Mountain Climbing News : Rab Kailash Jacket Review

The Kailash jacket uses the latest incredible fabric from eVent, eVent Windproof. The jacket has very tough panels in all the key areas to resist abrasion. These panels are in the seat, shoulders, arms, wrist cuffs, and anywhere near the harness. The jacket features a light grid pattern fleece for a little extra warmth and better moisture management. A very soft fleece lined collar makes the jacket comfortable and a draw cord on the neck seals in the heat and protects when the weather turns nasty.

The eVent windproof fabric is very breathable mostly due to the fact that it is air permeable, something many other windproof fabrics do not feature. This jacket is not quite as stretchy as some of the scholler softshell fabrics, but stretches quite well for a laminated softshell. The eVent windproof fabric makes this jacket very weather resistant. I cannot imagine many conditions one would face in the mountains that would not be suitable for this jacket. The fit is fairly large so I sized down on this jacket. At 1 lb 10 oz this is not the lightest softshell available. However I believe that the weight is justified because this jacket is very weather resistant, and can be worn in most conditions without spending much time in the pack at all.

The pocket placement on this jacket is great! Hand pockets stay up and away from a harness while a single chest pocket holds important items. One interior pocket holds the essentials. This jacket is for anyone who wants a durable windproof softshell with great features.