TEST SERIES

MONTBELL ALPINE LIGHT DOWN JACKET (MEN'S)

INITIAL REPORT

October 24, 2006

CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE FIELD REPORT
CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE LONG-TERM REPORT

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME:	Edward Ripley-Duggan
E-MAIL:	erd@wilsey.net
AGE:	53
LOCATION:	Catskills, New York State
GENDER:	M
HEIGHT:	6' 1" (1.85 m)
WEIGHT:	215 lb (97.5 kg)
CHEST:	45" (114 cm)
ARM:	31" (79 cm)
SHOULDERS:	51" (130 cm) around outside
Chest and arm measured per MontBell website instructions

I enjoy walking in all its manifold forms, from a simple stroll in the woods to multi-day backpack excursions. Though by no means an extreme ultra-light enthusiast, from spring to fall my preference is to carry a pack weight (before food and water) of 12 lb (5.5 kg), more or less. In recent years, I've rapidly moved to a philosophy of "lighter is better," within the constraints of budget and common sense.

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Product information in brief

Delivery and contents

The jacket was delivered uncompressed, protected by a cellophane bag, and was housed in a cardboard box of adequate size to prevent crushing en route. Attached to the looped label at the neck of the jacket were the stuff sack, a small card bearing a "Down Leakage Warning," and a small folded cardboard sheet providing some details of the construction and care of the garment. A current MontBell catalogue was also enclosed.

Warranty

MontBell's warranty is to be found on its website. It's fairly standard in form and content.

"MontBell strives towards excellence by producing the highest quality gear and merchandise. We warrant our products to be free of defects in the manufacturing of materials and workmanship. This is not a guarantee against wear and tear, including improper use, negligence, damage, alterations, or use of the product in any way other than which it was designed. Should you have a warranty issue, we ask that you please return the cleaned item(s) to MontBell. We will then decide whether or not the item(s) can be repaired, or replaced if it is a valid warranty issue. In the event that we do not have in inventory the product to be replaced, we will contact you to determine your preference for an alternative product or refund."

Features and Design

The Light Alpine Down Jacket is a very recent entry into a relatively new class of garments, lofty ultra-light down jackets. These have been made possible in part by the availability of very high fill power down, much of it from China (which is where the bulk of MontBell's products are made). Since the loft of a garment (or sleeping bag) is roughly proportional to its warmth, the higher lofts available with down of 800 fill power and above equate to greater warmth for less weight of down. Of course, the textiles and construction of such jackets also have a considerable impact on their effectiveness and weight.

The MontBell jacket uses sewn-through construction, referred to by the firm as "single-quilt construction." In this construction method, the compartments containing the down are created by stitching the shell and lining together. This is lighter than using a so-called baffled construction, in which thin layers of mesh are sewn between the shell and liner to create compartments. It does mean that there is no down to speak of along the edges of the compartments, and the maximum insulation is at the center of each compartment. Generally speaking, this is an effective design, provided that such sewn-through insulated garments aren't used under truly extreme conditions. How extreme is too extreme for the Light Down Jacket is something that will be carefully evaluated during this test.

The jacket's shell is made from 30-denier Ballistic nylon rip-stop fabric, protected with DWR, with a lining made from Ballistic nylon taffeta of the same weight. MontBell claims "excellent wind-shedding ability" [quote from catalogue] for these fabrics, a matter of some importance in light of the single-quilt construction. Indeed, these are very resistant to the passage of air; when I put my mouth tight against the fabric and attempt to exhale, I cannot.

The fill is described as "800 fill hypoallergenic goose down." It has no discernible odor and a very fine texture when felt through the fabric. Fill and fabric together make for an insulated garment that is both compressible and light. The MontBell logo is embroidered on the left breast.

The descriptive cardboard tag for the jacket notes:"30-denier Ballistic rip-stop nylon is more than strong enough to withstand the normal use of an inner piece, but there is the possibility of tearing or damaging the fabric if it is exposed to sharp objects or high abrasion conditions." In other words, while this is a fine jacket for an open trail or camp, if it is worn climbing or bushwhacking a shell garment will be needed over the jacket. I won't be testing the durability of the fabric while scrambling or travelling off-trail unless it is appropriately protected as recommended. I will, of course, report should the fabric fail under conditions of normal use.

