The Rab Vapor-Rise series of clothing, with a microfleece wicking liner and Pertex Equilibrium shell fabric have been solid-performing winter layers for several years. For spring 2009, they are introducing a new piece called the Vapor-Rise Lite Jacket constructed of a lighter version of the denier-gradient Equilibrium shell and a Powerdry liner. The hoodless jacket features a full zip for ventilation, long sleeves with thumb loops, two chest pockets, and a drop tail. While likely too heavy and warm for summer use, this looks like a fine piece for ski and snowshoe tours. MSRP $125. Weight: 14 ounces.
First shown at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2008, the five down jackets in the Rab Microlight range are made with Pertex Microlight fabric. The warmest of the group is the Microlight Alpine Jacket, which has 140 grams of European 700+ goose down, weighs thirteen ounces, and costs $200. The down is stabilized by horizontal sewn through stitching. The jacket has an attached hood and two side pockets. The Microlight (11 ounces) contains 125 grams of down and costs $180. There is also a Microlight Vest (8 ounces) with 80 grams of down for $175. The Microlights will be available in fall 2008.
ARTICLE OUTLINE
- Rab
- Patagonia
- Backpacking Light
- Etowah Gear
- Western Mountaineering
- Outdoor Research
- Lorpen
- Schoeller Textiles
- Klymit
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Companion forum thread to:
Appealing Apparel (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008)
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The Rab Vapor-Rise Lite Sounds perfect… except it doesn't doesn't has a hood :-( Are the arms extra wide? One of the nice things about the standard Vapor-Rise is that you can push the arms up over the elbows to added cooling without a trouble.
Any sense how down proof the shell on the new Flash Jacket is? I know that ultralight fabrics aren't 100% downproof. I am used to pulling feathers back into my gear. The early version of the Flash Vest was far more prone to losing feather than anything I have ever used.
–Mark
Nothing about Patagonia Wool 1?
Hi Guys-
@David> WM didn't have an XL for me to weigh, but I'd estimate the weight for that size to be in the 11 ounce range.
@Mark> Yah, The new Vapor-Rise Lite would be near-perfect with a hood… I haven't used an original VR smock for several years, so sorry, but memory fades and I can't really compare the arm designs. The VRL arms were quite long with thumb loops, though. :)
WM uses a 20d microfiber for the Flash Jacket. I didn't see any down poking through the sample, but it is a pretty light (though very nice) shell.
@Tom> I did meet with Patagonia. They didn't convey any new information on their Wool 1 line. Try a forum search, IIRC somebody is discussing it here on BPL.
Cheers,
-Mike
Mike,
I know Wool 1 is being mentioned in another thread but besides of the fact that it is a merino/polyester blend, veri little info is available. I had hoped to get some details about the precise composition and weight of the stuff.
Does Etowah also have plans for a hooded version?
Any idea how the ColdBlack is supposed to work?
I always thought that the reason black clothing got hot was not because it absorbed non-visible light but because it absorbed visible light, which is the dominant energy component of sunlight. If it's still black, I would have thought it would still be picking up all the visible photons…
> Any idea how the ColdBlack is supposed to work?
I think you have to have a degree in marketing spin to explain this one properly…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_radiation
About half of incoming solar energy is outside the visible spectrum.
Is it true that some Bedouin desert tribes people wear black wool in the hot sun, and if so, why do they do it?
Robert,
A black Bedouin robe will absorb 2-1/2 times more solar radiation than a white robe. The surface of the black robe will be approximately 6 degrees C (11 degrees F.) hotter than the surface of the white robe. By contrast, the amount of heat gained by a Bedouin’s body is the SAME whether he wears a black or a white robe. The additional heat absorbed by the black robe is lost by convection before it reaches the skin.
Black clothing absorbs the most heat, but if it is a loose-fitting robe and there is sufficient convection from the wind and/or the billowing action from the robe’s shape and/or natural convection from the robe’s looseness then the additional heat absorbed from the sunlight will be dissipated without a rise in body temperature.
An UL backpacker’s body clothed in his black Merino wool closely fitting base layer will be warmer than another UL backpacker with clothed in his white Merino wool closely fitting base layer.
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