I was looking at that jacket/sweater this past weekend.
I havent owned any down stuff before.
I am looking for a lightweight warm jacket to take with
when I do some running,hiking through the winter.
How does this jacket do when damp from sweat?
As a general rule, I'd stay away from down if you plan on doing a lot of sweating. As you probably already know, down fibers lose their ability to insulate if they get wet, whereas synthetic fibers will not. If there's a chance of the fibers getting wet and the stakes are high, just stick with synthetic.
I haven't exposed this jacket to heavy perspiration - if I start to sweat, I take off layers and a down layer is probably the first thing to come off. There are times when you definitely can't avoid perspiration though and if you have to be wearing something warm then, I'd stick with synthetic (note that other than an emergency down vest that I pack, this is my only piece of down gear - everything else is synthetic or synthetic/wool).
That all said, this particular piece of kit IS water repellent. I've worn it in light rain and heavy fog before; the moisture beads up and doesn't penetrate into the fill. It is also very breathable. Worn over a base layer and one or two mid layers, you wouldn't have a problem with it trapping moisture.
I mean,if I heat up and then slow down,get a chill and put this on,
does it breath well or soak up the moisture?
It should breathe well. Wearing it right after running should be fine, but I wouldn't wear it during high-stress activities.
Maybe I should go with the polyfil nanopuff version?
This is what I would probably recommend. No piece of clothing can stay 100% dry. As breathable as the down option is, some moisture will inevitably be retained and this retained moisture will have a greater impact on its performance than on the synthetic version.
Down in general,good for high aerobic activities?
No. Excellent for lower stress activities and would do well to keep the chill down after your heart rate slows. However, if you are knowingly throwing moisture at a piece of clothing, I'd stick with synthetic.
Now, THAT all said, it's largely personal preference. It's a debate that's been going on for decades and both sides have valid arguments.
CanDo, what do you wear on your legs when hiking in NH winter conditions?
Long Underwear and zip-off synthetic pants (same ones I wear in the summer). I tend to hike with the pants zipped off at lower altitudes. As it gets cold or weathery, I might add a second pair of thermals or put on a waterproof shell (like snowboard or ski pants).
What boots and crampons in the pic?
Boots? Haha, no, my boots were too far away when I got word for this trip. Those are my Merrell Radials. Very stupid and dangerous thing to do, but I must say, they kept me perfectly warm and I felt like the road runner with such light feet.
I've read about people using Microspikes + snowshoes for almost everywhere but looking at your pic it seems they would be horribly inadequate?
That's a valid option. If you look in the background, you'll see my friend was wearing a pair of mini snowshoes. Mountaineering snow shoes have crampons on the bottom - sort of. They're typically pieces of toothed steel or aluminum rather than spikes. They bite in, but not as well. She had to wear them that day to maintain a foot angle that kept pressure off of an injury. They're not as efficient as crampons, but often can be used instead. I don't own microspikes but have heard a lot of good things about them. Personally, I like to be able to dig into the ice when the winds pick up over 50mph and I don't expect I'd get that feeling with microspikes.
Yes, microspikes would be horribly inadequate for that slope, but that's when you'd switch to snow shoes and be OK.
It's mostly personal preference. I wear crampons and bring snowshoes a little larger than most people carry. This makes me feel safe about being able to navigate nearly any ground conditions. I'd recommend borrowing gear from someone or renting and see what suits your tastes.
What puffy were you wearing and were you warm when stopped? *I know everyone's metabolism and tolerance for cold is unique*
That day... I'm not sure since I didn't have my usual gear. Generic fleece pullover, thermal shirt, synthetic t-shirt and maybe a sweater. Like I said, it was in the 20s or upper teens. The wind was the real concern and my shell blocks it effectively. I lounged on the summit for a pretty good amount of time and was perfectly comfortable the whole time.
