I was worried it was a little too techy looking when I first opened it but this jacket has quickly grown on me. Taken it camping on the AT and was perfect for sub 30F mornings, the hood looks a little ridiculous but is super effective at sealing heat in and makes a big difference. I just wore it in Michigan working outside all day in 24F with high winds and was astounded at how well it blocked the wind and kept me warm with a wool base layer and microfleece underneath. I kept waiting to pull out the down but never did!
The shell seems pretty thin and I worry about doing any bushwhacking in this jacket but to its credit there are no signs of wear whatsoever. packs up small and light with no effort. 6' 180 with broad chest and shoulders and large fits me perfectly, handsome cut but not too tight in the midsection.

The jacket is nice, warm, and can be very comfortable if the seam under the armpit wasn’t so high up. It’s quite annoying for the hem to be all up on my armpit. I read that these are the same problems with the other rab jackets too. If the seam weren’t so high up, this thing is definetly a top 3 best synthetic mid layer out there

This jacket is an improvement from the Patagonia Nanopuff because it doesn't have all that stitching. This creates larger air pockets in the jacket thus creating a larger thermal layer to trap body heat and warm you up. Also, the stitching squares aren't there to get snagged on things. The jacket has a little extra insulation on the front body which I am not complaining about. I have at least 3 RAB jackets and they are VERY high quality but keep in mind, they are a European company so it will have a left-handed zipper and European cut.

This is a great fitting warm jacket for layering

If you like the Nano-puff jacket but want something that will cut the wind a little bit better then you should go with this. It comes in at the same weight and fill of insulation but since it doesn't have the stitching and is one continual piece it will stay warmer (keeping your heat in, and the wind out)
The hip pocket has a stow tag for clipping onto a harness. I'm 6' - 165lbs I went with a medium and it fits pretty well. If you want to layer more underneath you may want to go with Large.
If you have any questions,
email me: wbowen@backcountry.com or give me a call: (801) 204-4571

I was leaning towards buying the new Patagonia Micro Puff hoody but got a great deal on this Rab jacket that I couldn't pass up. So far I am super impressed. The jacket feels great, packs up very small, and fits well (I'm 5'11" 185lbs athletic build and got a large). My only criticisms are that the midsection is a tad boxish and the zipper is the opposite of what I'm used to. I won't get a chance to wear it in the cold for another month or so and will try to update my review then.

To continue my quest to wast.... I mean invest more money on climbing, I started ice climbing last winter. So far, I only had to sell my left kidney and what I find at home yet don't expect. But I digress.
I quickly realized I don't have a good midlayer/outerlayer jacket, because I was shivering during belaying. After asking around, I picked Xenon (not this one, I bought BackCountry exclusive one, because it was cheaper). So far, I love it and it saddens me that I have to put it away, because winter is over.
It is really light, yet surprisingly warm. Maybe too warm.
And there lies it's only fault: it's too good of insulator and not breathable.
But it's hella better than freezing.

Rab comes through again with a smart, USABLE, versatile jacket. Quality is there too. Lightweight, more of an athletic fit (you can put light layers under it just fine); compressible in the backpack or ski bag for layering under a shell. As a layering jacket, if you find that down is just too much heat, this is your other alternative. No hybrid fabrics on sides or pits to dump heat quickly but overheating hasn't been a problem. And don't underestimate the power of Pertex Quantum as the outer ultra-lightweight fabric--very strong, wind resistant, water resistant, and helps hold in the heat.

I own lots of Rab clothing as I'm 6'4" 175 and their size large fits great- long arms and an athletic fit in the midsection. If you're tall and slim u know what I'm talking about... I expected the same with this jacket but was disappointed to find the fit more "regular" and not slim fitting in the mid-section thus greatly reducing its thermal ability (I've learned my lesson with other brands). I returned it. However if you looking for a synthetic jacket, this one has been voted the #1 synthetic jacket by Outdoorgearlab for the past several years so I have no negatives against its quality/thermal ability.

I have lightly used the jacket so far and it seems very warm and packs down small. I did extensive research before this purchase and it seems to be all it's cracked up to be. I want to note that the color ebony looks more like dark blue. I asked several people what color it looked like to them and they all said navy blue. I always wear medium shirts and that's what size I bought. It's a nice slim fit. I wouldn't be able to wear too much underneath it.

I purchased this to be used as a backcountry skiing/climbing belay jacket. Unfortunately it's not winter yet, so I haven't been able to test it out in the snow. On the other hand, it's been awesome for chilly days in the office and those frigid fall mornings in the Uintas. I can already tell it's super light weight and will pack away well.

