Tried one of these on today and I can see how it would keep you as warm as toast in the vast outdoors and pack away to a tiny size. They are around £150 each though and I wondered if anyone knows of a similar product at a lower price point?
Rab Microlight Jacket
- Thread starter Lynx
- Start date
do you mean the micro baffle down jacket? if so then you're paying for the 'ultra light' type gear point. Is it really important to you how small it packs down and how little it weighs?
A decent synthetic insulting jacket would probably be as warm as that, but bulkier and heavier to carry. plenty of 'reasonably priced' synthetic jackets around
A decent synthetic insulting jacket would probably be as warm as that, but bulkier and heavier to carry. plenty of 'reasonably priced' synthetic jackets around
I wore an Outdoor Research Transcendent for a couple of seasons, much the same thing as the Rab but I paid around £90 for it, I see they're nearly twice that price now I sold it just a few months ago for £50 after landing a good deal on a PHD Ultra.
I've heard that Karrimor gear is on the up again, their eVent shells and insulated layers are getting some good reviews lately. F&T are selling their Ice jacket for £52 at the moment, might be worth a punt. The specs are very similar to the OR one I had but the Karrimor has a better down fill.
I've heard that Karrimor gear is on the up again, their eVent shells and insulated layers are getting some good reviews lately. F&T are selling their Ice jacket for £52 at the moment, might be worth a punt. The specs are very similar to the OR one I had but the Karrimor has a better down fill.
I've got the Rab Microlight and just have to say I love it. Packs down into its own chest pocket and have been using it as my everyday winter jacket, keeps me very toasty. 
Some great feedback guys; thanks. The reason I need it to pack down as small as possible is because my brother and I plan to do Wales coast to coast mountain bike ride in May and we wanted something warm to wear if the weather turned or just for the odd chilly evening and we wish to travel as light as possible. The Rab Microlight ticks all of the right boxes but we didn't really want to spend quite so much on it given that we will be buying other gear as well. I'll take a look at the other jackets mentioned.
Are you wanting a jacket you can wear in the rain? Down is not the best unless under a waterproof jacket. If you're camping then you'll struggle to dry a down jacket in a tent or bivvi. Primaloft should dry much faster than down
Right, I'm sorted. H&M have an identical jacket, also down filled but without the hood. The most amazing bit is that they sell them for £39.45 and right now they are half price! I bought the jacket for £19.72!!!!!!! Is that a result or what!
....By the way we do intend to take a separate lightweight waterproof jacket as well.
....By the way we do intend to take a separate lightweight waterproof jacket as well.
H&M?
At that price though I'm dubious as to how efficiient it would be in cold weather or what type of down it is/compactibility/loft etc.
That jacket isn't really a Winter jacket, Its just more of a fashion and will be very thin. I have a very similar one which was my first attempt at a down jacket and although it wasn't bad it certainly wouldn't keep me warm in Winter unless I had multiple good layers underneath which sort of defeated the point of wanting a lightweight compatible jacket as those extra layers took up space in pack.
Sorry for the delayed reply guys. Yes, that's the one. The difference between this and Rab appears to be the use of duck down rather than goose down. It'll do fine for what I need it for.
......by the way I'm looking to use this in May if it gets a bit chilly whilst mountain biking my way across Wales. For that purpose and in May it will suit my needs.
Warmth will depend on two factors ...
Fill Power
Fill Weight
Difficult to decide how warm it'll be as they fail to tell you either.
Fill Power
Fill Weight
Difficult to decide how warm it'll be as they fail to tell you either.
Why not look at a Snugpak Softie jacket? Lots on eBay all the time if you want to save money. Won't suffer as much as a down jacket if wet. I have a Montane primaloft jacket I got for £15 on eBay. I can wear that at freezing temps with just a T-shirt beneath and not feel cold.
Sent from my mobile.
Sent from my mobile.
Thanks, they both look good. Any idea how small a Softie Jacket packs down to? I want it to be as small a pack as possible hence looking originally at the Rab Microlight.