What's It For?
The Vapour-rise Trail is Rab's hill and mountain-walking Vapour-rise top. It's cut relatively long with a handy double-ended zip and has a handy hood for stops. Like all Vapour-rise, it's about a balance of protection, wicking performance and breathability.
The idea is that you should be able to wear it in most conditions short of proper rain when you'll need a lightweight waterproof, and get microfleece type insulation but with much better wind resistance.
The Techy Bits
The key to Vapour-rise is the outer Pertex Equilibrium shell fabric. Unlike traditional Pertex fabrics, Equilibrium is highly wind resistant rather than 100 per-cent windproof. The pay off is better breathability and, because of its denier gradient construction, it performs a bit like a baselayer when it comes to shifting moisture outwards.
The Equilibrium provides wind and a bit of rain protection, then a soft micro-velour lining adds both wicking performance and some thermal insulation, a bit like adding an additonal, thickish baselayer.
How It Performed
We're big fans of Rab's Vapour-rise system. Most similar garments use a closely woven, windproof outer fabric, and while it gives great wind protection, the level of breathability is often significantly lower than you'd expect.
The Equilibrium fabric feels really breathable by comparison and makes Vapour-rise significantly more breathable, something you really notice - along with excellent wicking performance - when you're working hard.
Yes, you do lose some wind resistance, but it has to be blowing really hard for that to be noticeable and it's generally only when things get wet that you need an additional hardshell for rain protection. And then the excellent breathability and wicking performance still goes on working.
In really gnarly conditions, it's possible to layer two Vapour-rise garments to create an effectively windproof system but still with good breathability.
The jacket's designed with hill and mountain walking in mind. It's slightly tight across the shoulders and we ended up going up a size from our usual medium, so it's worth trying before buying if you're on the broad side of average build. It's nice and long so you get some handy crotch protection and there are two massive handwarmer pockets which you can stuff full of OS maps, chocolate or simply your hands.
The downside of these is that they sit quite low, so may well be fouled by a pack belt. There's also an external, zipped chest pocket that's just right for a phone or wallet. The double ended zip was handy, the sleeves are loose enough to roll up for added venting and cuff Velcro fasteners make for quick, easy wrist adjustment.
The lined hood's a slightly complicated affair in that it's held in place by both a zip and Velcro tags, but we mostly left it attached anyway. Simple adjustments allow you to use it as a handy hat substitute for stops and just walking along, and while it doesn't compare with a full-on mountain hood for protection, the wired peak does give you a little extra drip room.
Verdict
The Vapour-rise Trail Jacket gives a superb balance between protection, breathability and wicking. Put it on at the start of a day in the hills and chances are that it won't be coming off until the end. Really high, cold winds just about penetrate the Equilibrium outer fabric, but it doesn't happen often and you can always throw on the lightweight waterproof shell you'll be carrying in case of heavy rain.
The lining is comfortable, wicks well and gives just about enough extra insulation to remain feasible for hard use in colder conditions. And while the cut and design aren't radical, everything does the job it's intended to do. We did have issues with the pockets and hip-belts, but taller users may not have the same problem.
Buy if... you run warm and want an optimal balance of protection, breathability and wicking for all-round hill and mountain walking use.
