How does the warmth of the Pertex/pile products from Buffalo, Montane, and Brenig compare?

Martin, the Lightweight System is much less warm than the DP system. The lining is very thin. It fits much better into a layering system. The lightweight system is similar in warmth to a medium weight base layer and a thin windshell while the DP system is similar to a thick fleece and a thin windshell. I'm not familiar with Brenig and looking at the website I can't work out what fabric the Polar clothing is made from. If it has a pile or fleece lining of similar thickness to DP then it should provide the same warmth of course.

I wish you hadn't written this article Chris, as i am now taking another look at Buffalo! Only joking.:) My credit card is getting twitchy!
I found it too warm before (about 20 years ago) but my speed has slowed somewhat since then! I tend to stop and look around me a lot more now. Maybe it's time i had another look.
I'm happy with my Paramo Aspira smock and Sallopettes for most Scottish winter conditions (a mix of rain, sleet, snow and sun), but a Buffalo Mountain shirt or Tecmax shirt might have a place in more settled, cold, snowy days out. How do you think one of those shirts would work with the Paramo sallopettes? Would it be better worn over or under the sallopettes?
Or would i be better wearing the shirt with trousers/pants to increase the area of pertex open to the air for evaporation?
Cheers.

Hi Mike, I'm sorry about your credit card :-). I mostly wear Paramo in cold weather as it is more versatile than Buffalo. I prefer trousers to salopettes except in the coldest weather (I wore Paramo salopettes for ski leading in Norway but then it was usually well below freezing and there was much standing round and moving slowly). I think a Buffalo shirt would be best worn outside salopettes for ventilation control but I haven't tried this combination.

"Is this the same technology used in Paramo's waterproof clothing using Nixwax Analogy fabric?"

No, its not - Paramo claims to work mechanically so that you dont need to be warm/moving in order to stay dry.

I used Paramo in the UK and it does work well in the rain but is too hot for me above 10 degrees C. I also actually find their windproofs too warm above 20 degrees C.

Thanks for the great article. It raises some interesting possibilities.

One of the listed cons is bulk; but no real measure is given. For those of you who own one, just how small can a mountain shirt be compressed in a stuff sack? One liter? Two liters?

Also, does anyone know of a US supplier of Buffalo products? The best I found is Jackson Sports out of the UK. They'll ship to the States, but the cost to ship a jacket, hood, and mitts is $81!!!!

Hi David,
Out of curiosity, i looked at the shipping costs on this site and it was £16.45 for a Mountain Shirt to the USA. The prices look good too.
I've never bought anything from them, so can't vouch for them. I'm looking to buy a Buffalo Tecmax Shirt for this winter.
I would guess the packdown size of a Mountain Shirt is around 8 litres or so. It takes up most of the space in a little 10L day-sack i have.

Another quick Google saw this sitethat charged £10 shipping for a Mountain Shirt to the USA. :)

Edited by MikefaeDundee on 10/10/2008 16:53:08 MDT.

I'm curious as to why pile is used is used in these garments. I think that they would be lighter and compress more if they used another form of insulation. Does pile insulation tend to absorb less moisture than other insulation such as Polarguard?

Thanks Mike for the other web sites. In addition to the shipping, Penrith's prices were also better.

One other question regarding warmth for those with experience with the Mountain Shirt: I tend to be a very cold sleeper. I know the Mountain Shirt is really designed to work best while active; but would it not also add significant warmth when sleeping so long as its under a down quilt?

Needlesports.com
I have had very good luck with these guys and IME they have been very good.
Their set up for international shipping and have experice sending it out. Their shipping is also very resonable.
If your ordering oversees from the UK, about 17.5% should be deducted from the purchase price as you do not have to pay VAT (you may have to pay customs duty, but no UK VAT). In my experice with Needle Sports the cost of shipping has usually been less then the savings from the VAT. IMO rather nice!

David,
I guess a Mountain Shirt would add a lot of warmth to a sleeping system. Buffalo make sleeping bags using the same fibre/pile. A friend of mine uses a Mountain Shirt with a synthetic bag.
If you go down the Buffalo route for clothing, then pack size shouldn't be an issue. It is designed to be worn all day, not carried.
If you are looking for a hood for the shirt, there is the standard hood, and also an expedition hood. The expedition hood is larger, it can just fit over a climbing helmet, and it has a wired peak.

I have the same question. Why is the pertex/pile option better tahn wearing a powerstretch base with a lightweight windshirt?