Rab Strata Hoody Review

May 10, 2016
Rab Strata Hoody
GEAR INSTITUTE RATINGS
91
Fit
9
Warmth
8
Compressibility
8
Weight
8
Features
9
Value
9

The Good

  • Warm and comfortable
  • Weather resistant
  • Versatile

The Bad

  • Noisy fabric
  • Hard to stow in own pocket
THE VERDICT

The Rab Strata Hoody is a versatile mid layer jacket that manages to be both warm and weather resistant while being breathable at the same time. It has many nice features like a large chest pocket and double zippered side pockets. In addition it does pack down into its own pocket though reviewers did wish that it had an extra zipper pull to close it up when packed down.

FULL REVIEW

Warmth
The Strata Hoody was one of the warmer mid layers tested and worked great as a layering piece on cold winter days and as an outer layer on cooler spring days. It uses Polartec Alpha insulation, which was developed to regulate body temperature and it succeeds at keeping you warm and dry while exercising or standing around. This layer managed to do well at both being breathable while also being weather resistant so that it can withstand a light rain shower or heavy winds.

Fit
The XS Strata Hoody fit very nicely as a close to skin layer that still allowed for a light layer underneath. It was a perfect length in the torso as well as in the arms, which allows for movement in the shoulders while not feeling constricting. The hood fits snugly over the head and fits well underneath a helmet. 

Compressibility
The jacket packed down into its own side pocket though it was a bit difficult to get the final bits of the jacket into its own pocket and zip it up. In addition, it didn’t have a double zipper to facilitate zipping it into its own pocket. Once in its own pocket it packed down to a pretty comparable size to the other jackets which is slightly longer than an one liter bottle though a fair bit skinnier.

Features
The Rab Strata comes with many standard features like the other jackets in this category and also a few extra unique ones. It comes with an elastic drawstring at the bottom of the jacket to keep it from riding up and prevent cold air from entering. It also has the standard elastic cuffs around the wrist, which are comfortable and fit well. An extra feature testers appreciated was the fleece lined collar and hood to make it warmer and more comfortable. Another unique feature was the double zippered side pockets though testers didn’t utilize that feature all that often. The most appreciated feature was the sizable outer chest pocket, which only the Patagonia Nano Air also had.

Breathability
Testers were impressed with how breathable the Rab Strata Hoody was despite its weather resistant abilities. It manages to both provide a decent amount of protection against wind and light rain while also allowing you to vent while doing heavy exercise. Its breathability was comparable to the Arc’teryx Atom LT though not as good at the Patagonia Nano Air, which was the most breathable.

Style
The Rab Strata received style points due to its sleek look and versatile design. It utilizes a subtle quilted design that gives it a more streamlined look than the other jackets tested. It also looks great around town in addition to being very functional as an outdoor layer. Testers appreciated the tight fighting hoody which doesn’t hang awkwardly in the way when not being used.

 


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