Klymit’s innovative gas-filled vest falls short
Klymit Double Diamond
- Pros: Adjustable insulation level; Breathable; Hypoallergenic
- Cons: Deflates quickly; Requires gas cartridge and pump; Very stiff when full
- Bottom Line: Though the Klymit insulation idea is innovative, great in certain situations and will turn heads, the company’s vest is not worth the hefty price.
- MSRP: $225
Using a method of insulation common among divers wearing wetsuits, Klymit’s new line of vests use Argon gas to keep you warm.
Though it has its downfalls, the innovative insulation works well.
During the last two months, the Klymit Double Diamond vest has been my go-to insulator whether I’m going to work, walking the dog, snowshoeing or skiing.
And it’s done its job.
Klymit Double Diamond
Using an Argon gas cartridge, much like the CO2 cartridges some bikers use to inflate tires, along with the company’s Klymitizer pump, it’s easy to inflate the vest. It has a cord with a pressure release valve hidden in the left pocket to connect the pump.
Inflated, the vertical baffles puff out and stiffen while still breathing. After skiing on a warm day with a base layer under it and an outer shell over it, sweat buildup was minimal inside the vest.
Because Argon molecules are larger than air, the vest lets air pass through the fabric while containing the insulator.
Though an annoyance because it requires the pump, it’s nice to be able to adjust the amount of insulation you need as conditions or activity level changes.
It’s also a viable option for people who are allergic to down.
However, I found that it leaked over time.
In a matter of two weeks, the vest went from fully inflated to nearly empty despite the gas-release valves being closed.
According to Klymit, one gas cartridge will fill a medium-size vest eight times from empty to full.
That means, if the vest looses its loft twice per month, one cartridge will last you the winter. The vest comes with three cartridges, so you should be set for a year depending on how much you manually inflate and deflate the vest.
The Double Diamond, designed for winter sports, is made from a stretchy nylon, and I found it to move well with my body.
But, when inflated, it feels like I’m wearing a life jacket – only slightly less stiff.
When I sit, the vest rides up (about three inches). When I run, the vest rides up.
Despite fitting right sans gas, the entire Double Diamond, I felt, was too short when fully inflated. I suspect it’s because as the gas-filled baffles puff out, the body gets shorter, and because of that, wind got under it when skiing.
It does have a hem cinch cord, but I found that it made the “riding up” factor worse because then it pulled up my shirt or base layer.
Despite having too many cons to make it worth the hefty price, Klymit’s Double Diamond, and its other similar vests, is an innovative idea, and I give the company props for trying.
