Those of us who regularly wear a fleece and Goretex jacket for days on the hill should take note because a soft-shell jacket, like Rab’s Scimitar, offers up a refreshing change.
Often on days where the weather is fair, a Goretex jacket and fleece can feel like overkill and stifle us. But Rab’s softshell feels like a fleece or a hoodie, yet the fabric is highly wind and water resistant.
Rab has used two fabrics in this, the main body is a stretchy double weaved fabric which has had a DWR treatment to help repel rain. That’s the grey fabric you see in the photos here. Then the black parts of the jacket are areas which experience high-wear (rucsac straps rubbing, climbing ropes slung over shoulder, that kind of thing) and so this is made from a tougher fabric but which is also stretchy and repels water.
Every part of the Scimitar oozes quality – just check out the stitching and the information panel. That attention to detail is what makes a Rab product so reassuring.
We love the slim fit, long (and wide) sleeves which makes the Scimitar easy to throw on. The velcro on the cuffs tighten everything up nicely too. Those two front-zipped pockets can take a map and all other sorts of objects and they go deep too so there’s no fear of items slipping out or not fitting in properly. The single Napoleon chest pocket holds a wallet, mobile phone and keys perfectly.
The hood can completely cover a helmet and there’s a handy clip to tidy it up when not in use too.
Rab has also added soft fleecy fabric around the collar so when the Scimitar is fully zipped up, it feels just like a child’s ‘taggie’ against the skin. Comes in S to XXL, weighs 560 grams and costs £120
VERDICT
“The Scimitar cuts its way to the top of the soft-shell jacket pile. We love the fit and the blend of the two different stretchy, windproof and rain resistant materials. An essential addition to any UK hillwalkers outdoor wardrobe. This grey and black colour is only available from Cotswold Outdoor.”
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