Practically speaking, I would never wear any down item "in high abrasion conditions," partly for the protection of the clothing and partly because a down jacket is generally far more insulation than I need when physically active, except in the coldest of weathers. I expect to wear this jacket most often on rest stops and meal breaks; on the very coldest of days, especially while descending peaks; and when in camp.

The quality of construction is extremely high. All seams and lines of stitching are exceptionally neat and even, and high stitch-count sewing has been used throughout. In a very few places a little projecting down is noticeable along sewn-through seams. This is the subject of the second tag that's attached to the jacket, which reads as follows:

"Down Leakage Warning. This product is using superfine fabrics to make it light and compact. It is down proof, which prevents down fibers coming off the fabric. However, since a down fiber is extra fine and the fabric is very thin, you see down fibers coming off from stitch lines as you wear. It is caused by expansion and contraction of the fabric. When down fibers are stuck to your clothes, they can be easily removed using weak adhesive tapes."

I will see whether there is any significant escape of down in the manner indicated, although early indications (combined with past experience) lead me to believe that this warning may be a bit extreme. Quite seriously, it's nice to be informed—I can see that such loss of down fibers, while not unreasonable given the lightweight constraints of construction, could cause concern to some users.

Each sleeve is divided into six circumferential compartments. Each side of the front of the jacket, on either side of the zipper, is divided into seven compartments (with two over each of the two external "hand warmer" pockets, which are nice and deep). The back is similarly divided into seven compartments. The neck (which is lined with cozy perforated micro-fleece) has two small baffles all the way round. A very nice touch indeed is that there is a thin down-filled tube behind the full-length YKK Reverso zipper, something that's lacking from many down jackets of far greater weight. The zipper moves smoothly, and when the jacket is fully closed the slider is covered by a fabric "zipper garage." The metal pull has a plastic tab attached for ease of use. The taffeta lining of the jacket is an attractive silver-gray, with two internal pockets set within it, also of some depth. This jacket has plenty of space to carry items! One potential issue I will examine when testing the jacket is the lack of any closure for the two external pockets. I will want to see if snow will find its way into the pockets and melt there. Potentially, this might result in a localized loss of insulating ability.

The cut of the jacket is generous but not excessively so, and my movements when wearing it are unimpeded. I particularly like the fact that the armpits of the jacket coincide exactly with my armpits, as if it was tailored for me (which it wasn't). The result is that I can raise my arms over my head without significantly raising the hem of the jacket. I'd call this an excellent fit. The sleeve length appears ideal, with complete coverage of my wrists, which means that there should be no exposed flesh between glove and cuff. The fact that the arms are a good fit is surprising, given that my arm length measures in at 31" (79 cm) and the jacket sleeve length for MontBell's XL is stated as 35" (89 cm). If I give the sleeves a tug I can indeed get the sleeves to rest on my hand's first knuckle, at the base of the fingers. This is about an extra 4" (10 cm). Despite this apparent mismatch, the sleeve length looks and feels just fine.

There is enough room to wear a lightweight insulating layer. So far, I have experimented with one of MontBell's U. L. Down Inner Vests, worn over a medium-weight merino shirt, which works perfectly with the jacket. This is pleasing, as that's equivalent to adding another 1" (2.5 cm) of loft, particularly handy for sleeping. There's no sense of the layers binding.

Both wrists and jacket hem are gently elasticized, and the waist is cut slightly longer in the rear than the front, which should help keep my tail warm when I bend forward to adjust skis, snowshoes or crampons. I'll be examining how well this works. As to the fit at the waist, I will examine whether the elastic is sufficiently taut to prevent wind or snow from being driven under the hem. The tension is not adjustable.

