Rab have updated their venerable Latok jacket for this season to make a fortress of protection for the worst and most extreme conditions. This beast of a jacket is designed to shrug off the harshest abuse and laugh in the face of torrential rain and snow. All this is possible thanks to the superb three layer eVent DVExpedition fabric, the DV stands for Direct Venting and the Expedition bit means that it is as hard as nails! Unlike Gore-Tex which relies on a humidity differential to breathe effectively, eVent breathes all of the time thanks to its unique open pore construction. This means that no matter how wet and cold the conditions are your Latok jacket will strive to keep you comfortable no matter how hard you are working.
The face fabric of the Latok is made from a tough nylon that can withstand constant abrasion, a 40 denier weight is used in the main body with 70 denier reniforcements on the main wear areas. Rab have used their many years of expedition experience to design the Latok jacket specifically to withstand extreme conditions. So starting at the top you get Rab's superb helmet compatible hood, in my humble opinion Rab have best designed hoods, they fit easily over a helmet yet cinch down to work comfortably over a beanie or just a head. You get a proper wired peak, a soft fleece lined collar and the ability to roll it down and secure it with a velcro tab. All zips on the Latok are the ever reliable YKK Aquaguard VISLON, this tough plastic zip is designed to enhance water resistance and avoid jamming in freezing conditions whilst remaining super smooth for ease of use. Even though the zips are highly water resistant they are not 100% waterproof so to prevent water ingress on the main zip Rab have fitted a dual internal storm flap system, so should any rain creep through it wil be diverted away from your body to keep you dry. The same superb Aquaguard VISLON zips are used for the twin bellows chest pockets and also for the venting "escape artist" pit zips. These extra long pit-zips allow venting of core body heat during intense periods of activity and the length of the zips mean that you can even take your arms out of the jacket completely. When your activity means that removing the jacket is not an option, when wearing a harness or pack for instance, using the escape artist zips and unzipping the front zip gives you almost the same benefit as removing the jacket completely.
Storage is provided by twin bellows chest pockets with venting feature, an internal mesh bottle pocket as well as a seperate zipped internal pocket. To create a secure seal around your wrist, or gloves and mitts, the cuffs feature anti-snag velcro cuff adjusters and there are waist and hem drawcords to adjust the fit and seal out the weather.
The new Rab Latok jacket is the ultimate protection for the worst conditions and will provide you with years of faithful service.
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eVent waterproof technology DVExpedition 3 layer fabric with grid backer
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Helmet compatible hood with wired peak, lined collar and roll down anti-snag velcro tab
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Fleece lined chin guard and back of neck
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YKK VISLON Aquaguard front zip with internal dual storm flap system
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2 x YKK VISLON Aquaguard zipped bellowed chest pockets with ventilation
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Full venting YKK Aquaguard Escape Artist pit zips
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Internal mesh bottle pocket
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Internal zipped pocket
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Anti-snag vecro adjustable cuffs
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Hem drawcord with cord retainers
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Waist drawcord
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Regular fit
Care and maintenance
To keep your outdoor clothing and equipment in tip top condition and performing to its maximum we recommend the use of Nikwax products. We have been using Nikwax products since day one (26th March 1986) and have found them to be totally reliable, dependable and effective. Today’s Nikwax treatments contain environmentally friendly elastic water-repellent polymers that bond to fabric fibres, leaving the spaces between open and breathable. These stretchy polymers are able to stretch and move with the fabric so they stay put for longer and work better.
Nikwax treatments will not change the look or feel of the fabric and they are all water based, environmentally safe, non-flammable and contain no nasty Fluorocarbons. Nikwax products can be used to clean, re-proof and revitalise all your outdoor technical clothing and equipment.
Waterproof breathable clothing has a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish applied to the face fabric during the manufacturing process. The DWR forces water to bead up and roll off the surface therefore preventing the fabric from absorbing moisture. If the outside of your jacket is soaked in a layer of cold water, the warm damp air within can’t escape and will condense on the inside. This makes the jacket feel cold clammy and can make you think that it’s leaking. The DWR finish is not permanent and needs to be maintained and revitalised to optimise performance.
This three layer waterproof jacket should be cleaned regularly with Nikwax Tech Wash; I wash my jacket about once a month, or more often if it gets really filthy. Regular washing with Tech Wash will maintain the DWR for longer and remove salts and oils that can contaminate the fabric, and it will keep your lovely jacket clean and smelling fresh. Washing can be done in a machine according to the manufacturers care guidelines (on the internal label). First clean out any detergent and conditioner residue from the machine dispenser and then add the required amount of Tech Wash and away you go. Hand washing is also suitable but be sure to rinse the garment well.
When you notice that rain/water is no longer beading up and rolling off it’s time to re-proof. Nikwax TX Direct will re-instate a long lasting DWR to completely rejuvenate your jacket. Re-proofing can also be done in the machine once a garment has been washed. Just add the TX-Direct and use the same programme you used for washing. You can also use the spray-on product on a damp garment that has just been washed.
You wouldn’t buy a Ferrari and never have it serviced, so make sure you regularly wash and re-proof your quality kit.