Reply With QuoteI got a ladakah made to order
got the 1000 fill with overfill
its the warmest jacket I've ever had and extremely light
went for the drishell too, and it is very good in wet conditions
Dear all
Needs some opinions on the above. Looking at the Minimus Down jacket and vest. I was looking at Alpkit but they have sold out in my size.
Regards
Ben
I got a ladakah made to order
got the 1000 fill with overfill
its the warmest jacket I've ever had and extremely light
went for the drishell too, and it is very good in wet conditions
I was going to say that you probably want slacks and a tweed jacket, then I realised that you are talking about a brand, not getting a doctorate!
Thanks Vinny.
Not clever enough for a doctorate I'm afraid.
Can't go wrong mate
They have a minimus with zip off sleeves in the bargain bin at the moment in your size
Was going to suggest it in your alpkit thread
Got quite a few pieces from them over the years
The founders son is a very good friend of mine, doesn't mean I'm biased though ;))
I bought one of their k series tops this year. If you're a down Geek you know how special this is - don't think anyone else on the market produces anything with 1000 fill power
And its all made in Britain too
Fashinistas might be interested to know that Nigel Cabourne gets his down stuff made there.
If you get a minimus, pay the extra for the hood, it's worth it.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Dave,
Thanks for the info. I was going to try and pm you but your inbox was full.
Is there much difference between the sale stuff and full spec it's hard to tell.
Regards
Ben
Hi Ben
Basically the standards is the same
Their might be small differences in fill weights but PhD will never disclose these anyway because of competitors
The current minimus line-up in the sale with the patch pockets is very tempting, but since I already have one I have demurred. If I didn't have one, I would get one in the current sale and not the bargain box one, simply because me loves a front patch pocket.
The things to look out for when comparing specs is a) the fill power and b) the type of fabric used for a shell
For general use I'd definitely get a jacket with drishell or drishell plus on the outer
Personally, zipped pockets are always a must. Always a bugger to lose your car keys at eight thousand feet.
Hth Dave
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
PS just a general point about PhD v alpkit, they are in a totally different league as far as their down stuff is made. One is mass produced in China in order to hit a certain price point, the other is bespoke stuff made in the UK and designed by one of the initiators who originally started making down kit, someone who has been passionately interested and at the leading edge of down clothing design and production for more than fifty years.
Don't get me wrong, I've bought alot of stuff from alpkit since they started and have only once been disappointed, they have a great sales model and some very well designed and useful good value kit with great after sales, very fast free delivery bla bla bla, but in terms of their down stuff PhD is simply in another league.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
All,
Many thanks.
Off to buy a Minimus down jacket with hood as we speak.
I will continue to look at Alpkit when they get some stock back in.
Will let you know what i think in my very humble opinion. I have had jackets from Musto, Henri, Lloyd, Rab, Helly Hansen, you name it. Although must of those were more sailing orientated.
Thanks again.
Best regards,
Ben
I recently bought a mountain hardwear ghost whisperer jacket from sports pursuit for around £110
Havn't had it for long but very impressed so far. It's also had far more positive comments from people saying they like it than anything else I've ever bought. (for what that is worth - it must mean something)
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Ha ha I wear tweed jackets, with pocket squares obviously, but during my PhD my main attire was a white lab coat!Originally Posted by apm101
My PHD Minimus jacket arrived 2 days ago. I bought a Minimus vest 4 years ago and also have a pair of their synthetic mitts. The jacket is part of their K series so 1,000 power fill.
I have jackets by North Face and various tops by Icebreaker, Mountain Hardware and Mountain Equipment. PHD down kit is really light, UK made, superior fill material and superior fill density and comes with a lifetime guarantee. I would say price wise you should be comparing it with Rab or Arctyrex. I have been to the Arctyrex London store and their stuff is good by for me, PHD is better due to its feel, guarantee and ability to tailor you size, spec etc.
As mentioned IMHO PhD are on a different level to alpkit. High quality UK produced. Not that alpkit is bad stuff. Also worth looking out for the sales and end of line stuff. There are some really good deals as long as you are not bothered about colour etc. Got a great 800 fill jacket with goretex a few years ago for half price. It's almost too warm to wear in anything but coldest UK weather. Great stuff!!!
Sent from my F8331 using Tapatalk
Thanks all.
Will let you know what I think of it when it arrives.
Regards
Ben
Looks great kit, but I'm struggling to think of a time when I've been cold whilst wearing my faithful North Face Nuptse.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Anyone have any experience of this one if their 'waterproofs':
http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/alpamayo-...o8qi5antd44bf7
Cheers
The proofed Yukon looks a bargain at £223 ! hood is included in price.
