Thanks Matt, we love making these videos and it's great to hear that they are appreciated. Paul.

Hi David. Thanks for your kind comments and I'm sure that you'll be impressed with the VR Alpine Light Jacket. Your new VR Alpine and your existing Alpha Direct will have you covered for all season mountain activities. I hope you have a great time in the beautiful Lakes, it's stunning up there at this time of year. Paul.

Good call Graham. The VR works really well as a lightweight cycling jacket. Paul.

Absolutely! The new VR Alpine is a brilliant jacket for those types of activities. Paul.

Me too, I've been using it for years and this new range is brilliant! Paul.

Thanks for watching and we hope to be of service in future.

Thanks for your kind comments, we aim to please! Paul.

HI, thanks for your comments. I too had one of the old Alpine Light jackets and used it for just about all my outdoor activities. I do agree though, that the old lining was a bit "grabby" and made the jacket feel a little restrictive. This new version is a big improvement, with the lining being very similar to the Paramo one, it glides much better over layers, especially Merino. And it's got nice long arms! All the best, Paul.

Hi David, thanks for your comments. For UK Hillwalking I would go for either the VR Summit or VR Alpine Light. Your final choice would depend on how warm you want to be. If you run hot, then the Alpine would be better, but if you feel the cold the Summit would be better. I hope that helps. Paul.

Hi Darren. Thanks for your kind comments. To be honest, we used the L.A pack for this video as they are a sister brand to Rab. However, they are excellent packs, as are your other considerations. I couldn't recommend one over another as the fit is by far the most important factor, if possible, I'd recommend you book an appointment at our Hereford Service Centre to get a pro pack fit. Paul.

@@trekitt Thank you for getting back to me. It is appreciated Paul. Your reviews are absolutely top draw. Very knowledgeable. If I lived closer I'd definitely book a fitting with yourselves. Keep up the great work and again thank you for getting back to me. 👍

Hey Nick, they're very different jackets, so worth trying the new one on if you're after something lighter and more suitable for high-output activities. Kind regards, Harry.

The Summit is a little warmer and aimed more towards climbers (helmet-compatible hood & pockets which sit out the way of harnesses); the Alpine Light is just a good all-rounder.

Hi, out of the list you supplied the Salvo is only jacket that meets all of your requirements. Thanks for watching. Paul.

Hi. Unfortunately the Rab Xenon is a jacket we no longer stock, and from the looks of it, is no longer a current season product from Rab. If you can still find one for sale it is a great synthetic jacket, ideal for cold wet days where you need a warm layer that will still work even when wet. The closest equivalent we now stock from Rab (in a similar weight of insulation) is the Xenair Alpine Light. trekitt.co.uk/outdoor-jackets/insulated-jackets/rab-mens-xenair-alpine-light-jacket-ebony-marmalade__56360 Or we do still stock the Xenon 2.0's bigger sibling, the Generator Alpine, but that is much more insulated and designed for use in colder conditions. trekitt.co.uk/outdoor-jackets/insulated-jackets/rab-mens-generator-alpine-jacket-marmalade__47469

I would personally wear this for fast-moving mountain use in autumn/winter where I'll be producing a fair bit of heat. If I needed to stop, I'd put a thicker insulated over the top. Whether you'll freeze or not depends on your baselayer, the conditions, time of year, wind speed, etc. You'd have to use your best judgement as to which is the correct jacket for you to wear on that day. Harry

Hi. The face fabric is certainly tough enough for use with a large pack, however, I wouldn't recommend that you use this as a replacement for a hard-shell, it's just not waterproof enough. Certainly use it a part of your layering, and on those cool, damp days it works perfectly, but always carry a hard-shell! The main difference between the Alpine Light and the Ridgeline is the pocket configuration and hood. The Ridgeline is more of a runners/bikers jacket and has no hood!

@@trekitt Thanks. Is the Rab VR Light any different from the Arc’teryx Proton FL? Which would be more suitable for backpacking? I have the Summit but it’s a tad too warm for high output activities i.e. not climbing the north face of the Eiger

The VR Alpine is very similar, in performance terms, with the Proton FL. Both would be ideal for backpacking so I guess it's down to budget, brand allegiance, aesthetics etc. Paul.

I'm afraid it's not one of our personal jackets and we haven't given it a lot of abuse besides this one filming outing. It may well be asking on a Facebook group or outdoor forum to see if anyone has used it in anger and can report anything durability wise. Kind regards, Harry.

@@trekitt thanks for the information. May I ask what would be your choice for a jacket that can be used in shoulder season as top layer and midlayer in winter but face fabric durability is important? Mainly for hiking and long trails, occasionally mountain biking. Many thanks!

