UKC

I was wondering idly, whilst setting off to work this morning in my baggy* belay jacket, why modern insulated clothing for mountaineering doesn't have waist drawcords. I would have though thay were an obviously good idea for thermal efficiency, and I notice that big superwarm parkas for people who actually live - as opposed to play - in cold places like Canada generally still have them. But they seem to have totally fallen out of favour for mountaineering clothing. The last piece of clothing I have with one is a buffalo-style pile and pertex anorak from the early 90s.

I wonder why this is? I assume the people designing outdoor clothing aren't idiots and know more about such things than I do. Weight and manufacturing cost? Not as much thermal advantage as I imagine?

(* baggy when worn over a shirt, not when worn as intended)

In reply to AlanLittle:

Most belay jackets are lighter and simpler than something like a Canada Goose expedition jacket... not to mention, that the latter are often longer (ie. parka-cut, so will go around mid thigh) where as most mountaineering "puffies" are pretty close to hip/waist cut any way.

In reply to AlanLittle:

I'd guess it's because this type of clothing is more "actively cut" now, so closer fitting anyway?

My paclite jacket has a drawcord though, and it is useful when wearing with varying thickness layers.

In reply to AlanLittle:

I'd love it if my windproof cycling gilet had a waist drawcord instead of sewn elastic - would work much better when I'm mucking about running in it and not ride up.

Can't actually think of any of my outdoors jackets that don't have a waist drawcord - only some very thin fleeces that you'd only usually wear casually or under something with a drawcord (although I'll admit to putting a drawcord into one of them to stop it getting caught on karabiners on my harness).

The windstopper gilet I'm currently wearing doesn't have a drawcord, but is a pretty close fit anyway and really doesn't need one.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

I mean a *waist* drawcord in the middle, not a hem drawcord at the bottom.

In reply to AlanLittle:

1. If it's for something worn under a harness, it gets in the way.
2. As the cut of jackets has got shorter, you'd end up with two drawcords closer together.
3. They look s**t.

In reply to AlanLittle:

For belay jackets you don't want it tight there as more likely than not you'll be pulling the jacket on over a harness covered in gear, including commonly, ice clipper krabs with ice screws on them. All your rack ends up inside your belay jacket generally, hence you need some space around that area.

Plus of course waist drawcords look really dweeby!

In reply to AlanLittle:

On my rare visits back to the soggy isle, I've noticed that modern Brits have ceased to have waists...

In reply to AlanLittle:


Ok, fair enough - in that case, only 1 of my jackets has a waist draw cord and that's a great big long jacket that also has a hem drawcord. The rest are so short, they don't need more than the hem and any required fitting around the waist is in the cut.