down Hoody, that thing is awesome. It's like sitting right next to the furnace. I also have a North Face primaloft coat, think it's like 80g/m or so? It's a good layer also. If you shop around, you can find pretty good puffys for $100 or so.

Jason what puffys a can you compare the kelvin to? looks like a good piece.

 

[Jason Snyder]

I don't know, I'm not a puffy connoisseur by any means. I tried the OR Transcendent and the Kelvin. The Kelvin had much more fill.

It's cut a little longer too. I guess if I was wanting a minimalist coat I'd probably go with the Kelvin Down Ultralight. I wanted something that was a little more substantial that I could use for winter backpacking/climbing.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Being in constant rain you should really read this before deciding: http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-0...gy-for-hunting

 

[tipsntails7]

Being in constant rain you should really read this before deciding: http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-0...gy-for-hunting

Bruce link doesn't work, but I assume it's to the Sitka rewarming drill?

 

[Cindy]

Be careful with that stuff.
I noticed you have a couple Sitka options on there.

It is worth noting that all the kelvin stuff is not the same.

For example, the kelvin jacket is 170 g of primaloft sport.
The kelvin lite hoody is 80 g of primaloft silver.
The kelvin down ul jacket is 90 g of primaloft gold which is a blend of mostly pima loft and a little goose down mixed.
The kelvin down hoody is primaloft gold, but the down to synthetic ratio is flipped. More down, less synthetic.

I have the old, now discontinued, kelvin lite jacket, and the kelvin down ul jacket.

Not all kelvins are equal. You need to be aware of what you are buying so you don't have to re buy later.

Your warmest option is going to be the kelvin jacket with 170 g synthetic insulation. Being that it has almost double the insulation of the other kelvins.

You should note that the kelvin jacket is designed to be worn as an outer layer, where the kelvin down ul, and the kelvin hoodys are intended to be worn as a mid layer.

Shop carefully. Its a lot of money to spend on a jacket that leaves you cold.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Bruce link doesn't work, but I assume it's to the Sitka rewarming drill?

Nope. Try accessing the article from here: http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?32108-Synthetic-Insulation-Technology-for-Hunting

Cindy makes a solid point above...I have the original Kelvins (not the UL models) which though bulkier are amazingly toasty.

 

[davescarp]

Be careful with that stuff.
I noticed you have a couple Sitka options on there.

It is worth noting that all the kelvin stuff is not the same.

For example, the kelvin jacket is 170 g of primaloft sport.
The kelvin lite hoody is 80 g of primaloft silver.
The kelvin down ul jacket is 90 g of primaloft gold which is a blend of mostly pima loft and a little goose down mixed.
The kelvin down hoody is primaloft gold, but the down to synthetic ratio is flipped. More down, less synthetic.

I have the old, now discontinued, kelvin lite jacket, and the kelvin down ul jacket.

Not all kelvins are equal. You need to be aware of what you are buying so you don't have to re buy later.

Your warmest option is going to be the kelvin jacket with 170 g synthetic insulation. Being that it has almost double the insulation of the other kelvins.

You should note that the kelvin jacket is designed to be worn as an outer layer, where the kelvin down ul, and the kelvin hoodys are intended to be worn as a mid layer.

Shop carefully. Its a lot of money to spend on a jacket that leaves you cold.

Just to clarify a couple of things you wrote. the insulation weight in the regular kelvin jacket and kelvin light are given as fill wt per square meter of fill material. the kelvin ultralight and kelvin down hoody are given as total fill weight; there is a difference there that it isn't directly comparable, or at least not apples to apples.

Also, the fill in the kelvin ul and kelvin down hoody are both primaloft gold, which in both is comprised of 30% primaloft, and 70% 750 fill down. there is 3 oz of it in the ul, and 8 oz (approx. 224 g) in the kelvin down hoody. just clarifying what is on sitka's website.

For the record, I don't own any of them but have been researching an insulation piece a lot for this coming winter. IMO the warmest insulation piece sitka has is the kelvin down hoody.

 

[rhunter424]

Anyone use the new Kifaru parka when glassing or at camp? What temps are you comfortable at when fairly static?

 

[idig4au]

Anyone use the new Kifaru parka when glassing or at camp? What temps are you comfortable at when fairly static?

Been down as low the low teens with mine with a couple of merino layers, and the Kuiu peloton. I am impressed with warmth. I have a few different puffy jackets and I rate them in following for warmth
1. Kifaru
2. FL puffy that I can't spell
3. Kuiu Kenai combined with a good windblock. Wind blows right through it so not best for static conditions, but great for hiking around in cold conditions.
4 Kuiu super down. I'm just not warm in this jacket when it's cold or damp outside. I think good for warmer hunts to take off chill at night.

 

[Rhansen]

Has any one found (as the article indacated) your synthetic cashed out after a year or two?