If it’s a hyper-technical, feature-filled goose down outerlayer with all the bells and whistles that you seek, the Rab Microlight Jacket (MSRP: $180) isn’t it. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for an 11-ounce, 750-fill, water-resistant insulation layer that stuffs into its own chest pocket, this one could be the ticket.
The lack of zip closures on two of the three pockets (hand warmer pockets are always open) make this British-built but Boulder-based company’s lightweight puffy impractical as an outergarment in a mountaineering environment. Items will fall out of the pockets with little encouragement.
But the minimalist styling that led to the streamlined design — lacking features like underarm ventilation or internal stash pockets — has set a standard for warmth-to-weight ratio that works well under a shell. Nearly half of the jacket’s weight comes from the down fill stabilized by mini stitch-through baffles that diminish the puff factor. The Microlight Alpine version includes a nonadjustable hood for about $20 more.
Get it: at www.rab.uk.com
