Rab Men's Stretch Neo Jacket

Rab Men's Stretch Neo Jacket 4.5 5 2 2

Rab Stretch Neo I bought this jacket at the Covent Garden store just after Christmas. I spent a week walking in the rain & sun shine on the Kent Boarders, no problems with rain in pockets etc. So light that I had problems getting use to not having the baulk which I had been used to. After a 12km walk on returning home my inner layers were not wet from perspiration. I have just returned (I live in Spain) from a 8.5km 400 meter hike in the mountains of the Costa Blanca. In the shadows it was -5c in the sun it was 35c. (before 9 & after 10) I was with a group from the Costa Blanca Mountain Walkers. I was the only one not to be constantly removing clothing & then redressing 15 minuets later. In fact I never undone the front zipper until returning home. There was no rain but the extremes of temperature was amazing. Even now after returning the only piece of kit I have removed are my boots & my Stretch Neo Jacket. I am so pleased I went for this jacket after being recommended to it by Rab. 12 January 2013

Performed well in a wide variety of conditions Rab kindly lent us this jacket to use as test kit, and it proved an excellent opportunity for me to save weight and complications by taking a waterproof softshell all-in-one. Having already tested its water resistance in the UK, I would now test breathability and all-round performance in the Alps. In this it surpassed my expectations: I run quite hot, yet was rarely forced to remove the jacket. In gale force winds and driving snow it kept me from losing too much heat and felt as bombproof as any hardshell I've used. The helmet compatible hood stayed up even when incompletely adjusted, it didn't ride up over my harness when climbing, and the fit and cut, while a bit big for me (I'm very skinny), did not impede me significantly. Indeed, it's hard to find any faults with the jacket: it's a little heavier than most light alpine shells, and the fabric is not as flexible as most softshells, yet it does the job of both jackets in one package at a reasonable price, and would almost certainly cope with anything from the Alps to Scottish winter climbing and general hillwalking. To be honest, I really didn't want to give it back! 06 July 2012

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The Rab Men’s Stretch Neo Jacket is a waterproof, highly breathable and designed for mountain use. Rab has created a clean and simple design packed with essential and innovative features inspired by countless mountain expeditions. The Stretch Neo is made using Neoshell® fabric, the new technology from softshell supremos Polartec. Neoshell Fabric has the comfort and flexibility of a softshell but the performance of a hardshell giving you a fantastic range of motion without compromising on protection.