Lots of new clothing for this winter from the guys at Rab with down, synthetic and waterproof content...
New Walking Waterproofs For Autumn 2012
Rab's dedicated eVent waterproof hill-walking jackets, the men's Bergan and women's Vidda have had an overdue makeover for this autumn. They're still aimed squarely at walkers rather than mountaineers with non-helmet hoods and no-nonsense features and construction.
There are no flashy contrast colours, just plain blocks, but there are two-way main zips with double storm flaps, adjustable waist cords and fully sealed pocket bags with water-resistant zips so that even if the zip leaks and the pocket takes in water, it shouldn't get any further.
The highly breathable eVent fabric, still one of our top choices, is 40D in the body with heavier, more durable 70D panels over the shoulders. Weight is still a very reasonable 550g and price £210. There are also matching overtrousers.
Incidentally, if you want something with more of a mountain vibe, have a look at the Rab Mountain Dru which again uses eVent fabric and has a regular fit with reinforced shoulders, but also has a helmet hood and harness-friendly pockets for mountaineering use. Slightly heavier though at 640g, but pretty much indestructible reckons Dan.
Soft Shell
More updating in the soft shell area too with the Baltoro Guide Jacket, getting a serious makeover. It's a serious cold weather mountain soft shell using Polartec's excellent PowerShield soft shell fabric - great balance of protection and breathability - but backed with a fluffy, furry, hi-loft fleece backer for lots of added insulation. Should be dead warm.
And to improve mobility and keep weight and bulk down, it's zoned with the side areas and sleeves using a lighter weight, microgrid fleece backer. The hood's helmet happy, and it should make a super warm, cold weather winter soft shell. Not cheap at £190 and not light at 760g, but should make hay in the snow...
If that all looks a bit warm, have a look at the updated Baltoro Alpine, which uses lighter weight PowerShield with a lightweight gridded backer for a little extra insulation. Slightly lighter at 690g, but should be significantly less warm making it a better option for fast-moving mountaineers. Cheaper too at £150.
Finally, the rather good Exodus Jacket which was developed for ski-touring but works well for general mountain use- helmet hood, pit-zips, stretch non-membrane soft shell fabric - gets some new brighter colours in a bid to increase its existing understated popularity... the £120 price tag helps too.
Page 3 - New Fleece and Base Layers