Despite a few minor questions of this type, inevitable with any untested garment, my first impressions are very positive. I wore the jacket outside this morning over to the stores as a first try-out, with temperatures around 40 F (4 C) and quite a bit of wind. I was extremely cozy, almost too much so. I look forward to seeing how well this jacket works in the field!

Cleaning

I will probably clean the jacket at some time over the test period. The tag sewn into the garment states "Do not wash. Do not bleach. Do not iron. Dry clean petroleum solvent only." However, the care instructions on the cardboard tag state (in part) "Rinse thoroughly after washing with down specific soap." I have always been under the impression that down should never be dry cleaned, except with special solvents of a kind found only with a few specialist dry cleaners. The printed tag indeed mentions using only "facilities familiar with down care" for dry cleaning.

Given that the printed tag that comes with the jacket is easily lost, I am a little dismayed that the instruction to dry clean on the sewn-in tag is the only permanent indication of how the jacket should be cleaned, especially as it is so patently incorrect. I called MontBell's customer service, and they confirmed that washing (in a machine without a central agitator, using a special down soap) is the optimal method, and that dry cleaning is a thoroughly bad idea. They also recommend against the old trick of using a tennis ball to break up down clumps, and instead suggest drying at the lowest possible temperature, removing the jacket from the drum as soon as it stops (in case a hot spot causes melted fabric), and breaking up any aggregations of down by hand.

This all seems like good advice, far more in line with what I'd consider conventional down care. I can only assume that the dry cleaning fluids used in Japan are kinder on down than those used in the United States. I would very much like to see this (to my mind) rather serious error on the garment care tag corrected. It is, as I saw when I looked at other MontBell down garments I own, ubiquitous. They must have been using this label for years. Fortunately, I have always ignored it.

Future testing strategy

I will be testing in the Catskills, Adirondacks, and the mid-Hudson valley region of New York State (and possibly elsewhere), from the present time (late October) to late winter. In the Catskills and Adirondacks, I expect daily temperatures over the test period to range from daytime highs of a maximum of (at most) 60 F (16 C)—still a possibility in late October/early November—down to -10 F (-23 C), or cooler at elevation, once winter is well underway. Nighttime temperatures will likely range from 50 F (10 C), to perhaps the proverbial twenty below (-29 C). It all depends on whether we have a proper winter or not! In the Catskills and Adirondacks, I will be sleeping at elevations to 4000 ft (1220 m). I hike most weekends and occasional weekdays, with frequent backpacking forays interspersed. I backpack as chance and time permit, usually twice a month, for anything from a brief overnight to a multi-day hike. As I live among mountains, such spur-of-the-moment trips are more the rule than the exception.

This concludes my Initial Report.

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FIELD REPORT

December 19, 2006

During the two-month Field Report period, the MontBell Alpine Light Down jacket was part of my gear for all of my dayhikes and backpacks. It saw use on four overnights and numerous dayhikes. While backpacking I wore it around camp on two separate occasions, both while camped on the col between Cornell and Slide mountains in the Catskills. This is at about 3000 ft (914 m), and at temperatures of about 25 F (-4 C) in both instances. The weather was similar both times—clear to slightly cloudy, with occasional light breezes (though the second time, the wind picked up in the night). The area where I camped is protected by woods from the harshest winds. Snow has been noteworthy only by its almost total absence this year.

I also used the jacket for two successive nights at Dingmans Campgrounds at the Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania. Nighttime temperatures on this occasion were 40 F (4 C) or thereabouts, with somewhat damp air, as this location is situated at low elevation in a river valley. Though I hiked an Appalachian Trail section one day, this was a base camp for a gathering of campers and backpackers, and not a continuous backpack. The jacket has been also used regularly for lunch stops and other breaks while dayhiking in the Catskills. All in all, it has had a pretty good workout.

Temperatures over this time have been unseasonably mild for the NE United States, and this has so far prevented me from testing the jacket under the harsher and more demanding conditions of full mountain winter. I hope to be able to do this in the next two months, before the Long Term Report is filed.

