What is it?
The Womens Ascent jacket is Rab’s general purpose and durable duck down jacket. It'ss very warm, yet still lightweight and excellent value for money. If your demands are not too technical or you just want maximum warmth for minimum pounds, then the Ascent Jacket is perfect.
What is it made of?
Insulation: This versatile jacket is stuffed with 275g of 650 fill power Hydrophobic Duck Down which has passed the European Down and Feather Codex. This code of conduct 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. This means that the down inside the Ascent is completely ethical and of high quality. To further increase the practicality of this brilliant jacket Rab have used Hydrophobic down, basically each and every cluster of down is treated at source with Nikwax environmentally friendly, fluorocarbon free special 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.
Fabric: The Arc is made using Pertex Endurance fabric. Whilst it is not completely waterproof, this tough durable fabric has a light PU internal coating to make it water resistant, downproof, windproof and breathable so it will see off the worst of the weather. The fabric is also very durable and will cope easily with everyday duties.
What are the features?
Rab continue to use high quality components such as YKK VISLON zips throughout the Ascent to ensure reliable performance in all conditions. The hood is down filled and features a flexible polymer peak and will fit easily over most climbing helmets if you are using the Ascent for winter mountaineering. A really nice feature is the new down filled separate collar that greatly reduces drafts and spindrift ingress. There is one zipped internal security pocket, ideal for GPS or mobile phones and you get a separate stuff sack to easily pack the jacket away when not required.
How does it fit?
Rab have got their Womens Regular cut absolutely bang on with a more feminine shape that fits without being tight or restrictive and this jacket has a slightly longer style to protect your lower back and bottom on chilly days.
Where does it fit in the layering system?
The Ascent is primarily designed as a stand alone jacket for cold days. With it's 'Regular Fit' you can easly fit a couple of extra layers on underneith for those particularly baltic winter days. Layering is not a precise science and there is no one perfect system that will suit every person, situation or the weather conditions. Some of us feel the cold, others, like me, get hot very quickly, but for more advice on using layers please check out this video.
-
Pertex Endurance outer
-
Nylon ripstop inner
-
275g 0f 650 fill power Duck Down
-
Rab Fluorocarbon free Hydrophobic down
-
Stitch through baffle construction
-
Helmet compatible down filled hood with flexible polymer peak
-
Separate downfilled collar with tricot lining
-
2 way YKK VISLON main zip with internal insulated baffle and chin guard
-
2 x YKK VISLON zipped tricot lined handwarmer pockets
-
1 x YKK zipped internal security pocket
-
Anti snag Velcro cuffs
-
Hem drawcord
-
Stuff sack supplied
-
Regular 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.