Have You Tried This?

"Water-repellent down."

Hmm. I wonder.

It's no purist's heavenly cloud, but this new Encapsil down belay parka from Patagonia looks pretty sweet.

500 grams is definitely the right weight, putting it alongside my go-to RAB synthetic hooded belay jacket.

But $700? And how breathable will it be? And I've got to send it back to Patagonia for liquid CO2 cleaning?

First Ascent came out with a bantam-weight prototype using this technology a while back, more like a down sweater. I haven't tried it. The RMI guide I talked to, who had worn his all season on Mt. Ranier, said it's the best cruiser he's ever worn.

I'd love to hear from you if you've tried this new pairing. Or know anyone who has.

For readers just getting into alpine gear, you definitely need a belay jacket. And you probably need two. One for summer flare-ups and epics. Another for winter trips and ice climbs. The four main features you should be looking for in any belay jacket are:

1. Packability
2. Hood that fits over your helmet
3. Two main zippers for warmth plus access to your harness
4. Chest pocket; handwarmer pockets that don't interfere with your harness