looking for a quiet down mid layer jacket

Mike VanBuren · December 13, 2012, 07:19:00 PM

Does anybody have a packable down or Primaloft jacket with a quiet shell they would recommend? I mean "cold, dead still wind and mature whitetail doe within 10 yards" kind of quiet.

str8jct · December 13, 2012, 07:24:00 PM

Sounds like you need super powers instead of a coat

Mike VanBuren · December 13, 2012, 07:39:00 PM

Good point. I'm probably asking for too much of a good thing.

Walt Francis · December 13, 2012, 08:32:00 PM

KUIU is coming out with a mid layer waterproof down, but I do not know if it will be quiet.

bfrbmj · December 13, 2012, 08:44:00 PM

How about the super down zip t from kuiu? I have tried my marmot down coat but it is way too noisy.

Mike VanBuren · December 13, 2012, 09:15:00 PM

The new Kuiu is impressive but at that price I'll wait for a review.

bfrbmj · December 13, 2012, 09:24:00 PM

I just saw that Russell makes an APX L3 primaloft Lightning jacket and says that it has an "ultraquiet" shell. I don't know if that is bowhunting quiet or if it is decent quality but the price seems ok.

stalkin4elk · December 13, 2012, 10:54:00 PM

I have the same question. Some materials get really loud for bowhunting when it is less than 10 degrees when you need them. The standard mountaineering brand nylon shells on down and primaloft coats are not really "10 yard quiet" but more like "40-50 yard quiet" IMO. Someone please review the hooded kuiu down coat and the Russell when you get one.

TubbsTru · December 13, 2012, 11:09:00 PM

Check out his Primaloft jacket from LLBean. It's a soft-shell, so it's maybe not fleece-quiet, but might do the trick. Just today I layered for the first time with a down jacket from Cabelas under my Sitka Fanatic and boy did I stay toasty! The only problem was that at around dark when the wind died, that nylon shell underneath the jacket was a tad noisy. But I've got no concerns if there is any wind- it was pretty quiet under the Fanatic.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/69374?feat=506569-GN3&page=big-game-system-heavyweight-liner-jacket

Kevin Dill · December 14, 2012, 06:27:00 AM

Mike,

I doubt if any jacket on Earth meets your description. The conflicting requirements are 'quiet', 'packable', and 'down'. Certainly there are shells which are less noisy, but a packable down garment almost automatically means some form of nylon or similar fabric. I basically only wear a down garment under my final outer layer...never as a final outer piece itself. Some of my favs for deer hunting are the Patagonia Nano Puff, Cabela's Down Vest, and my extremely warm Feathered Friends Helios Vest. I usually don't wear a full jacket, preferring a vest which is quieter during movement. Top it with a fleece or wool outer layer...all you need to do is be a bit cautious with movement when deer are close.

BTW: I'm interested in the KUIU Super Down, but recently cancelled an order for one. The jacket has only 2.5 ounces of down (good 850 down) including the hood. By contrast, my FF Helios vest has 4.8 ounces (or more) of 850 down in a garment weighing an average 11 ounces. The down is concentrated over my body core where I prefer it. A typical medium-wt premium down jacket will have from 4.5 to 6.5 ounces of 750-850 goose down. My experience tells me I need more than 2.5 ounces to really add the warmth I'm wanting.

hockey7 · December 14, 2012, 07:20:00 AM

Just bought a Patagonia down sweater almost 50% off...800 fill. It's compact enough to use as an insulating layer under my wool coat. This should cut my layers down to 3 from 5, and still reduce the overall bulkiness.

Overspined · December 14, 2012, 09:04:00 AM

I shoot them close with down vest from Eddie Bauer that I zip under a wool coat. It's quiet enough for MI deer, but I know what you are saying. I haven't had them hear it and have used it for a few years. It's a really soft nylon shell, not a really noisy kind. Sometimes I think we hear it more then the deer because our ears are right on top of it.

December 14, 2012, 09:36:00 AM

Doesn't the Kelvin stuff from Sitka work for that pretty well?

KBE · December 14, 2012, 10:05:00 AM

Take a look at the new Eddie Bauer down hunting jacket. I have one and like it very much. It's intended to be a layer - very thin. I have shot with it under fleece camo and found it to be suprisingly quiet. I never actually hunted with it this year because I took my deer on opening day. It also comes as a vest. A couple of years ago I bought a primaloft jacket from EMS. It was also very quiet under fleece, mainly because the nylon outer shell was extremely fine and smooth. I gave up on it this year because it seemed to have lost a lot of its warmth.

Bullfrog · December 14, 2012, 10:14:00 AM

Sitka Kelvin. REI makes a nice one too. BILL

pdk25 · December 14, 2012, 11:52:00 AM

Gonna be tough. It always is with down. Need to use light enough material to allow down to expand and still tight enough so down doesn't poke through and leak out, which usually means noise when it is cold an quiet. JMHO. If you can use just a vest, it is alot more doable for being quiet.

Mike VanBuren · December 14, 2012, 04:53:00 PM

I know a vest is quieter but I really want that layer to cover the arms. I can sacrifice some packability. It's difficult to find gear that covers your needs for deer hunting and elk bivy hunting. I still try to find garments that work well for both.

The Eddie Bauer jacket looks like it would work just fine and perhaps the Kuiu super down. I thought I heard Russell is getting out of the hunting apparel business. Then the down jacket should be on clearance price somewhere.

Joey Ward · December 14, 2012, 05:15:00 PM

I REALLY like my Cabela's Tech Down jacket. IMO, it's exactly what you'r looking for. I've had mine for 6 hunting seasons and it's by far my favorite hunting jacket.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Tech-Down-Jacket/1230412.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch%2F%3FN%3D%26No%3D20%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Ddown%2Bjacket%26N tx%3Dmode%252Bmatchallpartial%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26WTz_st%3D%26WTz_stype%3DSP%26form_state%3DsearchForm%26recordsPerPage%3D20%26search%3Ddown%2Bjacket%26sea rchTypeByFilter%3DAllProducts&Ntt=down+jacket&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Long link.....

Usually, around Feb or Mar, they'll have them on sale for around half price. They are worth full price, though.

Matty · December 14, 2012, 08:04:00 PM

A couple weeks ago I was in American agle outfitter and bought a down "sweater" which packs down to about the size of a soda can for $40 it's all black but figured if its going to be my mid layer it will be covered by my top layer. Perfect. The new down stuff really squishes down nice. Hard to find down under $100. Especially camo'd

Mr.Magoo · December 14, 2012, 10:50:00 PM

Once upon a time when I lived in the great white north, I did a lot of skiing, camping, training in the winter. Most of it for the military.

The one thing that saved my bacon in the cold was down long underwear from Eddie Bauer. Don't know if they still sell it, but it was as good as gold.

You could unzip the jacket and the trouser legs when you were active and then button back up when things got chilly. Since it was your base layer there wasn't a problem with noise. And you had to be quiet puttin' the sneak on the 'bad guys'.

BTW .... my old man bought it for me as a gift. He had a set just like it that he used during the 30 years he was a green beret.