Their spec : "A technical mountain Down Jacket. Box-wall construction, HS2 waterproof fabric, and 900 down for exceptional performance."
They have their usual Wednesday sale up and running....
I _might_ have ordered a ventile jacket...(£100 off, not bad).
How true are the sizes?
It's just a matter of time...
In the words of spandau ballet - true
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
there's a batch of new jackets coming in [they sent me an email].
some are pre order
https://www.alpkit.com/clothing/mens
something about RAB the stuff maybe not known is guaranteed for life too the original owner [you need a receipt]
its taken me 3 years to find my receipt and so sent my belay jacket of for repair or replacement last week.
RAB is not a lifetime guarantee - it's a 'usable life' guarantee.
Effectively it means that the guarantee is for what RAB deem a serviceable time period as opposed to true 'lifetime'.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
I just got my RAB Summit out for it's 8th winter, still looking good, and that's me toasty warm for the next few months!
F.T.F.A.
Quote Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK View Post
RAB is not a lifetime guarantee - it's a 'usable life' guarantee.
Effectively it means that the guarantee is for what RAB deem a serviceable time period as opposed to true 'lifetime'.quote
I just got my RAB Summit out for it's 8th winter, still looking good, and that's me toasty warm for the next few months!
my word what is happening is it the Trump effect in reverse, perhaps its the approach of Christmas?
Chris has replied to a comment of mine without sneering or abuse [he's on ignore].
I've checked and he is correct I was wrong.
I bought the belay jacket because since I came out of the hospital I walk very slow
it seemed the warmest jacket that would work if I was to slow to get out of the rain around town, sadly I can never go in the hills again.
anyway seeing as It didn't have a hard life it was a surprise the material wore out on the sleeves from my snail walking.
All Rab® products come with a guarantee that covers the original owner, with proof of purchase, for the usable lifetime of the product. We are aware that from time to time faults can appear; should a product fail due to defects in workmanship and/or materials, we will repair the item free of charge or replace at our discretion.
Failure to produce proof of purchase invalidates your warranty. Products which are damaged as a result of accident, wear and tear, improper care or negligence, or the natural breakdown of materials over time, even if accelerated by environmental conditions, are excluded from warranty. We do however offer a repair service and damages of these kinds can be repaired for a fee, please visit our After Care & Repairs page for more information or to request a repair.
They washed my Neutrino and fixed, patched a hole for around £25 if memory serves. Pretty good I thought.
Just waiting for my PHD Minimus to turn up.
I have several PHD sleeping bags I use for racing - differing weights, depending on the time of year / expected temps.
I remember having a long conversation with them when they first introduced the k series stuff. Using 1000 FP down allows them to put less of it in a garment or bag (therefore reduce overall weight) and still maintain their suggested degrees C comfort rating, but my concern was (and still is) that with less physical down/feather, the effects of compression on the down will be more significant over time.
That said, quite like the look of the Desert Race Pullover.
Rab's new ultralight offering the Zero G jacket boasts 1000 fp, but on closer inspection they're using the US method (naughty as this isn't made clear) which roughly equates to 900 on the European scale. Still top quality down mind.. Bought one a few weeks ago but returned it - really well made and featured, but too open around the neck and cuffs, and crucially there's no adjustable cinch around the waist, which is criminal for a UL jacket of this quality IMO, as the FP of the down becomes a moot point given it leaks so much heat..
I already have an older one of these, but I also picked one up in the sports pursuit sale (shiny green). It's also had quite a few compliments so far (on the school run - not on the fells!!). Keep meaning to put the hydrophobic down in this new one to the test to see if there's any real difference!!!
Last edited by gcleminson; 22nd November 2016 at 14:33.
I think honorable mention should also be made of uniqlos cheap and cheerful UL range . You can often pick up one of their hooded jackets on the sale for thirty quid. They have some interesting 'urban' styles in their line.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Mine is still on standby as not yet cold enough for me to wear it. I have been wearing my £60 down Michael Kors jacket from TKMaxx which has been more than sufficient with just a t shirt underneath so far.
Unless your a hill walker or climber a lot of this technical clothing is overkill for me as it rarely gets that cold in the UK.
I justbgot my RAB belay jacket back it looks like new no charge, which seeing how long ago I bought it seems very reasonable.
I can't recommend PhD clothing enough now I have it. Absolutely superb and so light.
Get one don't think about it.
I have a PhD sleeping bag.
Used it in the desert.
Perfectly tailored for my height.
If the rest of their stuff is as good quality, I can highly recommend it.
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