Beta Belay Vest

Our lightest Primaloft-filled belay vest. Designed as an essential layer for the long walk-in & tough climbing days in wild, wet, unfriendly conditions. Provides essential core body insulation and superb head protection at a very light weight.
Typical Operating Temperature
Guideline minimum temperature. Sleeping Bag TOT: you should get a night’s sleep, under normal circumstances. Clothing TOT: you should feel warm enough, assuming low/moderate activity. Sleep System TOT: relates to full system. For more details, see our Technical Briefing.
0°C / 32°F
Weight
For clothing, weight is for size: M. For sleeping bags, weight changes with selected length/width. N.B. there may be some variation in the weights of finished products.
385g / 14oz
Price
¥76,389.03
Beta Belay Vest
Size
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Features

  • Outer fabric: Waterproof / Breathable Dri-LX outer fabric* (with taped shoulder seams)
  • Inner Fabric: Breathable ripstop superlight MX
  • Primaloft Gold® synthetic insulation (60g/m weight in body and sleeves)
  • Front closure - 2 way YKK Aquaguard water-resistant zip with bottom locking stud
  • 3 insulated pockets:
    • 2 zipped waist level pockets
    • 1 zipped chest pocket
  • Integral hood with wired peak, sized for a modern climber's helmet:
    • Adjustable front cord with cord ends tethered inside the hood
    • Wired peak
    • Volume reducer on the back of the hood
  • Reflector tape on front and back for night location
  • Clip loop to secure vest at change-overs
  • Double exit adjustable hem cord
  • The Primaloft filling is edge stitched only to allow maximum loft
  • Stuff sac
  • Pack size: 13 x 21cm**

*Please note: although the outer fabric is waterproof, and will shed a lot of rain and snow, in a heavy downpour water can penetrate the stitching. However, the Primaloft Gold® insulation retains much of its insulation if wet. As always in the mountains, if there is a possibility of prolonged rain, carry full specification waterproofs.

**Please note: We make our stuff sacs big enough to allow fairly easy stuffing rather than reducing the vest the tightest minimum.

Description:

Also available in custom sizes. We make clothing to order, so if you’re not a standard size we can make it to fit. To order a non-standard custom size, select the Custom Sizing tab, choose your body width, and then the body length, shorter or longer, that works for you. A custom size takes us a little longer (typically two weeks longer) to make and, because it’s personalized, it’s non-returnable and our customer loyalty scheme can’t be applied.


The lightest synthetic-filled belay vest that we make, the Beta has been designed for use when layering to manage and prevent both overheating and becoming cold. By combining it with an insulated layer, such as the Primaloft Sigma or Gamma jackets, the ideal comfort spots can be achieved for the “walk in”, when climbing, and when belaying. Our lightweight Dri-LX fabric and the 60gr/m2 Primaloft synthetic filling have been used to achieve a super lightweight and packable piece.

The Beta Belay Vest is 26% lighter than its big brother, the Beta Belay Jacket, but still maintains core body temperature. As with the jacket, this vest shows its true worth in unfriendly, wild and damp conditions: think typical Scottish.

Cut wide enough to fit over the top of outer layers but with a trim, efficient fit, this Belay Vest is designed for tough days on classic mixed routes, technical steep water-ice, and wild big mountain faces: in fact, conditions that can typically be found right across the Scottish, Scandinavian, and Alpine ranges.

The Beta Belay Vest has been designed to work for you while climbing and at the belay stance. It can be shared between a pair of climbers, swapping back and forth as you alternate belays … or kept just for you and worn all day long. The fit, waterproof fabric with taped shoulder seams, grown-on hood, full-length water-resistant zip, extra body length, and pocket locations are designed specifically for winter climbing adventures.

In our experience Primaloft Gold® absorbs water much more slowly than other waddings, a marked advantage in wet-cold conditions. Effectively, if you can retain warm air in the insulation rather than replacing it with cold water, the garment will stay much warmer.

Please note: this vest is designed and sized to be worn over the top of outer layers. It provides additional warmth on cold belays and can be swapped between climbers at pitch change-overs. If you want a trimmer more athletic fit select the next size down.

*TOT: Typical Operating Temperature

Dri-LX (weight: 64 gsm)

At just 64gsm, Dri-LX is our lightest 2-layer breathable waterproof rip-stop nylon fabric. Its remarkably low weight not only makes for a lighter load, but also reduces pack size. Its excellent waterproofing qualities are in part due to how it can be taped at the seams to create a waterproof shell for sleeping bags and clothing.

Superlight MX fabric (weight: 32 gsm)

A mini-ripstop nylon with excellent tear strength, MX is the pick of the superfine 15 denier downproof materials. We have tested lighter fabrics, but most have had significant drawbacks, while our confidence in MX is based on several years of extensive use in both our ultralight and our high mountain gear.


Primaloft Gold®

Primaloft Gold® is the ideal microfibre insulation. Ultrafine fibres produce an insulating core that is incredibly soft, lightweight and water resistant. In our experience it absorbs water much more slowly than other waddings, a marked advantage in wet-cold conditions.

The nearest of the synthetics to the feel of down, yet tougher than you would expect. Primaloft Gold® offers the best warmth/weight performance in the Primaloft range


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