Rab Clothing

[Dan1982]

I am looking at buying a new lightweight general use jacket and have stumbled across the Rab Drillium Jacket. This seems pretty suitable for what i want, just never really heard of this brand before.

Sure afew of you will have done though, what are you opinions?

Cheers.

Dan

 

[scrogger]

Rab make excellent (but expensive) gear. I would think they are better known for their down clothing and sleeping bags. I have had a rab duvet jacket for about 10 years and its still going strong.

You wont go far wrong for sure.

Andy

 

[Shewie]

I used to have a down bag many moons ago but it got nicked along with the then girlfriends car. Never tried the clothes but I`ve looked at a few and they look like nice gear.

 

[bushcraftbob]

I've got my eye on the Drillium aswell, I have heard the eVENT fabric is the canines genitals!

 

[Nagual]

I've got my eye on the Drillium aswell, I have heard the eVENT fabric is the canines genitals!

As far as I know, eVent is a synthetic material and not natural..

 

[craeg]

I've got my eye on the Drillium aswell, I have heard the eVENT fabric is the canines genitals!

Apparently, those in the know have switched to the eVent based fabric, as it performs better than Goretex. I had a Rab down jacket for years until it was nicked in Norway of all places, and it was excellent, luxuriously warm kit.

Scrogger is right tho', well expensive but ya gets what ya pay for! I own a NF down jkt now and I don't think it is as good as my old Rab.

Can't go wrong with Rab as long as you can hack the price.

Craeg

 

[Jedadiah]

Dougsters brother used to work for Rab and the word in the hills is they are aiming more for the 'Street wear' market now. Rab have always had a good rep in the outdoors community and i've not heard anything bad about their products, but it looks like it's going down the Berghaus/TNF route. Not saying it's a bad thing, just what i've heard.

 

[Claudiasboris]

Good stuff Rab. Made for climbing so check the sizing (ie not too generous). Rab Carrington's a very serious mountaineer and his company is a reflection of this. Highly recommended (though I'm not connected to the company in any way).

Claudiasboris

 

[Dougster]

Some of the stuff is carp, but the jackets are great - they are made for British climbers though, so shoulders and paunch allowed for.

I have a powershield soft shell from Rab and it's absolutely brilliant. eVent is also my waterproof of choice.

I'd go for it.

 

[Dan1982]

Cheers guys! seems like i wont be dissapointed then! are you saying that they are of a slim fit? i am very slim so this could suit me to a tee!

Dan

 

[andybysea]

I used to have a rab down jacket i got rid of it a few years ago my problem was it was to short in the sleeve(sat above my wrists) fitted me fine everywhere else, im tall but not overly(6'-3in) so i dont know if thats a issue.

 

[bigbear]

Just inspect it very carefully before you buy- Rab has retired and sold the business on and manufacturing is now in China, not Sheffield as it was. There have been one or two stories of build quality not being 100%- but that should not put you off, Rab is solid well designed kit intended to take some hammer. I have several Rab items and all are excellent hard wearing kit- like the man said, you gets what you pays for.

 

[scrogger]

Good stuff Rab. Made for climbing so check the sizing (ie not too generous). Rab Carrington's a very serious mountaineer and his company is a reflection of this. Highly recommended (though I'm not connected to the company in any way).

Claudiasboris

I have had mine 10 years its shrunk though, or perhaps ive grown nooooooooo it cant be I blame the jacket!!

 

[Jiffy]

I'll second what bigbear said. Since Rab Carrington sold the company to Equip, most of the manufacturing has gone to China and there's been a number of comments on UKClimbing about problems with stuff. I haven't heard too many comments about their eVent jackets though and my Rab Latok Alpine seems fine.

 

[tenderfoot]

my rab gilet is older and an ace bit of kit. my jacket is more recent and it is noticable that the zipper is of poor quality compared with the gilets.I still like the jacket for its fit and value for money but may pay a seamstress if i can find one to upgrade the zipper to a more substantial one.

 

[william#]

my local outdoor shop (the legendry open spaces to anyone in sussex) told me recently that they have stopped stocking rab as they have had a company change and rab for one thing now are using down from china which is not great for two main reasons the first being china has a terrible record for animal welfare and the second that china down just doesnt match up to european down.

i had a rab jacket i had wanted one for years and finaly i had one - i was so disapointed within a few months it began to start pissing the down also the cuffs which were velcro tended to rub on the jacket as you walked and eventually started to wear through the material.

the zip was a nightmare always getting stuck which is annoying at best and at worse can lead to safety issues if its real cold .

all in all if i had not lost the receipt it would of gone back .
in the end i just binned it i couldnt even face keeping it for just real rough woodland use the zip was far too annoying for even that.

my thought is now that a hig quality down body warmer is best used
but i would never touch a rab again

 

[Jiffy]

The good news is that there is a company still producing high quality down equipment: http://www.phdesigns.co.uk

They don't make eVent waterproofs though.

 

[VirusKiller]

The good news is that there is a company still producing high quality down equipment: http://www.phdesigns.co.uk

And if you need another endorsement...

The best custom-made down gear in the UK comes from Peter Hutchinson Designs

 

[bigbear]

Yup. No doubt- Pete Hutchinson is the man, was the force behind Mountain Equipment for years, I have down gilet by PHD, it is the business.