Reintroduce yourself to the iconic Microlight Alpine Jacket from Rab. This classic lightweight adventure jacket that we all know and love now has a new sustainable construction. That’s right! Every component (excluding the zips) is now made from recycled materials, which when combined with improved down distribution and refined styling makes this multi-purpose down jacket unbeatable.
Let’s Start with a History Lesson
Travel back with us to a time before the Microlight was born. Hard to think of it right? Over a decade ago, alpinists were wearing mid-weight, mid-fill down jackets and their determination to go faster and lighter meant that alpine gear needed a re-think. So Rab set to work. Their original brief was to create a very lightweight alpine jacket that could pack into its own pocket, and be clipped onto a climber’s harness. Rab’s development team was also interested when producing their lightweight jacket to understand how cold it could get before you started to feel the chill, and how warm it could be before you would start to overheat. Getting the balance between lightness and performance was crucial to the jacket becoming a success.
The Microlight Alpine was one of the first lightweight nano baffle jackets to be manufactured and it helped to revolutionise alpine adventure as we know it. In the 10 years that followed components have become lighter, new manufacturing techniques have been introduced, and design construction has moved on. Every few years Rab has updated this go-to jacket to keep it relevant. The latest upgrade has given the Microlight collection outstanding sustainable credentials.
Sustainable Performance
When redesigning the Microlight Alpine for 2020, Rab used its years of experience and love for the mountains to inspire the updated collection. Almost everything on this established classic is now made from recycled materials including the shell, insulation and lining. Rab has also brought intelligent insulation upgrades to the design table, using a combination of zoned micro and nano baffles to maximise core warmth without adding weight or bulk. The heart of the jacket is 700 fill power, GRS-Certified P.U.R.E recycled hydrophobic down. This sustainable fabric means that Rab does not use new raw materials within the jacket’s construction which helps to reduce their environmental impact and supports the removal of unnecessary waste from landfill. Now you can wear a jacket that looks great, performs well and is kind to our planet.
Unrivalled Versatility
The updated Microlight Alpine Jacket has a similar construction to the previous version with stitched through micro baffles where the lining is stitched to the outer fabric to create chambers for the down insulation. Inside the jacket, there is 750 fill power goose down with a Nikwax hydrophobic treatment to retain the products excellent performance. For fans of the previous Microlight, we are happy to report that Rab has retained the handwarmer pockets, secure chest pocket and adjustable hood with peak. The baffle angles on the hood have been re-engineered so it will sit flat and out of your way when not being worn. We think the best thing about the Microlight Alpine is that it is a multi-purpose jacket offering unrivalled versatility. It has been engineered for lightweight alpine adventures, but for many people, it has become their go-to favourite piece for everyday adventures closer to home. Lightweight, highly packable and now fully sustainable; the Microlight Alpine is perhaps the ultimate adventure jacket.
We hope you are interested and applaud Rab’s commitment to sustainability. If you are interested in viewing this jacket have a look at our store. The more support we all show towards products that are made sustainable more we will see.
