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May means one thing here in the Ultralight office, The Great Outdoors Challenge, or the TGO for short. We are incredibly proud to be a sponsor of this communal coast-to-coast crossing of Scotland. Three of our team, Danny, Chris and myself, are participating in this year’s TGO, so I thought I’d give you an insight into what’s in my pack and some of the gear I’ll be taking for this year’s chal …

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Being serious about your mountaineering adventure means carrying a back-up shell that’s exceptionally packable and lightweight, very breathable, and protects you with the GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY promise. Proven to be abrasion resistant and very durable, with GORE‑TEX PACLITE® PLUS garments you are ready for unexpected adventures.

Rab's Neutrino hand-filled sleeping bags are always a safe bet for quality and performance. There are 10 products, each filled with 800 fill power goose down. The fill weight, however, increases in 100g increments from 200g to 900g. Eight bags are unisex, the 400 and 600 are available in women- specific versions too, and the 300, 500, 700 and 900 are 'pro' versions with a more weather-resistant Pe …

Honouring our reputation as the masters of insulation, the new Mythic range have reached the next level. Achieving exceptional levels of warmth to weight and incorporating our cutting edge TILT technology for the first time, this collection features the lightest and warmest jackets we've ever made. Built for tackling high altitude ascents in sub zero temperatures. — What is TILT Technolo …

The  Rab Torque Mountain Pants (TMP) are a lighter weight version of the Torque Pants (TP) but there’s not much in it – for a medium size the TMPs are 30grams lighter so you perhaps wouldn’t choose the TMP over the TP because of the weight saving. The main fabric for both pants is the same but the reinforcement panels on the TPs are burlier than on the TMPs. The other main …

The Vapour Rise series of RAB garments are designed to provide comfortable insulation and protection from the wind without causing you to overheat if you start climbing up something, or the sun comes out. To achieve this Nirvana a garment needs to transfer moisture away from the skin or base layer so you remain dry and comfortable. I tested the Vapour Rise Summit Jacket on a recent h …

I was lucky enough to be spending 2 whole weeks in Scotland hiking, two weeks, in Scotland, in May, you know you are going to rely heavily on your waterproofs, and the unpredictable nature of the Scottish weather meant that I could definitely predict rain. So, I was after something robust, light, and capable of shielding me from some truly awful weather. So, when Rab’s newly updated  …

The  Xenair from Rab is a synthetic jacket comprising Primaloft Gold Active+ insulation, in a low profile that can be used as a mid-layer for winter, or as a stand-alone jacket for use in autumn and spring. At 337 grams in a medium size, it’s a fairly lightweight jacket, and certainly feels so when worn. A relaxed, comfortable fit, with a nice amount of length in the arms, …

What affects the warmth?Down Quality Generally the more down in a jacket (fill weight), the warmer it is going to be but this assumes the down is the same quality. However, down quality can vary significantly and is measured by its fill power. A higher fill power down will keep you warmer than a lower fill power. To make matters worse there are two widely recognised methods of measuring Fill Power …

Described as Rab's "most technical protective gaiter", the Muztag is made from 40-denier Gore-Tex Pro for maximum waterproofing. It also features super-tough 300-denier nylon ankle reinforcements, an elasticated ankle, zipless hook-and-loop front closure, rubberized underfoot strap, and single-handed drawcord upper hem adjustment. Or, in other words, it's an all-singing, all-dancing, protective ga …

The Alpine Light is a super lightweight soft shell (just 312g in a men's medium) which has good airflow and breathability to keep you cool, dry and comfortable across a broad temperature range, but also staves off windchill effectively with its wind and water-resistant Pertex outer combined with a fast-wicking liner. The fit is relatively roomy, and there are two mesh-lined chest pockets, but no h …

If you're looking for all-weather warmth without too much bulk, this technically advanced belay parka is where it's at. The space-age synthetic PrimaLoft Gold with Crosscore fill delivers near-instant cosiness, and the oversized fit means you can chuck it on over all your other layers for excellent all-round protection and coverage.VERDICT A protective but impressively packable belay parka that is …