UKC

I know this has been done to death and is a total 1st world problem, but I would appreciate the collective advice of those with more experience than me. I am going on my 4th Alpine trip in July (2nd unguided) and I want to add some extra resilience to my kit, to better cope with potential range of situations, as we are looking at slightly higher (4500m+) and more committing (up to AD+) routes.

In particular I'm looking for a good warm booster/emergency layer to go with my main active layers (base/thin fleece/thin softshell) in case of extra cold weather, unexpected stops, slow progress. Can anyone provide any suggestions on tactics and specific options?

Different tactics I'm looking at are:

1. Warm over-booster: either moderately warm down jacket (450-500g with 180-200g down, eg ME Skyline or Rab Electron) or a warmer one (c.600g with c.250g down, e.g. Rab Netrino), or synthetic (suggestions welcome, though don't seem easily available this time of year though and I already have good Scottish winter layers). Expensive but they are lovely and I reckon I could get winter UK / camping use out of them.

2. Less warm under-booster, to combine with my 60g primaloft type jacket. Looking at a down/synthetic vest (any suggestions welcome), a fluffy R2 type fleeces, or a more actively cut thin hoodless primaloft type layer like the Rab Cirrus Flex. Cheaper which is great, but ideal to avoid faffing with layers too much.

3. Active insulation piece to replace fleece and softshell (I'm thinking it'll be breathable and not so warm without a shell in the Alpine breeze, but really warm if in an emergency under the hardshell). Looking at something like Rab Alpha Flux. Not sure if this would really work or not?

I already have a 60g primaloft type layer (good climbing/belaying cut but not that warm) as well as a 200g primaloft layer which is a beast to carry.

Any thoughts on these specific options or more generally would be massively helpful! Thank you!

PS I know this is totally a 1st world problem and I could probably just chuck in a few extra microfleeces.

PPS Not super pricey options would be great but within reason budget is not a huge issue. I know the really cool guys on here have done the Eigerwand in a pacamac from Asda etc etc but that's just not my style and I want the confidence of good quality kit doing something this risky, and don't mind investing if it's good stuff I'll keep using for years and years.

I'd suggest whatever you choose should be easy to put on over other stuff. You don't want to be taking things off to put more on, if that makes sense. Make sure you have a good goretex or similar with a proper hood. This with extra hat and gloves may be sufficient. 

    At those heights and grades I would usually use a baselayer and a softshell for most of the time with a 60 g primaloft boost attached to the harness for easy access and a 120g boost in the pack. Extra warm gloves / mitts would be worth throwing into the mix.

    With your primaloft 60 g and your primaloft booster layer I would suggest saving your money for something else ( Poco Loco perhaps!). However, if your booster layer is 'a bit of a beast to carry' then I would be tempted by option 1. A smaller packing synthetic so it can be used in a wider range of conditions  or down booster that can go over the top of everything . Rab Xenon, PhD synthetic range, Rab microlight alpine (down), ME Fitzroy.

   Good luck with your decision making...

Thanks both, this is really useful. Much appreciated. Reassuring that I’m thinking along broadly similar lines.

Definitely a synthetic overlayer. Get it sized roomy. I was trying on the Rab Nebula Pro over the weekend and was very impressed, very light but puffy and warm with a big helmet compatible hood and two way zip. 

FWIW this is what I use:

-Base layer

-Softshell (lightweight hooded)

-Mid layer (Patagonia nano air hybrid hoody)

-Gilet, again "active insulation" material

-Lightweight shell

-100ish g/m insulation light belay jacket

-superlight down jacket to go under "belay" jacket if doing stuff like Mt Blanc/really cold days.

Ive found these cover everything from low level rock climbing to highest peaks

Thanks to all for the advice here - I had a very successful trip in the end and a clothing system similar to that suggested here was spot on.

In case it's useful to anyone else wondering about this in future, here's my 5 cents:

• It can be (and was) very cold indeed at those altitudes. Above the 4000m line it was consistently below -5C and I would wager closer to -10C at times, with a very strong cold wind and spindrift, in mid-July, even once the sun was up.
• Having experienced such weather I would personally be very wary of the advice you see about not needing to take warm clothing to the Alps in Summer. That might be written with warmer weather/lower altitudes in mind, possibly with a guide who doesn't let you stop! Certainly on this trip the weather and conditions at 4400m couldn't have been more different to the weather at 3400m!
• I wore a baselayer top, thin stretch fleece, a midweight softshell and 60g primaloft hooded jacket, and the winter-weight Simond alpinism trousers, carrying a warmer 200g primaloft belay jacket. In the mornings this was sometimes barely enough while moving even in the sun - I would certainly have needed the big coat if stopping for anything more than a couple of minutes.
• A lighter belay jacket would have possibly been a bit more versatile and I might have used it more, but I didn't think the big one I have was that over the top given the conditions.
• Rock climbing in gloves is appealing when it's cold but it absolutely wrecks them! Don't do it if you can avoid it... Two pairs now have holes in from just one ~400m AD rock route up and down