DriClime Windshirt w/ Hood

Check out the excellent RAB V-Trail Smock. It’s way better than the Dri Clime (I have both). The RAB has THE best hood ever and has excellent styling, it is trim so very efficient and pretty warm. The Pertex shell is very soft and comfortable and very hard wearing. Overall a better jacket than the Dri Clime.

Hope this helps
Jeroen

I looked at it on Backpacking light, but it looked like it’s insulated w/ primaloft. Am I mixing them up?

Hi John,

No it is not filled with Primaloft. It has a micro lining and is made of Pertex Equilibrium outer fabric. You can see the V trail Top which is the version without the hood on the Prolite Gear site at:http://www.prolitegear.com/pl_rab_vtrailtop.html.

I absolutely love the Rab V-Trail smocks. I have a hooded and an unhooded version. The unhooded version has a trimmer fit. The hooded version has a deeper zipper, and generally, is more versatile.

Relative to the DriClime, the Rabs are both more breathable and more comfortable next to skin, owing to a softer, not-so-plasticky-feeling microfiber pile lining.

They are very well constructed and tailored garments as well.

Found the smock you all were refering to, looks good. Now, any ideas on where to find one in US? Or as a second choice, a recomendation of a good UK website? Thanks!

Also, my web searching turned up the Mountain Hardware Tempest SL. The idea of a laminate etc. doesn’t seem that appealing, but wondering if anyone has experience w/ it. Also, it’s 14 oz.

A separate question: What are the virtues of a RAB or shelled driclime type shirt as opposed to just a pertex windshell w/ some capilene or something under it? To me it seems like it should be close to the same, but I really like my shelled driclime jacket…

Thanks again!

Hi John,

Perhaps Ryan can fill us all in on that one. The only on-line dealer in the US that I have found is Prolite Gear at http://www.prolitegear.com. They only have a limited selection of Rab equipment. Maybe you can call Craig or Becky (always very helpful people) at Prolite and they can get you the hooded smock or new jacket.

I did some checking on the Rab site http://www.rab.uk.com and they have updated the VR trail line to include an updated VR Trail Top, an updated VR Trail Smock and now to also include a full length zipper VR Trail Jacket.

The Pertex Equilibrium fabric is much tougher than Pertex Quantum. BPL had a a review article about Equilibrium that you can find at: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00287.html

Minor correction on the URL for RAB

http://www.rab.uk.com

Incidentally, my dear wife sewed an uncoated nylon hood onto my Marmot Driclime windshirt for use in the Sierras. Worked great and filled in what Marmot left off. Their old windjacket had a hood but it was Driclime without the windproofing overlayer.

wandering bob