AG from United States, MA Public Profile

The most important parts of my kit (baselayers, midlayers, fleece etc) seem to always be RAB items and so it was natural for me to want to round out the rest of my ski and backcountry gear with RAB items. I think RAB was clearly aware of people like me when they developed their Khroma line of backcountry and free ride ski gear. I used to think that the RAB Upslope soft shell pants were the best pant for this purpose but RAB have certainly made improvements with the Kroma Tour Pant. There are ski specific pockets and loops for braces, which I always use. They are both made from Matrix 2 layer fabric but the Khroma Tour Pants definitely feel more substantial and durable. I think RAB simply has been improving upon the Matrix fabric over the last 5 years. Another improvement is the enlarging of the reinforced cuff area, it's much bigger on this new pant. The Khroma Tour pant also has a more flattering athletic fit than the Upslope Pant. The cuff area is a bit more flared out with the calf and knee section being slimmer. The upper leg and quad area is a bit roomier like an athletic pant should be to allow for a full range of motion. One thing to note for long time Rabbers (yes I made this up) is that the waist is a little larger than the Upslope Pant. Both are marked as a 36 inch waist but the Khroma Tour pant is a little bit larger, perhaps to cater to us Americans and our derrieres. The waist is also adjustable so it's not much of a worry for me. To summarize: amazing looks, per

The spec sheet is incredibly similar to the original RAB Xenon X jacket, with the same Primaloft Gold insulation and Quantum outer fabric though this time it gets the Endurance coating, an upgrade in my opinion. It’s not a one for one comparison (see below) but this version is the ultimate jacket in my opinion - tough enough to be an outer layer but sleek and packable like a mid layer. * Differences from Xenon X * 1) Chest pocket is on the outside instead of the inside 2) Primaloft logo on the hip, no Pertex logo 3) No two-way zipper 4) Hem not quite as long as I remember the Xenon X being. Easier to layer as a result 5) Endurance treatment to the fabric means it is flat/matte and not shiny/trash bag. Matte = A plus for me but maybe not some folks. I’m 5 foot 10, 195 pounds and the large works great for me as midlayer and outer layer. XL worked ok as outerwear bivvy only.