Rab was founded in Founded in 1981 by Scottish climber Rab Carrington in the attic of a small terraced house in Sheffield, UK. The foundation of the brand was laid in 1973 when Carrington was stranded in Buenos Aires and learned the craft of making down sleeping bags from his friend, Argentine climber Hector Vieytes. The brand was built on the philosophy of creating “nononsense, honest, hardwearing gear” for climbers. In 2003, Rab retired and handed over ownership to Equip Outdoor Technologies Ltd. The brand is known for its Climbing Heritage and Focus: The brand is a “climbing company at its core,” known for technical hardshells and insulated jackets. Durability and Repairability: The core philosophy is to create “honest, hardworking pieces that you’d rather repair than replace,” with a dedicated Service Centre for repairs and washing. Technical Expertise: Known for using highquality European down and advanced fabric technologies like GORETEX Pro and Pertex. Authenticity: Appeals to core outdoor consumers who value quality and authenticity, often seen as an alternative to larger, more commercial brands. Their signature products include Microlight Alpine Down Jacket: An iconic and bestselling down jacket. Mythic G Down Jacket: A highperformance, lightweight down jacket. Valiance Waterproof Down Jacket: A key item in the waterproof down category. Nexus PullOn: A popular midlayer fleece. Xenair Alpine Insulated Jacket: A bestselling synthetic insulated jacket. Premier Sleeping Bag: The first of Rab’s expedition range, launched in the 1990s. The brand also has core product lines in Apparel (jackets, pants, midlayers),Equipment (sleeping bags and tents along with packs) and Service Centre (Rab Wash, Rab Repairs).
Rab offers a wide range of products, including Microlight Alpine Down Jacket: An iconic and bestselling down jacket. Mythic G Down Jacket: A highperformance, lightweight down jacket. Valiance Waterproof Down Jacket: A key item in the waterproof down category. Nexus PullOn: A popular midlayer fleece. Xenair Alpine Insulated Jacket: A bestselling synthetic insulated jacket. Premier Sleeping Bag: The first of Rab’s expedition range, launched in the 1990s. The brand also has core product lines in Apparel (jackets, pants, midlayers),Equipment (sleeping bags and tents along with packs) and Service Centre (Rab Wash, Rab Repairs). The brand is particularly known for its Climbing Heritage and Focus: The brand is a “climbing company at its core,” known for technical hardshells and insulated jackets. Durability and Repairability: The core philosophy is to create “honest, hardworking pieces that you’d rather repair than replace,” with a dedicated Service Centre for repairs and washing. Technical Expertise: Known for using highquality European down and advanced fabric technologies like GORETEX Pro and Pertex. Authenticity: Appeals to core outdoor consumers who value quality and authenticity,often seen as an alternative to larger and more commercial brands. and has recently launched AW24 Collection: Included new items such as the Men’s and Women’s Cirrus Alpine Jacket along with Cirrus Flex Hoody and Cirrus Ultra Hoody. Spring/Summer 2025: Refreshed the Skyline mountain running collection and introduced a new pack collection with five distinct series, including the Hyperon loadhauling trekking packs. AW25: Launched a new PFASfree GORETEX Pro Shell collection.
Rab is at the forefront of innovation with technologies like Pertex: A key fabric technology used extensively in Rab’s down and insulated gear. GORETEX: Utilizes various GORETEX technologies, including GORETEX Product Technology (classic shells) along with GORETEX Active and GORETEX Pro (for highperformance shells). PrimaLoft: A synthetic insulation used in various jackets. RECCO: Reflector technology integrated into some products for rescue. Revolve Fabrics: A monopolymer fabric construction designed to be easier to recycle. PFASFree Shells: A new generation of durable water repellent (DWR) finishes that are free of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These innovations have led to numerous awards, including Rab Lighting (a separate entity) was recognized in the 2024 IES Progress Report. For the Rab outdoor brand, specific awards are not explicitly detailed in the search results, but the brand is recognized for its technical expertise and highquality gear in the outdoor industry.
Expert Rab buying guidance emphasizes the importance of their price positioning,which is Premium/Expensive: Positioned at the higher end of the market and catering to serious outdoor adventurers and mountain enthusiasts who prioritize technical performance along with quality and durability over cost. The price range is generally high, as indicated by products like the Women’s Valiance Waterproof Down Jacket ($415) and the Men’s Xenair Alpine Insulated Jacket ($260). Look out for collaborations like Gramicci: A limitededition sevenpiece collection combining Rab’s technical precision with Gramicci’s Californian climbing style. Working Class Heroes: A Fall/Winter 2021 collaboration reworking two of Rab’s “epochal garments.” Lowe Alpine: Rab is part of the Equip Outdoor Technologies group, which also owns Lowe Alpine. for unique items.
The legacy of Rab spans decades of innovation and commitment to quality and innovation. The brand has a strong commitment to sustainability, with initiatives like Climate Neutral Certified: Rab is a Climate Neutral Certified company. Net Zero Goal: Committed to becoming a Net Zero business by 2030. Responsible Down Standard (RDS): Certified to ensure ethical sourcing of down. PFASFree: Completed the move to PFASfree shell technologies with the AW25 GORETEX Pro Shell collection. Recycling Focus: Uses Revolve fabrics with a monopolymer construction for easier recycling. Packaging: Uses 100% recycled cardboard and has eliminated plastic from retail packaging. Memberships: Member of Fair Wear and a signatory of the European Outdoor Group Sustainability Charter.
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