UKC

If only money were no option!
Would you go for the all new Crux Plasma Jacket or the trusty worthy Patagonia DAS Parka???????

Anyone tried and tested the Crux Plasma in Scottish Winter climbing???

As far as I can tell the Crux Plasma weighs 525g and is full of down and totally waterproof.

The DAS Parka weighs about 850g. Amazing hood, but not water proof.

Also there is the Acteryx Fission SV weighing in at 1024g (if money was truly no option).

Cheers

Mark

In reply to k2hvs: as an option on synthetic filled water resistant outers, have a look at the berghaus combust jkt, its more like the old rab belay than the old rab belay

In reply to k2hvs:
PHD Zeta parka (or something to that effect. An improved DAS Parka for less money.

In reply to k2hvs: I like the Berghaus Combust jacket as well. It's water resistant, so will shrug off sleet and snow. Plus it's easy to get on, has a great hood and is pretty cheap — you can get it for around £120. I reckon a fully waterproof belay jacket is overkill — if it's cold enough that you need a belay jacket then it won't be raining. Not that the DAS Parka is bad either, and I think the Mountain Factor, in Ambleside, have some on offer for £125 at the moment.

In reply to Guy Hurst:
My only reservation about the Combust would be that it has primaloft fill - i've just replaced by 5 year old rab belay jacket with a DAS because it has lost pretty much all of its loft - it's less warm than a 200 weight fleece now.
Yes, primaloft is more compressible, but it seems to come at the expense of longevity and warmth - my new DAS is definitely warmer, and people I know have had their DAS's for 7 plus years and they're still going strong.
Depends on your priorities - light and packable go with primaloft, warm and durable, i'd go with the DAS.

In reply to SFar:

My DAS is 8 and still fine. Are they not Primaloft as well? I'm sure a new one would be a bit more lofty, but mine is still pretty OK.

In reply to k2hvs:

Mammut Stratus v good. bit heavy perhaps but well made and warm.

Or haglofs barrier hood also good

In reply to k2hvs:
I have the Mammut and the Das parka.
Two very different jackets,the Das is a massive amount warmer.
Gary

In reply to TobyA:
DAS is definitely not primaloft - which i why i bought it!
it's Climashield Prism, bulkier and less compressible, but apparently longer lasting and warmer...

In reply to SFar:

It is now, but they changed it recently. Think it used to be primaloft

In reply to steve456:
nope, was polarguard 3-D, but i think that was a bit old-hat, and not too eco-friendly, so patagonia switched it to climashield for '08.
they've never used primaloft in any of their insulated stuff from what i can tell...

In reply to TobyA: Ha - can beat that 12. And still going strong...

I'm also considering belay jacket options.

Crux Plasma looks great, but not sure if my budget can stretch that far. I'd also like to hear more about how it works in Scotish Winter. For the time being, DAS Parka seems to be the tried & tested way to go.

The other (less expensive) option I'm looking is the Paramo Torres. Has anyone used this?

In reply to davidhw:

I've got a paramo torres. I'm actually wearing it right now because my heating has broken down....

Anyway, its nice. I can't really compare the warmth because its my first belay jacket but what I can say is:

Its pretty damn warm.

Its cut very large in the body.

Has a good hood.

Has a fairly tough outer.

Neck is a little tight when zip is done right up.

The hand warmer pocket is nice, as are the mesh inner pockets, great for warming up rock-boots or gloves.

The zip is long enough not to worry too much about getting it on and off (even with a helmet on).

Generally its well thought out and pretty sturdy feeling.

Best of all it resists water REALLY well, I was in a torrential downpour in the alps for 20 odd minutes, ten of those sitting on a chairlift with the water pooling on my lap, and inside the jacket stayed totally dry. After an hour sitting in the cafe it had pretty much totally dried out.

In reply to Taba:

Thanks Taba. that's a pretty good recomendation! i'll go to the shops & try one on tommorow. Hope you get your heating working soon

In reply to k2hvs:

I presume you've read this: http://www.psychovertical.com/?belayjacket

I've never owned a Belay Jacket (yet), but this article seems to take a fairly pragmatic view. Depends upon exactly what you'll be doing, I suppose. He recommends the PHD Zeta in a related piece.

In reply to k2hvs:

my 2 cents: millet belay device.
primaloft, somewhere between the mammut belay jkt and the DAS, stripped to lightness, great hood. really designed to throw on fast. ive wetted it out totally and its still totally usable. crushes down well.

only thing i dont like is the cheesy colours - tho playschool yellow is easily seen, and lack of a dedicated mesh glove/water bottle pocket.

consider it.

loftier than the mammut, lighter than the DAS, as usable as both.

personally, i dont touch down for a belay jacket - im mostly on ice, mixed and fast alpine, standing under dripping icefalls combined with sweating from the inside makes down dangerously useless unless up high and really cold.
when it comes to long belays on tiny ice ledges id rather another 250g of insulation than the same weight in gold.

In reply to k2hvs:

I've been happy with this jacket (Arcteryx Dually)

Very warm. Reasonably light weight.

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web07f/ms-ma-arcteryx-dually-belay

Rank colour scheme...

In reply to Eric Herring:

I like the colour scheme of the Zeta!

Btw if anyone is a size L and fancies a Zeta there is a new one on ebay with 3 hours ish left and its going for £75 currently.

230321668463

In reply to Taba:
>

Says the man in the ultra dodgy multicoloured spandex in his profile pic!

In reply to Eric Herring:

Now if they made a belay jacket with the same colour scheme as my onesie, that WOULD be sweet.

In reply to Eric Herring:

The gold I agree looks rubbish. When I ordered mine I asked if I could get the gold bits in blue like the rest of the kacket, this was not a problem for them at all. It's been a great piece of kit, toasty warm and bombproof, worth every penny in my opinion.

K

In reply to Taba:

They probably would if you asked nicely.

K