The Rab women's Continuum Jacket
Rab’s new Alpine-inspired range includes waterproof jackets, insulated jackets, baselayers, midlayers and climbers’ jackets and trousers, along with a new sleeping bag.
The Ascent collection from the Derbyshire-based brand includes items which it says are ‘Alpine defined’.
It will appear in outdoor stores next spring. The company said: “For Rab, Alpine is what defines us. It is the driving force behind product development. With feedback and input from our extensive team of athletes it is what influences our design team.
“Every piece in the Rab Ascent collection is designed to unburden the user where appropriate, to reduce over-all product weight but never at the expense of performance, features or versatility so essential to the requirements of Alpine climbing.”
One of the baselayer names will be familiar to some in the outdoor world. The Dryflo 80 t-shirts and briefs continue a name used by Lowe Alpine. Since Rab’s parent company took over the Lowe Alpine brand, we can expect Rab to become the main clothing name while Lowe Alpine continues to develop its rucksacks.
Rab said: “Breathable, durable midlayers and hard shells need a strong foundation. When you are working hard load carrying, moving quickly over steep ground or pushing through the crux moves on a route, you need the layer next to your skin to work in harmony with the protective layers over the top.
“Rab’s baselayer collection features two alternative technologies to create the perfect foundation for any layering system.
“Natural and synthetic options are available: MeCo is an award winning merino-polyester blend fabric, which is ideal for multiday use in all conditions. Dryflo is a technical polyester fabric with outstanding wicking properties and fast drying times.
“The baselayer category uses technical fabrics unique to Rab. Both MeCo and Dryflo use 37.5 Technology that improves drying times and inhibits odour. Flat-lock stitching is standard on all baselayer for improved comfort under a pack or harness.”
Rab Dryflo 80 short sleeve tee
The Dryflo 80 range will feature short- and long-sleeved t-shirts and briefs with 80g/sq m Dryflo fabric with denier gradient construction for moisture movement, 37.5 Technology with patented, embedded carbon particles to boost drying time and Polygeine Stay Fresh odour control treatment.
Rab is adding a women’s Flashpoint Jacket to its range, extending the choice of women’s technical shell tops. It will come in super lightweight three-layer Pertex Shield+ fabric with minimal seams and micro-seam tape.
It has a helmet-compatible hood with a lightweight flexible polymer peak, YKK Vislon AquaGuard front zip with overlapping internal storm flaps, YKK AquaGuard zipped Napoleon chest pocket, Micro Velcro cuff adjustment and a half-hem drawcord. The Flashpoint is cut to slim fit and comes with its own stuffsack. It has an overall weight of 160g for a women’s size 12.
The women’s Continuum Jacket is new in Rab’s insulated range. The company said: “The insulation collection is built on years of experience and time spent in cold, inhospitable environments. Down is one of the best natural insulators for its weight and is incredibly compressible.
“Nikwax Hydrophobic technology improves the performance and durability of the high quality European down we use.”
The 240g (size 12) jacket is the lightest option in the women’s insulation range, offering a versatile, full zip jacket with mini stitch through baffle construction for the ultimate in low bulk, weight to warmth.
It has Pertex Quantum GL inner and outer, 850 fill-power European goose down featuring Rab fluorocarbon-free hydrophobic down developed in conjunction with Nikwax, YKK lightweight front zip, internal insulated baffle, chin guard, elasticated cuffs and half hem drawcord. It comes with a separate Pertex Quantum GL stuff sack and is slim-fit.
Rab describes its upcoming 2016 sleeping bag collection as its most advanced. It said: “Since Rab Carrington first learnt to sew sleeping bags in the 1970s while in Patagonia waiting for his gear to turn up, Rab sleeping bags have always been at the cutting edge of design.
“From multi-day backpacking trips to cold Alpine bivvies and high altitude expeditions, the unique combination of experience, technology and materials have you covered.”
All Rab goose down models will now feature Polygeine Stay Fresh odour control treatment on the lining fabrics. It said the odour-inhibiting treatment lasts the lifetime of the sleeping bag, and is ideal in situations where you need natural, long lasting odour protection.
“The addition of Polygeine Stay Fresh to the sleeping bag collection further establishes Rab’s reputation as leading innovators in sleeping bag design,” it added.
Rab women's Interval long-sleeve tee
The Infinity 300 is an ultralight sleeping bag made with the very lightest fabric and highest quality down. Designed for summer overnighters, mountain marathons and adventure races, it offers outstanding warmth for its minimal weight and packed size.
The 656g bag has Pertex Quantum GL fabric inside and out, Polygeine Stay Fresh odour-control treatment on the inner fabric and uses 850 fill-power European hydrophobic goose down, trapezoidal vertical baffle system using Insotect Flow technology, specially customised for Rab, to control the down.
It comes in a mummy taper shape and a proportionally assigned differential cut. It has a half-length YKK five-coil main zip, anti-snag zip webbing tape, synthetic insulation zip baffles, internal collar and hood drawcord and angled footbox. The sleeping bag is hand-filled in Derbyshire and comes with a stuff sack and cotton storage sack.
Rab’s technical layers range uses high efficiency synthetic fabrics to move moisture. They are designed for more moderate conditions where absolute speed of drying is desirable: if you are moving quickly in the mountains, packing light or travelling to warmer climates they can make-up an essential part of your layering system.
New to the Ascent tech-layers category is the men’s and women’s Interval Long Sleeve Tee.
Rab said: “Using the proven high-gauge performance Interval fabric, the Interval Long Sleeve Tee extends its application to a versatile model. It is light, quick drying and suitable for year round use, either next to the skin or over a baselayer.”
The Interval fabric has 35+ UPF protection, and applied Polygeine Stay Fresh odour control, making it ideal for prolonged use on extended climbing trips or as a stand-alone active layer in milder conditions.
It comes in lightweight 100 per cent polyester fabric with deep-venting YKK chest zip and flat-lock low bulk seams. Fit is regular and weight is 135g for a men’s L and 110g for women’s size 12.
For climbers, the new Rampage Jacket for men and women heads up the new Rock collection, offering a versatile layer for climbing. Pertex Microlight outer fabric has added stretch and is combined with a Drirelease moisture wicking and quick drying lining.
Rab said the Rampage Jacket is a comfortable and breathable layer perfect for when you’re faced with mixed conditions in the summer.
It has a water repellent, close-fit hood with high collar, YKK front zip, internal storm-flap, chin guard, two YKK zipped hand pockets, Spandex stretch cuffs with thumb loops, a hem drawcord and comes in a regular fit. Weight is 478g for men’s L and 403g for a women’s 12.
The new men’s Oblique and women’s Valkyrie pants are both a lightweight stretch cotton climbing pant, with a part-elasticated waist. Ideal for the indoor wall or the crag, they offer the ultimate in comfort, durability and freedom of movement.
They come in cotton-Spandex fabric with enzyme wash, have a part-elasticated waist with flat front and snap fastening, waist drawstring adjustment and YKK zip fly.
Fit is regular and weight is 385g for the size L men’s Oblique; 337g for the women’s Valkyrie 12.
The Escape travel range for 2016 includes the Maverick Short Sleeve Tee, Topo Tee and Freeway Pants, and the women’s Topo Tee, Exemption Short Sleeve Shirt and Copperhead Jeans.
New kit is expected in the shops in spring next year.
