UKC

Has anyone used the current DAS parka in Scotland? Would be ideal if you have also used the ME Citadel as a comparison. 

thanks Matt 

I’ve used one a lot but not in Scottish winter.

Warmer than Fitzroy, less warm than Citadel.

Im not a fan of the hood, bit too open for wild weather imo.

Would anyone be able to compare it to (current) Rab generator alpine?

I haven't used a DAS parka but I have a Citadel and have just bought the Rab Generator Alpine. The Citadel is warm but is heavy and bulky. Wore it walking round Ludlow today but too bulky to be carrying in a winter sack. I'd use it if standing at the bottom or top of Stanage in this weather. I've only worn the Rab a couple of times but it is much lighter and surprisingly warm. Warmer than a Fitzroy, close to the Citadel. Packs down much smaller and us much lighter, I'm impressed so far. Probably not as robust outer as the Mountain Equipment jackets and probably a bit less weather resistant.

out of interest why not Scottish winter? 

thanks 

Nice one. I hadn't considered one of those but perhaps I will have to look into it.   

thanks Matt

To give another view - I've done basically all my Scottish winter climbing with a Citadel and really like it for that despite the bulk. I'm happy paying that weight and bulk penalty for not having to worry much about being cold at belays.

Even with it being as bulky as it is, I can still fit everything I need for a days climbing in a 30L sack.

From what Jez has said before here an on his social media, I think he goes sport climbing in Spain, in winter these days and no longer up to the Highlands for a sufferfest!

OP I still have a DAS and had a Citadel that I reviewed for UKC. The Citadel I think is only jacket I've found that was warmer than the DAS, but I bought my DAS maybe in 2001, and my Citadel was one of the first ones - maybe 10 years ago. So I'm sure both models have changed a huge amount since.

Rope and helmet on the inside?

I've got the new Das Parka to replace an old ME Fitzroy, defiantly warmer than the Fitzroy and is warmer than my original V old Das Parka, unfortunately I haven't been able to giver it a proper beasting in Scotland but it is lighter weight materials then the previous two jackets but not overly fragile.

No, rope/helmet strapped to the outside.

I might sound like a bit of a pedant but it is a bit misleading to say you fit everything you need in a 30L sack.

I find having a rope on the outside is fine on short approaches and in good weather but can become a bit of a pain with longer approaches and poor weather.

As Toby says, I discovered a love of warm dry sport routes over Scottish suffering!

I was climbing on Ben Nevis at the weekend and it did amuse me how many folk had small (?25- 30 ltr) packs but with rope, crampon, helmet all strapped on the outside. I guess then when you are climbing you have a smaller sack, but pointless in my opinion, why get everything wet, or have ropes dangling around when you can get everything in say a 45 ltr pack. Fashion!

Yes, it's the fast 'n light marketing fashionistas. Nothing worse than cramming everything into too small a sack. A big sack with compression straps is the sensible approach.

It doesn't make much sense to me in Scotland, unless of course its the only bag you have and you can't afford another. Maybe it's a tactic people have brought from the Alps? It might make more sense there. I don't actually know anyone who goes for the small bag approach here.

Having a small bag for climbing is nice but then I hardly ever climb with my sack in Scotland anyway so all the benefit disappears. I just carry a wee drybag with straps on routes. Another negative is that a winter bag can be pretty heavy,  especially if stuff gets wet and most of the 30l climbing packs I've seen aren't designed for that kind of load. My middle aged back probably wouldn't thank me for a 2hr walk out with wet ropes on a bag designed for summer cragging!

Edit: maybe it's a raven thwarting tactic? 😀

I have a gigantic BD jacket I don’t even know the name of. It occupies about a 1/4 of my total bag space. I climb with DaveHK and also believe in everything inside for weather and practicality reasons.

 I REALLY don’t care about the bulk, I haven’t felt proper cold since getting this oversized monster. I just usually don’t climb in it. 
 

To OP, I can’t really help with specific models beyond, comfort trumps almost everything for me (perhaps not price but the DB was half priced in the shop when I stumbled upon it and already £100 about 4/5 years back)!

That sounds like the one I have. Goes nicely over an ME Fitzroy (with a big RAB one in between on colder days).

With weight savings made on newer crampons and boots, I'm not too worried about a few 100 extra grams for a jacket, well worth it in my opinion.

My mate brings a 30l bag, I think so he can sandbag you into carrying more.