Intro:

Guiding everyday  on Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull, I’ve been looking for a durable,  waterproof jacket, aka a bomber jacket that would protect me against the downpour days and protection against the harsh, freezing winds. When I first started guiding, I had no idea just how often I would be required to wear waterproofs for - i.e. every day, even in the summer *cries in bad weather*. 

The problem was, as the summer season finished, my go-to robust, ‘UK mountain hill day’ waterproofs  have been kicking around for a while and started to wear out after multiple days of wear, letting in water via the chest pockets, and through the zips. Not great if you're storing a smartphone/  GPS  in the chest pocket  and need  to easily access the tech without worry that it will get soaked.  Peeling off wet layers and working in ‘double waterproof days’ is definitely no joke, so my quest to find a more durable jacket intensified as the thermostat dropped 

In my job as a glacier guide,  I wanted something with a hydrostatic head of over 25,000mm, in order  to  have something that would be roomy enough to accommodate a fleece and mid layer underneath, yet not so large that it would leave lots of cold pockets.  In addition, in my spare time, I also wanted a waterproof jacket that could perform well when doing high outbursts of activity without restricting movement, and also be comfortable to wear with a harness.  So the jacket needed to perform in relatively harsh conditions, yet be fairly packable, and highly visible ( i.e. nice and bright) so an item aimed at alpinists and those operating at a technical level. 

So how did the Rab Latok jacket perform as a durable waterproof jacket?

Size/fit

I’m 5 '5 and I have a fairly long torso, whilst wearing short in the leg ( I usually wear size 12 short on my bottom half and size 12 regular top half.) I have worn Rab baselayers in size 12 so they usually fit me well i.e. they’re not too short in the body.  I have a booty so I do

Initial impressions - the jacket is cut fairly long.

 It covers my bottom, so it’s not going to get cold and damp, which is great if you want a jacket that sits under a harness.  For use over the top, the jacket can  fit but it looks a little bit awkward, It has adjustable toggles along with an elasticated hem  to cinch in at the hips. A reflective GORE-TEX PRO logo is positioned above the red leg. 

For ice climbing, the Rab Latok jacket fitted well on the shoulders. The jacket fit well on the shoulders in order to allow a full range of overhead movement so I could swing the axes above. When fully outstretched, I felt the hood had a lack of room to keep a helmet on and wear the hood, so it often ‘slipped off ‘ - I would have liked slightly more room at the nape of the neck. 

For normal wear,  I felt the jacket’s sleeves  looked far too long ( as seen in the photographs) , but the long sleeves that I could cinch using the velcro straps to stop water/ ice from getting in, which could be easily  adjusted whilst wearing gloves. As someone who doesn’t have the largest ape index, it did ‘ruche’ up a little on the elbows, and also at the waist. The sleeves were designed in a way that were articulated to allow arm lift to give you the best fit when swinging ice tools. 

For petite ladies, this jacket could be a bit too long - it’s aimed at the alpine runner beans. Yet if I sized down to size 10,  it  might be in danger of being a bit tight like in places, especially if you hae a bum and shoulders,  and I think the size 10 could be a bit too snug for me to wear comfortably with layers. I wanted a jacket that could fit over the top of my other thermals. I’ve found with previous waterproofs I’ve wanted jackets that are longer but I don’t want the jacket to ‘bag out’ in the waist area - the Latok felt a bit like it could have  been better fitted in the waist and hip area. 

 Comfort

For those who chase the fickle conditions of  winter, the trade off between protection and comfort is a fine balance.  As a glacier guide and ice- climber, I’m after a jacket that will provide protection and testing it within a ‘cragging’ style environment as opposed to big mountain days out.  The Rab Latok jacket is made of a flexible material which was very fast drying even after downpours. It’s a fairly lightweight, robust jacket that doesn’t immediately make me doubt its longevity, thanks to the craftsmanship I’d expect from a £500 + jacket. 

Combined fabric weights is a smart way to make the jacket more durable. Using a lighter weight fabric around the core meant the jacket had better mobility, breathability, and reduced bulk, but was not a super ‘warm’ waterproof.  It uses a  3-layer GORE-TEX PRO Product Technology with an innovative fluorocarbon-free ePE membrane to allow sweat and moisture to pass through, as well as two pit zips that can be easily used with gloves.  A thicker denier of fabric across the shoulders and sleeves for abrasion resistance from the repetitive rub of backpack straps. For the fabric geeks, the fabric construction uses a 40D 3-Layer GORE-TEX Pro with ePE membrane and PFCecFree Durable Water Repellency, weighted at 98gsm. 

