The DWR that Rab use is incredible (I’d love to know what they use!). It’s the same on my Borealis and VR Alpine Light. It sheds water very well. I just use Nikwax. Last week, the weather swung to bipolar extremes of whiteout and dazzling sunshine on the Haute Route, we were working hard, rarely stopping unless to put on or strip off ski skins, and the Shadow proved absolutely ideal for these conditions. I wore a warm Merino base layer under it, and put on a hard shell when approaching windy passes and summits or when the sky turned white and closed in. The thumb loops were useful too; keeping my hands warmish and leaving my fingers free when fitting or stripping ski skins. He describes himself as an "international politics think-tanker, perennial PhD student, hopeless but enthusiastic climber, part-time gear reviewer, often angry cyclist, idealist, cynic."

Now the techybit! The Rab Shadow Hoodie utilisesPolartec Wind Pro® which provides wind-resistant and water-resistant protection as well asPolartec'sHardface® Technology which adds extra water resistance, increases abrasion resistance and creates a smooth face for easier layering applications. PolartecWind Pro® is 4 times more wind-resistant than standard fleece - so perfect for active pursuits in all condition.

Fleece & Midlayer - Rab Shadow Hoodie

The Alpine Pull-On is an interesting beast. Rab call it 'the world's lightest softshell'. Cynics might offer the alternative 'world's heaviest windshirt' but that is rather unfair because I doubt it is actually any heavier than my 8 year old Sprayway Pertex shirt, while giving considerably more protection because of its hood. The integrated sleeve cuffs and drawstring hem mean you can cinch down the hoody to help trap that bubble of warm air. The cuffs also feature a thumb loop and a generous overlap with the sleeve, meaning when you couple a pair of trekking gloves like the Zenon’s we were using, you get a great seal around the wrist making for a surprisingly warm setup. My only niggle is that the cuff fabric isn’t as warm as the Thermic Pro of the main hoody, which you’ll notice on windy sections without the gloves. The payoff is that the cuff is very stretch and therefor comfortable around the thumb, and when paired with gloves you’d not notice anyway. The Shadow Hoody uses Rab's Thermic Pro fabric throughout. Think of this fabric as a half way point between a fleece and a softshell; it'll offer far more protection and durability than fleece, however it's more breathable than your standard softshell and will allow a little wind to pass through to cool you down when working hard. Despite its incredible breathability, it offers water resistance, wind resistance and protection from general mountain abuse. Fleece mid layers have been around as long as me: since the early 80s. We co-existed but never really hit it off. I feel the cold, so mainly bypassed them. No wind resistance, water resistance or durability, nor any duvet factor like down or synthetic puff... and OK, I never liked the look of them either. They were worn by what Billy Connolly calls 'beige people' . However, the fabric has now advanced and diversified quite a bit.

I’d call this a Soft-Shell with Fleece inner, like the Arc’teryx Gamma MX. Due to the tough nylon outer fabric, it’s not silent like a simple polyester Fleece. There is some nylon “rustle” but it’s not as loud as a typical Soft-Shell. It’s quiet enough to wear comfortably all day. Superb wind resistance, water resistance, breathability and stretch are the key pluses of the Shadow Hoodie. Nowadays fleece and soft shell are massive umbrella terms, which cover all sorts of garments that you can wear in the varying levels of weather that come below gale force winds and drenching rain. You balance varying amounts of breathability and stretch in return for more or less waterproofing.Lightweight fully featured soft-shell pull-on constructed from light, wind resistant Pertex® Equilibrium. Perfect for alpine climbing, trek, travel and fast and light activities. Fixed helmet compatible hood with foam interlined wired peak, with ultra-light 'exoskeleton' external draw cord hood adjustment system