Winter jackets

CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON said:

Its time to buy some new toys. I am looking to spend about =A3150ish on a good outer shell (water
and windproof) that will do Welsh and Scottish winters and alpine summers. Also I've got a friend
who is going to the states before Christmas and =

was

Quoted message said:

wondering if it was worth ordering stuff over the net and getting him t=

o

Quoted message said:

bring it back. In terms of price should be, but what about trying, retu=

rns,

Quoted message said:

etc?

In terms of trying things out, only order stuff if you're sure you'll=20 fit it. Even without the
faff of transatlantic returns it's a bloody=20 nuisance having to send something back in exchange
for something else=20 that might not fit properly either (M too small, L too big syndrome).

Beyond that, there's no shortage of jackets that will "do" what you=20 want, so I'd start
shortlisting things you like (wired hood or "soft=20 stiffened", where do you want the pockets, how
big and how many) and=20 then look to see what fits. A jacket with every bullet-point miracle=20
technology feature on the planet that has been given rave reviews=20 everywhere is still no use to
you if the arms are too short...

Pete. --=20 Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics,
Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON said:

Its time to buy some new toys. I am looking to spend about £150ish on a good outer shell (water
and windproof) that will do Welsh and Scottish winters and alpine summers. Also I've got a friend
who is going to the states before Christmas and was wondering if it was worth ordering stuff over
the net and getting him to bring it back. In terms of price should be, but what about trying,
returns, etc? Any ideas and recommendations?

FWIW, I've been using the Lowe Alpine Triplepoint stuff which is very minimal, fairly waterproof and
as good as any Goretex I've used at staying moist inside on all but the coldest days. The hood goes
over a helmet. 150 quid should just about do the trick. The benfit of TP over Goretex seems to be
that it doesn't need reproofing and it "seems" to this user to last longer. (Cue long thread about
relative merits of various waterproof fabrics). They are robust jackets and cut for long reaches and
not riding up around your waistbelt and hence getting in the way of your rack. This is based on a
survey of one so I don't presume to give a sweeping generalisation about winter clothing.

As for alpine use, you either wear a few thermals and a fleece when the weather permits climbing or
a tent if it doesn't. I've yet to find a jacket that will keep you dry for that 12-hr abseil down a
couloir so don't worry about getting one that is really breathable in a warmer climate, a
showerproof fleece like the Rab/Mardale stuff is more appropriate in my opinion.

HTH

Dunc

I use a "grade 1" british army gortex combined with a good fleece jacket, the total spent was
less that £100 and the combination is great. I live 20 miles from the beacons and the jacket
combo has served me well, with no problems. Make sure you buy a grade 1 jacket and it will do the
business for you.

Richard "CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Its time to buy some new toys. I am looking to spend about £150ish on a good outer shell (water
and windproof) that will do Welsh and Scottish winters and alpine summers. Also I've got a friend
who is going to the states before Christmas and was wondering if it was worth ordering stuff over
the net and getting him to bring it back. In terms of price should be, but what about trying,

returns,

Quoted message said:

etc? Any ideas and recommendations?

cheers, Chris
--

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON said:

Its time to buy some new toys. I am looking to spend about £150ish on a good outer shell (water
and windproof) that will do Welsh and Scottish winters and alpine summers. Also I've got a friend
who is going to the states before Christmas and was wondering if it was worth ordering stuff over
the net and getting him to bring it back. In terms of price should be, but what about trying,

returns,

Quoted message said:

etc?

In terms of trying things out, only order stuff if you're sure you'll fit it. Even without the faff
of transatlantic returns it's a bloody nuisance having to send something back in exchange for
something else that might not fit properly either (M too small, L too big syndrome).

I live in aberystwyth (without a car). to say that there aern't many shops here is an understatement
(millets + a local one)

Beyond that, there's no shortage of jackets that will "do" what you want, so I'd start shortlisting
things you like (wired hood or "soft stiffened", where do you want the pockets, how big and how
many) and then look to see what fits. A jacket with every bullet-point miracle technology feature
on the planet that has been given rave reviews everywhere is still no use to you if the arms are
too short...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

buy a grade "A" army gortex and a good fleece, total cost about £70. I have used this system for 2
years, I live close to the Brecon Beacons and the army gortex has done me proud (matching trousers
cost about £15). The army gortex bivvey bags are very good as well, and you can pick the lot up on
ebay. A pal of mine has just gone onto this kit after he ripped his berghaus jacket, and is well
pleased with the jacket (and having saved over £100 on a replacement)

All the best

Rik

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON said:

Its time to buy some new toys. I am looking to spend about £150ish on a good outer shell (water
and windproof) that will do Welsh and Scottish winters and alpine summers. Also I've got a friend
who is going to the states before Christmas and was wondering if it was worth ordering stuff over
the net and getting him to bring it back. In terms of price should be, but what about trying,

returns,

Quoted message said:

etc?

In terms of trying things out, only order stuff if you're sure you'll fit it. Even without the faff
of transatlantic returns it's a bloody nuisance having to send something back in exchange for
something else that might not fit properly either (M too small, L too big syndrome).

Beyond that, there's no shortage of jackets that will "do" what you want, so I'd start shortlisting
things you like (wired hood or "soft stiffened", where do you want the pockets, how big and how
many) and then look to see what fits. A jacket with every bullet-point miracle technology feature
on the planet that has been given rave reviews everywhere is still no use to you if the arms are
too short...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON said:

I live in aberystwyth (without a car). to say that there aern't many shops here is an
understatement (millets + a local one)

But if you're going into Snowdonia to do some peak bagging, there will be plenty...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON said:

I live in aberystwyth (without a car). to say that there aern't many

shops

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

here is an understatement (millets + a local one)

But if you're going into Snowdonia to do some peak bagging, there will be plenty...

But in the short time that I'm up there I want to be peak bagging, not fannying around in shops.
Though looking at new toys is always fun...

Quoted message said:

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells
Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON said:

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

CHRISTOPHER MARK BELTON said:

I live in aberystwyth (without a car). to say that there aern't many

shops

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

here is an understatement (millets + a local one)

But if you're going into Snowdonia to do some peak bagging, there will be plenty...

But in the short time that I'm up there I want to be peak bagging, not fannying around in shops.
Though looking at new toys is always fun...

Fannying about in shops is what you do when you don't know what you want, as practiced when your
significant other drags you out on a Saturday morning. :-)

If you do a bit of research beforehand and know what you're after then it can't take much over half
an hour to visit both Cotswold Outdoors shops in Betws-y-Coed
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"