Hi what do people reckon to these, what are the uses/activity range (running/walking/biking) how windproof and breathable are they? Any down sides?
Thanks

Picked one up half price from Ultimate Outdoors. Too nice to use on the bike.

It’s a really nice jacket, lovely and windproof but it’s probably not breathable enough to ride in.

I have one. As a person who will overheat / sweat massively at the mere mention of exercise, I find it’s an excellent general purpose jacket for general outdoorsy stuff like climbing or walking, but I’d draw the line at running / biking in it.

It’s shower proof but will implode at the sight of an extended downpour.

my good lady wears one. when mated with a good base layer she rarely needs a waterproof or anything warmer.

I really like mine as a toasty every-day/ walking jacket. It’s fairly windproof, comfortable and will hold off an average shower. It is however too warm for biking or running.

I really like mine as a toasty every-day/ walking jacket. It’s fairly windproof, comfortable and will hold off an average shower – and dry quickly afterwards. It is however too warm for biking or running – unless it’s chuffing freezing or it’s quite cold and you’re not going far or not pushing hard.

I’ve got an unlined VR jacket as well, which is obviously a lot less warm and a lot more breathable. Great for a windshirt. not that durable on the inside though – suffering with wear/pilling and I’ve not worn it that much.

Do you mean Vapour Rise? Fleece lined with windproof outer?
I have one which is over 10 years old and still going strong. very comfy, very warm and very breathable. My choice of top for winter walking including a lot of stuff in Scotland. But for me, too warm for riding or running.

It’s wind resistant rather than windproof with the pay-off being better breathability than a fully windproof fabric. The thin lining means that it’s around a light baselayer’s worth of extra warmth compared to a single-layer equivalent. Whether than makes it too warm for bike use is probably down to how cool or warm you run, I find it good in temperatures around 8?C or lower.

One of the the other pluses of it being relatively breathable is that you can layer it, for walking or mountaineering, under a waterproof if you need to. It only has a little water resistance after a bit of use and repeated washing anyway.

I’ve had mine for around three years now and it’s been deceptively durable. There’s pilling under shoulder strap and hip-belt areas, but while it looks messy the fabric hasn’t worn through despite being pretty light.

Mine’s a VR Lite Alpine and the wiring in the hood has a sharp bend in it now and it feels like it’ll break there eventually. Close fitting hood that you can, in really nasty conditions, layer under a helmet.

If you want something more breathable, the VR Flex has very permeable side panels, so doesn’t run as warm. Then again it’s a little less protective and doesn’t have a hood.

Overall it’s a great bit of kit, surprisingly durable and definitely not ‘too nice’ 😉 to wear on bike unless you’re some sort of fashion tart…

Brilliant as general use or mountain jacket. Highest comfort level of any system I have used and works well putting a full shell over it in extremis. Only down side is that the lining is ‘grippy’ so it is sometimes a bit of a struggle getting over full sleeved base layer so stick to t-shirt types.

Speak from experience as a ‘professional’ user: ex twenty years Scottish MRT, and use three vapour rise jackets which were a team issue item.

As already stated, very warm for run or bike, though I have used for both in the Scottish winter. Get one!

Do you mean Vapour Rise? Fleece lined with windproof outer?
I have one which is over 10 years old and still going strong. very comfy, very warm and very breathable. My choice of top for winter walking including a lot of stuff in Scotland. But for me, too warm for riding or running.

I’m thinking he means the VR Lite which is a lighter weight version of the Vapour-rise concept with a lighter shell and liner, which makes it a fair bit less warm than the full-weight original VR. The one I’m referring to in my post above is the VR Lite Alpine.

VR Lite Alpine ….purchased. Many Thanks

Just been googling for whatever the unlined jacket’s called. Found this post, from me, on here. Seems the unlined one is also called the Alpine (just not VR). along with a whole bunch of other stuff Rab makes. Come on Rab! Bit of imagination!?

Pertex equilibrium is the shell, add a tricot lining and it’s Vapour Rise, apparently, so I was sort of right, but also not right at all.

I’ve got a Rab Vapour Rise jacket with the tricot lining. It’s too warm for biking unless it’s very cold or you’re really pootling.

The guide version mentioned above is even more insulated.

I’ve also got the Rab Alpine jacket which is the same, but unlined, just a pertex equilibrium windshirt with a wired hood. hood can be rolled up and clipped out of the way. I like it. But of a relaxed fit for biking, but as i’m not racing, I’m going to carry on wearing it. Can always put a skinnier cut gilet over the top, and I sometimes do.

Testing Times From Rab