The Rab Xenair Alpine Gentle Insulated Jacket is an artificial insulated jacket with a hood, chest pocket, and hand hotter pockets. It has body-mapped insulation: extra on the torso and fewer alongside the edges for higher thermo-regulation when energetic. I’ve been utilizing this jacket as an outer heat layer in very chilly uncovered circumstances. Whereas I’ve at all times used down jackets for this operate previously I moderately like this Xenair Alpine Gentle Insulated Jacket which compresses surprisingly properly and is extra amenable to be used underneath a shell if required.
Specs at a Look
- Gender: Males’s (girls’s obtainable)
- Exterior material: 20-denier Pertex Quantum Air nylon
- Hood: Designed for under-helmet use.
- Pockets: 3
- Windproof: Sure
- Weight: 11.9 oz (337g) in males’s xl
- Insulation Sort: Artificial
- Insulation: PrimaLoft Gold Lively+
- Packable: Chest Pocket
- Again size: 28.1 inches (hip size)
The Rab Xenair Alpine Gentle Insulated Jacket is a really heat artificial jacket that’s designed with breathability and energetic use in thoughts. It’s insulated with 60 g PrimaLoft Gold Lively+ insulation in entrance, again, high of sleeves, and collar for heat and luxury, whereas the edges, underarms, backbone, and high of the hood have 40 g insulation. This insulation along with its Pertex Quantum Air nylon exterior material enhances the jacket’s capability to vent water vapor in use, significantly in drier and colder circumstances while you’re much less more likely to overheat and perspire.
Properly-Becoming Hood
The factor that makes the Rab Xenair Alpine Gentle Insulated Jacket markedly completely different from different artificial insulated jackets is the hood. Most lighter-weight artificial and down jackets have non-adjustable hoods which might be usually designed to be used with climbing or snowboarding helmets and are grotesquely too massive to maintain your head heat until you’ve got an infinite Godzilla-sized head.
However Rab did one thing somewhat completely different with this jacket to maintain it lighter weight. As a substitute of instrumenting the hood with neck controls to make the face opening adjustable or placing a quantity adjuster on the rear, they “collect” the hood with a chunk of elastic on the rear which maintains human proportions, however can broaden to accommodate completely different head sizes. This makes the hood self-adjusting which makes it a lot less complicated and more practical when sporting gloves whereas making the jacket lighter weight and simpler to fabricate. If you happen to use a helmet, it’s possible you’ll not just like the hood as a result of it can retard your peripheral imaginative and prescient. However in case you’re a winter hiker and don’t use a helmet, this hood is simple to love.
Mid-Layer?
Rab positions this jacket as a mid-layer possibility, however I discover it method too heat for that goal when snowshoeing or mountain climbing up mountains, even in very chilly climate. I feel it’ll be positive layered underneath a shell for sitting on a chair raise and zipping again downhill, however for self-propelled adventures with actual elevation acquire, you’ll soak the liner very quickly. I do run a bit scorching on winter hikes, so your mileage will range, however I’ve by no means ever discovered a down or artificial jacket like this one that may substitute a fleece hoodie as a mid-layer.
Match and Trim
The match is “common” and never too slim, so you’ll be able to layer beneath the jacket. The elastic wrist cuffs are pretty cosy in order that they work properly underneath a shell, however they’re too tight to tug up your arms in case you’re attempting to control your heat stage by exposing pores and skin. There’s an elastic hem adjuster, so you’ll be able to stop wind from blowing up your torso.
Lastly, this jacket has three zippered pockets, together with two massive handwarmer pockets and a good-sized chest pocket contained in the jacket. Plus, you’ll be able to stuff the jacket into its chest pocket (there’s additionally a harness loop), though I by no means do this in winter as a result of I take advantage of the jacket to insulate the new water bottles inside my pack.
Advice
The Rab Xenair Alpine Gentle Insulated Jacket is a really heat artificial jacket that’s greatest used as an outer insulation layer, however has a compact sufficient profile that it could possibly be used underneath a shell jacket. It has a human-proportioned hood that matches underneath helmets, versus over, making it appropriate for winter mountain climbing for these of us who don’t want to listen to protecting helmets. Light-weight and fairly packable, this can be a critically good insulated jacket that feels good to put on and might present further insulation for objects in your pack that you just don’t wish to freeze.
Disclosure: The creator bought this garment.
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Final up to date: 2023-01-08 19:39:41
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