What is it?
The Cirrus Flex Jacket is a synthetically insulated, warm, close fitting insulated piece with Thermic stretch fleece side panels for breathability. It can either be used as a super warm midlayer or an outer layer in milder conditions.
What is it made of?
Insulation: Rab have used their new Cirrus insulation for the Cirrus Flex Jacket; Cirrus is a 3M Featherless synthetic insulation that provides a high performance alternative to natural down. It was designed to mimic the look and feel of natural down with all the benefits and none of the drawbacks. It retains two times the loft of down when wet, breathes superbly, has no allergens, retains warmth even when wet (more so than Hydrophobic down), compresses easily and dries exceptionally quickly. If you were to compare Cirrus to down insulation, a fill power of at least 600 would have to be achieved to match the warmth of Cirrus.
Fabric: Not only does the Cirrus use Rab's synthetic insulation, but also a Thermic stretch fleece along the sides and sleeves of the jacket to increase airflow, breathability and comfort. This fleece allows air to pass through, cooling you down when working hard or while using it as a midlayer. It also provides stretch along the sides of the jacket and along the sleeves to the cuff.
Hyperlite rip-stop is used throughout the outer of the Cirrus Flex, providing an incredibly lightweight yet durable shell to protect you from wind and light rain. It's also exceptionally breathable for slightly more intense activities such as mountaineering and climbing.
What are the features?
You get high quality YKK zips throughout, two warm hand pockets and two internal drop pockets to keep your kit safe. Lycra bound hem and cuffs keep out the drafts and retain the minimalist theme. When not required the Cirrus will pack into its own pocket and stash almost unnoticed into your pack making it perfect jacket for all winter mountain activities.
How does it fit?
As an insulating layer, it is designed to be a close, snug fit, yet features enough room to layer up underneath on the particularly chilly days. The Cirrus uses Rab's 'Slim Fit' so this means it'll fit best with minimal layers on underneith it. We've stocked the jacket for a few seasons now and we find that, due to the stretchy side panels, the Cirrus range does have a bit of give to them, meaning they actually suit quite a wide range of body types.
Where does it fit in the layering system?
The Cirrus flex is an incredibly lightweight micro-baffle synthetically insulated jacket. Use it as an appropriate insulating layer depending on your activity level and the weather conditions. It works perfectly well as a standalone jacket on those crisp, dry, freezing days or as a cosy casual jacket. 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.
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Hem drawcord
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Hyperlite outer fabric
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Cirrus insulation
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Fleece lined chin guard
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YKK zips
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Two internal pockets
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Two hand pockets
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Packs into it's own pocket
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Lycra cuffs
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Slim fit