Mountain Equipment Prophet - A synthetic insulated jacket for Scotland and the Alps
July 2023 update - Mountain Equipment have discontinued the Prophet jacket (and I’ve sold mine for a Rab Generator Alpine jacket). They have though employed Gore Infinium technology in their Fitzroy jacket, which, along with its increased insulation (120gm Primaloft Gold), means it is a worthy alternative.
I have a soft spot for synthetic insulated jackets. The protection that products such as Mountain Equipment’s Prophet jacket offer against Scotland’s maritime climate is something with which those that rely on natural down - the feathers from geese or ducks, which are warmer for their weight - can’t compete. (Calling feathers warmer than a synthetic fabric is a misnomer though, really, as insulating material in itself isn’t warm, it’s the pockets of air the fabrics form which traps your body heat that help you to keep warm).
I’m not looking for a layering piece when I purchase an insulated jacket. Simply, I am looking for something that will help me to keep warm for long enough in the expected conditions should I be stationary outdoors for an extended period of time (be it for a photo shoot, lunch stop or an emergency). I still prefer fleece for on-the-move activities, which I layer with a simple, breathable wind-shirt if it’s cold.
Fill weights for synthetic insulated jackets have traditionally been 40gm, 60gm, 100gm, 133gm, 170gm and 200gm per square metre so the Mountain Equipment Prophet jacket stands out at 80gm per square metre. I find 40gm to be little more than a windproof fleece (evidenced by a Montane Prism I’ve purchased, which I’ve since discounted as an insulation piece). My ‘go to’ insulated jacket for three season use for many years has been Rab’s Xenon X Hoody, which is light (400gm in my size XL) and has 60gm Primaloft Gold insulation (the ‘gold’ standard I’d suggest for synthetic fabrics when it comes to insulation). Whilst the Xenon jacket is very warm for its weight (I highly rate Primaloft Gold for its insulating properties, especially when it’s coupled with a quality windproof outer), I’ve often felt I’ve been on the cusp of the insulation it provides when I’ve used it in frigid Autumn and Spring weather (when I’m cold and/or wet and I need insulation but I don’t need as much as that provided by Mountain Equipment’s Citadel jacket, which I use unfailingly, every Winter). Mountain Equipment (and other brands) do offer jackets with around 100gm per metre square insulation (such as Mountain Equipment’s Fitzroy jacket) but I find these fall into an ‘in-between’ stage, where my perception is they’re not warm enough for the coldest Scottish winter weather but too warm (and heavy) for use outside that. (Edit - The FitzRoy jacket has120gm in 2024 and is worth a look). 170gm jackets (such as Haglofs original Barrier Zone Hoody or Patagonia’s DAS Parka) and 200gm jackets (e.g. Mountain Equipment’s Citadel jacket) are, for me, solely Winter jackets. There’s no reason you can’t take them with you all year round but you’ll be carrying around much more weight than you’ll need to.
Enter Mountain Equipment’s Prophet jacket, which has 80gm per square metre of Primaloft Gold fabric and a totally windproof and water-resistant Gore-Tex Thermium Windstopper shell). It was super expensive (GBP £300.00) but I managed to get it for 50% off in a Magic Mountain sale.
What I like about Mountain Equipment’s Prophet jacket
It’s very warm for its weight (520gm in size XL) - The windproof shell helps greatly, I imagine, along with its taped seams
Packability - The taped seams trap air and initially made me think it doesn’t compress very well but once I get the air out of it, it packs down to a very small footprint
It’s highly water resistant (again, the sealed seams help - The Citadel jacket I have leaks in that regard - but the fabric choice is exemplary.
Robust zips - I like chunky main zips on a jacket, as I feel they don’t separate as much at the bottom, which thin zips seem prone to do. The Prophet doesn’t have the biggest main zip but it seems fairly robust.
Big inside pocket - Easily big enough to stuff in gloves or, for example, a 1-litre Nalgene bottle, which I like to fill up with hot water if it’s cold for the season and place it inside my jacket
No lining in the side pockets - I much prefer this to fleece-lined pockets, which can get damp and take longer to dry. Without fleece or padding on the inside, you can heat up your fingers and hands using your body heat
What I’d like to see changed
Sizing - The difference in size between the Large and the X-Large was much greater than I expected. I’m usually a Large (6’2” tall) but it was too short in the body and sleeves (I have the same issue with Mountain Equipment’s Fitzroy jacket). The X-Large is a perfect fit for length and sleeves but generally too boxy for me in the body, despite the product being classed as an Alpine fit. I do though prefer it slightly bigger so I can put it over other clothing.
Bungee cords - Mountain Equipment uses dual drawcords in the waist of the jacket. Because it’s slightly too big for me, I need to cinch them more than normal and they are quite long and catch on things. (I’ve also had issues in the past with the longevity of the elasticity of the cord in Mountain Equipment’s jackets). The hood bungee cords also come out a long way out from the jacket and slap me in the face in the wind. They’re designed for use though with a helmet, where they wouldn’t be as long.
Overall, these are small things and I rate the Prophet jacket very highly. It’s found a permanent place in my pack outside the warmth of Summer.
Alternatives
There’s not much I’d suggest is similar to the Prophet, as the insulation level (80gm per square metre instead of the usual 60gm or 100gm) plus the shell fabric is fairly unique.
Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody - 60gm Primaloft Gold Eco. Has a very short and boxy fit.
Patagonia MicroPuff - 65gm PlumaFill.
Mountain Equipment Fitzroy - Has been billed as the perfect UK winter climbing belay jacket. 120gm Primaloft Gold.
Montane Flux - 100gm of Primaloft Eco insulation in the body. 60gm in the sleeves and hood (with an additional 60gm in front of the pockets). Suffers I’d say from not using Primaloft Gold but Eco has obvious other benefits.
(If you’re looking for warmer jackets, see my thoughts on Mountain Equipment’s Citadel jacket and Rab’s Generator Alpine).