Puffy Comparison

[MaxHenderson]

I have been looking at the Stone Glacier Grumman, FL Chamberlin, Kuiu Super Down Pro or Ultra, and Sitka Kelvin Down WS Hoody. Has anyone compared a these, or have reviews on them? Thanks!


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[Salmon River Solutions]

Add the SKRE ptarmigan in hooded version to that list. I love mine! And make sure whatever you buy comes with a little stuff sack, some of them don't.

 

[Ariettabob]

There’s a great thread a few pages back on here. It compares and discusses all of the puffys. Lots of great info.

 

[*zap*]

Ws hoody is very warm, packs down pretty good into the provided stuff sack, pretty light and runs a little big. Decent pockets and hood. Very good mesh inner chest pockets for hat/gloves and cooking them dry.
FL uncomphagre vest/jacket is not as warm as the WS but packs down very well is very light and very warm/windblocking for what it is and can be a mid layer, it also runs a little big. Good pockets and hood with good arm length.

 

[mj23polaris]

I wouldn't put kuiu super down ultra in the mix of the others. It's a light piece that I only really use from may-sept. any other time the kifaru LPP is out. It does pack down super small though I'm gonna try it over my fanatic and under my LPP to help out in the sub zero temps.

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[Kotaman]

I've used/owned all of these and agree with the above post in that the Ultra does not belong in that group of puffys.

Here's my take on the rest:

*Chamberlain - Probably one of the warmest in it's class. Not the best in the "packability" department, but most of these warm one's aren't.

*Super Down Pro - Decent warmth to weight ratio. Not as warm as the FL Chamberlain or Sitka WS, but it does the job as a warm, packable puffy. I wear this one more for casual than I do for hunting, but it is a good all around puffy.

*Sitka Kelvin WS - My "go to" when the weather is tough. Seems to handle the wind as well of any of the one's you list, has a water resistant shell. Downside: It is the heaviest puffy I own and doesn't pack down real well. But when I go to Kodiak or anywhere late season, I make room for this one. It is a life saver.

*SG Grumann - One of my favorite, but I hate the astronaut look. A different color (hopefully coming this year) will help that "feel". This one is warm enough and packs down small. A great all around option. One of my favorite "general use" puffys.

*KUIU Ultra - As stated above this one does not belong in this class. It is a lightweight, early season option only for me. Warmth to weight is decent, as it weighs nothing, but this thing isn't all that warm.

I also currently own the First Lite Brooks, which is also more of an early season puffy. The Kryptek Gahr is also a nice "general use" puffy but doesn't have a hood. I also have all of the other Sitka offerings from the Kelvin Lite, Kelvin Ultra, regular Kelvin. All nice synthetic options.

 

[cornfedkiller]

*KUIU Ultra - As stated above this one does not belong in this class. It is a lightweight, early season option only for me. Warmth to weight is decent, as it weighs nothing, but this thing isn't all that warm.

I also currently own the First Lite Brooks, which is also more of an early season puffy.

How does the warmth of these two compare?

 

[Kotaman]

How does the warmth of these two compare?

The Brooks is warmer. You can't see through the Brooks when you hold it up to the light...

 

[cornfedkiller]

The Brooks is warmer. You can't see through the Brooks when you hold it up to the light...

Good to know. Thank you!

 

[Ryan Avery]

Kotaman said it best. But it's very hard to compare those jackets.

 

[MuleDeerMike]

Add the SKRE ptarmigan in hooded version to that list. I love mine! And make sure whatever you buy comes with a little stuff sack, some of them don't.

X2. Love mine as well.

 

[Ryan Avery]

X2. Love mine as well.

I throw those bags away

I do really like the SKRE puffy. But they need to fix the weight on their website.


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[Ryan Avery]

The Brooks is warmer. You can't see through the Brooks when you hold it up to the light...

Yes, It’s hard to compare 30D against 12D.


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[Jotis]

I've used/owned all of these and agree with the above post in that the Ultra does not belong in that group of puffys.

Here's my take on the rest:

*Chamberlain - Probably one of the warmest in it's class. Not the best in the "packability" department, but most of these warm one's aren't.

*Super Down Pro - Decent warmth to weight ratio. Not as warm as the FL Chamberlain or Sitka WS, but it does the job as a warm, packable puffy. I wear this one more for casual than I do for hunting, but it is a good all around puffy.

*Sitka Kelvin WS - My "go to" when the weather is tough. Seems to handle the wind as well of any of the one's you list, has a water resistant shell. Downside: It is the heaviest puffy I own and doesn't pack down real well. But when I go to Kodiak or anywhere late season, I make room for this one. It is a life saver.

*SG Grumann - One of my favorite, but I hate the astronaut look. A different color (hopefully coming this year) will help that "feel". This one is warm enough and packs down small. A great all around option. One of my favorite "general use" puffys.

*KUIU Ultra - As stated above this one does not belong in this class. It is a lightweight, early season option only for me. Warmth to weight is decent, as it weighs nothing, but this thing isn't all that warm.

