The Rab Continuum jacket is a high tech and low weight down jacket that works superbly as a mid layer in extreme conditions or as an outer jacket for outdoor adventures or everyday comfort. Its minimal weight and pack size make it the perfect choice for fast Alpine ascents or long mountaineering expeditions.
Rab have used the super lightweight and low bulk Pertex Quantum GL fabric throughout the jacket, this densely woven material offers windproofing, water resistance and excellent breathability thanks to its superfine fibres. Quantum GL fabric is also extremely soft and therefore allows the insulation to fully loft (expand) to maximise the insulation. Talking of insulation the Continuum jacket is stuffed with 850 fill power Hydrophobic European Goose Down, that's about as good as it gets for down insulation. Hydrophobic down was developed by Rab and Nikwax, basically each and every cluster of down is treated with special fluorocarbon free Nikwax products to make them perform better in damp conditions. Although Hydrophobic down is not completely waterproof it dries much faster, absorbs less water and retains loft far better than untreated down.
To stop all that precious down from migrating around the jacket it is held in place with micro stitch through baffles, these square baffles also have the added bonus of giving the Continuum Jacket a modern and sleek look.
In order to keep the pack size and weight to the bare minimum the feature set is pretty bare, you get two hand pockets with concealed zips, elasticated cuffs and a half hem drawcord; what more do you need?
The Continuum Jacket has been designed with a slim fit to ensure that as much of the high quality down insulation makes contact with your body to fully maximise the insulation. If you can bear to take this luxurious jacket off it packs down into its own Pertex Quantum GL stuff sack to about the size of an orange.
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Pertex Quantum GL fabric inner and outer
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850FP Hydrophobic European Goose Down
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YKK light weight front zip with internal insulated baffle and chin guard
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2 YKK concealed zip hand-warmer pockets
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Elasticated cuffs
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Half hem drawcord
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Pertex Quantum GL stuff sack
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Slim 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.