The excellent Neutrino Edge jacket has, in my opinion, not been as well received as it probably should have, due to one major factor – branding.

This superb duvet has been a victim of that age old problem, which many a fine technical garment before it has suffered: that of not displaying the “right” outer fabric badge. If truth be told, for 90% of its target market this jacket is in fact a better option than its more popular and longer established sibling the Rab Neutrino Endurance.

The Edge is essentially an identical cut and design to the Endurance (bar the “chain link” style baffles and slightly more down); however the outer fabric is that of the lesser known “Hyperlite” – also used in a number of Rab’s sleeping bag lines –, rather than the Pertex Endurance, used on the Neutrino Endurance. So what does this mean to the consumer? Well, for a start the Hyperlite fabric is five times more water resistant than its Pertex counterpart – with a hydrostatic head of 5000mm, opposed to 1000mm – and is considerably more hardwearing, which is obviously a bonus when in use on the mixed gullies often encountered on the UK’s mountains. It is true that the Pertex Endurance is slightly more breathable and thus lighter; however when you consider that UK weather rarely offers the cold, low humidity conditions required for optimum breathabilty through a thick insulator, this plus point becomes slightly less of a priority. Also, let’s not forget the precipitation our fair isle is infamous for, which even when it does fall as snow, is often a far more damp consistency to that of more Alpine climes, thus allowing the high water resilience of the Edge jacket’s Hyperlite outer to come into its own.

If you are not familiar with either the Neutrino Edge or Neutrino Endurance here is an outline of the fit and features offered:

The cut is an active fit which cinches in to the body in all the right places, with excellent movement in the arms and a longer body than some similar jackets, helping to keep the midriff insulated when reaching up with both arms, i.e. when climbing. The hood is one of the standout features of the piece, fitting extremely well and almost feeling like a down balaclava when in use. It can also been rolled down when not needed. The zipper on both the main zip and external pockets are YKK water resistant affairs, whilst the jacket also has an internal zip pocket, for keys, cash etc. The lining fabric is Pertex Quantum, a lightweight (30g/m2), highly breathable fabric with a high thread count, making it durable, but with a lush tactile feel.

Summary
The ultimate jacket for British winter mountaineering conditions and highly adept at cold weather use world-wide. Also, a great jacket for rock climbing in winter, general purpose use and taking on trips, due to its lightweight nature and packability.

Purchase Rab clothing here.