TNF Diez Down Jacket

Pics and info on TNF site here

I just picked up one of these and, although I haven't yet put it through its full paces, I'm pretty happy with it after one field test. I think it's going to be perfect for what I bought it for: to minimize discomfort on committing alpine-style ascents without significantly adding to the volume or weight I'm carrying.

I didn't buy it for fashion. I didn't buy it to keep toasty around a campfire on a chilly night, although it would do that fairly well too. And, I didn't buy it to ward off hypothermia when tent-bound at high altitude. I bought it so I'd have something clipped to my harness that I could put on to at least keep from visibly shivering while belaying.

This isn't the kind of down jacket that's going to immediately wrap you in warmth if you've been sitting around and have already hit that point of coldness that's hard to return from without a warm shower. It'd help but, for that, you (or, I, at least) need something that's more along the lines of a Mountain Hardwear Sub-Zero.

But, if your core is warm from a strenuous hike or climb, the down will quickly capture that heat and keep it while you're waiting for your 2nd to make his or her way up the climb. I intend to use it atop 2 or 3 layers including a soft shell. In that set up, I'd say it's temperature rating ranges from -10 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. My metabolism is on the higher end and I run fairly warm so people who get cold easily may push the temp rating up 10 or so degrees.

It's weight and packability are great. If you're doing climbs that really require something lighter or smaller, you probably shouldn't be paying for your gear anyway.

I was really happy with the fit too. Often times, and frequently with European manufacturers, I have a hard time getting something that is long enough without having to size up. I'm 6'1"/175 lbs with a slightly long reach (35-ish inch arms). And, it fits great.

As far as the material goes, it is crazy light. It's hard to believe how warm it is when you're holding it in your hand. I can't yet speak to durability but it is a ripstop fabric. I'd agree with what someone else said about the appearance of the sheen and the silk screen logos. It looks too techy to wear out, IMO. But, given that choices must be made, I'll sacrifice appearance for performance.

As a side note, it's been a long time since I've purchased a TNF product for performance. IMO, the brand had become more focused on being trendy and fashionable over the past 10 or so years. With this jacket, at least, I think TNF has returned to the performance-focus that helped established the brand.

I bought a Diez jacket as well recently, kind of for the same reasons. I wanted something light that I could drag up and throw on at belays over whatever I was climbing in. But also bought it for cruising around town in and fitting in with all of the other mountain town "locals" and their uniform of beat up Carhartts, down jacket, old boots... don't hate too hard, mountain kids gotta fit in at the bar. I sized the jacket using the Thunder/Nuptse as a guideline as they were the only things available locally. I was pretty amped on everything I had read about the jacket and had it on backorder in my color/size for almost 2 months.

Things that I liked from what I could see on the website when I ordered it: it's a smidge lighter than the thunder jacket from TNF, it looks baffled instead of quilted (or whatever the smaller squareish baffles are called), it came with a lime green zipper in asphalt grey. Basically it looked like Nuptse with less warmth and a little more style than the Thunder.

Things that I like now that I have it: most of the above, plus warmth. I was overheating at 35 degrees just walking to the grocery store and I am a 5'11 140lb skinny dude.

Things that I don't like now that I have it: The screen printed logo, it looks cheesey as hell, I probably should have down some more homework and looked at where the weight was actually saved but in a $200 jacket a screen printed logo looks horrible, the jacket is more quilted than a Nuptse but less than a Thunder which is something I couldn't see from the website. The asphalt grey color is shiny like a trash bag, maybe this shows up on newer computers but I am not a fan.

Regardless it's a super light, super warm, 800 fill down minimalist jacket so it gets it's job done. But if I was to do it over again I would have gone with the Thunder, for about the same jacket it's more traditional and less "downtownish."

No hood, no good. This jacket is the shit:

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=73&p_id=2301405

chosspector wrote:No hood, no good.

I'll be wearing this over an R1 hoody, a softshell w/hood, and (if necessary) a hat under my helmet. If conditions are bad enough to require a third hood and fourth layer on my head, they're bad enough to require a heavier, less packable puffy. Otherwise, for me, a hood is unneeded weight and volume.

I think I have a previous version and I like. Super light wait and warm.

One thing is that the shell will get ripped up if not protected. At least mine is not nearly as durable as say the nuptse. But, this is the price you pay for ultra-light.

Oh, and when you do put a hole in it, I recommend K-tape to fix it.

Evan