Rab's New Kit Revealed

We're just back from a flying visit to Rab's Derbyshire mansion where we enjoyed tea and sandwiches on the patio and had a quick rummage through their new kit for spring/summer 2007 as well as a sneak look at this winter's stuff.

As is traditional, we took a number of unflattering pics of Rab's Neil McAdie, but joking aside, we were really impressed by the latest generation of Rab kit which includes a new lightweight eVENT waterproof shell, an update to the Vapour-Rise range and some rather lovely cotton tees...

Super Dru Jacket - Out Now.

The new Super Dru is designed as a lightweight mountaineering and mountain walking jacket that's also fully protective. That means that despite a claimed weight of just 400 grammes, you get a full-on helmet-compatible hood and strategic reinforcements in high wear areas. Two areas where lightweight jackets often fall short.

The fabric is three-ply eVENT - in our opinion the most breathable conventional waterproof material out there - and the hood has been thoroughly updated for this year. That means a revised peak with no seams, a single-pull adjustment system of ease of use, a closer fit to the face and, finally, a gussetted neck, which is designed to allow you to raise and lower the hood even with the zip done right up.

It's lighter than the Latok Alpine by 40 grammes despite having a third chest pocket and costs £20 more at £200. The neat cut is similar to the Latok as well. Looks like a very good jacket both for climbing and lightweight mountain use generally.

Utility Pant - Out Now

Another new line, the Ultility Pants are a lighter weight version of the popular Treklite Pants designed for year-round mountain trekking use. The fabric's quick drying and also pretty wind resistant and the cut looks good as well. Simple design with a single cargo pocket, integral belt and double layer inner ankles for all you scuff bunnies out there. Priced at £50.

Vapour-Rise Revised

The Rab Vapour-Rise range kicks butt in our humble opiniom. The combination of a very breathable, high-wicking Pertex Equilibrium outer with a thin fleece inner layer gives great weather protection, but without sacrificing breathability. It was, however, starting to look a bit dated.

No longer though. The Trail Smock has been completely revised with a new, protective, wired-peak hood replacing the old roll-down one, a kangaroo handwarmer pocket that will also take a pack hip-belt, a double ended venting neck zip and neater styling too.

Unfortunately this was Neil's chance to take photographic revenge on us, but there you go...

Not sure about those hood cords, mind. They look a tad long from where I'm sitting. Meanwhile the rest of the VR stuff gets tweaked too. The Trail Jacket has similarly revised styling and colours and there's a new Trail Stretch Top.

The latter looks like a cracking bit of kit with Power Stretch sidepanels added to give a close, technical fit for fast movers along with an adjustable neck and cuffs and a single pocket. Where it over a baselayer or next to skin on cool days. Oh, and are those thumb-loops we can see?

Rab Base Camp Tees

We like these. They're casual tee-shirts made from the thickest, softest cotton we've ever seen with double collar and cuff styling and in really nice, slightly subdued colours. The back of the shirts - available in long and short sleeve versions - feature topo prints of three mountain routes climbed by Rab-sponsored athletes, one from the Andes, one from the Himalaya and one in Alaska.

Prices are £30 for the long-sleeved version and £25 for the short-sleeved ones. Watch this space for a chance to win one in an OM competition soon.

Accessorise Or Die

That's it for the clothing, but there are also new arrivals in the gaiter area including two ventilated gaiters featuring fold-down panels covering mesh to allow venting without snow ingress from sister company outdoordesigns.

Then there are new eVENT gaiters from Rab. These have been carefully thought through with neat features like fully-velcroed front flaps to allow easy lacing adjustment with mountain boots - slacken them off for descents. There's a bigger plastic boot option too along the same principles.

Other neat touches include carefully position drawcords to keep the inside of the gaiter flat, big grab tabs for use with gloves and mitts and reflective bits for visibility at night, on alpine starts for example. Look good. Zipped version also available for traditionalists.

And last but not least for this spring, in the shops now, Rab sleeping bag liners in a choice of silk or cotton and a choice of shapes to match your sleeping bag.

A Peek Into The Future

We also grabbed a quick sneak preview of some of the Rab kit in the pipeline for autumn / winter '07. The stuff above is in the shops right now, but autumn kit isn't available until later August or September.

The big news is a completely revamped Latok Jacket. The hood has been redone with less fabric, but a better fit, closer seal around the face and a kicked out chin section for improved comfort when battened down.

The slightly weird double-zip arrangement has been replaced by a lighter single-zip opening and new fabrics are used, 'tough' and 'tougher still' for the reinforced areas which include the front of the jacket after feedback from Rab's sponsored climbers, who say that area wears early.

Other features include pit-zips, big pockets with drain holes and a reflective spot on the back of the hood for nighttime visibility. It feels a whole lot tougher than the current Latok and should be a bombproof technical mountain jacket.

Not the lightest jacket at 670 grammes or the cheapest at £250 but it looks good and if it lives up to its billing, should be a great mountain shell for anyone who trashes kit quickly.

The other autumn thing we really like the look of is the new Baltoro Guide Jacket. It's made from highly breathable Polartec Powershield with a hi-loft fleece lining for some added insulation. Powershield is close to windproof, but breathes really well too and with its full hood and neat cut using strategic areas of lightweight Powershield for better mobility, we reckon it looks really interesting.

The price will be £150 which is very competitive for this sort of garment, weight 700 grammes.

Other new stuff for autumn include a women's Latok Alpine jacket, a simple 50-quid Powerstretch top and vest and jacket versions of the lightweight Primaloft-inulated Generator jacket.