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TheArchitect

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Damn -- $99 is a good deal on that jacket.

Think you're going to be real happy. As someone who skis hard enough to work up a good bit of sweat, it is the only non-fleece insulating layer I've found breathable enough to wear under a hardshell jacket like the Antero 2+.

It's also my go to jacket for winter hiking, winter runs, ski touring, bike commuting and just laying around the house. It is as comfy as most sweatshirts.

Yeah, great price. Made the purchase pretty easy. I love the feel of the fabric; I can see why you wear it around the house.
 

dlague

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I have a pack-able North Face Down mid layer with has proven to be valuable. It works great as a spring jacket yet thin enough to fit under my outer layer. On really cold days I throw on a non cotton hooded sweatshirt with a wicking layer under that.
 

luliski

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I stopped by REI on the way home and I'll be damned but the Nano Air fit me reasonably well. Order placed.

Thanks to all for the info and the link to Steep and Cheap. Great price on the Nano Air. Get em while they last!

I just ordered one too! My down sweater is too much for most days in Tahoe, hoping this will be just right under a shell.
 

TheArchitect

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I just ordered one too! My down sweater is too much for most days in Tahoe, hoping this will be just right under a shell.

Congrats. Mine arrived and fits really well with my new hardshell. Won't know how it performs until I get on the slopes but from what I've read it should be perfect for what I need. Can't beat that price, either.
 

luliski

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Congrats. Mine arrived and fits really well with my new hardshell. Won't know how it performs until I get on the slopes but from what I've read it should be perfect for what I need. Can't beat that price, either.

Yes, thanks for the tip on the price. Really good deal!
 

neonorchid

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I'm just a little bit curious about the new Patagonia Micro Puff - http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/patagonia-micro-puff-hoody

Patagonia claims the Micro Puff has a higher weight to warmth ratio than any of their Down or Synthetic counterparts. I have to wonder how much of that claim is due to the light weight of the 10 denier fabric and not the insulation? I would like to see a comparison to Montbell's 7 denier Plasma 1000 Hoodie!
https://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=25010&p_id=2301257&gen_cd=1

Fwiw, as a midlayer, and so much as I favor a hood when wearing without a shell, hoodies just don't play so well with my outer-layer shells unless skullcap shaped and worn up and under the helmet. However, when worn down inside a storm hood with nothing over the helmet the extra bulk causes the shell's zipped up collar to pull on my chin which becomes increasingly annoying fast!
 

jmills115

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How would the nano puff or nano air compare to a thermoball? I use it to layer under a TNF apex storm shell or when not wearing the thermoball use the Apex universal soft shell liner that's included as the triclimate jacket.
 

neonorchid

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How would the nano puff or nano air compare to a thermoball? I use it to layer under a TNF apex storm shell or when not wearing the thermoball use the Apex universal soft shell liner that's included as the triclimate jacket.
My thermoball hoodie is warmer than my nano-air jacket (no hood), even with the thermoball hood down. The nano-air fabric has a nicer tactile feel and is more comfortable. Nano-air is much more breathable than the thermoball jacket. I can and do run in the nano-air. I hike in the thermoball and more because I want the hood instead of a hat, otherwise the nano-air would be more desirable to a point, as I said thermoball is warmer.
However I often wear the thermoball hoodie around town and get lots of use out of it. Like it so much that I bought my Mother one last year! I also like wearing it to concerts because I can stuff it into its pocket, clip it to a belt loop and forget about it till it's time to go home.
Thermoball is often kept in the car to wear to and from the ski hill. It also makes a great pillow on flights and wherever it is I'm staying on ski trips.
I have yet to use the nano-air under a shell skiing. Have used the thermoball, I wasn't so active that sweat became an issue and it was ok but not warm enough for me - many reasons for that, one being i don't like bulky layers and was asking too much given the conditions.
As to fit, I'm very fussy about not getting armpit wedgies or strangulated by a tight collar. I'm a small in both but thermoball is roomier. By comparison, I'm a medium in arc'teryx and like their slim athletic cut stuff, in pants too, love my arc'teryx cessair pant.
 

