With spring here, summer on the doorstep, new adventures on my mind, it is time to look back on some pieces of gear which have served me well during the past winter. So in the next days I shall take you back into that cold time, and review a couple items which made winter more enjoyable.
The first piece I'd like to tell you about is the
Sir Joseph Koteka Down Jacket, a seriously light down jacket which has kept me very warm between November and March.
Sir Joseph is a small mountaineering company hailing from the Czech Republic, producing very well made gear for Mountaineers as well as UL backpackers.
The important bit: Size M is 440 gram on my scale. Of which are 220 gram of 800 cuin down. Which makes it the lightest down jacket on the market.
But you know me, weight ain't everything. Functionality needs to be there as well. I'm glad to report that the jacket is able to pack a punch of functionality in those 440 gram, though there are some shortcomings, to which I come latter.
Lets start with the outer and inner material. It is an Sir Joseph exclusive material which they developed themselves called Softex® Micro - it reminds me of Pertex and is quality-wise in the same league. It keeps the down inside, though the breathability ain't too good. It is, like Pertex, a very sensitive material - keep away from flying sparks and bushwacking through thorn invested undergrowth I also wouldn't do in it. Other than that it is a very nice material, soft and comfortable on the skin, and keeping water and snow out thanks to a very good DWR.
Adjustable velcro-cuffs.
I'm not a big fan of velcro, but sir Joseph has made their homework when designing the elastic and adjustable velcro cuffs. I find them really functional, easy to operate with thick gloves, even with one hand. That is really useful in -34°C, when you don't want to have heat escape or needing to get your gloves out to adjust something.
The hood.
You know I am spoilt with the hood of my
Haglöfs OZO so the bar is high, and the Koteka doesn't come close to that mark. But it keeps my head warm and the cold wind and snow out, so it does the job. I do think however, that the neck part could be made a tad longer, which would make it easier to turn your head. I also would prefer that if they try to have a sort of visor, that they make it more useful or leave it out - now it is just a tiny shield at the front which doesn't have much of a purpose. The elastics for adjusting the hood could also be improved, now they have a tanka on the outside and the elastic cord goes to the inside, which makes adjusting fiddly and involves opening the jacket a bit to do it properly (you can adjust them from the outside, but it's suboptimal). Yeah, I am spoilt.
Two-way zipper.
On to the zipper. As the jacket was new, the zipper drove me mad. It was very fiddly to get the two sliders to align properly to be able to close the jacket, so I don't know if I got a bad zipper or if YKK, the zipper manufacturer, set out to drive me mad. As usage continued this situation got better, though, and nowadays I can close the zipper without even looking at it. However, the memory remains, and I wonder if a simpler, one way zipper wouldn't be much better and also save a few more grams. On the inside it has a wide draft stopper which works very well, and protects the zipper from rubbing against your chin or neck when closed; and the label on the slider gives a good grip for operation, also with thick mitts around your hands.
A long back keeps my bum warm =)
The hem has two tankas and double elastic cord to adjust tightness, which works well, though I think one tanka and one cord would be enough and cut some more weight down. The long back has a good cut and goes just over my buttocks to keep them warm in the blazing cold we had, and thanks to the elastic hem it stays that way.
Pocket zipper which you pull down to close. Genius.
The Koteka jacket comes with two zippered hand pockets which are massive in size, I can fit in a pair of thick woolen gloves, an extra Buff, windproof over-mitts, a few chocolate bars, my knife, compass, firesteel, a map... Yeah, they're big. Lovely. Warm. And their zippers you pull down to close, which is so much smarter than normal zippers (which you close pulling up). This makes them safer and easier to close, even with thick gloves. Perfect.
About the construction of the jacket then. Now according to some research on BPL it doesn't matter if the garment is sewn-through or baffled, but for what its worth, the Koteka jacket has H-chambers which should to be, according to other research, warmer. All I can tell you is that it is massively warm, and if it's less than -20°C then I am fine with only a 200 Merino longsleeve beneath it. It is very warm, and I never got cold wearing it. That's subjective field science!
The bottom line is that despite some small shortcomings it is a topnotch jacket for people who go hiking in winter and seriously cold temperatures. It comes in black. It is the lightest down jacket on the market, with the most down (some competitors of this jacket include the Rab Infinity, PHD Yukon, and Montane North Star which are all heavier and have less down!). It keeps me warm in -36°C and a stiff breeze. It packs into a 8 l stuff sack with spare room for your down booties or extra socks. It has a great cut for us lean and athletic guys, with enough room underneath to wear up to three layers. It's black. And made in Europe. Yeah, I'm gonna keep it.
