Why We Chose The Rab Phantom Pull On: Incredibly lightweight and packable
Not so long ago, it seemed Rab had become exclusively about climbing and mountaineering and nothing else. This changed last winter when all of a sudden they released a ski line. Now we have this, the Rab Phantom Pull On, part of a new collection called Skyline which is made specifically for trail running.
Who Is The Rab Phantom Pull On For?
We reckon this will appeal to two types of outdoor enthusiasts. First of all, it’ll suit mountain runners; any people who are after kit that could give them a competitive edge while still meeting the waterproof jacket criteria for a race.
“The ultimate stash and forget waterproof”
It’ll also suit just casual trail runners who want something that’s light and compact enough to stick in their running vest or even the pocket of their shorts just in case the weather suddenly turns on them. “The ultimate stash and forget waterproof”, Rab call it.
Materials
90g. That’s all this weighs. Ridiculously light. In fact, we can’t think of a waterproof jacket that’s lighter. The Berghaus Hyper 100 is probably as close as we can get and that weighs 10g more. And the good news is that despite the extremely thin, light and slightly stretchy fabric, it is actually waterproof.
A 2.5 layer Pertex Shield construction, it features a membrane that’s covered by a 7D shell fabric with micro ripstop and then a sprayed-on PU laminate on the inside. Although we don’t have the figures, we’d imagine the waterproofness and breathability will be almost identical to the new Montane Podium which has a hydrostatic head of 15,000mm and moisture vapour transmission rate of 15,000g/m2/24hrs. Not great numbers admittedly, but, like the Montane jacket, we’d still say this jacket does feel breathable.
Design
The comparisons with Montane’s Podium don’t stop there. Both jackets have an elasticated hood with a lightly wired peak, an elasticated hem and partially elasticated cuffs. They both also have a ¼ length zip backed up with an internal storm flap and come with a mini stuff sack. One main difference is that this one by Rab has the luxury of a small valuables pocket on the inside of the chest. That’s it for features – the focus is on minimising the weight you need to carry after all.