Jim McDonald

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I'm a big fan of Mont Bell stuff. Not sure if it's available in the US but this is my current midlayer:
http://webshop.montbell.jp/goods/disp.php?product_id=1106527
Exceptionally warm under a shell, very versatile. I often use it as my primary travel jacket.
Thinking to also pick up the vest this season.
 

jmills115

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My thermoball hoodie is warmer than my nano-air jacket (no hood), even with the thermoball hood down. The nano-air fabric has a nicer tactile feel and is more comfortable. Nano-air is much more breathable than the thermoball jacket. I can and do run in the nano-air. I hike in the thermoball and more because I want the hood instead of a hat, otherwise the nano-air would be more desirable to a point, as I said thermoball is warmer.
However I often wear the thermoball hoodie around town and get lots of use out of it. Like it so much that I bought my Mother one last year! I also like wearing it to concerts because I can stuff it into its pocket, clip it to a belt loop and forget about it till it's time to go home.
Thermoball is often kept in the car to wear to and from the ski hill. It also makes a great pillow on flights and wherever it is I'm staying on ski trips.
I have yet to use the nano-air under a shell skiing. Have used the thermoball, I wasn't so active that sweat became an issue and it was ok but not warm enough for me - many reasons for that, one being i don't like bulky layers and was asking too much given the conditions.
As to fit, I'm very fussy about not getting armpit wedgies or strangulated by a tight collar. I'm a small in both but thermoball is roomier. By comparison, I'm a medium in arc'teryx and like their slim athletic cut stuff, in pants too, love my arc'teryx cessair pant.

Damn it Pugski. Threads like this make me realize I have been too hot or sweating too much and noticed I have a Patagonia outlet close to me in Salt Lake.
An R1, R2, and nano air later I'm on my way home. At least one of them is for the wife.
I do appreciate the advice and tips though.
 
Last edited:

neonorchid

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Damn it Pugski. Threads like this make me realize I have been too hot or sweating too much and realized I have a Patagonia outlet close to me in Salt Lake.
An R1, R2, and nano air later I'm on my way home. At least one of them is for the wife.
I do appreciate the advice and tips though.
Nice! You'll love the nano-air! Don't know about the R1 and hardly ever use my R2 anymore. While the collar is wide enough, it's seam at the base where it attaches to the body of the jacket is too thick which I find rather uncomfortable as a mid-layer.
 

jmills115

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Nice! You'll love the nano-air! Don't know about the R1 and hardly ever use my R2 anymore. While the collar is wide enough, it's seam at the base where it attaches to the body of the jacket is too thick which I find rather uncomfortable as a mid-layer.
The nano air felt great in the store. R1 is a pullover so not as big of a fan of it but the price was right.
 

jmeb

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The nano air felt great in the store. R1 is a pullover so not as big of a fan of it but the price was right.

R1 and nano air are pretty different levels of insulation. Together they are my main mid layers until anything very cold.

I don't actually have an R1 though. I have a Bross hoodie from CO FreeRide Systems. Its the same fabric, but a full zip, made in Colorado. Pugskiers can get a discount typically a good bit off. http://www.freeridesystems.com/product/new-bross-2-0-polartec-r1-midlayer-hoodie
 

Viking9

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I think if any of you tried the Patagonia down shirt or ultra lite down shirt your fleece equipment would never get off the hangar.
 

jmeb

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I think if any of you tried the Patagonia down shirt or ultra lite down shirt your fleece equipment would never get off the hangar.

Until I sweat into the down and it becomes useless as an insulator. I love down for low-intensity activities -- digging a snow pit, hanging out to/from the lodge, après, transitions. But down doesn't have much of a place in my systems where I'm generating a good deal of heat.

YMMV. But I've never found down that breathes like the Polartec Grid fleece in the R1 or anything like the Nano Air jacket.
 

Viking9

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I guess i don't sweat as much as you or others, I have the r1,r2 and r3 and they don't see much action any more .
I have a cool Rossi hoody that I can wear as my outer layer in 20 degree weather because of my down shirt.
You can find real cool wind shirts that you can use because of how well and light the down shirt works , not nearly as cumbersome as the fleece.
When I float tube early and late in the season my down shirt is perfect with a snug fitting wind shirt, your chest waders will fit great with the down doing its job and for me I feel I have great range of motion and of course when I'm making those moguls my bitch........
 

jmeb

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Different strokes for different folks. I've never felt an R1 fleece feel "cumbersome" for instance -- wear mine probably 100+ days a year riding to work, or playing in the mountains. It's thinner and stretchier than any down product. Though I concede it does weigh a few grams more.

My issues with down for layering for active pursuits are:
- breathability: this is more a fact of the face fabrics used with down than down itself. My understanding is that the sorts of less-air-permeable (i.e. less breathable) fabric used in down pieces are needed to keep the down in and maintain it.
- usefulness when wet: down is great when it's dry. It's pretty useless when sweated on, or you get snow crushed into it, etc.
- durability: manufactures tend to use light facings on down products to keep weight down. That's great as long as you have something over it to protect. I'm never worried about snagging a fleece or nano-air on something and having tons of feathers come out.
 

Viking9

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Your right about the r1 I actually look at my r1 as more thick long underwear and of course you can't get down wet.
 

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