So why chose the Rab Latok Gore-Tex Pro over the other , cheaper offerings? Within the Rab range, the Rab Latok Gore-tex Pro jacket is the performance jacket  that’s pitched at folks after gnarly alpine summits and adventure seekers regularly  moving about, needing a jacket that needs to be both breathable and waterproof and minimise the discomfort of terrible weather penetrating through . It also has a built in RECCO® reflector which  aids search and rescue in an emergency situation. A two way YKK zip also means the jacket can be worn over the top. 

For the Scotish winter munro baggers  reading this, they may want to try out a heavier weight jacket , the mountain version is a heavier jacket and the Kangri  are the more classic mountain shells that would be better suited and more kinder on the wallet.

Packability 

The Rab Latok Alpine Gore-Tex Pro jacket packs down small enough to take up a similar amount of space as a sandwich box, but doesn’t scrunch down super small, due to the mid flexibility of fabric. The jacket weighed in at 379g. 

• Protective, fully adjustable hood offering the perfect fit and mobility, with and without a helmet.
• The hood shock cord tail ends are designed to vanish neatly inside, so they don’t whip your face in high winds.
• RECCO® reflector aids search and rescue in an emergency situation.
• Stash your GPS in the chest pocket, with two further hand pockets, a security pocket, and a deep mesh pocket for gloves.
• Belay-friendly two-way front zip.
• Keep the elements at bay with the adjustable cuffs and hem.

 Waterproofing

The Rab Latok Alpine Gore-tex pro Jacket is rated at the top end of the available waterproof jackets out on the market. I’ve heard of other guides using brands such as 66 degrees North, which uses a Gore-tex Pro fabric also rated to 28,000mm hydrostatic head, and others using Mountain Equipment.. On the glacier, I haven’t seen many folks using Rab as it’s not a brand stocked in Iceland, but it definitely got some admiring looks. I was impressed with the jacket keeping me dry in wet snowy winter conditions and penetration from dripping water in the ice caves. 

Sustainability

What’s impressive about Rab’s commitment to sustainability is the availability of the information to find out how much of the jacket has used recycled materials in its production. For each Rab garment, I was impressed with how  clearly the information was presented in a chart.  The website shows just how much percentage of  recycled  content makes up the outer, the  face fabric,   zips  and trim . It also shows that during production the percentage of renewable energy that was used to make the jacket and whether any PFA (how much fluorocarbons were used, which is 0%,), country of manufacture and size and weight assumptions.  Rab states they are committed to giving the material facts to allow consumers to make informed decisions and the transparency allows consumers to place greater trust in the outdoor brands they are buying from. 

Colour and Choice

In the women’s range ,the Rab Latok Alpine Gore-Tex Pro jacket I tested was ‘Summit red’, which is a slightly blue-toned pale red, ( i.e. it’s not as bright as a post box red, rather it’s more of a rouge red.)

In the Latok product range, for women  there was also a blue jacket available, black and a pale pink. This surprised me, as the product is the most expensive and technical jacket on offer. Why aren’t there more bold, bright colours in orange and highly visible colours as that would have been the obvious choice for alpinists wanting bold designs.  Bright colours in poor visibility isn’t even about looking good for social media. It’s also a conscious decision around safety and being visible in low light which can be frequent. 

I wouldn’t have considered a jacket in pink as marketable  as this would not be suitable for wearing at work for appearing too ‘feminine’ and also it’s  not as visible - it’s not even a bright pink.  Frustratingly, in the men’s range, there were much more appealing colours on offer, such as a yellow by the name ‘ Dark Pollen’ and ‘Maya Blue’ as well as ‘Summit Red.’  Come on Rab, offering pink jackets in women’s ranges is poor oversight from the product team. Why can’t women’s jackets be the same offerings as the men's? It’s 2025. Female alpinists and guides don’t want to be climbing the same route as guys, guiding clients and standing around in the rain waiting for their guest to turn up whilst  wearing a pink jacket.  Let’s have greater product equality so we don;t have to order mens’ jackets if we want  our chosen choice of jackets, 

Women’s range 

Men’s range:

Rating: ⅘ 

Conclusions:  

The Rab Latok Alpine GORE-TEX Pro is a jacket that is the jacket that is aimed at alpinists wanting a storm protection layer for when the going gets tough, rough and downright terrible . It’s waterproof and breathable, and feels like it’s well made, and accommodates layers - a must for winter climbing and overall winter use . It’s early days, so it would be interesting to see if it will stand up to testing after 6 months of daily use. I regularly reproof and wash my waterproofs and there’s often a slight drop in performance once a jacket wets out.  I’d love to see a greater range of bright colours from Rab in the women’s clothing that match the offerings in the men's ranges, as this very much feels a bit of an oversight.