Performance in the field

For the two overnight backpacks noted above, I was wearing the jacket over a Gore Windstopper vest. This venerable garment is almost invariably my outer layer in cool (and even cold) weather. I run warm when hiking, and I generally wear only a light wool shirt under the vest (short-sleeved for the December trip, as it was comparatively mild during the day). It's my habit to throw a jacket over what I'm wearing the moment I stop, or reach camp, to avoid chilling from the outset.

Camp use puts heavy demands on a jacket, in terms of warmth. Possibly a little damp with sweat, tired, in need of food, and suddenly stationary, I find this is the time of day that I am most likely to get chilled. While I can deal with cold extremities, with gloves and perhaps warmer socks, unaddressed loss of body heat can lead to discomfort, and potentially even mild hypothermia. A good jacket is critical.

Even while wearing a thin short-sleeved shirt, I felt no hint of cold when in camp at 25 F (-4 C), wearing the Alpine Light Down Jacket. Admittedly, I was also wearing a vest underneath—which the jacket accommodated comfortably, with no feeling of binding or constriction—but this was a thin windproof fleece. I was wearing nothing especially warm in the way of boots and socks, as the daytime temperatures had been fairly mild on each occasion. Though my feet felt a trifle chilly in camp, my torso was comfortable in the jacket, including my bare arms. I couldn't feel the occasional evening gust of wind through the fabric, which is remarkably effective at blocking breezes. Setting up camp is a pleasant chore when I'm warm, and the jacket performed admirably in this regard, providing warmth while not impeding mobility.

My only reservation (and it's one that would be true of many garments, insulated or otherwise) is that, as I wasn't wearing an outer shell, I did need to be careful of projecting snags etc. that might rip the jacket. The Cornell-Slide col sees a fair amount of traffic (it's on the Burroughs Trail, one of the most frequently traversed paths in the Catskills), and the areas that are suitable for camping don't have much left in the way of pointy branches, so this was not an issue of great concern. If I am somewhere with lots of projecting sticks (and I do often camp in remote off-trail areas), I'll certainly be wearing a tough shell for protection against punctures.

The jacket has proved to be a handy addition to my sleeping system. Usually I have shucked it within an hour or less of sliding into my bag, but it makes bringing the bag up to temperature pleasant. I feel warm from the outset. I'm not an especially warm sleeper—about average, I'd say. For early morning chills (that's when my metabolism is at its lowest and I'm most vulnerable to cold) I have put it back on when needed, and I've instantly felt toasty and have gone right back to sleep. On one occasion I was wearing the jacket in a fairly narrow bag that already contained a down quilt. I didn't feel that any of the down items—jacket, quilt, or bag—were being crushed, and I felt surprisingly unconstricted. I was eventually too warm, despite the summer weight of the bag, but I was also too sleepy to shed anything. On a side note, the jacket makes a pleasant pillow when not being worn to bed, whether in its stuff sack (though it is a little slippery in this form), or when put into a pack or dry bag.

I have also used it for lunch stops on dayhikes, and found it perfect for this task. I have (so far) found no need of a shell against wind while wearing it, and the elastic hem is up to the job of keeping drafts out. The sleeves (which are slightly, but not inconveniently, long) match up well with the short gauntlets of a pair of fleece mitts, and work well with gloves with full gauntlets. The sleeve length is an asset. If pulled over the hand, it provides extra warmth to the palm. Given the length of the sleeve, I would like to suggest to MontBell that a thumb-hole would be a useful addition to future versions, a modification that would need only a minor redesign. I have found (on other garments) that this provides not only extra insulation over the palm, but guarantees that snow or cold air does not seep in.

After one dayhike, I absent-mindedly left the jacket in its stuff sack within my pack in the car for well over a week, something I usually try to avoid with any insulating garment. I was a bit concerned that this prolonged (albeit gentle) compression might have had some negative effect on the loft, but I don't detect any. In fact, the jacket is still remarkable for the plumpness of its baffles, sufficiently noteworthy that others have remarked upon it. The down seems resilient to mild abuse such as this, indicating that it is of high quality. The fabric is resistant to the escape of down plumules and feather shafts. I have had to pull a couple of these back in, but this is an infrequent occurrence, and is something that happens with most down garments.