@@tadejjurkovic8819 I would personally opt for an Arc'teryx Proton FL as it fits me well, plus has the attributes you're looking for. Wouldn't use it for MTB over here in the UK though; I'd be far too warm.

@@trekitt been looking at Proton FL as well, will consider it. Many thanks for your reply! BR

The VR Alpine is slightly different to a windshell as the outer fabric will allow a percentage of wind through to keep you cool, whereas a windshell's job is to keep as much wind off you as possible.

@@trekitt Thanks - any thoughts on whether this would have been better with handwarmer pockets as well or are they are bit redundant on a jacket as light as this?

The jacket is primarily designed for more vertical mountain activities where you'd be wearing a harness or a pack with a hipbelt, thus making handwarmer pockets redundant. Plus, as you suggested, they'd increase the weight and bulk of this lightweight jacket. Paul.

Hi, I'm wearing the Arcteryx Calvus cap and it's the best cap I've ever owned (and I've owned many). Thanks for watching. Paul. www.trekitt.co.uk/facetresults.aspx?Term=calvus

@@trekitt Thanks Paul. Seems like you are out of stock. After looking online, seems the Arcteryx Calvus cannot be purchased anywhere at the moment. Either very popular or they don't produce them anymore.

@thewhofan they are indeed very popular. We have more on order, so go to the page on our website, select your size and then click the "NOTIFY" button,, you can enter your email and get a notification when the new stock arrives. Paul.

Hi Stuart. The Kinesis is a warmer jacket than the VR Alpine Light due to the "fluffier" inside fabric. Breathability is pretty similar however. Thanks for watching. Paul.

@@trekitt How do you think the ME Kenisis compares to the VR Summit? I’m torn between the two and don’t want to get it wrong as either way, I’ll be buying unseen from overseas. Grateful for any insight you can offer!

@@alexarna Similar fit, similar breathability, Kinesis is a bit warmer, but overall you'll be happy with either and won't notice much difference. It just comes down to which brand you're more loyal to. Harry

Vapour Rise garments are designed to allow a little wind through to keep you cool when you're working hard, whereas the Borealis is designed to keep the wind off as a super lightweight outer layer. It really depends what you're looking to get out of the jacket, because, as you've rightly pointed out, they're very different beasts! Kind regards, Harry.

@@trekitt Thanks, I was hoping the VR would bridge the gap between the Borealis and a Goretex pro hardshell for winter use in the Rocky Mountains while on SAR missions.

@@stephencline8561 You'd be better off with something like the Montane Dyno XT which is a 'traditional' softshell with a warm brushed lining. This'll offer more wind-resistance than the VR Alpine but still with good levels of breathability (far above that of a full hardshell). I'll pop a link to it below. Harry. www.trekitt.co.uk/38328/products/montane-mens-dyno-xt-jacket-black.aspx

@@trekitt Thanks for the info!

The ones that fit you best! We stock a wide range and offer a professional footwear fitting service. You can book an appointment if you're near, or alternatively I'd find a local specialist who can fit you instead. Kind regards, Harry. www.trekitt.co.uk/footwear/waterproof-footwear

Very, very similar. The VR is probably a little more focused on breathability/wicking, but you'll be happy with both. I owned an Atom SL for years and loved it. Harry

The Borealis is a bit simpler and is more of a traditional softshell; albeit super lightweight - the Alpine Light has Rab's Vapour Rise tech, so it's designed more for ultimate breathability and moisture wicking.

Hi Mark. The VR Alpine and the Arcteryx Proton FL are indeed incredibly similar. The VR is slightly lighter by 28g, and the Proton is slightly sexier. I suspect that any performance difference will be negligible, however I haven't used a Proton FL in anger. I hope that helps. Paul.

We don't stock the latter unfortunately, and as such I don't have any experience with it. Sorry.

HI, I agree, it would be fantastic if there were some of kind of test that gave a truly objective performance rating for all jackets. But unfortunately there isn't. Lab tests cannot replicate real world conditions, user expectation or the many variables that affect end-user comfort. I've tried to explain this in this video - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ftylntl039Grh2Q.html The other issue is that we are not scientists! We're passionate about the kit we sell and use, and we base our review of a product on our extensive real world experience, but even the manufacturers themselves cannot agree on a fair and objective test to determine performance. Thanks for watching. Paul.

Borealis is completely uninsulated, so just depends how warm you need to be! Harry

@@trekitt thanks for the reply

An integral part of the company! Thanks for watching.

I know that feeling! Thanks for watching. Paul.