The Rab Downpour Eco is designed as a hill-walking and general-use waterproof jacket. It is made with 100% recycled fabric. Manufacturer Rab is already climate neutral and says it’s heading for net zero by 2030.
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First impressions
The fabric is thicker than most in this test; this definitely feels like a hiking jacket. It has a longer cut in both arms and torso, with a roomier fit for as many layers as you’d like underneath. If you’re looking for a classic mountain jacket style that’s lightweight but still covers the essentials, this could be your jacket.
How waterproof is the Rab Downpour Eco?
It will keep you dry over long, slow days hiking in the rain. It has a great hydrostatic head of 20,000 and the longer cut prevents any riding up in the arms or waist. All zips on this jacket have external storm flaps for extra protection.
How breathable?
With a high MVTR of 20,000 and a soft-feeling fabric, this jacket doesn’t get very sweaty. The large underarm vents help cool you down when needed. These pit zips have significant external storm flaps, too.
Fit and design features
The Rab Eco Downpour has the deepest hood of any jacket in this batch of tests. It’s the kind of hood you can hide from the weather in, with a wired peak and three toggles to adjust it down – two at the front and one centre back. With all this adjustment you can either batten down the hatches or have a more open view in lighter rain.
The pockets are large, with zips and storm flaps, but at waist height. Depending on where you wear your rucksack strap, this could get in the way. Pockets are not big enough for an OS map but can fit a full hand inside. Continuing with the adjustability theme, the cuffs have hook-and-loop closures, allowing you to choose between cuffed at wrist or over glove with the generous arm length. The waist can be tightened by two toggles on elastic cord.
Best for: hill-walking and general use
Facts at a Glance: Rab Downpour Eco Jacket
- Weight: 284g, women’s size 8
- Waterproofing: Pertex Revolve, HH: 20,000mm (very waterproof)
- Breathability: MVTR: 20,000 g/m2/24 hrs
- Vents: yes, under arms
- Hood: Excellent hood with wired peak and 3 adjustment toggles
- Fabric: 2.5L, 100% recycled polyester
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Also consider:
Haglöfs LIM GTX Jacket
RRP £230
Designed for moving fast and light, the Haglöfs LIM GTX Jacket will appeal to swift hikers and trail runners. It weighs only around 250g, depending on size. Don’t expect it to keep you dry in an all-day downpour, but its waterproofing is highly effective longish spells.
Features have been pared-back to keep weight and bulk down – hence the name ‘LIM’ (which stands for ‘less is more’).
It’s durable, and breathable enough to keep you cool when you are running, despite the lack of under-arm vents. (There are vents in the pockets, if you’re not carrying anything in them.)
For more detail check out our full-length review.
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Mountain Equipment Garwhal waterproof jacket
RRP £190
This is a fully featured mountain jacket – just a very lightweight one, at around 300g. The 2.5-layer Gore-Tex Paclite waterproofing is great – it kept our tested Emily dry in a lengthy deluge on Dartmoor. It has an excellent hood with a stiffened peak and three toggles to adjust the fit. Long, narrow chest pockets are just big enough to squeeze in an Ordnance Survey map. It has a fairly slim fit, but there’s just enough room for layers beneath. When things turn chilly, the two toggles on the hem are easy to tighten with a single hand. If you want to find out more, read more in our detailed review.
Looking for more options?
Check out our roundup of the best lightweight waterproof jackets on the market in 2023!