The handwarmer pockets are of especial utility for use when stopped. They are extremely deep, and if my gloved hands are feeling a little chilly, plunging them in the pockets for a few minutes usually solves the problem. The interior pockets are extremely handy, too. One evening, I was able to put a Platypus that was just starting to freeze within one, and my body heat quickly melted the ice. Potentially, these are handy for fuel canisters, energy bars, and anything that benefits from a little body warmth.

The neck has adequate room for the collar of a thin jacket or vest, a big plus. The fleece lining of the collar, when worn directly against the skin, is exceptionally comfortable and feels very warm. The neck of the jacket is not tight, but neither is it so loose that much heat escapes. The zip moves smoothly, and the down baffle behind it seemingly prevents any loss of warmth to the metal.

Summary

To date, I am delighted with this jacket. I'll be curious to see how it performs for camp use in truly cold weather, but for now I can certainly testify to its effectiveness during prolonged periods of inactivity with temperatures in the mid-twenties (circa -4 C). For a garment with only 4 oz (113 g) of down, that's pretty good, in my estimation. It has also definitely earned a place in my sleeping system, as I generally use my jackets to boost the effective rating of my bag. The various pockets are surprisingly large and a very useful feature.

This concludes my field report.

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LONG-TERM REPORT

February 17, 2007

Long-term test and conditions

During the two-month period of the long-term test, temperatures remained relatively mild for at least half that time. Snow was lacking except at elevation, where there was generally 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm). In mid-February (a few days ago) a heavy fall occurred, providing unbroken pack to a depth of nearly 2.5 ft (.75 m) in some locations on the higher slopes. This is the way it is supposed to be!

I used the Alpine Light Down Jacket as my primary camping insulation layer on three more overnight backpacks here in the Catskill Mountains of New York, at site elevations up to 3000 ft (914 m). I'd hoped to do more, but the lack of snow has been truly disheartening. The lowest temperature I experienced while camping was around 15 F (-9 C), despite the occasionally Arctic weather my region has recently experienced. This had led me to hope for some really cold conditions. So far, though, my trips all seem to have had milder-than-expected temperatures.

All my use of the jacket was below tree-line, though occasionally I was camped on exposed narrow ridges in boreal forest, so I've experienced some pretty good winds wearing it. The jacket was also carried on many day-hikes over the period (for use during lunch stops etc.), and finally, has seen wear around town on colder days. It has been an indispensable all-round winter layer.

Performance in the field

The jacket has held up well to lots of use and abuse. It has retained its overall loft (so far as I am able to measure), despite a couple of times when it was stored in the stuff-sack for a week or more. There's no evidence of wear to the fabric, although a couple of times it's been poked hard with twigs when navigating camp at night. I have not noticed any instances of down or feather shafts poking through the fabric, something that I find quite surprising, given the fairly light fabric. My only concern (and a very minor one at that) is that the bottom down compartment of the right sleeve is (to my eye and heft) slightly understuffed in comparison with that on the left. If I'm correct, it's a pretty minimal variation, and there is more than enough down in the compartment for comfort. I suspect it was this way all along, but that I only noticed it recently.

Although the jacket is (unsurprisingly) somewhat compressed and crumpled after emerging from its stuff-sack each time, it reaches a substantial loft very quickly indeed. It has been the sole insulating piece I have carried on most trips. A few times (when I had anticipated lower temperatures than I ultimately experienced) I carried but did not use a light down vest by the same manufacturer to wear underneath the jacket.

The fit is extremely comfortable, without being loose (but with room for some degree of layering). The length is adequate, and the jacket has shown no evidence of any tendency to ride up, despite an elastic hem that gave me slight initial pause. Nor have the pockets accumulated snow, though they have been exposed to a few flurries. This might be more of an issue were it to be worn on trail, where dislodged clumps of snow often cascade down from trees, but according to the manufacturer it isn't designed for rough use. On many of the trails in my region, the chance of snagging the jacket on a branch is too high. Besides, in all but extreme circumstances, for me it's too warm for trail use. The sleeve length is a bit on the long side, but I consider this an asset, as it enables it to overlap well with gloves, when needed.

