Norrona lyngen alpha vest: experience? (and other suggestions going up)

[lorcar]

any of you tried this?
https://www.norrona.com/en-GB/produc...en/?color=1105

still trying to figure out how to dress when going up. I guess my new baselayer (Patagonia Nano Air) is too hot, so might go back to classic Patagonia Capilene.
Never used vests, so i was thinking to give this a go.
I have the Arcteryx Proton LT (long sleeve) which is a terrific piece and breathes well, but sometime is too hot as well.

thanks in advance

[random_watcher]

I wear this which is similar, over a long sleeved synthetic baselayer in the winter and really like it.
https://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk...ts/switch-vest

It is possibly a little bit lighter than the Norrona vest you have linked and has a grid fleece back which I like as I am always wearing a pack when touring.
Outdoor Research also do a deviator vest which looks good.

[sruffian]

I picked up the mountain hardware polartec alpha vest (kor strata, I think??) for super cheap this year. I wear it with a merino baselayer or thin sun hoody for early morning skinning. Down to about 10 degrees F. If it's windy (> 20mph), I wear a softshell and the baselayer. Otherwise, baselayer and and polartec vest. Nice set up. For context, I run pretty effin hot usually

[lorcar]

I wear this which is similar, over a long sleeved synthetic baselayer in the winter and really like it.
https://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk...ts/switch-vest

It is possibly a little bit lighter than the Norrona vest you have linked and has a grid fleece back which I like as I am always wearing a pack when touring.
Outdoor Research also do a deviator vest which looks good.

very very useful thanks.
it seems OR has discontinued the Deviator vest though...

[lorcar]

so it seems that Norrona has the heaviest polartec Alpha, and from their site it doesn't look the back panel is different/more breathable. So i guess this would be too hot.
OR is discontinued.
I see that also Dynastar makes some nice Polartec Alpha Vest.
Do you find the hood a necessity (OR and Norrona have it, Mountain Equipment not)? or pretty useless since hat/buff/etc always at hand?

[SoVT Joey]

I wear a long underwear top and a R1 down to 20, down to 0 I change the R1 for the Flylow holiday hoody and now my new bross hoody’s. Below zero I usually wear my micro to start over a bross or holiday and within ten minutes I’m shedding it, I also have been using the Flylow Larry vest. It’s a micro puff. I don’t like fleece when I’m hiking. It seems to attract too much vapor and gets iced. The micro puff layers stay dryer. I keep an R1 zip up fleece in the bottom of my pack always though for the just in case something happens layer.

But I run to hot to have fleece over a bross or holiday or R1. The micro puff seems to just give a good core layer but is also airy and light enough to not bug me. Patagonia makes a micro puff vest as well

[lorcar]

Thanks. I do have the classic R1 hoody: being in Italy, it will never be so freezing to need the R1 on top of the base layer while going up. I sweat just thinking of it.
I love the R1, but mostly as midlayer for resort snowboarding, after several experiments it's the best combination of warmth and breathability.
I do have the Arct. Proton LT (full, not vest) which is similar to the Patagonia nano-air.
If it's so cold to need a good vest, i would probably use the Proton.
Here i am looking for something lighter and to cover that range between baselayer only and baselayer+Atom.
So the Mountain Equipment Switch or the OR Deviator seem to be perfect.

[SoVT Joey]

Thanks. I do have the classic R1 hoody: being in Italy, it will never be so freezing to need the R1 on top of the base layer while going up. I sweat just thinking of it.
I love the R1, but mostly as midlayer for resort snowboarding, after several experiments it's the best combination of warmth and breathability.
I do have the Arct. Proton LT (full, not vest) which is similar to the Patagonia nano-air.
If it's so cold to need a good vest, i would probably use the Proton.
Here i am looking for something lighter and to cover that range between baselayer only and baselayer+Atom.
So the Mountain Equipment Switch or the OR Deviator seem to be perfect.

Oh. I meant I wear that R1 quarter zip pullover that is like a underwear top layer. I’d die in the R1 hoody too. Sweat to death.

That Larry vest from fly low is just like those vests as well.

[random_watcher]

Do you find the hood a necessity (OR and Norrona have it, Mountain Equipment not)? or pretty useless since hat/buff/etc always at hand?

I'm happy without a hood. If I was planning on layering anything more than a shell over the top I would avoid a hood as I find too many hoods can start to be a pain.

You can probably still find some deviator vests for sale online if you do want a hood.

[lorcar]

how would you experts compare the Patagonia Nano Air Vest with these other vests with Polartec Alpha on the front and Powergrid on the back?

[Judo Chop!]

I need, like... an anti-vest.
super thin nothingness around my core (and backpack area) where I get hot, but insulated at upper chest, neck, hood, shoulders and sleeves.
I'm weird.

[rob stokes]

Outdoor research make an alpha best which I think is called the ascendant vest. I love mine and wear it constantly. I also have a proton LT hoody like you and this ascendency vest compliments it well in warmer weather.

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[random_watcher]

how would you experts compare the Patagonia Nano Air Vest with these other vests with Polartec Alpha on the front and Powergrid on the back?

I have an original nano air hoody which despite having lost a fair bit of its insulation is still warmer in the body than my switch vest. The nano air material is probably more breathable than the front (alpha with a backer) of the vest but not the back (grid).
To be honest I find my nano air too warm for most situations and certainly not as versatile as the switch vest which has essentially replaced it in my layering.

Patagonia did make a nano air hybrid vest which looked like a great alternative option but sadly discontinued also.

[telelebowski]

I always run too warm. This last season I have been experimenting with a Strafe version of their Recon Air (Alpha material) and find that it breathes exceptionally well, fairly impressed. My brother has the nano air that he tours in, and likes, I find it obscenely hot to wear the moment I start moving. To me it feels more like a light belay jacket for alpine climbing, but I run very warm when active. It has also become ridiculously difficult to just find a simple wind shirt. I just picked up a Norrona version on clearance that has a weird zipper that looks like it will breathe and protect from the wind over just a base layer, but I have not used it yet.

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

how would you experts compare the Patagonia Nano Air Vest with these other vests with Polartec Alpha on the front and Powergrid on the back?

it would have to be zero F, (-18 C) and no wind for a Nano Air vest for skinning. Better as an additional layer for inbounds or descents.
Alpha front, thin fleece back is much better. Far less warm.

I got a very cheap Marmot vest with Alpha direct, and cut out the Alpha lining from the back.

[TAFKALVS]

I wear this which is similar, over a long sleeved synthetic baselayer in the winter and really like it.
https://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk...ts/switch-vest

I have the OG version of this vest and wear it almost everyday skiing.

[davjr96]

I did a bit of looking around and ended up settling on one of these https://www.mammut.com/us/en/product...ybrid-vest-men

I wanted polartec alpha with a lighterweight back which is exactly what this is. Haven't gotten it touring yet and might not this season, but seems perfect around the house. Pricey though.

Almost went with https://www.nwalpine.com/collections...insulated-vest but really wanted the hybrid construction.

[margotron]

I need, like... an anti-vest.
super thin nothingness around my core (and backpack area) where I get hot, but insulated at upper chest, neck, hood, shoulders and sleeves.
I'm weird.

same