Rab

Ascendor Summit Hooded Jacket - Men's

Superb piece of gear

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

M

Height:

5' 9"

Weight:

162

I'm a bit of a gear nut and I have many fleeces and midlayers. The Rab Ascendor Summit Hoody is one of my favorite pieces of gear. It has many thoughtful design features. The Pertex Quantum on the chest and sleeves blocks wind nicely, but the deep half-zip also allows you to really open the front to dump heat when needed. I also really like that the Pertex gives the arms and shoulders resistance to tears or snags from branches, and also prevents wear or pilling from backpack shoulder straps. The Pertex extends up the hood to just above the ears, which makes the hood great for blocking wind while still allowing heat from the top of your head to escape easily. The rest of the garment is stretchy thermic-G fleece. It's rather lightweight, substantially less heavy than a Patagonia R1 for example. I use this mainly for high-output activities in winter (snowshoeing, XC skiing). Recently wore this (over just a HH Lifa Merino base layer, which is also a fabulous piece) for snowshoeing in CO in the upper 20's (F). Once moving pretty good, this kept me comfortable and really regulated my heat (I run reasonably warm so those that run cold might need another layer). For less intense activities (e.g., an easy hike), this would be good as an outer layer with temps in the 40s. It can also be worn as a midlayer under a shell. The hood is snug fitting when fully zipped up, and I found that by unzipping a little, I could adjust the looseness of the hood and find just the right amount of warmth for different points in the ascent/descent. The hood will also easily work well under a helmet. I now have this in multiple colors and recommend it very highly (the Marmalade color is awesome, BTW). I got a Medium and it fits perfectly. It's designed to be a trim fit, so if you like things loose you might want to size up. But I think it really works best as a trim fit over a baselayer. Got mine for 50% off or more on sales from Backcountry. Not sure I would be keen on paying full price, but you can get this for 50% off as I type. Kudos to Rab for an excellent design!

Excellent Rab product

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

M

Height:

5' 6"

Weight:

175

I've always been a fan of another well-known, popular, and very pricey brand. Decided to give this a try on a recommendation from several AlpineAscents guides. It performed flawlessly in the Cascades, Pico de Orizaba, Cayambe, Chimborazo, the Alps, and Mt. Blanc. Just loaded up two other colors as I prepare for Everest. Fit is perfect and the warmth is unparalleled for the light weight and how thin this is.

Rab never disappoints!

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Size Bought:

Large

Height:

6' 2"

Weight:

210

I bought this last month, took it to Pico de Orizaba in Mexico, and I am really happy I did. Nice fit, great materials and assembly. Used it as part of my layering, over a warm base layer and under my Soft shell windbreaker. While going up it kept me warm and comfortable, with my backpack covering my back, the reinforced chest and upper arms was great for warmth; coming down, now later in the day I was able to take off the shell and descend with my Rab hoodie only. Comfortable, warm, and practical.

Men's Ascendor Summit Hoody

Bought this top for the forthcoming winter season (fingers crossed) but used extensively on this summer's alpine season, a base layer under and an alpine light or cirrus flex on the cooler tops. BUT, have also started using this on mountain bike trips. Again a base layer under most of the time but the thumb loops great under gloves, decent wind resistance for the downhills and hood for the breather stops.

Nice fabric technology but short on the arms

Can't fault the fabrics used in this composite piece, however it comes up very short in the sleeve length. On top of a L/S base layer exposed 2-3 inches at my wrists (which would only ask for hotaches) when not using the thumb loops. Other Rab technical fleeces I own don't have this problem so not sure why this garment has an issue with arm length. Tried the thumb loops for a bit but just felt like it was over-stretching the arms at the elbows.

Good product good fit looks

Good product good fit looks well after working out happy.

Already love this hoody. Basically

Already love this hoody. Basically not taken off for a long weekend of scrambling, cragging and hiking in North Wales recently. Lightweight and breathable enough to not overheat but the Pertex upper panels kept away a stiff north wind. The stripped back, simple design sits really nicely under a harness making it really comfortable to climb and move in. It's a slim fit so I took a Medium (37" chest)

Excellent. It looks and feels

Excellent. It looks and feels good not been in cold weather yet but happy with the size and feel.