Wafer Ultima K Down Vest

Our lightest short-zip Zero degree vest
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.
115g / 4oz
Price
¥71,431.09
Wafer Ultima Down Vest
I find this a truly superb piece of kit
Size
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Features

  • A PHD K Series product: ultimate warmth / weight performance
  • PHD's unique (extremely high) 1000 fillpower down
  • Sheer-light 7X inner and outer fabric: our lightest-ever
  • Stitch-through construction for lightness
  • Down-filled high collar to seal in the warmth
  • Also available in Custom Sizes. Specify Body Width and Body Length independently
  • Half-length lightweight front zip
  • Extra body length
  • Pockets: 2 zipped hand-warmer pockets
  • Lycra hem
  • Stuff sac – size 0.5 (8 x 13cm)*
  • Options:
    • Sizes:  XS, S, M, L, XL
    • Colour: Red or Black.
    • Stud on hood with Lycra edging: Adds 20grms/1oz +£40.00
    • Also available in Custom Sizes. Specify Body Width and Body Length independently

*Please note: we make our stuff sacs big enough to allow fairly easy stuffing rather than reducing the kit to 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 and choose the body width and body length sizes that work 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.
 

Vital warmth for the body core but so light you won’t notice it’s there: designed for adventure racers and lightweight backpackers, multistage racers and lightweight campers, the astonishing Wafer Ultima Vest insulates down to zero degrees, but stows into a teeny tiny pack and weighs considerably less than your phone. The body is longer and the collar is higher than the Wafer Vest we based it on – cutting cold air ingress and adding coverage to make it even warmer – but despite that, it’s lighter!

How do we make it lighter? This remarkable whisper of a down vest uses our super-light, wind-blocking 7-denier 7X fabric, and our unique 1000 fill-power down to ensure the most weight-efficient insulation. The idea was always to create a useable, wearable garment at minimal weight, so we’ve given it a deep front fastening and connecting handwarmer pockets, but selected lightweight zips for them; we can make it with a stud-on down filled hood if you want to go for maximum warmth and versatility, or without if you want to keep it simple and minimal.


 

 

 

Ultralight 7X fabric (weight: 22 gsm)

7X is our new sheer-light 7 denier fabric. An exquisitely fine rip-stop nylon, 7X is incredibly light, highly wind-resistant and has first-rate down proofing. This fabric helps us create the very lightest of gear in the PHD range. Of course the lighter the fabric the lighter the sleeping bag or down clothing, and the less space it takes up in your rucksack. This fabric is so light it actually helps to allow even greater lofting of the down too.

1000 fillpower down

This rarest of all downs we reserve for the K Series. European goose down of unique quality. 1000 provides the highest warmth-for-weight performance possible from down. More on our down insulation.


Review is for our standard Wafer Vest which is 15g heavier

"I've used it a hell of a lot, both on the hills and in just about every other scenario I can think about. I find this a truly superb piece of kit.

There are two good hand warming pockets that have a generous capacity.

The vest is lovely and warm when zipped up. PHD rate this as useful down to zero but I think you'd be happy wearing this, perhaps, down to -5°C.

One of the main advantages of the Wafer Vest is that it is thin. This easily will slip under your shell jacket so that you can wear it while walking. I bought this jacket for extra warmth while moving not for extra warmth in camp and I think works very well for what I wanted it to do.

Wearing this vest under my jacket protects the down and adds little extra bulk. Although you want to keep down away from water down does wick steam and water vapour well. When working hard on the hill the vest is always very comfortable.

When the temperature begins to rise a simple opening of the front zip will loose a lot of heat. When completely un-zipped the jacket is so thin and light that you almost don’t realise you are wearing it.

The outer fabric of the vest is also very light but it doesn't seem too fragile and has coped well so far struggling through the usual woodland but remember this vest is designed to be worn under other protective layers. I am very, very, pleased with this purchase. At 190 grams it is always going to find a place in my pack for cool weather walking and backpacking."

Andy Howell.

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