I remember wearing one of the original Rab Kinder smocks back in the early nineties when Trekit was just begining. It was a superb bit of kit and anyone associated with the outdoors just had to have one. Rab have resurected the clasic pullover style with the new Kinder Smock and brought it bang up to date with modern fabrics and technologically advanced down filling. This is the perfect jacket for winter walking and mountaineering, the short zip makes it extremely comfortable to wear as there is less bulk and stiffness around your waist and middle. Because it looks so damn good it is also the perfect piece for chilling after a hard bouldering session or for just casual wear.
Filled with 650FP Hydrophobic European Duck Down in a stitch through construction and protected by the ever reliable Pertex fabrics this down pullover will provide warmth and weather protection in all but the worst conditions. Rab uses Hydrophobic down in all their down jackets, basically each and every cluster of down is treated with special Nikwax products to make them perform better in damp conditions. Although Hydrophobic down is not waterproof it dries much faster, absorbs less water and retains loft far better than untreated down.
Featuring a large kangaroo front pocket with soft brushed lining to provide sanctuary for cold hands or to store some essential bits and bobs and a warm down filled collar to seal in the warmth. The Kinder Smock also works superbly as a warm midlayer in extreme conditions as it has no hood, so there's less bulk around your neck and makes using a shell hood much easier. A long YKK VISLON front zip allows easy ventilation and when its done up fully there's an insulated zip baffle and soft chin guard to keep you all warm and cosy. You also get a YKK VISLON side zip to make entry and exit easier and also to act as a vent if you don'ty want to expose your chest in cold conditions. The cuffs are part elasticated and have anti-snag Velcro closures to form a tight seal around your wrists and a single sided hem drawcord helps to seal out the drafts and keep in the warmth.
To celebrate and commerorate the heritage that lies behind this fantastic product Rab have finished the Kinder Smock off with one of their retro-labels, the same design was used on their original sleeping bags back in the day.
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Pertex Classic outer fabric
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Pertex Quantum lining
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650FP European Duck Down
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Rab Flurocarbon free Hydrophobic Down developed in conjuction with Nikwax
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Stitch through construction
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Down filled high collar
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YKK VISLON front zip with insulated baffle and chin guard
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Insulated front placket with metal logo snaps
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YKK VISLON side zip opening with insulated zip baffle
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Large kangaroo pocket with tricot lining
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Part-elasticated cuffs with anti-snag hook and loop adjustment
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Single sided hem drawcord
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Regular fit
How to wash your down products
Having spent years talking to people about down products, whether that’s a jacket, sleeping bag or even a pair of slippers, very few have had the confidence to go ahead and wash the product on their own, especially when they have just spent an arm and a leg on it. This small guide is here to explain that it’s not as daunting and utterly terrifying as it first appears.
Step one: Before you even get near that washing machine, wipe off any excess mud or dirt that may be lingering on the surface of the jacket, as this will clog up the washing machine, eventually rendering it useless.
We recommend the use of Nikwax Down Wash Direct for down products as it’s one hundred percent environmentally friendly and will wash and re-proof the garment without the use of bleach or any other nasty chemicals. What household washing agents can (and often do) is remove the water repellent coating on the fabric of the jacket, whilst also damaging the delicate array of feathers inside.
Step two: We’ll assume in this instance that you’ve been washing other products prior to your down jacket and have used a bleach based detergent. Therefore it’s a good idea to run the washing machine for half an hour or so without anything inside to rinse it clean before adding the Nikwax or putting the jacket in. Also, don’t forget to remove the detergent drawer to give it a wash inside, outside and behind, as detergent can clog up and still enter the washing machine if not cleaned out thoroughly. This ensures that any remnants of detergent are removed and that the Nikwax products will work effectively.
Step three: Set the washing machine to a cold wash (check the garments care label, most tend to be around 30°C) and as delicate as possible. Most washing machines have a “wool” cycle which is ideal.
Step four: If using Nikwax Down Wash Direct, place 100ml in either the tray or directly into the washing machine inside a small pot/ball. If you choose to use another washing product, place the appropriate amount in the machine in the same way.
Step five: Set the washing machine to run on a slow cycle, allowing plenty of time for the jacket to soak up the cleaning/re-proofing product. Most washing machines will have a pre-set time for different washing cycles.
When the cycle has finished be prepared for a shock, your precious bit of kit will come out looking like a soggy ball of material. But don’t worry, you haven’t ruined it, it’s just that all that fluffy down insulation has become water logged and has clumped together. The trick is to now get all that down nice and dry to reinstate its superb insulating properties. Simply hanging it up in a warm place will not work that well. It will take days to properly dry and you will have to constantly break up the clumps to get it thoroughly dry. The best way is to use a tumble dryer; either a domestic one for smaller items or a commercial drier for sleeping bags.
Step six: Pop the garment into the dryer and make sure to select a low heat; a high heat runs the risk of melting seams and fabrics within the garment. It sounds weird, but shove a few tennis balls into the drier with the garment; the tennis balls will bounce around and help to break up the clumps of down. Every 20 minutes, pull the jacket out of the dryer and lie the jacket down on a table. Run your hands over the jacket until you find a 'clump' or ball of down; tease apart this down clump and spread it evenly into the baffle. Once you're confident you've pulled apart every clump to the best of your ability, stick it back in for another 20 minutes. Keep repeating this until there are no more clumps left.
Step seven: When the cycle has finished and you are sure that you have got the garment as dry as possible, hang it up in a warm dry place, an airing cupboard is ideal, for 24 hours. This drives out the last of any dampness and allows the down to loft fully. Take it out and give it a good shake and, hey presto, it’ll be as good as new.