What jacket should I wear at Everest Base Cp?
I will be spending three months at Everest Base Cp. What jacket would you recommend? I a 5'1" female, and it seems all the jackets targeted for temps at 8,000 meters are only made for men. Torrey Kailua, HI
Well, Torrey, picture this. You will be at Everest Base Camp for three months. During that time you will not shower or wash your hair (at least not much), and you wont have much of a change of clothes. So I ask, does it really matter if you wear a mans down jacket or not? I concede, the most efficient jacket would tailor to a womans build. But, really, were talking a limited market.
Frontpoint Jacket
So Id invest in womans long underwear from Patagonia or another company who gets" it that women like something different. For that last layer, the down jacket, go with what works. Based on personal experience on Denali, I would buy a Feathered Friends Frontpoint Jacket ($385 with Epic Nextec shell). It isnt super-heavy (30 ounces) but is very warmlots of 850-fill down and easily up to base camp conditions. Beautifully madeit will last forever.
Mountain Hardwear does make a womans mountain down parka, the Sub Zero Hooded SL ($350). Its a fine piece, tailored to fit a bit better. But it just isnt the same quality as the Frontpointlesser down, lesser shell.
A down parka? Cmoneverybody looks like a marshmallow. So buy what works.
Check out our annual Winter Buyer Guide to outfit your entire cold-weather kit.
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