So I have been trying to put together some gear for a winter trip that I am going to take with my wife. We are both students and where we are well equipped for summer backpacking, the winter is another story. So I have spent the last month or two in our local thrift stores a couple times a week to check for clothing. I finally found a Sierra Designs Down Jacket that I picked up for myself. It has great loft considering the used nature and seems to be fairly lightweight. (Don't have a scale currently) The only problem is it is a women's jacket. The sizing ended up working for me but the color is light purple.

So my MYOG quest is how to make it a little better looking for me to use. My wife is all set up with newer gear so now I am just trying to get my stuff finished up. I looked into using a dye but the fear of damaging the down and the difficulty of dying polyester seem to rule out that option. My second idea was to simply add a shell of M50, M90, or Pertex over it and sew it around the edges. The interior of the jacket is black so this is my current solution.

Let me know what you guys think and if I go the extra shell route, what type of fabric would you recommend?

Just wear it. Seen guys on purple Harleys. Nobody will say a word.

M50 would not go good with this jacket unless you are looking for a shiny trash liner feel.
On a synthetic Jacket maybe, but not down.
M90 is awesome but on the heavy side.
Quantum is expensive.
Nobul2 is out of stock.

I would go with the Nobul2, but that makes it the M90.

Then again, Tim from EE swears by the 15d Impetus. I think since the weight is the same as the M90, the M90 (IMO) is top of the line.

Edited by awsorensen on 02/09/2013 23:44:11 MST.

Purple's not so bad. It's a lot better than many of the garish colors I've seen out on the trail.

You'll be cold and tired when you really need it. It will make the snags, ember holes, mud and food stains less painful than doing the same to a new $300 puffy.

I think it was about 1964 that purple corduroy pants were in style. My father had fits and wouldn't allow them. Let your freak flag fly :)

Why not just turn it inside-out? You'd have a black jacket with pockets on the inside and a purple collar. You wouldn't have to modify it at all.

If you try making another shell to permanently attach to the outside of the purple jacket, I think you'll be unhappy with the result. It will be impossible to get it exactly the right shape without taking apart the purple jacket to make patterns. Do you use windshirts/jackets (like the Houdini) when you backpack? If so, you could just wear your wind jacket over the purple one.

Well I think that most of you guys agree that the way that jacket looks won't matter as long as it functions for now. Haha look for me out on the trails. Purple it stays!

Wow, I was surprised that this is actually an issue. Colors have no gender. If I saw a pink down jacket and the price was right, I would wear it. I am partial to pink, though. I have twice in my life painted my bedroom bubble-gum pink.

If you were/are considering a shell for it, then why not use your windshirt/DriDucks/Rain Shell over it?

You're carrying one of them anyway so you get the same effect.

Put a strip of duct tape on it somewhere.

Write a random word on it with a Sharpie.



BAM! Instant hipster/ possible free box score = free pass on lookin silly.

As long as you decide you like purple before anyone says anything about the color, you are good. Then they are the ones being picky. :^)

Personally, I like purple stuff. This jacket is a dusky purple and that isn't bad. I have lady's shell gloves because the fit was good and the price was, too.

Now, if you really just don't like purple... That is another story. When do you plan on wearing the jacket? The simplest thing might be to just wear a shell over the jacket. If you are taking a rain shell, that might serve the purpose will enough..?

It's not that purple and if inexpensive, a sacrifice to the eventual campfire spark. Another option may be rotating it in the summer sun and letting the shell turn more gray with UV damage.

Take it from a guy that wears kilts...it's not the clothing, but the man wearing it that is important :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJVFJ2kb62c

Lots of good insight here. I have considered the shell option, however with no prior experience winter camping I am not sure if I will need the extra warmth of the down jacket under my shell while hiking/snowshoeing/skiing so this jacket will mostly be for sitting around camp and as part of my sleep system. In this case the damage will be minimal as far as people seeing me haha. I am interested however about the letting the sun turn the jacket more grey. Could this compromise the integrity of the fabric? Thanks for all the responses everyone.

> the sun turn the jacket more grey. Could this compromise the integrity of the fabric?
Yep. The fabric can go like paper, and shred.

I see nothing wrong with the colour myself.

Cheers

I see nothing wrong with the colour myself.

Are you gonna trust the fashion sense of a guy in zebra tights?

"Are you gonna trust the fashion sense of a guy in zebra tights?"

LOL.

Just wear the jacket.

Whilst I completely agree with the others that, if the coat fits, wear it (purple is just fine), I'm surprised no-one has mentioned this point:

you found a Sierra Designs down jacket in a thrift store?

You lucky %*£(%!

;-)

Combine it with a pair of dirty girls and you'll be just fine.

http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com/fetish.html

Hope this helps.

;-)