Gear

Hello chaps, bit of a quandry, wondered if I could pick some brains...

I've been wearing a Marmot Oracle for a year, and I just can't get on with it. A few design flaws are making it tedious to wear. I absolutely love my Rab Alpine Pull-On, but it's not waterproof.

So... I want to get a jacket as close to the Alpine but waterproof. I've got around £100 and it's driving me mad.

So far I have looked at the Rab Demand Pull-on (£130-ish) which is lightweight, same excellent hood and seems to be the best fit, but it's just too much cash;

Montane Atomic (£60 at F&T) - good, but maybe a bit too lightweight - I don't carry a heavy pack, but any jacket has got to last; Very good price though.

And that's about it. They seem to be the only two similar products that resemble the Alpine.

Can anyone help/proffer some alternatives? I'm 6ft, slim build, don't mind "active cut" stuff, and not fussed about colour.

Ta

 Well you might, if lucky, hit a sale on the demand pull on.

But the atomic should last reasonably - its not the thinnest 2.5 layer fabric by any means. Also if you wear the alpine pull on until it starts genuinely raining you'll probably not find yourself having to wear it very often anyway.

And you'll certainly struggle to find something better at that price!

Cheers Martin. I know, I really should just save up a bit more!

The Oracle hood is atrocious, in anything stronger than a breeze the velcro comes loose, and flaps. And the adjustment is really poor. The cuff adjusters catch on the trouser pocket with every arm pass, and the dri-clime at the wrist gets wet easily and takes ages to dry. The Alpine pull-on thrashes it, imo.  

sounds like you need to borrow 30 quid or so and get the Demand 

You'll be happy then.  Only you know if you (or the activities you want it for) are worth it.

Sell something to raise money?  

Work?

Cheers chaps.

Lots to consider - I went up Pen-y-ghent New Year's Eve, and the Oracle over the top of the Alpine was fine, actually. So for now, I'm going to give it a stay of execution.

However, after trawling the dozens of outdoors gear retailers, I'm going to break my self-imposed £100 limit for kit and just spend what is needed when I find the right jacket.

The elasticated cuffs, two front pockets, lightweight nature and the hood of the Alpine, but waterproof.

It will exist somewhere!

Ta for the help good sirs.

Right, just when, after trying on half a dozen jackets, and deciding it was either Latok Alpine or the Bergen, Cotswold have started stocking this...

 http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/index.cfm/product/rab-latok-trek-jacket/fuseaction/products.detail/code/11111044/id_colour/108/group/85/level/2

 Now, this is one of those Cotswolds-only things. It looks too good to be true - anyone any thoughts?

Do Rab do this sort of thing a lot?

Well, recently a bit yes.

Like the pertex shield+ Kinetics also in Cotswolds now. Those are some sort of hybrid between the previous design and new fabric as per Montanes minimus. (They have trailed things using this for spring but none with that specific configuration of pockets.). Not on RABs website though.

And there was some sort of odd vr like thing last year etc. I'd presume that it has to be stuff where they've had a small batch of jackets made up for testing/trying to sell to shop sellers but not got enough interest to go into mass production.

Or they just decided it was too close to the momentum (just the internal pockets extra really surely?).

Went for the Latok Trek in the end, after confirming with Rab that it is just a Latok Alpine in different colours.

It's fantastic, and a perfect companion to the Alpine and various fleeces.

Oracle will be going on eBay or staying in the boot as an emergency jacket.

Ta for the replies chaps, most helpful.