Down Jackets

this thread is like a group of "converts". It took me a decade to move from fleece to down but once you go there its too cozy to go back!

I also enjoy being able to be outside with a cup of something hot at night which is made possible with a decent down jacket.

Wow! Check out the latest offerings from K-Way. Very nice!

www.capeunionmart.co.za/k-way-barnacle-hooded-down-jkt-mens

www.capeunionmart.co.za/k-way-mallard-hooded-down-jkt-mens

No weight specs listed yet, but I expect them to be very light.

The slang/colloquial word for money/Rands when I was a teenager was "stones". So regarding those rather nifty looking new jackets K-Way (my bday is coming up!!! ), "Geez, that's a lot of stones bru!!!".

Seriously though, they certainly look like seriously good jackets

My Patagonia Down Sweater is 330 grams and is 800 fill. Mountain Hardwear make some benchmark stuff that is under 300 grams. You can see some of their basic jackets on Mountainmailorder...

The latest stuff is treated waterproof down which keeps you warm even if it gets wet or synthetic fill jackets that are as warm for weight as down. All the better for us!!!

Do you guys think the Mallard would be a good jacket for Alpine use? Or let me phrase it somewhat different.

To what extreme would you push a jacket such as the Kway Mallard?

@Wezleyb:
at R2k, the K-Way Mallard looks like a good value down hooded jacket; how far you push it will depend on the other layers you use it with, specifically the number and type of base layers under and the weatherproof (wind & water) layer over. It appears to be comparable to the Mountain Hardwear Nitrous Hooded Jacket and the Montbell UL Parka .

If it were me and I was using it for winter berg hiking I’d probably go for the lower spec (and cheaper) K-Way Barnacle Hooded Down Jacket (100g of 650 fill power down vs 100g of 850 fill power down in the Mallard), but if it was for a trip to the Alps I would save up 250 euros and buy one of the above mentioned jackets or something from the Patagonia range when I get there; admittedly they're 1.5 times the price, but probably lighter and snugger.

What's also worth a mention is new technologies like dri-down which is used in the MHW jacket and some other US brands. Otherwise I agree with what Andrew is saying.

Hey guys. I have someone bringing me a jacket from the US this month - I was thinking of buying one with a more all purpose use for Drakensberg winter hikes, some Afriski, traveling overseas and hopefully some alpine use. Some of the prices are not bad.

If anyone feel know something about these jackets and can give opinion on any of these it would be much appreciated. I think generally they are all good jackets no matter which you choose. One of the advisers said the "Arc'teryx" is probably the best brand they have.

1.) La Sportiva Cham Down Jacket - Men's (Grey)

www.backcountry.com/la-sportiva-cham-down-jacket-mens

2.) Montane North Star Down Jacket - Men's (Red)

www.backcountry.com/montane-north-star-down-jacket-mens

3.) Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket - Men's

www.campsaver.com/microlight-alpine-jacket-men-s#tabshere

4.) Arc'teryx Thorium AR Hoody

www.usoutdoor.com/arcteryx/arcteryx-thorium-ar-hoody/

@Wezley

Agree with you that all the jackets you have listed are ‘good’ i.e. each has features which give it an edge.
My take on the jackets you list (first a caveat: I don’t have a down jacket [just a fA Primaloft insulated jacket (395g)] but I have also been following this thread and looking at options for a while):

• La Sportiva: quite heavy at 650g, and you either love or hate the colour-combinations;
• Montaine: quite heavy at 607g, the down does not appear to be treated, and the jacket is very long (thigh-length vs hip-length);
• Rab: 445g, it has the most down (140g) and the down is treated. This would be my choice of the four listed;
• Arc’teryx: at 312g (85g down) it ticks almost all the boxes and would be my choice if the down was treated.

If your selection criteria were narrowed to: hooded down jacket/parka, hip-length, 80-100g fill, 700-800 fill-power treated-down, weight less than 450g, cost less than $200 (on sale), then only the Rab qualifies, but I would add the Mountain Hardwear Nitrous Hooded Down Jacket as being my preferred final choice.