UKC

So what's the point in fat down gillets?

Don't get my wrong, thin gillets are awesome. I've got a synthetic thin gillet along with a full synthetic jacket as spare layers for out on the hill. It packs tiny and boosts body temperature under my softshell/waterproof when it gets a little nippy.
As i can imagine a micro down gillet would do the same. Cheaper than a full jacket, packs small. Great.

But big fat down gillets. When it's cold enough that you need that amount of insulation, surely you'd want at least sleeves too, if not a hood also?

Then there's fat gillets with hoods?! Totally baffled (pun intended).

I get the whole fashion thing (well I don't understand it, but yeah). But does anyone use these out on the hill?

In reply to CharlieMack:

I think it comes in as an over the top of everything belay layer. No faff of gloves etc getting tangled in sleeves.

Would love a decently insulted synthetic belay gillet. But no one seems to make them.

In reply to BenedictIEP: Not cheap but..
http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/kappa-mountain-primaloft-insulated-vest

In reply to CharlieMack:

They are only meant to be worn (by roughtie toughtie outdoors types) when visiting the gear shops of Ambleside and Keswick. Everybody else wears them to normal shops

In reply to CharlieMack:

I used to run a posey gear shop. I once got asked for a gilet. As we didn't sell them, I made the same point as the OP, and suggested an alternative with sleeves. The customer said that she was a vet and needed to stay warm at night in cow sheds but needed to keep her arms bare for ...erm... examining the cows. For a long time afterwards, whenever I saw a gilet the thought that sprung to find was 'bullsh*t'!

In reply to CharlieMack:
I live in Gilets .got about 10 of them

Although I don't have a fat one...fnarr

Right now I'm in a blue OMM rotor gilet.

In reply to CharlieMack:
Are we talking bodywarmers here? They do what is said on the tin.

In reply to BenedictIEP:


Your synthetic belay gillet is crap, a waste of space. It's got as much style as a wheelchair friendly footpath. It puts the 'Poise' in Poison Ivy and it's only got Flair because Mountain Rescue can spot it a mile away.

How's that?

In reply to CharlieMack:

They simply have to be manufactured.

Waistcoat and transporter, uniform of the outdoor instructor, how else would we recognise them and doff our hats appropriately?

In reply to CharlieMack:
I picked up a thin, Patagucci one on here a few years ago and is rarely off my back. Great piece of kit, but a thick one? No, I can't say I see the time when I'd ever want one.

In reply to CharlieMack:

I see nobody on here watched last week's Apprentice...

In reply to Yanis Nayu:

Spelling mistakes aside they could have made a tweed one with lights that would appeal to both the modern and traditionalist at the same time