is the atom LT worth it if i already have a down hood?
hey all, looking for some honest input.
i'm heading out for a multi-day backcountry trip in the eastern sierras this summer. some overnights solo in primitive conditions and a fasting portion, so i'll run colder than usual.
what i already own:
- peak performance helium utility down hood (700 fp)
- smartwool merino 250 base layer top
what i technically still need:
- rain shell
- base layer bottoms
the rational part of me knows beta or beta LT would be the smart purchase, but they're outside my budget right now. i'll likely end up with a marmot precip or similar for the rain layer.
here's where i need a reality check: i'm really tempted to get the atom LT anyway, even though i already have the 700 fp down. my reasoning is that down fails when wet, and the atom would give me synthetic wet-weather insurance for a long trip in unpredictable conditions. plus the layering flexibility seems nice for active vs static use.
but i also recognize this might be partly just wanting an arc'teryx piece.
for those who've actually layered down + atom LT in cold backcountry conditions:
is the atom LT genuinely useful alongside a 700 fp down, or is it redundant in practice?
would you skip it and save toward a beta later?
any wisdom on the down-vs-synthetic-backup question for multi-day trips?
appreciate the honest takes, thanks :-)