Macpac Halo?

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Macpac Halo?

Postby Moondog55 » Thu 19 Dec, 2019 8:05 am

On sale now at $100-
Are they really so bad now that they have to almost give them away to reduce stock?
I would be tempted if they were made with better quality down but 600FP really isn't going to offer much in the way of warmth to weight ratio, it is however cheap enough to leave in the car as a "just in case" layer and I am almost tempted to After-Pay with money I don't have yet. With Macpacs current Asian sizing the XXXL is a T-shirt fit on me.
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby johnrs » Thu 19 Dec, 2019 3:30 pm

Actually Moondog
Just had a heap of downies in Nepal in some serious cold
and was quite favourably impressed by the Halo!
A bit surprised really and of course would be much better with 850 loft.


But good value at that price point.
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby Moondog55 » Thu 19 Dec, 2019 4:34 pm

So it performed reasonable well for a stitched thru jacket? Interesting
https://www.macpac.com.au/halo?j=429902 ... mas-sale-8
I might have to hop in the car and go try one on then
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby GregG » Thu 19 Dec, 2019 5:59 pm

You have me worried now Moondog. For a long time I always swore by a thick wool jumper for warmth, especially on wet weather walks or canyoning or kayaking (swore by, sometimes swore at). Then I figured poly fleece was warmer and lighter and wore out a few jackets. Then a few months ago, never having owned a down jacket, I bought a Cape Lite 550 down jacket for $80 from Anaconda, it is a stitched through construction, I thought it was a step in the light weight direction. But, it's probably not going to be warm enough to be worth the trouble of packing it, right?
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby Zapruda » Thu 19 Dec, 2019 6:28 pm

Nothing wrong with stitched through down jackets in the majority of Australian conditions. I use one up on the Main Range in winter and it’s fine.

Most of us carry a rain shell. If you feel like you are losing heat between the down jacket baffles throw the shell over the top of it. It will trap a heap of heat.
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby Moondog55 » Thu 19 Dec, 2019 6:51 pm

Absolutely nothing wrong with stitched through construction, it's the use with 200+ grams of fill I was questioning. Crunching the numbers on affordability I won't be buying one. It would seem to be as warm as several of my existing synthetic parkas/ jackets and I'll go with what I have. Good buy tho if the need is there
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby Moondog55 » Thu 13 Feb, 2020 7:49 am

Still $99- on clearance but I don't need something this heavy. However the Uber seems to be a reasonable midpoint between the Uniqlo UL and what I already have so I am taking a chance that an XXXL in the Uber will fit my shoulders over the Pisa mid-layer
I just pulled the trigger on one as the clearance price seems OK
If anybody owns or has used both the Uber from Macpac and the Uniqlo UL perhaps you could comment on the comparison.
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby johnrs » Thu 13 Feb, 2020 10:16 am

Another comment on the Halo.
Macpac's labelling underates its loft ratings but if you take an individual garment to the shop staff,
then they can read the loft for that particular garment. Mine was a respectable 700 loft, pretty amazing at that price point!
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby Moondog55 » Thu 13 Feb, 2020 10:30 am

You raise a good point John [ and it has been mentioned before] but I thought about it and as I already have a couple of good warm layers that approximate the Halo and the Uniqlo while excellent value and is really UL it simply isn't quite warm enough for me these days for winter. If the Uber fits I will probably sell the Uniqlo.
Macpacs sizing can't be check as the Geelong store has no stocks of either at the moment, it's easy enough to return if it doesn't fit
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby Lamont » Fri 14 Feb, 2020 7:17 am

Hey MD what static temp are you hoping to be comfy at with the Uber and the Pisa?
For what it's worth I reckon the 'weights'(warmth) of the two jackets Uniqlo/Uber, is pretty much equal. Seems the MP has a tougher shell which may hold more heat tho?
I'm sure we would all like to know your thoughts about the warmth of the Uber-don't forget to update after some use.
Ps am loving some shopping at Waurn Ponds!
Like the Katman (sorry S) and Patagonia the shop assistants haven't a clue but if you know what you want it's nice.
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby Moondog55 » Fri 14 Feb, 2020 1:56 pm

When I first looked at the Uber from Macpac I thought the same but some feedback by skiers who are using it as a midlayer in Japan at the moment leads me to think it has more down in it, so a little overstuffed in comparison. It is ~100 grams heavier in XXXL than my Uniqlo in XXXL, heavier shell and more down?
I know I was ill last winter when I had to call off winter camping but I need something to see me down to negative 8C but is lighter than my DAS, and much lighter than my big downie; survival resting to -18C with an extra layer and a bivvybag or the resewn sleeping bag
EDIT
I phone Waurn Ponds but was told they had no XXXL in the Uber so I hope it's big enough so I don't have to send it back.
The Uniqlo makes a great travel or summer layer but not really warm enough for a winter static layer for me, ditto the Nano-puff. I am having great difficulty finding that happy medium midlayer that is also reasonably lightweight and compact
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Re: Macpac Halo?

Postby Moondog55 » Mon 17 Feb, 2020 10:31 am

Well it has arrived
And it is going straight back.
While it is functionally perhaps a little bit warmer than the Uniqlo UL it is a little tighter and too small to layer over the Pisa without crushing the down. I am not that big , I only have a 117cm chest and I'm only 184 tall, and I used to be able to wear a Macpac XL and have plenty of layering room. Yet I tried on an XL fleece at the Werribee store and it was plenty big enough. The Pisa in XXL fits well, it would fit better if I lost some belly fat but it fits my shoulders well.
I guess I'll have to sew my own if I can
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