Rab Jackets for standing around in a field…

Also, I’m amazed that none of the ‘used to climb in the 1970s’ crowd here hasn’t suggested a used Buffalo pile/Pertex sack

That reminds me of my navy blue Javelin fleece that the cat now sleeps on in the shed.  It actually seemed to magnify the wind and cold.

A better logo

Higher quality materials and filling

Improved fit and design

Next time its cold I’ll let you know whether your second sentence has a bearing.  Its a brilliant fit on me, and I don’t car about the logo.

and I don’t car about the logo.

Something else on your mind :-)?

Lol, freudian slip…

pre owned – you mean already smelling like damp dog and covered in duct tape

the outer shell on the montane extreme is horrid – feels like a 3 layer goretexy like shell when you put it on , restrictive and not free moving like the pform shell on the buffalo.  + the montane is even more expensive than the buffalo !

I would embrace the sought-after expedition look, think of it as ‘distressed’ and a bonus feature when buying pre-owned. In all honesty, I wouldn’t buy either the Montane or the Buffalo. I’m still using an original Patagonia Stretch Speed Ascent jacket, which is essentially the same concept, but has the bonus of not making you look like Worzel Gummidge…

Higher quality materials and filling

The thing with insulation is that it’s just a way of trapping warm air. With down you get lighter weight, smaller pack size and better durability. With better quality synthetics, some of that plus better resistance to water. But for ‘standing around in a field’, you just need fabric that keeps the wind out and the filling in and enough volume to trap sufficient warmed air to keep you comfortable.

Insulation’s basically very simple: it’s a layer of trapped air warmed by your body that stops more warmth escaping. If the shell fabric isn’t windproof, wind and air movement strips that pre-warmed layer of air away and your body has to re-heat it.

It’s the reason that when you first get in a sleeping bag, it feels cold. Your using body heat to warm the air trapped in the insulation. Once you’ve done that, you stop losing heat and feel warmer. It’s also the reason that thin insulated jackets aren’t as warm as thicker ones all else being equal.

Construction makes a difference too. Seams and unbaffled zippers lose heat unless the construction is box wall, so there’s no thinning at the seams…