Make My Mind Up 4 Me

[Aloha From Kauai]

I am trying to decide between a North Face ThermoBall jacket & a 100% merino wool, expedition weight but thin jacket, both weigh about the same within a couple of ounces. I will have a medium weight long sleeve merino t-shirt also and my Black Diamond stretch rain jacket.

What do you think?

 

[trecile]

The North Face Thermoball gets my vote.

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

The North Face Thermoball gets my vote.

Thanks for sharing; what sways you that way?

 

[camino07]

I would also take the North Face jacket. If you can wear your rain jacket on top then you may not need the Merino long sleeve .Depends when you are going of course.

 

[VNwalking]

Probably six of one, half a dozen of the other.
Which is more comfortable?

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

Probably six of one, half a dozen of the other.
Which is more comfortable?

Well, this might be the answer seeing how no one is really voting for the wool; I have a ThermoBall and the merino jacket would cost me $165

 

[nidarosa]

Another vote for the Thermoball - I had this exact conundrum last time, a merino fleece jacket and the Thermoball weighing exactly the same and too much to bring both. Took the Thermoball thinking it gives more warmth for the weight, especially over a merino long sleeve, and was very glad I did.

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

I would also take the North Face jacket. If you can wear your rain jacket on top then you may not need the Merino long sleeve .Depends when you are going of course.

I would also take the North Face jacket. If you can wear your rain jacket on top then you may not need the Merino long sleeve .Depends when you are going of course.

I'm probably too cold-blooded to chance not taking the wool t-shirt, lol.

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

Another vote for the Thermoball - I had this exact conundrum last time, a merino fleece jacket and the Thermoball weighing exactly the same and too much to bring both. Took the Thermoball thinking it gives more warmth for the weight, especially over a merino long sleeve, and was very glad I did.

I do feel like the ThermoBall is more comfortable especially if I had to wear it to bed I think. Thanks for the real-world tip!

 

[nidarosa]

Thanks for the real-world tip!

I took a merino short and long sleeve top, Thermoball and a stretch rain jacket, like you. On cold mornings I wore the rain jacket as a windbreaker over the merino long sleeve and soon warmed up when I started walking. I only wore the Thermoball in the evening, so it didn't get sweaty, but the beauty of a synthetic jacket is it can be washed if it should need it. It is a definite staple in my pack now.

 

[Former member 49149]

Well, this might be the answer seeing how no one is really voting for the wool; I have a ThermoBall and the merino jacket would cost me $165

For me, if I have something that will serve, why waste money?

 

[VNwalking]

why waste money?

And resources!

 

[Ronald Boivin]

I am trying to decide between a North Face ThermoBall jacket & a 100% merino wool, expedition weight but thin jacket, both weigh about the same within a couple of ounces. I will have a medium weight long sleeve merino t-shirt also and my Black Diamond stretch rain jacket.

What do you think?

Which route are you doing and at which time of year? You choose gear according to the weather conditions right?

 

[Henriettagal]

I am trying to decide between a North Face ThermoBall jacket & a 100% merino wool, expedition weight but thin jacket, both weigh about the same within a couple of ounces. I will have a medium weight long sleeve merino t-shirt also and my Black Diamond stretch rain jacket.

What do you think?

I walked the Camino during the month of May. I layered up rather than take an extra coat. So short sleeved shirt, long sleeved, fleece, rain coat on chilly mornings. I could add more shirts if necessary under that fleece but I never needed to. Layering allows you to take gear off as it warms up. I carried my pack the whole way... no sherpa, so I needed it to be a light pack. Hope this helps.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Which one is already hanging in your closet?

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Use your North Face ThermoBall. It has served you well and is lightweight, so why wouldn't you want exactly that? You'll be better protected from the elements with the jacket, plus there is the warmth factor too

 

[Camino Chrissy]

a stretch rain jacket,

I am very curious about the brand and model of your stretch rain jacket and you add that it is synthetic for washing. I have never heard of this combination, but it sounds a very intriguing. I'm not a gear junkie, so posting a link or at least some info would be helpful as it's hard for me to imagine it being rain"proof". Thanks in advance!

