Puffer Jacket Noise

[YosemiteSam]

In preparation for my upcoming trip, I'm looking at my clothing options.  I do some ultralight backpacking so I have a lot of lightweight gear but there's so much nylon that a lot of it is useless for hunting.  But I've got some miles to cover and will be out for a few days so weight & warmth is important.  Temps forecasted in the low 40s at night and low 60s during the day.  Possible rain on the hike in & first evening hunt.

I get pretty cold when hunting so I've considered taking my down puffer jacket as an under-layer.  It's light & warm but noisy as hell.  Has anybody used these in close encounters under a fleece or other quiet overlayer?  Trying it out under a sweatshirt seemed a little quieter but I wouldn't call it quiet -- not like wool.  Not having used it hunting before makes me a bit wary.  Any experiences, good or bad, with nylon puffer jackets UNDER other layers?

[pdk25]

It really depends on what you are hunting, IMHO, and how close you need to get.  I have found puffy jackets to be extremely noise, even when under fleece, for whitetail hunting situations.  The most quiet out there, that I am aware of, is the Kuiu Kenai, which is noticably more quiet than the others.  It is more breathable for higher levels of activity, but if it is extremely windy, you may need an outer layer to break the wind.  I love my First Lite uncompahgre for situations where noise is not a primary concern.

[Joey Ward]

I've hunted in down jackets for over 40 years. I've never spooked an animal because of it. Never really noticed any noise. I'd doubt that any you hear would be enough to spook an animal.

That'd being said, I'd think you'd lose the insulating properties of the down by wearing it under another shirt or jacket. Compression of the down would negate the warmth.

For what it's worth, the down jacket I've been wearing around the last 15 years is one I got from Cabela's. It's a camo 550 down jacket. The outside is not a slick nylon but a brushed polyester. It's very wind resistant and water repellent. Though you definitely wouldn't want to wear it in extended periods of rain or a hard rain. It's very lightweight and packs down to the size of a softball.

Personally, I love down. I'd like to find some affordable long underwear pants. They used to be very popular 40+ years ago. You could buy them in a set. Pants and shirt for layering underneath. Not quite the downfill as what you guys know as a "puffy jackets".

I bought one of the big name, expensive, puffy vests, and to say I was displeased would be an understatement. Luckily, I snow ski, so i just use it for that now.

Bisch

[1/4 away]

I had the same experience as Bisch except I sold mine.

[hockey7]

I wear my Patagonia down sweater as an insulating layer under my wool jacket. No problems drawing on deer, they don't hear anything.

[fireball31]

I just don't think that the puffer's are made for that type of use. they are great when glassing but I usually drop it once a stalk is on. I think I would cringe every time I move my arm if I wore it in a blind or stand.

[Sam McMichael]

I have a nylon covered down vest, and it is not too bad. However, my fleece vest is totally quiet. I have a shirt with a wind breaking liner that I wear under wool. That is probably my favorite layering system.  Almost as good, though, is my British commando sweater under an old M65 military coat in the old style Eastern Woodland pattern. But a puffy jacket is just too noisy for me.

[beemann]

If it sounds a little loud at home its going to be way to loud in the field on a dead still day when your drawing on a whitetail at 15 yards...  The buck I wanted is still alive  because of my new gear. ha ha Actually id like to cry...

[hawkeye n pa]

Watch the whiskers and a high collar.  Still can't believe that the buck heard it as I was drawing.  With a beard its a no issue.

[oldrubline]

I have used a puff down vest when it is windy and noisy out by wearing it under my wool outter layer and that worked ok. If you are moving slowly it would be ok. Mostly, I like to carry it for emergency etc. Took it to both Montana and Colorado this year and came in real handy those early mornings when everything was ice...

Dan

[JDunlap]

Sam's wholesale sells a cheap down vest [$25.00] and not real good quality. However, they are extremely light weight and very packable...and have nice warmth. Great for working in and I do put them under fleece to help quiet them for stand hunting. When they wear out, I just buy another one.

[Tajue17]

Originally posted by 1/4 away:
I had the same experience as Bisch except I sold mine.

I think to me and I found the same thing,,, so I use it for when the January 3D season starts..

layering with wool is the quietest thing I found for bow hunting without getting into the boutique clothing which like your reading here is hit or miss.

[oldrubline]

...I bought one of those 'boutique ' vests for a bunch of cash...sent it back right away. Went to goodwill and found a old LL Bean puff down vest for 5 dollars. That's the one I used out west and back home when its windy (noisy out). When its quiet, I am head to toe in Merino base layers and Asbell vests and jackets.  Johnson wool pants...

Dan

[YosemiteSam]

Thanks for the feedback.  I think I'll swing by a sporting goods store & see what I can pick up fairly inexpensively in a polyester shell or something quieter than nylon.  I'd opt for the wool but between the weight and the cost, it's hard to justify for this kind of hunt.  The area I'm hunting is a very mature, deep oak forest where sunlight barely peeks through to the forest floor so no spot/stalk.  Wind ("noise camouflage") is pretty soft down there, too.  It's ground stands and still hunting.  These are blacktails but the terrain reminds me of a steeper, poison oak infested version of a whitetail hunt I did along a riverbottom in Arkansas a few years ago.  Deer were just as spooky about noise & movement.

[MAT]

The KUIU Kenai Insulated Jacket is very quiet and warm. I wore it when I killed my buck at 10 yards last year.