OK, most of my gear is five years or so old, and I am looking to do my patriotic duty and stimulate the economy.
I read a bunch of stuff by Steve House, Andy Kirkpatrick and Kelly Cordes about Pata's system and it seems to make sense. Intended use is Hood, Rainier, etc. I got an R1 Hoody and Houdini and tried them out on a hike last weekend. Temp was around 25F at the start. This combo worked great. So, my first three layers are:
1. capeline Tshirt
2. R1 Hoody
3. Houdini
My question is what for the next layer? I went ahead and got a Nanopuff (highly touted), but I haven't tried it yet. I also have an Arcteryx Gamma MX softshell. Would you recommend the Nanopuff or the Gamma MX for the outer layer? I have an older Marmot primaloft belay parka (lighter than Pata DAS) that I could put on at stops/summit/camp. I'm wondering if it makes sense to wear the Gamma MX over or in place of the Nanopuff; should I carry both?
Thoughts?
Jim Thomas