The new 2017 Batura Jacket is a phenominally practical and very warm winter mountaineering jacket for use in extreme conditions. Covered with the superb Pertex Shield fully taped outer fabric for waterproofing and breathability it is absolutely perfect for mountaineering in extreme conditions or for when you've just got to stand around in the cold and wet.
The new Batura is filled with 450g of 800 fill power Hydrophobic European Goose Down which has passed the R.D.S (Responsible Down Standard) that determines the source of the down; ensuring that the down is a by-product of a slaughterhouse or harvested during moulting periods and is not illegally live-plucked. All this means that the down inside the Batura is about as good as it gets!
All this lovely down is captured within a bonded narrow box wall construction to maximise loft and minimise cold spots. To further increase the practicality of this brilliant jacket Rab has used Hydrophobic down, basically each and every cluster of down is treated at source with Nikwax environmentally friendly, fluorocarbon free products to make them perform better in damp conditions. Although Hydrophobic down is not waterproof it dries much faster, absorbs less water and retains loft far better than untreated down. To give the Batura the belt and braces approach Rab have covered all this Hydrophobic down with the superb Pertex Shield fabric. This tough nylon fabric has a breathable microporous waterproof coating and fully taped seams to protect from wind and water whilst reducing condensation build-up within the jacket.
All zips used on the Batura are quality YKK models, the main zip and chest pocket zips are YKK VISLON versions that are made from injected plastic making them much lighter than metal zips and far less susceptible to freezing and feature glove and mitt friendly zip pullers. All the pocket zips get the Aquaguard treatment to help stop water getting in; please note that they're not 100% waterproof so if you have something in them that needs full protection we'd receommned using an Exped Dry Bag.
Featuring a down filled helmet compatible hood with wired peak and adjustment, 4 external and two mesh internal pockets for all your essentials and to stuff your cold hands into and a hem drawcord.
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Pertex Shield fully taped, waterproof and breathable outer fabric
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100% nylon lining
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800FP 455g R.D.S European goose down
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Rab flurocarbon free Hydrophobic down developed in conjunction with Nikwax
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Bonded narrow box wall construction
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Down filled, helmet compatible hood with wired peak
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2-way YKK VISLON front zip with double storm flap and internal insulated baffle
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2 x YKK VISLON Aquaguard zipped chest pockets
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2 x YKK Aquaguard zipped hand warmer pockets
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2 x internal mesh pockets
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Hook and loop adjustable cuffs
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Over-sized zip pulls and drawcord adjusters
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Stuff sack included
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Relaxed fit
How to wash your down products
Having spent years talking to people about down products, whether that’s a jacket, sleeping bag or even a pair of slippers, very few have had the confidence to go ahead and wash the product on their own, especially when they have just spent an arm and a leg on it. This small guide is here to explain that it’s not as daunting and utterly terrifying as it first appears.
Step one: Before you even get near that washing machine, wipe off any excess mud or dirt that may be lingering on the surface of the jacket, as this will clog up the washing machine, eventually rendering it useless.
We recommend the use of Nikwax Down Wash Direct for down products as it’s one hundred percent environmentally friendly and will wash and re-proof the garment without the use of bleach or any other nasty chemicals. What household washing agents can (and often do) is remove the water repellent coating on the fabric of the jacket, whilst also damaging the delicate array of feathers inside.
Step two: We’ll assume in this instance that you’ve been washing other products prior to your down jacket and have used a bleach based detergent. Therefore it’s a good idea to run the washing machine for half an hour or so without anything inside to rinse it clean before adding the Nikwax or putting the jacket in. Also, don’t forget to remove the detergent drawer to give it a wash inside, outside and behind, as detergent can clog up and still enter the washing machine if not cleaned out thoroughly. This ensures that any remnants of detergent are removed and that the Nikwax products will work effectively.
Step three: Set the washing machine to a cold wash (check the garments care label, most tend to be around 30°C) and as delicate as possible. Most washing machines have a “wool” cycle which is ideal.
Step four: If using Nikwax Down Wash Direct, place 100ml in either the tray or directly into the washing machine inside a small pot/ball. If you choose to use another washing product, place the appropriate amount in the machine in the same way.
Step five: Set the washing machine to run on a slow cycle, allowing plenty of time for the jacket to soak up the cleaning/re-proofing product. Most washing machines will have a pre-set time for different washing cycles.
When the cycle has finished be prepared for a shock, your precious bit of kit will come out looking like a soggy ball of material. But don’t worry, you haven’t ruined it, it’s just that all that fluffy down insulation has become water logged and has clumped together. The trick is to now get all that down nice and dry to reinstate its superb insulating properties. Simply hanging it up in a warm place will not work that well. It will take days to properly dry and you will have to constantly break up the clumps to get it thoroughly dry. The best way is to use a tumble dryer; either a domestic one for smaller items or a commercial drier for sleeping bags.
Step six: Pop the garment into the dryer and make sure to select a low heat; a high heat runs the risk of melting seams and fabrics within the garment. It sounds weird, but shove a few tennis balls into the drier with the garment; the tennis balls will bounce around and help to break up the clumps of down. Every 20 minutes, pull the jacket out of the dryer and lie the jacket down on a table. Run your hands over the jacket until you find a 'clump' or ball of down; tease apart this down clump and spread it evenly into the baffle. Once you're confident you've pulled apart every clump to the best of your ability, stick it back in for another 20 minutes. Keep repeating this until there are no more clumps left.
Step seven: When the cycle has finished and you are sure that you have got the garment as dry as possible, hang it up in a warm dry place, an airing cupboard is ideal, for 24 hours. This drives out the last of any dampness and allows the down to loft fully. Take it out and give it a good shake and, hey presto, it’ll be as good as new.