Rab Belay Jacket

Just sent a new one back. Bought one of these 2 years ago and loved it. It was great on winter routes, hood fits over helmet with ease and only needed a quick pull on the elastic to tighten it and make it turn with your head. It has a high face cover which was brilliant if you didn't have a balaclava handy. The only problem with this jacket was the under-wrist needed reinforcing because myself and 2 others with the jacket have all put holes in it there. (It had velcro wrists by then) Bought a new one for my wife, on-line as I couldn't find one in the shops to try. I've just sent it back. The jacket is much heavier, yet it is supposed to spend most of it's time in the sack and only come out on belay. Much of this extra weight is in the hood and it is rediculous. The face cover is now a double flap that needs to be snap fastened. I needed to stand in front of the mirror to see how to fasten it and even then I can't get it snug around my face to give the same protection as the previous model. Don't think I'd manage this with gloves on a hill; the flaps would just end up slapping my face in the wind. The doubling of the flaps is redundancy and even then they don't come as high up your face for protection. This is the kind of compicated hood and face protection that used to be found in the 90's until designers went towards simplicity. If you are not wearing a helmet under this hood then it will look massive no matter how much adjusting you do. I hope Rab aren't starting to update models just to justify prices. This is definitely an occasion where designers have made a change without understanding how that affects the functioning of the jacket on the mountain. Now I'm looking for something lighter and less faffy.

(Written by: KevinManc)

To me the main plus of this jacket is the low (ish) weight relative to degree of insulation, coupled with the stuffability. Don't get me wrong I love this jacket, but, removable hood I hate & don't see the point. I also have an old Photon & if the best of the Belay & Photon were to be combined it would be the better of the parts. Build quality is ok - but I've had two draw strings go within 1m, the material is fraying at the cuffs where the velcro adusters fix to the coat rather than the velcro, it also feels like the wiring in the hood is close to piercing the material. But Rab continually improve their products & have repaired my coat. As for actually using it when you're belaying it certainly could do the job - instant warmth, unpacks in 10 seconds - the zips open from top & bottom so it would fit around a harness if you open the zip from the bottom. Great jacket - by far my favourite, despite the above, but lose the stupid detachable hood.

(Written by: dvb123)

I bought Rab Belay at the end of October 08. The hood is now detachable & sadly doesn't roll into collar any more. The sleeves now have velcro fasteners, & there is re-enforcement along the shoulders/arms & at the base of the back. The "water resistance" outperformed my "waterproof" Tog24 Milatex jacket! When you put this jacket on, it's like wrapping yourself in an electric blanket. Instant warmth. I now wish for rain so I can put my hood up! :) Perhaps too warm for hill-walking in anything but wintry conditions - but it does it's job well - pulling it out of your rucksack when you need some warmth.

(Written by: topper)