I can confidently state that the jacket works well in camp down to 15 F (-9 C). As this includes long stationary periods for cooking and eating, etc., and little more exertion than setting up my tent, this is a useful yardstick for judging performance. If I'm in motion, I tend to be warm. If I am sitting around in the cold, tired from a day's hiking, that's when I most need to be bundled up. I generally wear the jacket over a midweight long-sleeve merino shirt, covered with a thin Gore Windstopper vest. These are, almost invariably, my layers when winter hiking and backpacking (in all but the coldest of weathers), as noted in the Field Report. As soon as I reach camp, I put the Alpine Light Down Jacket on over these. I usually wear gloves only intermittently at the temperature ranges I experienced this winter, and I don't consistently wear a hat. The only time I have felt a little chilled while wearing the jacket was one night when I was tired as all get out, and there was a rapidly strengthening breeze. On that occasion, I donned my shell (and hat) for a few minutes, and was warm again.

Given the light weight and low bulk of the MontBell jacket, I believe this represents exceptional performance. I have experienced no cold spots anywhere on my torso, despite the sewn-through construction. As a bonus, the performance of the DWR coating of the shell is impressive. When snow melted a little on the surface, I saw no evidence that moisture penetrated the garment, even along the lines of stitching. While I wouldn't wear this in the rain, I'd certainly throw it on if there was a bit of damp snow.

I have generally worn the entire ensemble (jacket, vest, shirt) to bed, until I'm confident that I have warmed up the sleeping bag. I have not had occasion to wear the jacket overnight during the long-term test period. Indeed, I've generally shucked both it and the vest within half-an-hour of slipping into my bag, and have used them instead as a comfortable pillow. One reason for this is that for safety during winter I usually carry a full-strength winter bag (the Valandre Shocking Blue). Unfortunately, my biggest problem during this mostly mild winter has been staying cool (it's a very warm bag). Despite the fact that I have not been able to further test the MontBell jacket as a component in a sleeping system, I can state with confidence from the field test that it works very well in this capacity.

I have continued to use the huge interior pockets to advantage, often using one to carry my platypus around camp to prevent it freezing. Though it's not really necessary, I have also carried the canister for my liquid-feed propane stove in the other interior pocket, as performance is enhanced if the gas is slightly warm. The exterior pockets are remarkably good for handwarming, one reason that I've generally managed to get away (most of the time) without using gloves or mitts in camp, except when breaking down and packing my gear. First thing in the morning, I do like to lie sybaritically propped up on one elbow in my sleeping bag, with it half-unzipped for mobility, while wearing the MontBell jacket, as I reach outside my tent to cook my breakfast and melt snow. The height of luxury!

Summary

The MontBell Alpine Light Jacket is every bit as light as the name suggests, is very compact, and I have found it to be the perfect camp jacket at temperatures down to approximately 15 F (9 C). It's also a very useful adjunct to my sleeping bag, to boost its rating when needed. On day hikes, it's very handy for lunch stops and rests. It's attractive in appearance, and nothing to be ashamed of àpres-hike. While I would not wear it unprotected on trail in the Catskills (it is not designed for rugged use of the kind inflicted by trails in this region, which frequently shreds gear supposed to be "bullet-proof"), it has proved durable enough against the odd poke and prod from shrubbery. I am delighted with its performance, and consider it to be among the most useful recent additions to my arsenal of winter gear.

Continued use

I expect to continue to use this jacket as a fall and winter insulation layer, both for backpacking and hiking, for the forseeable future. I see very little to improve (sleeve thumbholes would be nice, but their absence is hardly a deficiency) and, all-in-all, I am very impressed with the impeccable design and execution that make this garment an aesthetic pleasure as well as a functional item. I would like to see the cleaning instructions clarified, as the "Dry Clean Only" label is potentially disastrous.

This concludes the test of the MontBell Alpine Light Down Jacket. I thank MontBell and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to participate. It's been a blast!

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.