If you too want to wear the lightest down jacket on the market, the
Sir Joseph Koteka down jacket, and earn yourself a 10% discount on one order of over 100€ at
trekking-lite-store.com on any products you purchase, then all you need to do is
Like the trekking-lite-store.com Facebook page and when you check out your order give them the Coupon code "
Finland10" and voilá - you save 10% on your sweet UL goodies! This offer is valid till 31. May, so you got enough time to browse their shop and make up your mind.
With spring here, summer on the doorstep, new adventures on my mind, it is time to look back on some pieces of gear which have served me well during the past winter. So in the next days I shall take you back into that cold time, and review a couple items which made winter more enjoyable.
The first piece I'd like to tell you about is the
Sir Joseph Koteka Down Jacket, a seriously light down jacket which has kept me very warm between November and March.
Sir Joseph is a small mountaineering company hailing from the Czech Republic, producing very well made gear for Mountaineers as well as UL backpackers.
The important bit: Size M is 440 gram on my scale. Of which are 220 gram of 800 cuin down. Which makes it the lightest down jacket on the market.
But you know me, weight ain't everything. Functionality needs to be there as well. I'm glad to report that the jacket is able to pack a punch of functionality in those 440 gram, though there are some shortcomings, to which I come latter.
Lets start with the outer and inner material. It is an Sir Joseph exclusive material which they developed themselves called Softex® Micro - it reminds me of Pertex and is quality-wise in the same league. It keeps the down inside, though the breathability ain't too good. It is, like Pertex, a very sensitive material - keep away from flying sparks and bushwacking through thorn invested undergrowth I also wouldn't do in it. Other than that it is a very nice material, soft and comfortable on the skin, and keeping water and snow out thanks to a very good DWR.
Adjustable velcro-cuffs.
I'm not a big fan of velcro, but sir Joseph has made their homework when designing the elastic and adjustable velcro cuffs. I find them really functional, easy to operate with thick gloves, even with one hand. That is really useful in -34°C, when you don't want to have heat escape or needing to get your gloves out to adjust something.
The hood.
You know I am spoilt with the hood of my
Haglöfs OZO so the bar is high, and the Koteka doesn't come close to that mark. But it keeps my head warm and the cold wind and snow out, so it does the job. I do think however, that the neck part could be made a tad longer, which would make it easier to turn your head. I also would prefer that if they try to have a sort of visor, that they make it more useful or leave it out - now it is just a tiny shield at the front which doesn't have much of a purpose. The elastics for adjusting the hood could also be improved, now they have a tanka on the outside and the elastic cord goes to the inside, which makes adjusting fiddly and involves opening the jacket a bit to do it properly (you can adjust them from the outside, but it's suboptimal). Yeah, I am spoilt.
Two-way zipper.
On to the zipper. As the jacket was new, the zipper drove me mad. It was very fiddly to get the two sliders to align properly to be able to close the jacket, so I don't know if I got a bad zipper or if YKK, the zipper manufacturer, set out to drive me mad. As usage continued this situation got better, though, and nowadays I can close the zipper without even looking at it. However, the memory remains, and I wonder if a simpler, one way zipper wouldn't be much better and also save a few more grams. On the inside it has a wide draft stopper which works very well, and protects the zipper from rubbing against your chin or neck when closed; and the label on the slider gives a good grip for operation, also with thick mitts around your hands.
A long back keeps my bum warm =)
The hem has two tankas and double elastic cord to adjust tightness, which works well, though I think one tanka and one cord would be enough and cut some more weight down. The long back has a good cut and goes just over my buttocks to keep them warm in the blazing cold we had, and thanks to the elastic hem it stays that way.
Pocket zipper which you pull down to close. Genius.
The Koteka jacket comes with two zippered hand pockets which are massive in size, I can fit in a pair of thick woolen gloves, an extra Buff, windproof over-mitts, a few chocolate bars, my knife, compass, firesteel, a map... Yeah, they're big. Lovely. Warm. And their zippers you pull down to close, which is so much smarter than normal zippers (which you close pulling up). This makes them safer and easier to close, even with thick gloves. Perfect.
About the construction of the jacket then. Now according to some research on BPL it doesn't matter if the garment is sewn-through or baffled, but for what its worth, the Koteka jacket has H-chambers which should to be, according to other research, warmer. All I can tell you is that it is massively warm, and if it's less than -20°C then I am fine with only a 200 Merino longsleeve beneath it. It is very warm, and I never got cold wearing it. That's subjective field science!
