Having been on a number of trekking trips last year, I knew it was time to upgrade to a lighter down jacket from my old Mountain Hardwear Nilas. So I invested in RABs top of the line Mythic G, so did I make the right choice? I have now used this jacket for a while on a number of trips so thought I’d let you know what I think.
This jacket is like the F1 car of down jackets utilising the latest and greatest in fabrics and technology, lets start with the insulation. 127 grams of 1000 fill power European goose down, its does not get better than that for warmth to weigh ratio, this is the best you can get, to boost the warmth the jacket uses Rabs TILT lining, their version of a reflective metal barrier in side the jacket, radiating body heat back to the wearer, Rab claim this tech reduces heat loss by up to 30% without adding any extra weight, its also silent and zoned, so the armpits are free from the TILT where you might not want the heat reflection. Finally, the Jacket uses a 7 denier ripstop nylon fabric…this is crazy light…not much out there is this lightweight, in the grey colour you can see the down fill through the fabric, it’s so light.
It has square baffles, which help to keep the limited amount of down in place and lofting effectively, and a stitch-through construction, not the warmest, but the lightest.
What I was most amazed by was how small it packs and how light it is in the hand. The 1000FP down lofts really well, so the jacket feels “puffy” on, but it’s hard to notice you are wearing it because so light. And then you can pack it down tiny, smaller the a 1L bottle, this thing is bonkers!
On a trip to the Himalayas at the start of the year, the Jacket spent a lot of time in my pack as it was quite warm, and was used in the chilly evenings and mornings. The pack size and weight mean you really barely notice it, but when you stop and it’s cold, it insulates really well. We had a particularly cold day with an early start at about 4500m elevation and walked up to a high pass at 5416m. The temperature was well below 0 °C the whole time, and the jacket kept me perfectly warm.
Fit-wise, the jacket is definitely an athletic cut, there is not really any baggy space, and the hem is close-fitting, which I really like – keeping the cold out. Sleeve length again is excellent, offering just enough coverage of the back of the hands, and no need for cuff adjusters. Finally, the hood and chin guard are brilliant and really work well to give that cosy feel and trap warm air inside the jacket. A major plus for me is also the main zip being a YKK Vislon – it’s buttery smooth and easy with gloves, most ultralight jackets would use a more fiddly coil zip.
The jacket has been a constant companion of mine all year, it’s so light, compact and warm, perfect for year-round camping trips, chilly summits, and cool beach evenings. Far beyond the super technical end use it was designed for. I absolutely love this jacket.
Something this light and small has no right to be so warm. So the tech here really does work. It’s a very expensive jacket, but you are paying for that advanced tech, design and fabric. My last jacket was twice the weight and bulk, and the Mythic G is probably as warm. So if you want the best ultralight insulator for most occasions, get this one.
View the product here (other colour options available on the product page:
Men’s Rab Mythic G Jacket