 

[MaidinBham]

My vote goes with the North Face jacket - it looks nice kinda like the Patagonia Down Sweater which I have and love. I did Camino Portuguese with a Icebreaker wool hoodie jacket and it was low profile and warm, but it stank to high heaven and I'm not certain why because I have wool undies and wool tee-shirts, wool socks and never a problem. Maybe odor was because of damp weather and I had it in a stuff sack? Upcoming Camino Invierno, I most likely will bring my down sweater and it will double as a pillow in small microfiber pillow case.

 

[benny aumala]

Do not buy anything you need. Just what you cannot do without.
I vote for your medium weight long sleeve merino t-shirt.
Benny

 

[Susan Peacock]

Not sure how the question can be answered without knowing when you are going?

 

[nidarosa]

I am very curious about the brand and model of your stretch rain jacket

I have a Rab Kinetic jacket, very light, very soft, rustle free!, stretchy and beautifully blue - link here. It is washable, as long as you use the right detergent like NikWax to clean and reproof it. In that post though I was referring to the Thermoball itself, which has a synthetic fill instead of down, so it is easy to wash and dry it if it gets smelly/dirty/God forbid infested with bugs.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I have a Rab Kinetic jacket, very light, very soft, rustle free!, stretchy and beautifully blue - link here. It is washable, as long as you use the right detergent like NikWax to clean and reproof it. In that post though I was referring to the Thermoball itself, which has a synthetic fill instead of down, so it is easy to wash and dry it if it gets smelly/dirty/God forbid infested with bugs.

Thanks for replying! I'll check out your link.

 

[trecile]

Not sure how the question can be answered without knowing when you are going?

According to her profile April 3rd.
It shows on the desktop version but not the mobile version of the site.

 

[Susan Peacock]

According to her profile April 3rd.
It shows on the desktop version but not the mobile version of the site.

View attachment 119068

Thank you… missed that…. So small on my phone.
I have walked twice starting in April 14. It was very cold and the midweight merino and Thermoball were not enough for me. I walked in white-out snow on May 12th at Cruz de Fero. I would take both of these and another layer.

 

[sharonmonty]

I walked the Camino during the month of May. I layered up rather than take an extra coat. So short sleeved shirt, long sleeved, fleece, rain coat on chilly mornings. I could add more shirts if necessary under that fleece but I never needed to. Layering allows you to take gear off as it warms up. I carried my pack the whole way... no sherpa, so I needed it to be a light pack. Hope this helps.

Thanks. I’m going in May and this helps me

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

I walked the Camino during the month of May. I layered up rather than take an extra coat. So short sleeved shirt, long sleeved, fleece, rain coat on chilly mornings. I could add more shirts if necessary under that fleece but I never needed to. Layering allows you to take gear off as it warms up. I carried my pack the whole way... no sherpa, so I needed it to be a light pack. Hope this helps.

Thank you

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

Thank you… missed that…. So small on my phone.
I have walked twice starting in April 14. It was very cold and the midweight merino and Thermoball were not enough for me. I walked in white-out snow on May 12th at Cruz de Fero. I would take both of these and another layer.

Oh dear....I hate being cold.

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

According to her profile April 3rd.
It shows on the desktop version but not the mobile version of the site.

View attachment 119068

Changing that today to reflect April 11th most likely.

 

[Aloha From Kauai]

I am very curious about the brand and model of your stretch rain jacket and you add that it is synthetic for washing. I have never heard of this combination, but it sounds a very intriguing. I'm not a gear junkie, so posting a link or at least some info would be helpful as it's hard for me to imagine it being rain"proof". Thanks in advance!

While the question was not posed to me, here is the one I am using. I got it a size bigger in thought that it would/could be my last layer. https://www.rei.com/product/127502/...9kYNIlRgTm_q2dbo36BoCQBgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[J F Gregory]

Thin layers and a rain jacket. I walked a winter Camino in 2016. I wore a long sleeve merino base. Quick dry hiking shirt button up and mid weight fleece with only rain jacket and kept plenty warm and dry. I walked from SJPDP with snow for the first 8 days and then rain for almost the entire walk. Temps were mid twenties to the low fifties.

 

[Marcus-UK]

The North Face Thermoball gets my vote.

I hope I have not got the wrong end of the stick but - Ideally I would recommend layering rather than a warm jacket. A merino base or mid layer plus an unlined outer rain jacket. If you get wet with exertion the merino can still keep you warm.
Also it is easier to wash separate outer and mid layers. The outerwear can be washed and turned inside out to dry.