The bottom line is that despite some small shortcomings it is a topnotch jacket for people who go hiking in winter and seriously cold temperatures. It comes in black. It is the lightest down jacket on the market, with the most down (some competitors of this jacket include the Rab Infinity, PHD Yukon, and Montane North Star which are all heavier and have less down!). It keeps me warm in -36°C and a stiff breeze. It packs into a 8 l stuff sack with spare room for your down booties or extra socks. It has a great cut for us lean and athletic guys, with enough room underneath to wear up to three layers. It's black. And made in Europe. Yeah, I'm gonna keep it.
If you too want to wear the lightest down jacket on the market, the
Sir Joseph Koteka down jacket, and earn yourself a 10% discount on one order of over 100€ at
trekking-lite-store.com on any products you purchase, then all you need to do is
Like the trekking-lite-store.com Facebook page and when you check out your order give them the Coupon code "
Finland10" and voilá - you save 10% on your sweet UL goodies! This offer is valid till 31. May, so you got enough time to browse their shop and make up your mind.
Sir Joseph Koteka Down Jacket
If I hadn't just invested in a fat down jacket, this would be on the list of possible candidates.
ReplyDeleteNice review as ever, Hendrik.
Regarding the zippers, I don't agree with you at all though.
Two way zippers are the bees knees if you're roped up with someone, for instance during climbing or during a glacier crossing. Makes it possible to keep the harness underneath the jacket with a lot less problems. Believe me, it's well worth the teeny tiny hassle (if there is any at all) with closing the zipper.
The pocket zippers closing upwards is much more logical IMHO. A half-closed pocket will still keep the stuff inside. If the zippers close downwards, it's much easier to loose things from the pockets. And yes, I have to admit knowing this from bad experience.
So, two way zippers and pocket zippers closing upwars for me please.
/ Karl
hey hendrik,
ReplyDeletewhat are you using as a headwrap?
Do you know something we don't about PHD fill weights?
ReplyDeletePHD don't advertise their fill weights but there is an interesting thread here on BPL. And remember that PHD use 900 fill power down so less is required. Lovely down jacket and the -36C endorsement may well take it beyond the Yukon as advertised by PHD. That said, my Yukon, as a Large is only 445g (470g in stuffsack). Your point on baffles is a good one, and to be remembered for down jackets.
ReplyDeleteThread on BPL here: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=18950&startat=100
ReplyDeleteThank you Maz for that very interesting link. That makes this jacket almost identical to the Yukon as far as weight/fill weight ratio is concerned. The PHD wins on down quality. What's the water resistance of the shell like Hendrik?
ReplyDeleteOh and there's a comment on the PHD site about -30°C being the racer's rating. I hadn't figured you for a racer Hendrik!
PHD Drishell is very water resistant in fact so it would be interesting to see how Hendrik found Koteka's water resistance.
ReplyDeleteVery nice jacket. And I do like the fact that it comes in black...I recently swapped my Mont-Bell UL Down Inner jacket for the parka simply because I felt I would be happier with the hood. The problem is that the parka is not offered in black, so I got an olive green (which looks like army green). I understand that color is the least important part, but I really loved the way that black jacket looked, much better than the green... I don't understand why they can't make them in all colors...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thanks for the review. Enjoyed it!
BPL tell us lots things. This week they tell us wild camps don't exist. Recently they recommended a waterproof with dangling hood cords that will lash your face and sting your eyes when the wind blows. So I would agree baffles that are not stitched through will be warmer. My main observation on this jacket is the weight to warmth ratio. 50% down is amazing for a jacket. Very impressive. I would use that on its own on a summer night and leave a sleeping bag at home. Also its good to see other makers getting noticed. Nice review and find. Might save hard for next winter and get one.
ReplyDeleteNice review again! I desperately need a good down jacket for my future winter adventures, and this could be it.
ReplyDeleteHej Karl, if I'd be more in the mountains and be wearing a harness, then the 2-way zipper surely would come in handy. But for my needs last winter it wasn't needed - which doesn't mean it ain't useful!
ReplyDeleteI really think the close down zipper pockets are more safe than the other way around, again in my experience. It is more difficult to open them in that way as vice versa.
Hei Jimmy, a Merino Buff!
ReplyDeleteThe shell is very water and snow resistant, and down never got wet or even collapsed. Conditions include going into a heated tent from a fricking cold night with blown snow on the jacket and having no problems, as well has going into a house from a blizzard or sitting around a fire while snow is blown on me.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think the 650 cuin/ 800 cuin/ 900 cuin discussion is completely overrated and for the latter marketing BS. PHD and MontBell saying they have the best down, without saying how much down is in there, doesn't help anyone. If you got nothing to hide, you'd be able to tell us.
