Ultra light emergency layer?

hmmm

I'm looking for a piece of kit that I can leave in my rucksack & only take out in emergencies - i.e. give me an extra insulating layer if conditions take a major turn for the worst. Would anyone have any recommendations?

Something like an ultra ultra lightweight down jacket perhaps. Because of our climate, it needs to either fit under a waterproof layer, or needs to be waterproof. Weight is extremely important, if it's something I'm going to be debating whether or not to bring on a hike it's no good. I'm considering stuff like the Patagonia Nano Puff, but there might be better options out there.

hiromoto

Ultra light synthetic down jackets in Lidl 14.99 down from 24.99, they come in stuffsacs and weigh grammes. I would guess Patagonia would be ten times the price although maybe ten times better.

silverharp

Can I question the need to have such a reserve layer? anyone out for a day will have a good idea of the temperature range, the main variable might be getting rained on when you were not quite expecting it. If I was going to bring a reserve for a day hike it might be a tarp or bivi bag in case you get backed into a corner or have to ride out a down pour. If it just got colder or more miserable either shorten the hike or walk faster

Alun

I kind of agree, it's unlikely in Ireland that you'll get a sudden, unexpected (assuming you've done some basic weather research before setting off) decrease in temperature in and of itself. It will always be as a result of the onset of a combination of precipitation of some sort, possibly wintry, plus wind, and if those kind of conditions suddenly appear then you'll probably have other problems as well as merely getting cold, so the best advice is to cut the walk short and/or up the pace to get down to lower ground and out of the bad weather ASAP.

Having said that, Paramo have a thing called an Overlayering Gilet, which you put on over the TOP of your existing waterproof jacket. The idea is that the last thing you'd be wanting to do if caught out in such a way is to be taking off garments to add another layer and lose core temperature as a result. It's clearly designed to work in combination with Paramo's system, so no idea how it would work in combination with a traditional hard shell jacket.

I always carry a survival bag and a space blanket, and other people I walk with have Kisu / bothy bag shelters with them, but these are more for the case of emergencies if someone is injured and needs to stay put while help is organised than anything else.

hmmm

I carry a 2 man shelter for "real" emergencies, but perhaps my use of the word emergency was a bit strong. I've been out on night hikes where because of faffing with bearings and disorientation you can end up standing around a long time. Or a day hike in bad weather where someone takes a turn, but it isn't serious enough to warrant the shelter - perhaps you have to walk a lot slower, or stand around while they recover.

I'll bring gear that will keep me warm, but I've often thought I'd love something light and relatively warm that I could keep in my bag and throw on for the odd unexpected event - I don't want to go out with a ton of layers in preparation for that thing that only happens once every 20 hikes. There's lots of light windproof singlet things, but an insulating layer is needed.

hiromoto

hmmm wrote: »

I carry a 2 man shelter for "real" emergencies, but perhaps my use of the word emergency was a bit strong. I've been out on night hikes where because of faffing with bearings and disorientation you can end up standing around a long time. Or a day hike in bad weather where someone takes a turn, but it isn't serious enough to warrant the shelter - perhaps you have to walk a lot slower, or stand around while they recover.

I'll bring gear that will keep me warm, but I've often thought I'd love something light and relatively warm that I could keep in my bag and throw on for the odd unexpected event - I don't want to go out with a ton of layers in preparation for that thing that only happens once every 20 hikes. There's lots of light windproof singlet things, but an insulating layer is needed.

Only on boards do you have to justify to the expert advisers why you want a bit of gear. I bought it for chilly belays, is that OK?

hmmm

hiromoto wrote: »

Only on boards do you have to justify to the expert advisers why you want a bit of gear. I bought it for chilly belays, is that OK?

Ah it's always good to have someone challenge your thinking..

hmmm

This yoke is 250g
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/warm-ultralight-down-ski-jkt-id_8281848.html

Alun

How much warmer would something like that be compared to say a polartec fleece layer? I can't help thinking that in our type of conditions, i.e. where a large contributor to how cold you feel is down to windchill rather than pure low temperatures, you'd almost be too warm in that underneath a waterproof hard shell, although I should add I don't really feel the cold too much myself.

Gasherbraun

hmmm wrote: »

I'm looking for a piece of kit that I can leave in my rucksack & only take out in emergencies - i.e. give me an extra insulating layer if conditions take a major turn for the worst. Would anyone have any recommendations?

Something like an ultra ultra lightweight down jacket perhaps. Because of our climate, it needs to either fit under a waterproof layer, or needs to be waterproof. Weight is extremely important, if it's something I'm going to be debating whether or not to bring on a hike it's no good. I'm considering stuff like the Patagonia Nano Puff, but there might be better options out there.

