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Sweater Weight Warmth: Light in weight and highly compressible these garments travel well, but when needed deploy easily yielding lofty down sweaters of surprising warmth. Versatile thermal components, these pieces’ shine as a middle layers in shoulder seasons, while proving essential on their own in cool backcountry conditions. Mid-Weight Warmth: Compact and portable these pieces p …

There are basically three types of synthetic insulation used in outdoor jackets: 1. Sheet Insulation – Fibres are woven into a ‘mat’ structure and this is used to fill the jacket, this is the ‘traditional’ way of doing this and provides excellent warmth to weight and is pretty durable. 2. Loose Fill Insulation – This is where synthetic fibres are ‘loose’, like dow …

I have to admit that this review is a tad late. In my defense, I was waiting for some appropriately cold weather to test the jacket; thankfully, November has arrived and brought some wintry conditions. Montane has brought two new down jackets to the market this season: the  Alpine 850 Lite Down Hoodie, and the jacket I have been testing the Alpine 850 Down Hoodie. The l …

Hiking in the winter can be a magical experience, with pristine, snow-covered landscapes and crisp, invigorating air. However, it also comes with unique challenges, including fluctuating temperatures and unpredictable weather conditions. Mastering the art of layering your clothing is essential to ensure you stay warm, comfortable, and safe during your winter hikes. In this comprehensive guid …

The popularity of fleeces seems to come and go. Sometimes they are everyone’s go to mid-layer and other times lightweight synthetic insulated jackets become the trend. Ultimately though, everyone has at least one fleece in their outdoor wardrobe because of their versatility. The Abisko Lite fleece uses Fjallraven’s own grid-backed fleece fabric. Being made from 100% recycled polye …

Picking a waterproof shell jacket can make your head spin. The lightest jackets will be ideal to keep pack weight at a minimum but how will they hold up when used under a backpacking rucksack with several days of food? This was the conundrum when deciding on a jacket to use for the TGO Challenge. It needed to offer dependable protection for a crossing of the mountains of Scotland in Ma …

A Waterproof jacket that will cope with most conditions will have a Hydrostatic Head of 20,000mm and an MVTR (breathability) of 20,000g/m2. In both cases higher is better. 2 and 2.5 layer jackets are less durable than 3 layer jackets but tend to be lighter in overall weight and more packable. 2 and 2.5 layer can sometimes feel a bit clammy next to the skin because of the lack …

#1 Take a Waterproof Cap: The hoods on shell jackets are generally pretty good, some have a decent peak but the lighter weight ones can be poor in this respect. None of them can beat wearing a waterproof cap under the hood though, the large peak keeps the rain off your face and it helps keep the hood from shifting when you turn your head. #2 Two bags are better than one: Check …

I love September; moving from summer to autumn is always my favourite time. The change in weather means it's the perfect time to get out hiking and to test out some of this year's new Autumn and Winter range. One of the first pieces I was keen to get my hands on was Rab’s latest incarnation of the Vapour Rise Alpine Light Jacket, which has always been a stand-out piece in Rab's ran …

The Vapour-Rise™ system excels across the mountain, offering you all-in-one temperature regulation, moisture management, and protection from the elements. Its ability to maintain comfort in a range of conditions allows you to put-on and press-on.

Heading into the Autumn season I was able to put the new Rab VR Ridgeline through its paces on Lakeland trail running adventure, testing out in the arena it was designed to excel in. What is Vapour-Rise™ Rab’s Vapour Rise (VR) range has been with us for some time now, designed as an ‘active insulation’ piece that can be worn through changing weather conditions. The original vision fr …

The new Vapour Rise Summit Jacket is an update on the classic series that has been a constant fixture in the multisport jacket category for years. The reason for this is the high level of versatility it offers not just in the activities that you can use it for but also the conditions that you can use it in. Making it one of the first things you will want to pop into your bag whatever …