Primaloft Cross Core: With Aerogel – Rab jacket

Last year, I tried to learn a little about this.  The only available jacket was the Eddie Bauer Packaway Jacket.  R-value: .7, Insulation Weight-60 gsm, Cost: $189.  Compare with Pat Nano Puff.  R-value: .9, Insulation Weight-60 gsm, Cost: $199.   So far, I am not seeing the breakthrough here.  Time will tell.

Call me skeptical.Aerogel is amazing in the lab and in spacecraft but I have yet to find any manufacturer to stick with it because the the high cost of manufacture compared to the small, marginal improvement in the field.  The two products I tried (sleep pad and foot beds) enhanced by aerogel did have notable performed compared to the standard products.

I’ve used Aerogel insoles in my winter boots and they seemed to work well.  I don’t think I’ll be pulling the trigger on the Rab Generator Alpine anytime soon.