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What is the Microlight Jacket?
The Microlight Jacket is a Rab classic. Over the past decade, it's been tried and tested to become firmly established as the iconic lightweight down jacket for climbers, hikers and mountaineers.
It's a lightweight, down-filled jacket that suits almost any outdoor activity. It makes a great insulative layer to your layering system - whether an outer layer or a cosy midlayer for wet conditions.
What is it made of?
Insulation: Providing the warmth inside the Microlight is a fully recycled 700 fill power down with a Nikwax hydrophobic treatment. Only the highest quality down is collected, washed, sterilised and reused for Rab's jackets, providing exactly the same performance as new down but with far better environmental credentials. One of the main negatives to using down is that if it gets wet, it stops insulating you. Rab has combatted this by coating every cluster in a Nikwax finish, meaning it dries faster, absorbs less water and lofts better than an untreated alternative.
Fabrics: Surrounding all this luxurious down is a recycled 30D Pertex Quantum fabric. This fabric weighs very little and features a durable water repellent coating, providing additional weather resistance if you happen to get caught out (although please note that this does not make it waterproof). Inside, a similar recycled 20D nylon is used on the lining but in a lighter, softer variant which feels nicer next to the skin, should you be wearing a t-shirt underneath.
What are its features?
For storage options, you get two nicely sized handwarmer pockets and a chest pocket. Internally elasticated cuffs ensure maximum insulation around the wrists yet allow you to fit bulky gloves comfortably underneath by effectively sealing in warmth and keeping out the weather. Right down at the bottom, you get a drawcord on the hem that helps to seal out cold drafts whilst allowing you to accommodate layers underneath.
How does the Microlight fit?
As an insulating layer, it is designed to be a close, snug fit yet features enough room to layer up underneath on particularly chilly days. The rear of the jacket also has a slightly dropped hem to give you more length at the back.
Where does it fit in the layering system?
The Microlight works as a standalone jacket on those crisp, dry, freezing days, as a midlayer with a shell over the top in wet, windy conditions or as a cosy, casual jacket. Layering is not a precise science, and no perfect system will suit every person, situation or weather condition. Some of us feel the cold, and others get hot very quickly, so for more advice on using layers, please check out this video.
Features:
- Recycled inner and outer fabrics
- Recycled down insulation
- Hydrophobic Nikwax treatment
- Two hand pockets
- One chest pocket
- Adjustable hem drawcord
- Internally elasticated cuffs