The Microlight Alpine Jacket by Rab
Devoted to performance, technology and the environment
A multifunctional, high performance, lightweight jacket that packs real small.
Inspired by decades of mountain exploring, Rab’s iconic Microlight collection is lightweight, packable and ideal for any outdoor pursuit, from alpine climbs and mountain hikes to lowland trails and everyday adventure. Tried, tested and loved by many.
This jacket has been fine-tuned since its inception making it a one of the most versatile jacket for mountain use. In the latest upgrade Rab has taken a huge turn towards sustainability by using recycled material without compromising performance. Rab is taking the necessary steps to reduce their impact and has already been certified as carbon neutral company in 2020 and is aiming to be net zero by 2030.
Why down insulation?
Down are the fluffy clusters that are found underneath the tougher outer feathers of ducks and geese. Down is made of very fine fibres that provide the lightest and most efficient means of trapping and holding air in position.
This trapped air provides an incredibly efficient thermal barrier. Its performance is unrivalled by any other natural or synthetic equivalent. Individual down clusters expand (or loft) to fill an area that is vast relative to their size. The down’s volume is then made almost entirely of trapped air, so any down filled gear remains incredibly lightweight and compressible.
What is Fill Power?
Fill power is a measure of the loft or “fluffiness” of a down product that is loosely related to the insulating value of the down. Fill power is the amount of space one ounce of down will occupy in cubic inches. The higher the fill power, the more air a certain weight of the down can trap, thus the more insulating ability the down will have and will retain its firmness longer.
Fill power ranges from 550 FP (average quality) to 850 FP (exceptional quality)
Fill power is not the indicator for the level of warmth but the quality of down. Level of warmth is determined by how much down has been filled in the jacket.
Rab now uses 100% recycled down for this jacket thereby reducing waste and making the most of this valuable insulation.
Fill weight
The jacket uses Recycled 700 fill-power down with Nikwax hydrophobic (water-resistant) finish. They fill about 153 grams of down in size “L”of the jacket.
Fill weight is the total amount of down used in a complete item. This is generally measured in grams. Fill weight along with baffle construction is one of the largest influences on the overall warmth of the jacket. Very generally speaking the more down inside the item, the warmer it will be.
Hydrophobic Down Treatment
All the down is processed with a Hydrophobic Down treatment. This is a PFC-free chemistry co-developed with Nikwax that is added to the down at the cleaning stage. Hydrophobic Down absorbs less water than untreated down when exposed for long periods of time. Down is innately water-repellent, but will lose its insulating properties when eventually saturated with water.
Hydrophobic Down helps to protect the down from saturation, preserving its lofting ability and insulation ability for longer. It will also speed up drying times, extending the range of conditions in which you can use your down filled product. Moisture that affects down performance can come either from the environment or from body moisture. Hydrophobic Down effectively combats the negative effects of both risks.
Jacket Construction:
As unfamiliar as it sounds, jacket construction is an essential part of the design. When you move into the realm of functional and durable clothing, then every aspect of clothing matters, as each part has a function which can be fine-tuned to perform better. This is exactly what Rab has done to the Microlight for over 10 years by implementing feedback from its users. The latest version features intelligent upgrades and subtle details such as the angle of the pocket which make life more convenient in limiting situations.
What fabrics are used to make this jacket?
The outer fabric is a downproof recycled 30D Ripstop Nylon (Pertex Quantum) with DWR coating. The DWR coating provides an extra layer of water resistance and drizzle typically beads off the jacket. Ripstop fabrics add a very important feature to the jacket i.e. in case you get a tear in the jacket then it will not spread and stay contained to the damaged area.
The inner fabric is a softer recycled 20D ripstop nylon without any coating which helps the jacket optimize better with the body temperature and wicks sweat more efficiently as well when active.
What is a baffle?
Down jackets are constructed using baffles. A baffle is a compartment creating by stitching together two fabrics. This compartment is then filled with down.
The jacket features micro-baffles in the front, back and sleeves which mitigate down migration and reduce cold spots while nano baffles on the sides for more flexibility without inflating bulk.
The sides and back of the jacket feature stitch-through baffles which increase the breathability but it has an additional inner lining in the front to enhance the wind proofing. This intelligent design helps keep your core warm without overheating the body when engaged in outdoor pursuits.
The Hood:
The hood of the jacket also has a very interesting design. It is not an over helmet hoody but does fit over smaller helmets in our experience. The baffles of the hoody are low bulk and zoned in such a way that it falls flat on the back where you don’t even notice it.
The wired peak helps keep rain off the face
The elastic infusion in the hood keeps it nice and snug around your head.
In addition it also has hem chords to make it even more snug and cosy.
Water resistance
The outer fabric is a tightly woven nylon which is a synthetic fabric and in itself provides water resistance coupled with the DWR coating it beads off mild rain.
The fill of the jacket is also treated with Nikwax hydrophobic down treatment which prevents the down from getting wet.
Added inner lining in the front (chest) & storm flaps behind the zipper provide another barrier from oncoming rain.
Finally, it dries up very quickly — The jacket is not waterproof but wicks moisture very effectively.
Jacket Length, Fit & Pockets:
This is a slim fit jacket so it remains close to the body in order to work efficiently with the body heat.
It has extra baffles in back to provide warmth to your lower back, thereby keeping your protected from all sides. It has hem chords at the bottom to make it warmer or cooler depending on your need.
It has 3 YKK zipped harness-compatible pockets, two on the sides and one at the chest. All pockets are spacious and can easily fit the large mobile phones.
Sleeve length:
Though the sleeve lengths are standard as per the size of the jacket but they do not overshoot the arm length or look long because of the baffled design. Elasticated cuffs ensure that the sleeve ends sit at your wrist.
Zippers:
The jacket uses durable YKK zippers. The front zip has an added storm flap at the back to minimize heat loss from the zips; the storm flaps are also water resistant so they keep water and wind at bay. Each zipper has nylon loops to help operate the jacket when wearing oversized gloves
The top of the zipper has a notch; this keeps the zipper away from your chin and beard. This helps as you don’t get unwanted chin nicks and beard pulls. Also the internal side of the top section of the zipper has been layered with supple fleece lining which feels nice and soft against the exposed face and neck.
It is the little things that make you miserable in frigid condition especially when you’re active. It takes the focus away from your pursuit and gets repurposed towards problem solving the garment.
The jacket packs small into the stuff sac (provided with the jacket) and does not take up much space in your pack thus can always be kept handy in changing conditions.
Rab’s exceptional attention to the detail ensures that you feel comfortable in tough conditions and lets you focus on your game. The Microlight truly checks all the boxes of a versatile, multifunctional jacket.
Our feedback:
The Microlight is very light for the warmth it delivers.
It works very efficiently with body temperature and gets warm very rapidly.
One of the smallest packed size of any down jacket.
Highly water resistant and can hold up against mildly wet conditions.
Jacket has a long life and comfy to wear.
Practical and stylish, both as an everyday jacket and as a mountain layer.
The finer details and the performance make this jacket a must have in your wardrobe.
Buy it here: Microlight Alpine
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