The Rab Alpine Microlight is good. It is not as insulating as a full spec belay jacket (not designed to be) but due to less bulk wears easily under a shell. I am a photographer so standing around at dawn and dusk in the mountains regularly and a fleece, microlight and shell keep pretty much all cold and weather out when not moving.

The Rab weighs about 150g and stuffs into its own breast pocket. Bear in mind though it is 750 fill goose down so does not like the wet too much. It is arguably not designed for the Irish climate but excels as insulation under a shell when static.

preacherman

Rab generator pull on ... Like a sleeping bag you wear ;-)

amcguinn

I've used a Burghers synthetic layer for about 5 years for exactly this purpose, can't remember jacket name but they are still available. Folds into its own pocket to fist size, very warm, retains heat when wet. Very useful even at cold grub stops etc, just put it over your outer layer and take off again when moving. Have usd as a belay jacket in Scottish winter and no issues. @€;130 I think, very light and compact. Also recently available hydrophobic down layers which may fulfil role but don't have any experience of them and they start @200.

hmmm

I've decided on a Rab Xenon as a good weight/warmth balance (Rab seem to have lots of interesting stuff), and I'll keep an eye out for the Lidl ones. There are some good comparisons and explanations here:
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Insulated-Jacket-Reviews

After spending some time reading up on this stuff I think it's time to reach for the checkbook and upgrade a lot of my gear - some of the new fabrics are significantly lighter than what I currently carry!

Gasherbraun

Re price I actually found Rab were fairly well priced in comparison to the alternatives.

As regards some of the new fabrics I think you are right and maybe the market dominence of Goretex, Paramo eVent etc is going to be challenged in the next few years. I was wearing a softeshell made with Polartec Powershield in a sustained Wicklow downpour recently and was surprised at how much water it repelled whilst remaining warm.

Alun

Gasherbraun wrote: »

As regards some of the new fabrics I think you are right and maybe the market dominence of Goretex, Paramo eVent etc is going to be challenged in the next few years. I was wearing a softeshell made with Polartec Powershield in a sustained Wicklow downpour recently and was surprised at how much water it repelled whilst remaining warm.

Looks like interesting stuff .. I've been disappointed with the softshell jackets I've bought up till now, having expected them to be more wind / light shower proof than they really were in practice. I've got an ancient Berghaus Gore Windstopper fleece mountaineering jacket that I wear in all kinds of conditions apart from persistent showers / rain that outperforms them all.

One thing I'd say though is that I'm being drawn to Paramo gear after a couple of my walking companions have gone over to it. As I see it it's often the membrane used in most waterproof fabrics that's ultimately the Achilles heel after a few years of wear, and Polartec Powershield having a membrane too is possibly no exception. I'm still umming and aahing about it though, it's a lot of expense only to find it doesn't suit you after all. I tend to run quite warm myself, and most of the proponents of it I've met have been quite the opposite in fact.

duckysauce

Have the Patagonia Nano Puff class bit of kit , very light and very warm regular price is nuts , but got it for 50 quid in the Patagonia outlet could not refuse at that price.

hmmm

Alun wrote: »

I tend to run quite warm myself, and most of the proponents of it I've met have been quite the opposite in fact.

I have the same problem - which is why I hate carrying layers I'll never normally use, but will need if I have to slow down for any reason.

A 50 quid nano would be great value, I might go in tomorrow and see if they've any left.

duckysauce

hmmm wrote: »

I have the same problem - which is why I hate carrying layers I'll never normally use, but will need if I have to slow down for any reason.

A 50 quid nano would be great value, I might go in tomorrow and see if they've any left.

Was a while ago that I got it ,it was on their bargain type rail , you never know what they might have though. Best of luck.

Pigeon Reaper

I use the nano puff for a lot of cold weather ski trips, hikes and some rescue work. It kept me warm at -15C with 40km winds so I can highly recommend it.

The Dagda

Alun wrote: »

Looks like interesting stuff .. I've been disappointed with the softshell jackets I've bought up till now, having expected them to be more wind / light shower proof than they really were in practice. I've got an ancient Berghaus Gore Windstopper fleece mountaineering jacket that I wear in all kinds of conditions apart from persistent showers / rain that outperforms them all.

One thing I'd say though is that I'm being drawn to Paramo gear after a couple of my walking companions have gone over to it. As I see it it's often the membrane used in most waterproof fabrics that's ultimately the Achilles heel after a few years of wear, and Polartec Powershield having a membrane too is possibly no exception. I'm still umming and aahing about it though, it's a lot of expense only to find it doesn't suit you after all. I tend to run quite warm myself, and most of the proponents of it I've met have been quite the opposite in fact.

Off topic but as an FYI for Alun, I swear by Paramo gear and I just found this video which does a really good job of explaining how it works.

It might help you with your decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcfZcr1AOro