Just weighed my Marmot - 240gms. And that does me on the tops, but not technical - abrasion. In the past I've been a real gear nut hence my interest in eVent, but weight is now my decison maker (I'm over 50). Starting early 70's worked fulltime above bushline for years - would have killed for anything lighter than swani (way too heavy) under oilskin - must have weighed several kilo. Comfy though snowraking at 1.00am getting stock out of drifts. Couple of years ago decided against new salopettes and went overtrousers instead. Another sign of age.
Militaris... dead right. Saving money on labels. I would have to find original swing tag to know what I've bought. Even then... Yeah, its strange.
Yeah, I now keep the swing tags for exactly that reason. At first I thought they might just be buying mass produced generic clothing and just throwing their swing tags onto them....
But then I realized they normally have their brand on the product itself, plus on the inside tags, it must not be much more expensive to print the model name on the small internal tag.
Just weighed my Jacket (Size XXL) -630g (slightly damp). There are much lighter (and heavier) jackets for sales but thought it would have been a bit lighter then it was.
So I might not own a Fairydown Vertigo after all, I doubta slightly damp XXL would be twice the weight of a L.
Just went to around a dozen different clothing manufacuters websites and none of them provide weights for different sizes. Was just trying to get a rough idea how big the weight difference is between different sizes.
Been to Macpac, Fairydown (2006 website), Mountain Design, Mountain Hardware, North Face, Marmot, Kathmandu, mont bell, Outdoor Research, Vaude,Columbia..... :(
Don't think there would be big differences in weight between sizes. Damp would make a difference. Its all relative I guess as to the protection you want/need. Came across a Kiwi airline pilot (based in Singapore) one year in Nelson Lakes. We had both been out in some cold weather (dump followed by freeze)and he didn't quite have the thermals to cope. Out he went to re-pack and come back in. I was doing an out and back over Moss with some side trips and met him again on my enroute back to St Arnaud. He collapsed on the bunk comatose and managed to whisper his pack now weighed 32kg because he wanted to make sure he wasn't going to feeze again. And he had carried that West to East over Travers Saddle. Got to admire his stamina if not his folly. I've just bought a 320 weight Icebreaker (with hoody) to replace a bulky fleece. Space and weight - all I think about these days.
I am quite tempted to purchase a Marmot Mica, it would be a weight saving of around 430g and might allow me to use a slightly smaller pack....
But it would mean I own a excessive number of jackets.
- Fairydown Jacket (use for tramping + work)
- Scierra wading jacket (Use for Fly fishing)
- Line 7 Jacket (Use for work + SW fishing)
- extrasport Dry Top (use for Kayaking)
- Dutch Police Jacket (weighs a ton, work jacket now)
But then I only own a single tramping jacket.... Is owning two tramping jackets excessive?
The Marmot Mica retails for around $330, minus 20% discount. So $260 for a jacket is not to bad... :)
Has anyone tried tramping in one of the breathable jackets and wearing nothing beneath the Jacket?
I have always worn a 100 weight icebreaker but it becomes saturated in sweat after a short distance.... Thinking wearing nothing might improve the airflow.
I find Gortex to feel really clammy and cold against the skin. I always wear a long sleve top underneith. Maybe instead of 100 weight icebreaker you might try coolmax or one of those lighter weight tops. They are designed to move the sweat away faster, but no good in cold conditions.
Huntech's drymax-lite is the best I've found under goretex without adding too much unwanted warmth - wicks water away from the skin which the goretex can then cope with and remove. Trouble with Huntech is I think they're all short-sleeve. Other manufacturers (e.g. Stoney Creek) also have similar fabrics in long-sleeve, but not tried these myself. Find the cheap imported varieties of these fabrics (have tried those used by Active or BizConnection) are no good: they do not wick and build up sweat inside.
Seems to me goretex can't wick water directly from the skin - just get a film of sweat if I wear nothing but Goretex.
As each persons temperature range is so different its almost impossible to get good advice. During winter i walk in an icebraker 190 short sleeve crewneck. As it gets colder i add a ridgeline micro short sleeve. As the wind gets up or it rains on goes the marmot and thats about it. It would need to get really cold and bitter to add anything else. three layers seems to work best for me. The marmot can get a bit clammy on the arms due to the short sleeves but i find i get too hot with long sleeves when im walking so put up with it.
