Holly from United States, MA Public Profile

This jacket is extremely snuggly and immediatley feels very warm as soon as you put it on. I think this is due to the super thin fabric, which is so thin it practically feels like you're wearing the feathers, rather than a coat. However, that strength is also the coat's weakness, as I just knew I'd snag or tear that fabric fairly immediately. It's supposed to be quite tough, but I'm quite tough on my gear, and I just didn't believe it would hold up to long-term abuse. To be fair, if your plan is to wear this under a tougher shell, I think it would be perfect. I wanted to wear it as a standalone jacket. Also, you can see the feathers and seams through the blue color.

Fit: I found it to fit very nicely around chest and hips. I have an hourglass figure, and find that a lot of jackets fit tightly across these two areas.

Features: The hood has a wire brim so you can shape it to your liking, there are plenty of adjustment points on it. Cuffs are elastic, not adjustable, in case that concerns you. The zipper was thinner, not one of the big plastic ones, and might be tough with gloves on. Seemed work easily though. This thing packs down super small, into a tiny provided stuff sack.

I ended up returning this jacket and buying the Rab Neutrino Endurance, which is thicker fabric. A little less snuggly (but plenty warm), packs down a little larger, but seemed more practical in the long run.

This jacket is fine but not for me. It's not terribly warm, but would work as part of a layering system. The feminine cut would for a very slender woman, but is too tight across the bust and hips for anyone with real curves. (I am 5'5", 133, and bought a medium). The hood isn't adjustable. It's fairly well-made, but I think this is more of a cute coat for around town in autumn than a really outdoorsy piece.

This jacket was a bit heavier (weight wise) than some of the others I tried on. It had a thicker outer fabric that seemed very tough and the jacket on the whole was quite warm. It seems extremely well-made and like it would stand up to the elements, but it didn't work for me. One, the fit was too tight across the chest and baggy around the armpits (I am 5'5" and 133# with a larger chest and bought a medium). Two, the multiple fasteners, meant to keep out snow and rain, just seemed too fussy to me. The velcro snagged on the merino wool baselayer I was wearing underneath, and the snaps needed a lot of force to pull apart. I guess the point is... once you're in this jacket, you are IN this jacket. It would probably work best for someone who is out for prolonged periods and not moving around much. For active people who are constantly taking layers on and off, it wouldn't be very convenient.

I've never tried on a Rab jacket before, but I was VERY pleased with the fit of this. Every other down jacket I tried was too tight across the chest and really loose around the upper arms, leaving me with a straining zipper and lots of extra fabric around my armpits. Not flattering. This jacket seems to fit a female figure well, and looks good despite being puffier than some of the currently trendy slimmer cuts. I bought a medium (UK 12), and had room to move and room to layer, but didn't feel like I was swimming in it. I am 5'5" and 133lbs.

The hood is fully adjustable, there is a drawcord at the hem, the bottom of the jacket is longer to cover what needs covering, and there is velcro instead of elastic at the cuffs. Pretty much all my preferred features rolled into one garment.

I am still on the fence about keeping this thought because a) I bought the most obnoxious bright blue color (which I kind of love, but think I would only realistically use on the trails and never in the city, where I live), and b) if I'm going to drop this much cash, I might bump up to a higher fill so make it more useful for the dead of winter. This one is only 650. For the level of warmth this jacket seems to be giving me, I think I could throw on an extra fleece or a slimmer down piece and get the same effect with less bulk.

Exterior is nice and fairly rugged for a lightweight jacket (seems like it would hold up to backpack straps, etc. without snagging). I do believe the slightly heavier fabric might also keep the wearer warmer. It was a little heavier than other jackets, but still seemed packable.

The fit was quite strange for me. I tried a medium which was very tight across my chest, yet the shoulders and upper arms were extremely loose. I ended up with big gaps of fabric around my armpits. For reference - 5'5", 133 lbs. Narrow ribcage, but larger chest. It went back.