Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

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platypus
down jacket decent points:
- 850 fill power - average. might expect 900 for that price. it does make a difference.
- traceable down - good. more companies should do this.
down jacket so-so points:
- pockets like those are less useful than a kangaroo pocket, on lightweight down jackets
- doesn't come in any bright colours, which are useful if you are in remote locations and want to be seen. why would you buy a puffy jacket to try and look cool
- isn't synthetic insulation, which I believe is better for very minimal setups in european locations
down jacket bad points:
- unnecessarily expensive. why wouldn't you buy this sensational jacket instead. 2/3 the weight. much better pocket design. company that knows how to do this kind of clothing.
- they don't list the weight of down in the jacket, only the total jacket weight. so could be fuck all down in there, and heavier fabrics. so no idea of it's real warmth rating. stupid.

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frankenbike in reply to @platypus

I like this sort of nerd stuff. Keep it up.

The number of people who need a down jacket for cycling in is extremely small anyway. You're gonna sweat in it and wreck it so, so fast.

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branwen in reply to @frankenbike

My own experience of the Uniqlo cheap-one was entirely the opposite - as someone who runs hot it feels like it regulates temperature far better than other jackets and is actually far less sweat inducing than other similar warm jackets.

Obviously a backpack is a bad idea, but still
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platypus in reply to @frankenbike

Keep it up

OK!

The best insulation layer for active use (i.e. wearing whilst you're cycling along) is fleece, or lightweight synthetic, emphatically not down. Down is for wearing when you're stopped, or cycling very very slowly, or in your sleeping bag to improve its warmth.
Both fleece and synthetic materials retain their warmth when wet. Down doesn't, and claims of "treated down" or "DWR Down" or "Water-repellent down" are 90% bullshit. A little bit of rain is no problem for most down jackets, but if it's sustained then they become rather useless.

For fleece, you want a lightweight material, 100-weight. This is "thin" fleece. You can get a £5 old Karrimor/Lowe Alpine fleece, or a £100 Arcteryx one, they will perform near identically. I prefer them without any pockets, hoods, or thumb loops.
For lightweight synthetic, anything sub 300g is ok. But the best is the Patagonia Nano-Air Light. It has received rave reviews as an active insulation layer, unfortunately I can't afford one yet.

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