Patagonia Grade VII Discontinued; "AlpLoft Down Parka" Inbound as Replacement

Seb, great write-up, thanks for posting. From your photos, the blue colorway doesn't look "as" terrible as it does in the stock images.

Typical Patagonia; axing something great like the Grade VII prematurely and replacing it with something sub-par. I know Steve House isn't a big fan of down belay jackets, but you can tell he played no role in the development of the AlpLoft. Looks and sounds like a huge fail on the climbing division at Patagucci. 

AlpineIce wrote:

Seb, great write-up, thanks for posting. From your photos, the blue colorway doesn't look "as" terrible as it does in the stock images.

Typical Patagonia; axing something great like the Grade VII prematurely and replacing it with something sub-par. I know Steve House isn't a big fan of down belay jackets, but you can tell he played no role in the development of the AlpLoft. Looks and sounds like a huge fail on the climbing division at Patagucci. 

When Steve stepped away from sponsorship in 2020, I believe that also included his role in product development.

AlpineIce wrote:

Typical Patagonia; axing something great like the Grade VII prematurely and replacing it with something sub-par. 

It's pretty common.  They clearly spent a ton of time developing the whole "High Alpine Kit" system.  They sold it for a year, then stopped.   Glad I picked up the M10 and Nano-air light when I did.  

I have learned to quickly buy an extra (or two) of items that I really like because they don't seem to last long.  I think, in general, that highly technical climbing-specific gear often doesn't sell well enough to make it through more than a season or two.  

Kai Larson wrote:

It's pretty common.  They clearly spent a ton of time developing the whole "High Alpine Kit" system.  They sold it for a year, then stopped…

I have learned to quickly buy an extra (or two) of items that I really like because they don't seem to last long.  I think, in general, that highly technical climbing-specific gear often doesn't sell well enough to make it through more than a season or two.  

This is all spot on.  There was a ton of energy spent on the High Alpine Kit.  I still regularly use every piece of the kit except the sleeping bag (that was a YC idea…)  I have doubles and triples of a lot of the pinnacle pieces from the last 10+ years.  

Hoping in another 20 years I’ll be able to sell it all on the Japanese market and retire!

I love the sleeping bag from the high alpine kit! Use it a lot on winter hut trips/ summer alpine trips!

Just wanted toi chime in and say that the hem drawcord cinch looks like it's perfectly positioned...to snag on you gear on your harnesss. 

Sigh.

Sometimes I think companies should just focus on basic fit and features before flying to the moon with new technology and construction.  

Now where can I find a Grade VII in sixe XL???

that guy named seb wrote:

patagonias Instagram shows you why this really is a innovative jacket, no other jacket has done this. It will inherently be heavier because their is more fabric and the GSM of that fabric is great than the usual baffle material.

I would expect around 200g-230g of down in this new jacket but it should be very warm for the amount of down in the jacket. 

ME's Trango jacket does something similar to this offset baffle construction. It's ~270g of 700FP down, heavier denier fabric, and like half the price.  https://www.mountain-equipment.com/products/trango-jacket

Been eyeing one myself. 

Kevin X wrote:

ME's Trango jacket does something similar to this offset baffle construction. 

It's not the offset baffle construction that is impressive, it's that it's a triweave construction without stitching for the baffles. 

Generally the offset baffle construction isn't really worth it, it adds a lot of complexity and weight with minimal benefits over a box baffle construction. The patagonia jacket doesn't rely on multiple stitching operations and can instead achieve this construction at the loom making it make a bit more sense. 

I would have liked to have seen them use this new woven baffle construction for the torso then use  the already seen sewn through equivalent woven baffle construction in the arms. This could potentially replace the Fitzroy, maybe with a similar warmth to the old Fitzroy parka. 

that guy named seb wrote:

It's not the offset baffle construction that is impressive, it's that it's a triweave construction without stitching for the baffles. 

Generally the offset baffle construction isn't really worth it, it adds a lot of complexity and weight with minimal benefits over a box baffle construction. The patagonia jacket doesn't rely on multiple stitching operations and can instead achieve this construction at the loom making it make a bit more sense. 

I would have liked to have seen them use this new woven baffle construction for the torso then use  the already seen sewn through equivalent woven baffle construction in the arms. This could potentially replace the Fitzroy, maybe with a similar warmth to the old Fitzroy parka. 

I'm with you Seb but...for me it doesn\t really matter if the jacket has older technology or a triweave construction without baffles...

If it fits super short as the reviews indicate, with no snap for the bottom closure, ridiculously small inner pickets, weird hem closures, a constrictyive hood, and so on....then it just isn't goiung to work effectively as a belay jacket.  

Asa I said before...I'd prefer companies get the basics right, before shooting for the moon with new (marketable) tech.

Can anyone who has laid hands on the AlpLoft clarify if the down overlying the hand pockets is box baffled? The Grade VII pockets were not and they were the worst (coldest) pockets of any belay jacket I've owned. 

If they used the design previously posted over the pockets that would do the trick. 

jdejace wrote:

Can anyone who has laid hands on the AlpLoft clarify if the down overlying the hand pockets is box baffled? The Grade VII pockets were not and they were the worst (coldest) pockets of any belay jacket I've owned. 

If they used the design previously posted over the pockets that would do the trick. 

If my memory serves me right the baffles do go over the pockets. 

I got my hands on an AlpLoft. It is indeed box baffled over the hand pockets which is an improvement over the GVII. Unfortunately there is zero insulation behind the hand pockets. One step forward, two steps backwards...

I burned the butt out of my coveted GVii a few weekends ago and Sports Recycler in Boulder was able to fix in a day!! I’m afraid that if I take it to Patagucc they will try to trade it out for it’s shittier substitute rather than repairing.

AlpineIce wrote:

You nailed it, my man. I'm still very curious to know what the down fill weight is. I hate that Patagonia and a few others refuse to list this on their website. So unnecessary and frustrating.

I have messaged Pata asking about fil weights before and they have told me no problem. 

Easy Cheese wrote:

I burned the butt out of my coveted GVii a few weekends ago and Sports Recycler in Boulder was able to fix in a day!! I’m afraid that if I take it to Patagucc they will try to trade it out for it’s shittier substitute rather than repairing.

FYI for the future if Patagonia can’t repair they will return it to you if you ask.

Ross Goldberg wrote:

FYI for the future if Patagonia can’t repair they will return it to you if you ask.

I wasn't worried that they'd take the jacket and run away with it. If you have damage to that many panels they're going to try to replace with the Alploft (at least in my past Patagonia repair experiences). Was moreso trying to give advice to Colorado peeps and just go direct to a reputable jacket fixer :) 

I'm curious why the snap at the bottom hem is so critical to those who have commented?  The coldest I've ever had to deal with outdoors is "only" -10 F or so and that trip was snowshoeing and walking around (not standing at a belay freezing).  

Arthur W wrote:

I'm curious why the snap at the bottom hem is so critical to those who have commented?  The coldest I've ever had to deal with outdoors is "only" -10 F or so and that trip was snowshoeing and walking around (not standing at a belay freezing).  

Allows to keep the bottom hem closed while belaying out the open zipper. 

Ah, makes perfect sense. I guess that explains the length issue (tad longer better than shorter) too 

Just tried one in store and am really bummed defiantly not as "beefy", anyone have advice for a grade VII adjacent jacket for Denali / Rockys that is still available?(or have one they want to sell size S/M) Mountain equipment has my love at the moment. Kyros looking like the best option though maybe a little light on insulation and the exo is too expensive.