Rab Men's Shadow Hoody

Product Information

Last week, the weather swung to bipolar extremes of whiteout and dazzling sunshine on the Haute Route, we were working hard, rarely stopping unless to put on or strip off ski skins, and the Shadow proved absolutely ideal for these conditions. I wore a warm Merino base layer under it, and put on a hard shell when approaching windy passes and summits or when the sky turned white and closed in. The thumb loops were useful too; keeping my hands warmish and leaving my fingers free when fitting or stripping ski skins. Fixed helmet compatible hood with foam interlined wired peak, with ultra-light 'exoskeleton' external draw cord hood adjustment system

The integrated sleeve cuffs and drawstring hem mean you can cinch down the hoody to help trap that bubble of warm air. The cuffs also feature a thumb loop and a generous overlap with the sleeve, meaning when you couple a pair of trekking gloves like the Zenon’s we were using, you get a great seal around the wrist making for a surprisingly warm setup. My only niggle is that the cuff fabric isn’t as warm as the Thermic Pro of the main hoody, which you’ll notice on windy sections without the gloves. The payoff is that the cuff is very stretch and therefor comfortable around the thumb, and when paired with gloves you’d not notice anyway.Lightweight fully featured soft-shell pull-on constructed from light, wind resistant Pertex® Equilibrium. Perfect for alpine climbing, trek, travel and fast and light activities. An extremely versatile stretch fleece that combines warmth, breathability and durability. Great for wearing alone or layering, the tapered cut fits comfortably under a harness and the hood sits snugly under a helmet. Unlike your standard fleece which will most likely sit as your midlayer in the mountains, the Shadow can either be used as an outer layer when the weather is on your side or as a midlayer if you need some added protection in harsh conditions.

The Alpine Pull-On is an interesting beast. Rab call it 'the world's lightest softshell'. Cynics might offer the alternative 'world's heaviest windshirt' but that is rather unfair because I doubt it is actually any heavier than my 8 year old Sprayway Pertex shirt, while giving considerably more protection because of its hood. We teach these practical skills in a friendly and open way, our hope being to enable you to make your adventures into the Great Outdoors memorable and enjoyable. We'll help you cultivate a positive attitude, a confidence in yourself, and a connection with the natural world through which you travel. The Polartec range of fabrics is now vast, and used by many outdoor gear manufacturers. As well as 'Classic' fleece, 'Sweater Knit', 'Windbloc' and 'Wind Pro', for example, there's also 'Power Shield Pro', a super soft shell fabric that has a hydrostatic head of 5,000mm (very waterproof) and body-hugging 'Power Stretch'. We promote the utmost respect for the environment, the ability to pass unnoticed through the woods brings with it a deeper understanding of the wilderness, and our part in it. It is this philosophy which forms the very core of our work. Superb wind resistance, water resistance, breathability and stretch are the key pluses of the Shadow Hoodie. Nowadays fleece and soft shell are massive umbrella terms, which cover all sorts of garments that you can wear in the varying levels of weather that come below gale force winds and drenching rain. You balance varying amounts of breathability and stretch in return for more or less waterproofing.Now the techybit! The Rab Shadow Hoodie utilisesPolartec Wind Pro® which provides wind-resistant and water-resistant protection as well asPolartec'sHardface® Technology which adds extra water resistance, increases abrasion resistance and creates a smooth face for easier layering applications. PolartecWind Pro® is 4 times more wind-resistant than standard fleece - so perfect for active pursuits in all condition. He describes himself as an "international politics think-tanker, perennial PhD student, hopeless but enthusiastic climber, part-time gear reviewer, often angry cyclist, idealist, cynic."

The Shadow Hoody uses Rab's Thermic Pro fabric throughout. Think of this fabric as a half way point between a fleece and a softshell; it'll offer far more protection and durability than fleece, however it's more breathable than your standard softshell and will allow a little wind to pass through to cool you down when working hard. Despite its incredible breathability, it offers water resistance, wind resistance and protection from general mountain abuse.The Shadow Hoodie is low bulk and cut to fit comfortably with a harness making it a great mid layer to wear when climbing. The low bulk hood fits easily under a helmet and the long sleeves and thumb loops provide great movement and protection when reaching for holds.