This was a daily wear jacket in NYC for the winter of 2015. For temperatures below 40, the jacket alone is not sufficient if you are just wearing a button down shirt or sweater.

The jacket is very attractive looking, the orange lining on blue works very well.

Pockets are generously sized (and perfectly lined), and hood is nice and snug. Fit is normal, not slim. I am 5'8, 155 with a slim athletic build; small fits decently. Arms are a bit too long for me, and that is usually not the case for my clothes.

I've taken it camping a few times, and it's great to be able to throw a synthetic into the washer without having to worry about it. No snagging on branches too - which was a nice surprise.

For the price, if you are looking for lightweight, decently warm jacket that packs well - this is a solid choice (esp at current discounted prices).

This insulating layer is an essential item for me. It is likely the most versatile layer that I own. I have worn it in a wide variety of conditions and seasons - typically at a high level of exertion. It has an impressive amount of breathability - which is crucial since the times I'm wearing this layer nearly always involve aerobic efforts be it rock climbing, alpine climbing, snowboarding, or backpacking. It's nearly always a "just-right" layer that I'll toss on over a tech t-shirt and +/- softshell. I've also been very pleased with its warmth during snow/rain in the cascades over the rab baseline fleece and under a hardshell with +/- patagonia capilene as a baselayer. I'm a slender guy, with wider shoulders and long arms - Rab fits me hands-down, far-and-away better than any other brand and the xenon hoody is no exception - It's not excessively baggy in the midsection, it's not restricting in the shoulders nor too short in the arms. Other jackets I have tried seem like they're made for much larger abdominal girths than mine and inevitably result in too much fabric bunching about my waist (right where I need access to my harness) and the typical trade-off for fitting around the waist is not enough around the chest/shoulders while the your midriff and wrists are exposed. I've had NONE of those issues with Rab. If you have similar sizing problems I strongly encourage you to check out Rab gear - it's like gear made for climber-sized people. The hood fits easily over my climbing helmet and does a fantastic job keeping my head warm. The hoody is lightweight and packs down nicely (into the front chest pocket if you'd like), it sheds water quite well (not designed to be waterproof mind you), and seems to be more durable than the fabric feels like it should be as it has survived lots of scraping and dragging. I wear this thing all the time, not just during outdoor pursuits - around town, on the way to work, walking the dog, etc. I love this thing.

Fits well. Very warm. Feels nice and soft. The cut on it is great. Hood fits perfectly.

I bought this because I wanted something I could wear on my harness, but easily throw on while I was waiting two hours at a belay for my slow partner to finish his aid lead. I also needed something that could stand up to some rain, so down was out. This thing fits the bill and has exceeded my expectations!

I guide in the Tetons all summer. Any day that's going to be potentially stormy, which tends to me most days up high, this is the go-to jacket for me. I love that I can put a light shell over it when it's raining and cold and not have to worry about getting it damp- unlike down products. And since it's almost as light other down jackets, and packs almost as small, it makes it an easy choice to go with this tried and true piece. I'd say I've been comfortable in this jacket (with a med weight fleece under it) in temps down to about 10*F in the Tetons.



For how light it is, it takes an incredible amount of abuse. I've guided the Grand Teton with it over a dozen times and it's showing no signs of ware thus far.



The pic is of me summiting Tocllarraju (19,900 feet) in Peru. It's also been by go-to jacket when I work down there. When the temps drop below 10*F, I put the Rab Neutrino down jacket over it and I'm good for temps down to -30*F. And because the Xenon is synthetic, I can put on a big down parka over it and not worry about compressing the Primaloft, it keeps it's loft even when you stack layers on top of it, unlike a down jacket would.



Highly recommended!

Bought the ebony color (is a dark blue) in medium. To help people figuring out sizes, either this jacket is for people with long arms, or I have short arms. The medium fits my body well, it is an athletic fit so you can wear it as an under layer if it gets very cold, I've only used it above freezing. Now my arms measure to a size small, so the arms are a little longer than I would ideally want, but it isn't to the point where it's a problem.

Tldr: super warm, super light, make sure to match your measurements with Rab's chart!

I really like this jacket. It packs up super compact, and seems to be just the right amount of warm. I wish it had some vents for the pits, and wearing the hood looks really goofy if you're not wearing a helmet. Otherwise, it's sweet. The large is right for me.

Comfortable, packs down to almost nothing, looks great!