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What belay jacket?

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 peebles boy 06 Jan 2014

Having suffered a couple of times too many on a cold belay, looking at getting a belay jacket this year. I see Joe Browns are selling Rab Generators for 85quid which seems like a good deal. Anyone got any other thoughts on good jackets in the under 100quid price range? Or feedback (good/bad/ugly) on the Generator?

Cheers,
Gordon
In reply to peebles boy:

Review of the Generator Alpine (is this the one you've seen?) here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=4457

85 quid looks like a good deal to me
 crayefish 06 Jan 2014
In reply to peebles boy:
I got a very thick Rab down belay jacket (not sure of the model but one of their warmest models) on eBay for less than £80... retails for a couple of hundred normally. Its a good place to look.
Post edited at 17:28
 BnB 06 Jan 2014
In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

> Review of the Generator Alpine (is this the one you've seen?) here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=4457

> 85 quid looks like a good deal to me

Don't confuse the Generator with the Generator Alpine. Different specifications amounting to nearly 200g difference in weight. One is widely available at £85, one has a hood.

And if it doesn't have a hood it ain't a proper belay jacket.
In reply to BnB:

Ah, my msitake
OP peebles boy 06 Jan 2014
In reply to BnB:

Now I'm confused...

Looking at the Rab site, you get a Generator Jacket (no hood) and a you get a Generator Alpine Jacket (with hood).

So what's this:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=572914

and where does it fit in (no info on Rab site)

???
 Mountain Llama 06 Jan 2014
In reply to peebles boy: Discussed in Oct on the forum http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=566014

 BnB 06 Jan 2014
In reply to peebles boy:

Very good question and not one I can answer definitively. Looks like it would be equivalent of a Montane Prism, itself a cracking jacket also available in the £80-£100 range, but you'd be better off asking a retailer what differentiates it from the Alpine Generator. Presumably there is a difference as the advert describes it as an alternative to a fleece jacket. Believe me, you wouldn't go wearing the Alpine Genny as an active layer. You'd roast in minutes!!
EvanDavies 06 Jan 2014
In reply to peebles boy:

This one: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=572914
is a special, limited production jacket, the kind of thing they make at the end of a season when they have left over fabric, materials etc. Once they run out of stock you probably won't see them for a while and they won't appear on the website as they are not widely available.

The Generator Alpine Jacket has a tougher/more water resistant outer fabric than the one mentioned above, and appears to have a wired/stiffened peak on the hood. Other than that it looks to be fairly similar and a good price.
 TobyA 06 Jan 2014
In reply to peebles boy:
Make sure whatever you get is sized to go over your other gear (that includes things like ice screws racked on your harness, gear over shoulder etc), has a permanently attached hood (popper ones pull off when you take slings off from over shoulder) and preferably has pockets inside to dry gloves in.

This one looks great value for money when I saw one in the shop http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/lowe-alpine-glacier-point-mens-insulated-jacket... or get the Decathlon/Simond http://www.decathlon.co.uk/warm-mountaineering-jacket-id_8271763.html one for 50 quid.

The Lowe one for example has double the weight of insulation per m2 in the body than the RAB one linked above. Perhaps I'm just soft, but personally I think you might as well have a belay jacket that is proper warm - of course a warmer jacket weighs a bit more, but weight of insulation isn't the main factor in the weight of a belay jacket, so you'll get lots more warmth for not too much more weight if you see what I mean.
Post edited at 18:42
 BnB 06 Jan 2014
In reply to TobyA:

Good point Toby, my TNF Makalu weighs 12% more than a Genny Alpine, but is 33% better insulated. And you can really feel the extra warmth. Epic hand warmers too.

The Rab run-out special looks great value at £85 though.
In reply to peebles boy:

I've just bought a ME Compressor Jkt from Tiso £77.80, nearly half price in their sale.

Compact and light enough to carry up a route, nearly warm enough (I think), hood goes over helmet.

Stuart
 woollardjt 06 Jan 2014
In reply to peebles boy:

As per other similar threads, I also bought the simond belay jacket from decathlon for £50. To be honest not found any real difference compared to my patagonia belay jacket.

Some cracking deals out on tinternet at the mo though
OP peebles boy 06 Jan 2014
In reply to Stuart the postie:

Stuart, what's the fit like on yours? I'm normally a medium, and they only have M or XL in stock, just wondering if you think a medium would fit over the top of everything else? Was reckoning on having to buy a Large size in whatever I decide to go for in the end.

Cheers,
Gordon
In reply to peebles boy:

Hi,

On stretchy fleecy things I'm a medium, shell jackets (in particular Mountain Equipment) size large. Some time ago I ordered a Fitzroy in M (another Tiso sale) and it was too tight across chest. With this knowledge......... I also have a ME Duvet in L.

Yep goes over everything, can even zip hood up fully over shell hood.

Stuart

 aldo56 10 Jan 2014
In reply to soularch:

Having gotten a generator alpine from Santa, I highly recommend it. Really is excellent and at that money a total bargain!

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