The zippers are reverse coil YKK zippers, all of them were very smooth. It was not silent, but noticeably quieter than any of my previous puffy jackets and by fit and feel appears to be very high quality material. The outer material is a 15D Pertex Quantum shell. I carefully looked the jacket over inside and out checking for any flaws, loose or unclipped stitching, inconsistent down fill, etc… it was flawless. Essentially, a heavier jacket with less down of the same fill power for about $70 more in price. For comparison, the Kuiu Superdown Pro is listed as 13.4 oz with 5 oz of 850+ Quixdown Goose down for $399.
A quick check shows the Grumman listed as 11.8 oz (size L) with 5.3 oz of 850+ HyperDRY DWR treated goose down for $329.
The first significant impression I had was how much loft this jacket had and how ridiculously light it was. I’m glad that was there, otherwise I might have given it to an infant to use as a balaclava. Upon opening it, I found the jacket wrapped neatly in a plastic semi-airtight bag with a warning informing me that the bag was NOT A TOY and could pose a smothering hazard and not to use it in a crib. The box came taped with a white tape with the Stone Glacier logo on it. I like nice, clean, professional packaging. I picked up the box to carry it inside and was surprised at I checked my phone and also had a text from Stone Glacier letting me know my jacket had been delivered. Talk about a fast turnaround time from order to delivery. Friday around 2:30pm I arrived home from a morning of chasing cougar tracks in the snow of the nearby mountains and was pleasantly surprised to find a box on my doorstep. About 12 hours later on Wednesday morning at 7:49am I received another text informing me my order had shipped already. I ordered the Grumman in size XL from Stone Glacier on a Tuesday evening and received a text message confirming the order. This particular jacket’s specs and Stone Glacier’s generous veteran’s discount and friendly response were enough to convince me to go out on a limb. 5 minutes later I sent in a picture of my DD214 and a discount code arrived in my email inbox immediately thereafter. An exceptionally friendly woman named Becky answered the phone and seemed more than happy to help. While I was considering it, I decided to call Stone Glacier regarding the veteran’s discount I had been told about. I’m not opposed to paying a high price for top of the line gear, but without reviews to read it was hard to know if this would be at that level. While certainly not the most expensive puffy out there, it is generally in the top tier of the price range and a great many other top brands have cheaper options. This jacket is also not cheap at a listed price of $329. The problem was that I was unable to find any reviews online about this jacket and I historically have never bought products without being able to read real life reviews. While I was indeed looking for a very lightweight insulation layer, I wanted to balance that with one that would keep me very warm and comfortable in frigid temperatures, not just alive. I’m a specs and comparisons guy and after doing some more research the Grumman looked incredible in terms of fill power, fill weight, overall weight, features, etc… There were some lighter options I found, but with far less down fill. After posting on some forums looking for ideas, it was suggested I take a look at Stone Glacier’s new Grumman Goose Down Jacket and to inquire about their veteran’s program. I was originally looking at another Kuiu Superdown Pro, Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer, Arc’teryx, or a First Lite option.
After a change in eating habits led to significant weight loss over the last several months, all of my jackets were far too large and I began the search for the new perfect puffy. I’ve tried several different puffys including Patagonia, Eddie Bauer (multiple), Kuiu Superdown (x2), Beretta BIS Goose jacket, and a couple no-name brands. It is one of the most critical pieces of clothing I carry in the high country. Light and compressible, but ideally providing exceptional warmth to weight ratios for fighting off those icy winds on the open ridges when an extended glassing session is in order or for when the fire simply isn’t enough back at camp. One of my all-time favorite items in my pack is the almighty puffy jacket. I also did not tell Stone Glacier I would be doing this review prior to ordering. Second disclosure, I receive veteran’s discounts from a number of companies, but am not sponsored or provided free products by anyone. Constantly fighting the never-ending urge to find the latest and greatest. First off – Full disclosure, I’m a gear hound.
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