GEAR REVIEW: Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest

By Will Rietveld

A down vest that weighs only 3 ounces? Yes! The Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest is basically their uberlight 4.8 ounce Plasma 1000 Down Jacket minus the sleeves.

New for fall 2016, the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest is insulated with 1000 fill-power down and weighs just 3.1 ounces in size Medium

A down vest is an orphan in a way; it doesn’t have a conventional home, and its an acquired affinity. It’s basically a midlayer, but the choice to buy and use a vest depends a lot on user preference. Some people simply like vests because they provide both warmth and freedom of movement. Or they simply like the athletic/outdoorsy appearance. Others (like me) look at it from a functionality viewpoint.

I see it mainly as a midlayer, and in the case of the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest, an ultralight midlayer that will enable me to cut some weight from my gear kit.

A midlayer or insulation layer is an essential part of a layering system to maintain comfort while hiking and camping. There are times (cool, overcast, windy) when hiking in only a baselayer is too chilly, and wearing a jacket is too hot. The options are donning a lightweight midlayer or wearing a windshirt over a baselayer. I have always preferred the latter; that combination is remarkably warm and versatile, and there are many windshirts that are extremely lightweight like Montbell’s Tachyon Jacket at 1.6 ounces.

Further, the amount of insulation needed depends on a lot of things – age, gender, activity level, weather, and elevation. And the amount and type of insulation needed for hiking can differ from that needed for camping, so versatility is needed.

So how functional and versatile is the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest in meeting these situations and needs?

Specifications and Features

Manufacturer	Montbell (www.montbell.com)
Model	Plasma 1000 Down Vest
Style	Insulated Vest
Sizes	Men’s S to XXL, women’s S to XL
Insulation	1.1 oz 1000 fill-power down
Fabric	7-denier Ballistic Airlight ripstop nylon shell with standard DWR
Weight	3.1 oz (men’s Medium), 2.8 oz (women’s Medium), measured weight 3.05 oz (men’s Medium tested)
Features	Sewn-through construction, full-height front zipper, stand-up collar
MSRP	$199

Description

As you can see in the first photo and the table above, the Plasma Vest is Spartan. Its only features are a full-height front zipper and stand-up collar. No pockets. That’s the point: it’s designed to be as lightweight as possible.

While I normally wear a size Large in a jacket, I found that a size Medium vest is a good choice. Since its main function is to insulate the torso, a trim fit works well to reduce drafts.

Testing

I tested the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest on three backpacking trips in the Southwestern Colorado mountains and Southern Utah canyon lands. Weather conditions ran the gambit, from mild and pleasant to windy, snowy, and cold.

I wore the vest over a baselayer in wind, while carrying a backpack, with a windshirt over it, in camp, under an insulated jacket, and I wore it in my sleeping bag.

For warmth, the Plasma Vest works best on the trail in cool, cloudy, and windy conditions. As I mentioned, a thin windshirt over a baselayer works great when I am actively hiking, but when its one notch colder adding the vest as a midlayer is the way to go. I personally prefer to wear a windshirt over the Plasma Vest when I use it, for three reasons: 1) the windshirt protects the vest so it doesn’t get damaged, 2) it keeps my arms from getting chilly when it’s cool and windy, and 3) the windshirt holds in the heat, so the combination is much warmer in camp when I am less active. On the trail I can regulate the temperature by opening the zippers.

The same is true in camp. A windshirt over the vest is remarkably warmer, and the combination suffices for insulation for mountain hiking and camping in midsummer. For cooler months, I would also take along an ultralight down jacket, like the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Jacket, and the combination provides loads of warmth for the weight.

The weight savings from using the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest as a midlayer is significant by ultralight standards. The alternative midlayer for a lot of hikers is a fleece pullover, which can weigh at least 8 ounces. So the weight savings is 5 ounces, or more. I personally like a microfleece pullover because it’s durable and versatile, but its warmth to weight ratio is not nearly as good as a down vest.

Assessment

I found the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest to be very functional while cutting some significant weight from my gear kit. For me, it works best in combination with a thin windshirt.

I find that it’s hard to get by without a midlayer while mountain backpacking. There are many times when a baselayer only is too chilly, and donning an insulated jacket over the baselayer is too hot. A midlayer or windshirt over the baselayer is just right for hiking when it’s some combination of overcast, cool, and windy.

While the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Vest can replace a heavier midlayer in an ultralight gear kit, it doesn’t come cheap; $199 is a lot of money for a 3.1 ounce garment.

However, when you add in the everyday uses for the vest, like social events, and wearing it under a jacket, it becomes a well used piece of gear. In many ways, it’s an acquired use; once you get the vest, you become aware of its many uses, and you get quite attached to it. The Plasma 1000 Down Vest not bulky like many down vests, so it feels uninhibiting, and it can be worn under your normal sized jacket.

This discussion begs a question for readers: do you commonly take a midlayer on backpacking trips, and what do you prefer to take. What is the lightest and most functional midlayer you have found? Post your response in the comments section below.