Keeping warm when stopped

[ChrisF]

I have a PodSac from PlanetX (https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CCPDWSB/podsacs-waterproof-saddle-pack) which I bought for lightweight touring. It holds quite a bit if you need to, but it also folds down small enough for just tools and spare tubes.
But in the first lockdown it was so useful for carying a flask of coffee and a piece of cake or whatever. Now I'm using it to also stash a nice warm, waterproof jacket for stops (and BTW it's also useful during a downpour) - a recent thread suggested the Madison one which I got for half price.
Very little extra weight altogether, and greatly increased peace of mind.

[mjr]

That's a long way from your original mention of some sort of light down garment. If I'm thinking of the same thing, I saw Mac in a sac on sale at Boundary Mill a couple of years ago. It's a sort of emergency rain garment - "Boil in the bag" I fancy.

You may be confusing it with a Kag in a Bag or a Pac a Mac... which are all non breathable but less boil in a bag than a true emergency rain jacket like a Polaris Shield or similar. Pelting cold rain will often stop it getting too clammy inside. It does a different job to a down-style jacket and both are worth carrying.

[TrevA]

Mac in a sac do down jackets too.

https://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/pr ... id/1854777

[pjclinch]

There's 5 days to go on a Rohan Spark on eBay, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mens-Rohan-Spark-Top-in-Size-Medium-Excellent-Condition/274572204895?hash=item3fedc75b5f:g:mkQAAOSwwz1frXod and as long as you're a Rohan medium (38-40" Chest, more generous IME than most medium size and a little longer in the body, I'm an M in Rohan and typically "M and a half" going on L in others) and I recommend it. Not bidding myself as the two I own is more than enough, but it's a great little bundle of extra warmth.

It's light enough to ride in on a cold day, windproof and has a DWR coating that will keep dreich out. Thermally it's about a fleece jacket, but half the weight and bulk (plus windproofing).

Pete.

[eileithyia]

Not in time for today's ride, and it wasn't particularly chilly, but ready for when the temps dip again... my uniqlo packable down jacket arrived today..... impressed with the small size it packs down to... Thank you again to whoever recommended them up thread.

[Jdsk]

: - )

I'll pass that on.

Jonathan

[simonhill]

Not in time for today's ride, and it wasn't particularly chilly, but ready for when the temps dip again... my uniqlo packable down jacket arrived today..... impressed with the small size it packs down to... Thank you again to whoever recommended them up thread.

There were 4 or 5 recommends I think.

Just slip it on and go for a short wander this evening. Delight in the joy of down.

[eileithyia]

Not in time for today's ride, and it wasn't particularly chilly, but ready for when the temps dip again... my uniqlo packable down jacket arrived today..... impressed with the small size it packs down to... Thank you again to whoever recommended them up thread.

There were 4 or 5 recommends I think.

Just slip it on and go for a short wander this evening. Delight in the joy of down.

[pjclinch]

Just slip it on and go for a short wander this evening. Delight in the joy of down.

The Not The Joy of down is it's a PITA to wash/dry. A bit like DWR water repellent coatings, down works best if you save it for when you really need it. Use it as a general purpose coat and it'll lose loft relatively quickly, save it for when it's that or freeze it'll stay lofting nicely for years without needing a wash.
Synthetics don't pack down as small at the same insulation value, or (well cared for) last as long, but you can just throw them in the machine with a general cool wash and they'll dry out fast.

Pete.

[Sweep]

Just slip it on and go for a short wander this evening. Delight in the joy of down.

The Not The Joy of down is it's a PITA to wash/dry. A bit like DWR water repellent coatings, down works best if you save it for when you really need it. Use it as a general purpose coat and it'll lose loft relatively quickly, save it for when it's that or freeze it'll stay lofting nicely for years without needing a wash.
Synthetics don't pack down as small at the same insulation value, or (well cared for) last as long, but you can just throw them in the machine with a general cool wash and they'll dry out fast.

Pete.

excellent point.

[mjr]

Use it as a general purpose coat and it'll lose loft relatively quickly,

Oooh does it lose loft just from wearing, then? I thought it mainly lost loft if left packed or squashed.

[simonhill]

I think too much is made of washing down. I have washed all my down stuff, except for one (sleeping) duvet. I just put the item in the washing machine on a gentle wash with a little normal non-bio washing liquid. High spin.

When item comes out it is very lumpy and you need to be careful that the heavy wet down doesn't damage the seams, then slowly and carefully dry it. I usually do this in the summer so it can be done outside. You need to regularly break up the lumps and fluff them up as they dry out. Then when all dry, fluff the whole thing up. Obviously this takes a bit of time, but I've got plenty of that as I don't do Facebook.

I've had a feather duvet washed a couple of times in the launderette, who also give it a long slow tumble dry. Slept under it last night and it was warm and light - must be over 20 years old, but still luverly.

I'm sure that washing slowly degrades the down fill, as does wearing, but I like to wear my down jackets and don't want them hanging in my wardrobe for best. I also admit that a few of my many are from the charity shop, so I will always wash and if it's degraded, no problem when a £200 mountain coat only cost a fiver.

[nsew]

A quality merino base layer is a given for cold rides. Not inexpensive though. Polartec Alpha punches way above its weight, highly insulating, highly breathable and super fast drying using your body heat. Designed for US Special Forces to keep moving in the cold and wet. Rapha lightweight Transfer Jackets were one of the first to commercially use it - they can be found lightly used for £50 -£75. Other than that, snoods, socks, undies, beanies. Merino, merino, merino. Money money money.

[Oldjohnw]

The Alpkit merino base has a quarter zip and very long sleeves with thumb hooks. Doesn't come cheap but is quite superb.

https://alpkit.com/products/kepler-zip-top-mens

[eileithyia]

Well still didn't try it out yesterday, despite a very cold wind, our picnic spot was in full sunshine and sheltered by trees, indeed I ended up removing hat and undoing jacket as was sweating in the sunshine and out of the wind..... mind an hour or so later the temps were plummeting and it would have been useful if any mechanicals had occured