Down Jackets

yes, that would be overkill...

I find my lightweight down sweater to be very adequate with a thermal and a 100 weight waistcoat in winter in the high Berg. It also works well with a shell because of its trim fit so it layers well if necessary but I haven't really needed to.

@ASL, Thanks for all the info! How snug do you reckon these jackets should fit?

@Viking, Any feedback on the K-Way Drake? Have you tested it out properly in cold conditions yet?

Viking wrote: I will be testing it because I purchased one on the 20% online sale recently.

I haven't taken the tag off though as I'm not convinced its any warmer than my R150 fleece, albeit less than half the weight.

I wait for cooler weather with much anticipation!

Not loose otherwise air can get in too easily but I can fit my TNF Salathe 100 weight fleece and a thermal under. I can also fit my hardshell over it easily enough without compressing the down (although I never find the need for that in SA). I have worn it like this in the Alps though.. different ball game there

Hi guys
Needing some opinions here. Torn between buying the K-Way Drake (R1299) which has 650 duck down or the TNF Redpoint on sale at Due South for R1200
I'd wear it instead of my fleece under my FA jacket.
Which is a warmer and better buy?

I have a Redpoint and it's awesome but isn't that light at 500 grams. That said it is better than down in terms of keeping you warm even when we and it's well made and pretty tough. I wear mine all the time and it's still perfectly new since I got it in 2007!

It depends on your priorities in terms of weight I guess. Warmth for weight will mostly go to the down jacket. Only the new jackets like the Thermoball from TNF can compare to down.

In simple terms I think the Redpoint is more versatile but the down jacket wins on warmth vs weight. I will add that the Redpoint is warmer than any fleece you might own...

Hi-Tec has sent me their Hi-Tec Solitude Pass Down jacket to try out. I have tried it around the house a bit and it is nice and toasty. I will be taking it for a real trial in the Berg this weekend.

Its down 700 fill, 500g.

So I gave the HI-TEC SOLITUDE PASS DOWN jacket a test run this weekend - photo by Fitness in Ngwangwane Cave:


My view on the jacket:

They say it weighs 500g - I haven't put it on a proper scale yet, but it is definitely not more than 300g. As with all down jackets it also folds into no space at all. It also makes a nice pillow at night.

As far as warmth goes - it is very warm, we didn't have exceptionally cold weather on the hike, but it was definitely more than adequate for temperatures around 0 (forecast was for -5, don't think it got quite that cold though). I would be interested to see how it holds up in colder temperatures, but I have no reason to think it wouldn't hold up.

Overall I only have 1 complaint - the quality of the zips isn't where I would like it to be. When I put my hand in one of the pockets, the zip managed to come off its rails due to no proper stoppers on the end. Overall this is relatively minor, but is a matter that needs to be looked at by the manufacturer - I have mentioned this to them in my feedback on the jacket.

So - in summary - the jacket has all the advantages of being a down jacket (lightweight, small, warm), and is mostly a great jacket. I will definitely be carrying it on future winter Berg trips.

Ok, so I took the plunge and got the K-Way Siberia/Ortler (same jacket - price tag said Siberia, label inside says Ortler). At 650 grams (Size: Large), it's a little heavier than the super light jackets mentioned earlier in this thread, but I can live with that since I don't need to carry extra fleece layers now.
Went up to Roland's Cave last weekend and tested it out. It's fantastic - super warm. No complaints at all.