Rab Vapour Trail Smock Reviews - Product Reviews

Rab Vapour Trail Smock

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Rab Vapour Trail Smock
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Average Rating: 4 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 8
RRP: £75
Year: 2000

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Description: Windproof and water resistant lined smock for mountain use. Wired hood with adjustment. Longzip with windflap. Two chest pockets. Hem drawcord. Pertex denier gradient face fabric with microfibre lining.

REVIEWS

1 to 8 of 8 reviews, to post a review you need to be a member - Join now.

left-the-building

Posted: 27/12/06

'POTENTIALLY GOOD SMOCK LET DOWN BY CUT'

Strengths:
Fabrics used, windproof, fast-drying, useful hood.

Weaknesses:
Fit across shoulders & arms.

Overall:
I find it too warm to wear as a base-layer & use it as a mid-layer. I bought to replace a knackered ME ultrafleece Mountain jacket.
I find it warmer & not as easy to vent as the jacket it replaced - mainly due to the smock design & lack of pit zips.
My main gripe is the fit - I normally wear a large in most things (I'm 6', 16" neck, 44" chest, 34" waist) but I still find the XL in this smock to be a bit tight when putting on & taking off & a little tight on the shoulders & in the arms when in use. The sleeves are too tight to push up comfortably.
The better half has her eye on it & it fits her well & she's a size 10!
To be replaced shortly with an Extreme Explorer jacket in karisma fleece with hood & added pit-zips.

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

73%

ben brockway

Posted: 21/09/01

'Versatile protection for active outdoor stuff'

Strengths:
The DG pertex is suprisingly more water resistant than the standard p5, and much more durable. Highly breathable, well fitting jacket with a fair degree of insulation. Well fitting hood.

Weaknesses:
Not fully waterproof (but never claimed to be). Hood untidy to stow away. Handwarmer pockets a touch too small for OS maps.

Overall:
Well designed smock with excellent performance in cold, damp blustery conditions. Excellent weather resistance for a garment of this type, the shell only needs to go on if it's hissing down. Hood needs a tweak and the pockets could be bigger. Used extensively for scrambling, climbing, walking, XC ski and cold weather fell running without any really significant grumbles. Recommended.
And it makes a lovely soft pillow if you roll it inside out...aaah.

Performance		100%
Reliability		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

80%

Jonathan Rees

Posted: 18/09/02

'JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF THE MAJORITY'

Strengths:
Very comfortable and well fitted smock, which provides me with a half-way house for days when a shell maybe over-kill but a fleece maybe just not quite enough. Extremely breathable even under strong exertion and leaves very little moisture against the skin (I have only used it against the skin and never tried it with a baselayer). Looks pretty good, according to my partner, which I tend to agree (probably due to the fact that the fabric has a matt finish unlike the shiney alternatives available. Enough said?) I'm sorry but I am wrong to think of shell-suits with some of them.

Weaknesses:
The hood! Fits well when over the head, but when not in use and needs to be folded up the fleece element seperates from the pertex outer and ends up falling down the back of your neck. Not a problem unless you wish to zipper all the way up, which inturn makes quite a tight fit around your neck. This can be remedied by letting the fleece element hang over the back of the collar but makes it a little untidy.

Overall:
I will freely admit I was looking at buying a Mountain Equipment Ultrafleece for cold and blustery winter mornings walking my dogs along beeches etc. That was until someone suggested I look at this particular product and the flexibility it offered. I can honestly say that I do not know how I managed without one.

I'm sure there will be days which will test the warmth and protection against the elements but then I can always use a baselayer.

My only gripe, the hood.

Performance		80%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

93%

james Blair

Posted: 06/12/02

'A REALLY EXCELLENT JACKET..APART FROM THAT HOOD!'

Strengths:
Warm, comfortable and nice feel against skin(!). I use it mostly for MTBing, occasionally for mopuntain use. OK down to about 5 oC without base layer, below that I`ve used very light base. A good degree of waterproofness and stays warm when wet

Weaknesses:
The hood really is a big letdown, it is awkward to tidy away, falls out and causes strangulation when doing zipo right up. Come on Rab change the design there, 3/3 mention same fault!

Overall:
A very nice jacket to wear, warm, comfy, breathable, small pack size. generous slleves can be rolled right up to biceps to cool off if reuired, long front zip. Very good indeeed, I should wear mine even more but don`t want to wear it out.

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

93%

Bob Cartwright

Posted: 21/01/04

'VERY DISSAPOINTED IN ALL THE SMALL THINGS!'

Strengths:
The Pertex works well, the zip is good and it proves to be reasonably water resistant. Nice finish.

Weaknesses:
Terrible hood design as we all say. I've added a couple of studs to mine and it makes all the difference. (If I can do it ...) Very bad cut under the arm pits. Just continually grabs me an irritates, especially when I have a base layer on as well. It also isn't treated against body odour etc, so after one day, it starts to wiff a bit. No good for more than a day or so.

Overall:
I'm a tall slim build person wearing an XL version. I bought it for lightweight long distance mountain work and have used it 4 times. Each time I have reverted back to a simple base layer and shell, which is much more comfortable and flexible. Gutted I wasted my money is my main feeling, although the outer material works well, the cut and the inner material lets it down.

Performance		60%
Reliability		60%
Value		40%

Overall Rating

53%

john mcallister

Posted: 28/06/04

'LOVE IT!'

Strengths:
Light, windproof, Warm when its cold, cool when its warm

Weaknesses:
Although not very water resistant does dry very quickly.

Overall:
I have the older version of the Trail smock, without a hood so can't comment on the new materials or hood. But I love this top and it goes everywhere with me. I bought it from Nevisport in the sale half price at £40, it is porbably the best bit of kit i own. Only grumble is the fitting is pretty small apart from that i loveE it!!

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

ROBIN FARRINGTON

Posted: 19/04/05

'GOOD TOP FOR ACTIVITY BUT TIGHT AROUD THE NECK'

Strengths:
Great top... warm, windproof, can absorb sweat and keep you dryish in a shower. Whether climbing, cycling or walking, I take this everywhere.

Weaknesses:
Like my other Rab top (photon smock), almost uncomfortably tight around the neck (I don't have a big neck either). Rab Carrington why do you design them like this? It seems like a real school-boy error on a top supposedly designed by experts.

Overall:
I would highly recommend this top if your neck is 16" or less. Otherwise avoid.

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

87%

john green

Posted: 15/06/05

'I TAKE IT EVERYWHERE'

Strengths:
Great fit and very comfortable. Warm, showerproof and very wind resistant.

Weaknesses:
Hood-aaaargh its annoying so i hardly ever us it. The pockets could be a bit bigger and the collar can be a bit tight when its zipped right up.

Overall:
A brilliant lightweight smock providing excellent value for money. I never leave home without it !!
Good cuffs allow you to roll sleeves up if required and a decent length front zip provides another means of cooling. Pockets arent to bad but you cant fit an OS map in. My only problem is the hood.
Like i said its a great jacket and wouldnt hesitate to by another.

Performance		80%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

93%

MY REVIEW

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