UKC

Im looking to buy a good down jacket for cold days at the crag but im trying to stick to a £150 budget. Best thing I have come across is the Alpkit Filo, trying to find any online advice seems to be a snobbery minefield of brand names.
Am I fighting a loosing battle or can I meet my budget with a quality jacket?
All advice is much appreciated.

In reply to Tasered Baby:

You can defo find a decent down jacket for under 150.

I got my ME one a few years ago for 90 quid

In reply to Tasered Baby:

if its for UK cragging £150 for alpkit is fine anything more is overkill. It may seem cold but it's really not.

Look out for sale stuff but i suspect Alpkit is your best bet for this winter.

In reply to Tasered Baby:

I got a Karrimor one from Sports Direct (boo, hiss etc) for £40. Despite all the dislike for karrimor I hear I can't fault it. Bloody warm and seems alright quality, wouldn't wanna take it up Everest but to keep you warm at the base of Stanage etc it does the job. One of my climbing partners owns a North Face and has worn mine and says its just as good. Worth a punt for £40.

In reply to andy.smythe:
This Quechua one has survived remarkably well after a year of fairly heavy use skiing, cragging, multi-pitch belay jacket, hiking...

http://www.quechua.co.uk/for800-xxlight-men-padded-jkt-id_25076

There's a few holes in it now and the down has lost a bit of its loft, and it definitely isn't chunky enough to use as a bivvy jacket, but its warm enough for 45 quid and it doesn't matter too much if it gets chewed up by granite. I'd recommend it, I'm just going to replace it straight off this year.

In reply to Tasered Baby:

You might look in Blacks' sale, as there were Marmot and Lowe Alpine offerings in Reading and Poole recently. Good reductions, too (e.g. £150-ish down to £60). Oh, and some Berghaus hydrodown jackets, too.

The Quechua one above is (obviously) at Decathlon:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/for700-xxlight-men-down-jacket-id_8281847.html

It got the previous version (when it was in their Wed'ze skiing range), but the transfer to the Quechua brand seems to have been associated with either a real reduction in fill quality (90/10 to 85/10), or a more accurate reporting of the fill...

I've used it for skiing as an overlayer, and general use. It's definitely in the 'down midlayer for active use' category, though, not a belay jacket. It has a very lightweight shell so the whole thing weighs only 250g (medium). the design of the shoulder baffles is better than you see on many cheap jackets. And on some of the more expensive jackets...

In reply to Tasered Baby:

Sportpursuit have regular deals on the latest and greatest down jackets from time to time. Picked up an oven of a one last year for about £135. Only 450gr by MHW. They also do Marmot and Haglofs stuff regularly.
If you need it now though you'd be best off going with one of the above.

In reply to Tasered Baby:

TK Maxx sometimes have down jkts....