I also currently own the First Lite Brooks, which is also more of an early season puffy. The Kryptek Gahr is also a nice "general use" puffy but doesn't have a hood. I also have all of the other Sitka offerings from the Kelvin Lite, Kelvin Ultra, regular Kelvin. All nice synthetic options.

I am thinking of buying the first lite uncompahgre or the sitka kelvin light. How would you compare these two. It would be for packing in during the archery season in colorado.

 

[Kotaman]

I’ve used these two quite a bit. Neither one of them is overly warm while stationery when it’s cold. I use them mainly as a really lateseason soft shell more than anything. They are both pretty good a taking the moisture away from you when active. If you’re going to use it while stationery in cold temps, there are better choices IMO. If you’re going to use it for spot and stalk in cold temps or as an early season puffy, they’re great. To me both are similar and like them both. Both are quality pieces.

 

[JWP58]

If you want an extremely warm coat, get the FL chamberlin. Warmest jacket I've ever owned.

 

[Deplorable77]

I used the uncompahgre this year in idaho. The jacket is unbelievably warm and packs down smaller than a lot of decent raingear. I wore it in temps from 15-40 while on horseback, glassing, and minimal walking around. All I had under it was a thermal top and traditional button down long sleeve shirt and was out for 8-12hrs without ever getting chilled.We got got in a few 5-15 minute long rain/hail/wind storms and the jacket kept me dry even though it's not the primary use for this piece, what impressed me the most was the warmth of the jacket as soon as I put it on. To me, 60 deg temps are shorts and Tshirt weather if that helps quantify.I wear an xl in every shirt/jacket I buy , but per the FL size chart I bought this in a L and it's a perfect fit. Now the downside.... I was on horseback, not bushwhacking and this jacket ended up with half a dozen tears from who knows what. I knew it was a thin shell, but expected to get more than one week out of it without taping it up. First Lite acknowledges it tears very easily and recommends buying repair tape for it. I'll be buying a different puffy for next year because of this.

I am thinking of buying the first lite uncompahgre or the sitka kelvin light. How would you compare these two. It would be for packing in during the archery season in colorado.

 

[cornfedkiller]

I’ve used these two quite a bit.

Hows the warmth compare between the brooks and uncompaghre?

 

[Kotaman]

Hows the warmth compare between the brooks and uncompaghre?

That’s a tough one. For me they’re just two different animals. Warmth edge might go to the Unpronounceable. If youre going to wear it active at all, the Un would be my choice. Early season mountain hunting, the Brooks gets the nod. To “stay warm“, I really like down. The Uncompagre just isn’t a “warm” jacket for me. Mileage may vary...I have a feeling those that call it “warm”, haven’t tried a ton of puffy jackets. No way can I wear the Un at 15 degrees stationary...no way.

 

[Formidilosus]

The Uncompagre just isn’t a “warm” jacket for me. Mileage may vary...I have a feeling those that call it “warm”, haven’t tried a ton of puffy jackets. No way can I wear the Un at 15 degrees stationary...no way.

The Uncompagre is not “warm”. That jacket is actually one of the reasons that a few years ago we started an eval to actually figure out how warm puffys really are. I heard nothing but how the Uncompagre is “an oven” and “ridiculously warm”, etc. I got it in hand and said “this is a joke”, but took everyone’s word for it and froze my fugging butt off in 35 degree weather. It has the equivalent insulation to a 45-50 degree sleeping bag. Turns out when people say “stationary” what they really mean is not sprinting up mountains after bugling elk. They don’t really mean stationery.

I have been looking at the Stone Glacier Grumman, FL Chamberlin, Kuiu Super Down Pro or Ultra, and Sitka Kelvin Down WS Hoody. Has anyone compared a these, or have reviews on them? Thanks!
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Haven’t used or seen enough of the Kuiu used to say, other than going off of their fill weight.


A couple years ago, after a few of us got tired of near hypothermia even though we were using clothing that everyone kept assuring us was “like an oven”, we started measuring as best as possible what temperatures puffys were really warm to. Our standard was “comfortable”. Which we defined as sitting on your couch at home. No shivering, no chills, no cold spots, nothing.

We used them while absolutely stationary glassing for 4-6 hours, I.E.- ZERO movement. The comfort temperature was whenever someone started to rub their arms, shiver, get chilled in the slightest, etc. Legs, feet, head, etc were all adequately insulated, and in no wind conditions so just the jackets were being tested. Upper body had a light weight long sleeve base layer (Patagonia Lvl 1, FL Aerowool 150, etc), plus a mid weight fleece (Patagonia R1, waffle too, etc), then the jacket.

Not surprisingly the comfort temperature was a bit above what their insulation value would be compared to sleeping bags.

This is from quite a few people using each, and going off of memory-

Uncompagre- 45+ degrees
Kifaru LPP- 35+ degrees
Sitka Kelvin Down WS- 25+ degrees
FL Chamberlin- 15+ degrees


+/- 5 degrees either side depending on person. Adding a rain/wind jacket over top gets another 5 or so degrees. I’ve been using the Grumman this year and so far using it as above except for switching the midweight fleece for a Sitka Kelvin Active, from negative 10 degrees and up; it seems to be good to around 30-33 degrees.