Anyone take a down jacket on tour?
 

I only ask because I bought one on a whim today, but I'm not sure I really need it. It was cheap £26, and it's good quality (80% down, 20% feather).
I was thinking not so much using it for cycling in, rather for sitting around in camp and added warmth sleeping.
Just wondering, really, if anyone else takes one on Spring/autumn/winter tours.

Yep, every time. I stuff it in the same sack with my sleeping bag. At night, it goes back into a stuff sack and becomes a pillow. Wouldn't tour w/o it.

Hey, that's a great idea. Really like that. I do miss a good pillow when camping.

I haven't yet, but I recently acquired one and am planning on using it in combination with a summer weight down sleeping quilt to replace my 20 degree down quilt. On my last tour I was warm while riding, and while under the quilt, but when I was off the bike in the evenings and mornings I was a bit cold.

Down vest. Be sure to keep down items in waterproof stuff sacks.

I have a Down Sweater, not quite as big as a full jacket.,Marmot.

Patagonia Puff ball , pullover,
packs smaller, does adequately, so It has more tour mileage on it .

I prefer a synthetic fill jacket for better performance when damp. In high mountain/desert regions, down jacks are really useful.

down vest or synthetic puffy jacket, depending on season and reason.

never did but a down or synthetic vest makes sense because it wouldn't take up much room. I was more inclined to only take gear that was part of cycling layers and if I needed maximum warmth it would involve putting on all the layers plus wind/rain jacket.

That's what I thought, but there is something nice about having something warm and cosy to get into at the end of a hard day, rather than just wearing lots of layers of the same old stuff.
My problem is I'm trying to weigh up all options for bike tour camping across all the seasons, which obviously means a lot of flexibility, plus more kit. I have a modular sleeping system which involves a couple of sleeping bags (together weighing about 2.5 kg, but able to cope with winter) thermarest etc, and I'm just not sure I'm overdoing it with a down jacket. but the thought of being able to put it on, rather than a lot of layers of the same old same old, does appeal.
the jacket itself weighs about 800g, and packs down small. I've got a bigish fleece that would be my normal choice for keeping the chill out when camping, so may see how much that weighs and what its pack size is to make a comparison.

so do tell where you bough it for £26 great buy.

Down jacket is warmer for the weight than a fleece.

This is the point. While we spend a fair bit of time on the bike, often we spend an equal amount of time (rest days and so on) in camp, doing camp things. Layers can be tiresome. Your ranges of movement are restricted, and by the time you've worn your layers for a few days, you have to wash them... and wear what then to stay warm?

I like the idea of a down jacket, because of the same principles as a down sleeping bag, but right now I don't think I would have a need for it because I don't do enough cold-weather touring these days. A friend of mine bought a down jacket in the early 2000s, and I was impressed then. Of course, if you can find other non-touring uses for it, then it would seem to me to be a great invesment.

I got it from Decathlon in Stockport in their sale. It's actually a women's XL, but there's no difference in cut to the men's other than size. It equates to a men's medium. They had some men's for twenty pounds, but they were red (not my colour), and the mix was fifty fifty down and feather. I figured it was a better deal paying a bit more for a much better down content.
They do some great deals in Decathlon sales. Last week I picked up a couple of life vests for canoeing. They should have been fifty pounds each, but were selling for six.

I bought one for my first tour, in the summer. It never got cold enough to use it. I sent it home. Last spring I took a tour in Utah. It got down below freezing at night. I sure could have used that jacket! I'd recommend bringing it when the temperatures could get really cold, but not for "mildly cold". My 2 cents.

I quite like Valygrl's idea about using it as a pillow. I put it in a stuff sack to see how small it would go, and I could it down to about three inches by six inches by six inches, and only 650g. I know that's heavier than an inflatable pillow, but I've used those before, and needn't have bothered, it was so uncomfortable - well, not as uncomfortable as a pannier. I think it's a great way of carrying a comfortable pillow, and having backup should you need something warm to wear or sleep in. In the UK, even in May you can get a cold snap where something like that would be invaluable.
I've decided I'm definitely going to keep it, especially seeing as it was so cheap. At first I wondered about using it just for its filling - I have a down bag that's nice, but could do with filling a bit more in my opinion to take it from a 2 season to three season. I'm a dab hand with a sewing machine, so figured it wouldn't be that difficult (though messy). And the jacket was actually cheaper and a better down to feather ratio than the cheapest down pillow I could get (which was £30 - you woudn't believe it but I simply can't buy raw down anywhere). But after wearing it a bit, it seems so much more flexible to keep as a jacket - can wear it in camp at night, can put it between sleeping bag and pertex cover if a bit chilly, or just wear it if the temp really drops. And like Valygirl advises, use as a pillow when not in use.

Just ordered from Cabala's. Not sure how useful it'll be, but what the heck, at this price, who cares. Extra stuffing in the clothing sack I use for a pillow will make it worthwhile.

The ideal touring accessory -- two uses out of one item.

That looks a beauty. Welcome to the warm and cosy club.

I do have a down jacket and a down vest that will get hauled along on tour, in the colder months the down vest lives in the handle bar bag for a quick core cover when riding in cooler weather. I gets layered under a wind proof jacket. Hard to beat down for the warmth to weight to size ratio, but it does need to be kept dry. I almost always lug a wool sweater along too.

Aaron :)

I use down trousers and down socks to with down jacket, for complete body warmth.

I like the idea of down trousers. Now that is cosy.

Wow! Considering all the poly vests in this area of PA are $50, and the down vests are $150 in my area, I couldn't pass this deal up. Ordered one just now, even with shipping it's still cheaper than the local stores. Thanks for the link!