Last year after searching the web for a UL down jacket on a budget I ended up buying a Rab Microlight down jacket for half the price 119 USD:
http://www.backcountry.com/rab-micro...wn-jacket-mens
Meanwhile my brother bought me a cheapo down jacket he found on sale for 30 dollar:
https://www.amazon.com/Hawke-Co-Pack...00CMNY1F8?th=1
So I went for a Bruce trail thru hike with my Rab jacket starting early May and it was performing not to my expectations.
For my upcoming PCT (early May start) I began to test (and compare)my cheapo down performance. I was impressed.
What The cheapo does the best is keeping me warm while the Rab fails to do the same in the exact same condition. One can argue that Rab will perform better in bad condition because it is made of Pertex Microlight and hydrophobic goose down in it while the cheapo is 90 percent Duckdown and is not hydrophobic.
Here is the reality. The main purpose of a down jacket is keeping us warm and in this department Rab fails considerably. Meanwhile I have been using a cheapo Uniqlo like down jacket for three Canadian winter ( bought from Joe fresh) so I know this cheapo will last a PCT thru hike before it loses it integrity.
Interestingly enough the cheapo is ¼ the price and 3.5 Oz lighter(14.3 Oz to 10.8 for cheapo brand) and packs half the volume of Rab.
So I bought a DWR spray and made the cheapo water proof . The weight now is 11.3 Oz which is still 3 Oz lighter.
Is it wise to take my cheapo to PCT because it is performing better or should I take the Rab because it’s potential longevity and the fact that it is Rab?
Shouldn’t a 119 dollar Rab outperform a 30 dollar cheapo brand ? Am I missing something here?
I have an Outdoor Research helium II rain jacket so it would address the DWR weakness of my cheapo down.
What would you do? Rab or Cheapo for PCT?