I also don't agree with the BPL thread, as the way how warm a person feels in a garment depends largely on that person. I was wearing the Koteka with nothing else than a merino t-shirt under it at -20°C at night while photographing Northern Lights (and was comfy warm), while other people with a lot more clothes on were freezing. Testing a product to give guidelines is a good thing, but it doesn't mean a thing when you or I put it on and go out =)
I'm not convinced of 900 cuin down and put it in the marketing hype corner. 650 cuin down might be warmer and better than 800 cuin in some conditions (like wearing a backpack which compresses down). And as I said to Len above, if a company has nothing to hide then they can publish the fill weights without problem, as the makes the market and comparisons between garments more transparent =)
ReplyDeleteThat said, by the look of it the hood on the Yukon looks better, though lets see what Sir Joseph comes up with after this article ;)
With a 10% you shouldn't need to do much thinking ;)
ReplyDeleteCritical thinking is always good, be it about BPL or what people write on their blogs =) I remember the "Cuben not waterproof" thread, and while an interesting scientific finding, it does not at all compare to reality.
ReplyDeleteI used the jacket in combination with the Katabatic Gear Sawatch at a over -30°C night in a tent and a tyvek bivy, and was super warm with it. Now I have a fast metabolism and sleep warm, but it is pretty awesome as it allowed me to keep the synthetic quilt I brought in its stuff sack!
There are a few Eastern European companies which make really high quality gear - Cumulus, Sir Joseph, Nahanny, to name just a few. Very affordable, great choice of options and they will even custom make it.
But olive green is a good colour, too - much better than pink :D Glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI was always surprised by PHD not advertising the fill weight as it seemed such a simple thing to do - even if it were only an average. As you rightly observe - its nice to see newer manufacturers hitting the marketplace so let's see what they come up with.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lot like sleeping bags, isn't it? Your comment deals with the major issue around reviews - they only help so far before personal preference/physiology becomes more relevant than the basic attributes of a piece of kit. Anyway, more importantly - Northern Lights?!? God I wish I had the time to head up there...
ReplyDeleteI think they have theoretically nothing to lose from stating the amount of down in their products. PHD is know for making high quality stuff, and stating amount of fill only should be to their advantage.
ReplyDeleteAurora Borealis, to give ya a taste of the North: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hendrikmorkel/sets/72157626364552096/
ReplyDeleteNice post on this awesome Sir Joseph Koteka jacket...I will surely go for this in my next winter..
ReplyDeleteOnce a beautiful coast, the southern Costa Blanca, centred on Torrevieja, now resembles a concrete estate. Inland, it's a minefield of illegal projects. If it's not cheap, it's not good value; and if it is cheap, then it's just cheap. Prices for flats have stayed the same, but villas that sold for 130,000 pounds in 2005 are asking 116,000 pounds.
ReplyDeleteThe northern Costa Blanca is in better shape, especially the smart area around Javea, Denia and Moraira. The market is subdued but stable, and many vendors have given up asking silly prices. Flats are typically up 15%, and typical three bed villas in Javea, which were about 270,000 pounds two years ago, now cost about 305,000 pounds
When you have made the decision to purchase abroad, you then have to pick the perfect location. Do you want somewhere inland or on the coast? Rural or built up in a prime tourist location? After all once you have purchased your property, you will have to love the area you pick whether it is for a retirement home, holiday villa or permanent residence,
ReplyDeleteI don't think this is lighter than the Yukon jacket, that's listed as 450g. Still, for only 40 more grams an extra 10 degrees C of warmth is amazing! Then again, I'm willing to bet that the shell on the Yukon is a lot more weather-resistant. Have you tested the water-resistance of this Softex Micro at all?
ReplyDeleteI also don't quite get what you mean by "lightest down jacket on the market", as there are many, many down jackets that are under 400 or even 300 grams. That said, -20 or -25 is amazing for a sub-500 gram down jacket and it probably is the lightest down jacket made with that sort of rating.One last thing, I like that this jacket appears to have a nice slim cut. I just hate those baggy "square with arms" outdoor clothes.
If the Yukon jacket is listed as 450 gram and this one is, on my scale, 440 grams, then yeah, it is lighter ;)
ReplyDeleteThe material is fine in dry snow, spindrift, wind and a drizzle, but rain & big, wet snow are not its preferred elements.
Back then it was the lightest down jacket with such a rating, yes. I don't know if there's one which is lighter & as warm nowadays. I had a sub-300 gram down jacket (no hood) but that was miles away from being warm in -20°C.