Rab Ascendor Gentle Hoody Fleece Overview

Backside Line

The Rab Ascendor Gentle Hoody (males’s / ladies’s) is among the lightest and most packable fleece jackets in our information to one of the best fleeces for women and men. We examined the Rab Ascendor on chilly morning hikes in Northern California to find out its match and luxury(with and and not using a backpack), versatility, packability, and ease of cleansing.

Designed for climbing, peak scrambling, mountaineering, and mountain climbing, this fleece balances breathability with heat to offer final consolation in your strenuous mountain adventures. Whereas its slim-fitting design will not be one of the best match for all physique sorts, it does match simply beneath a harness, backpack, or an additional layer. 

The snugly-fitting hood additionally suits simply over a hat or beneath a helmet for additional insulation and wind safety. Our gear analyst appreciates how stretchy the material is for ease of motion, in addition to its resistance to clutter attempting to hitch a journey in your again. 

Our solely want is that the jacket got here with hand pockets, however we perceive Rab’s concentrate on this being a technical layer, and never a hand hotter or a Chapstick/cellphone provider. To match the Rab Ascendor to different fleece jackets in our lineup, try our absolutely up to date gear information to see our favorites for each women and men.

Heat

The Rab Ascendor isn’t attempting to be the warmest fleece, however it nonetheless gives ample insulation to take the nip out of a cool breeze, or alpine nip. It additionally provides heat to your total layering system when worn beneath an outer shell. The added hood gives additional heat across the head and stays in place when turning your neck up, down and side-to-side.

Even with its thinner material, we had been impressed by how the Ascendor nonetheless successfully minimize the nippiness and trapped our physique warmth throughout our chilly morning hikes in Northern California. The Thermic ™ S artificial material is fast drying, moisture-wicking, and insulating, making it a go-to decide for strenuous mountain adventures together with climbing, mountain climbing, and mountaineering. The alternating ridges of excessive and low lofted fleece on the within of the jacket present higher breathability and heat with out sacrificing weight.

Consolation

 The Rab Ascendor is a skinny, adaptable, and moisture-wicking layer that’s created with Thermic ™ S, to offer top-notch insulation and breathability year-round. Its stretchy, slim-fitting design suits simply beneath a harness, additional layer or backpack, whereas the cosy hood may be pulled over a hat or worn beneath a helmet for cover from the wind or chilly creeping in. Our gear analyst discovered the fleece tender to the contact and appreciates its movement-friendly and non-bulky design. 

Nevertheless, she did discover that the shoulders, chest, and higher arms had been a bit snugger than desired when lifting and reaching. Though the material is stretchy sufficient to forestall any motion restrictions, this fleece is greatest fitted to smaller-framed people attributable to its tighter match. Or dimension up. 

When sitting or squatting, the fleece can bunch up a bit across the entrance zipper because of the longer torso design. Whereas not inherently uncomfortable, it isn’t probably the most flattering look. Apart from that, the fleece stays put and the material doesn’t bunch up uncomfortably. Total, we’re happy with the consolation of the Rab Ascendor.

Sturdiness

We’re large followers of Rab gear, and this layer suits proper in. The Rab Ascendor feels high-quality and really sturdy, even for a light-weight layer. Although like all fleeces, it gained’t be as hardy as an outer shell. Since it’s not as fuzzy and fluffy as extra leisure-focused, high-pile, high-cozy issue fleeces, it’s extra resistant to clutter cling and simpler to wash when it does get soiled. This fleece additionally suits cosy to the physique, making it much less more likely to snag on bushes, branches, and rocks when climbing. 

With the Ascendor’s fast drying, breathable, and moisture-wicking properties, it handles water higher than the thicker fleeces in our lineup. As a result of nature of the material, this fleece requires particular care when washing. We propose both hand-washing or utilizing a delicate cycle and turning the Ascendor inside out in case you are utilizing the washer.

Weight

At simply 8.5 ounces (males’s medium), the Rab Ascendor is among the lightest fleeces that we examined. With its slim-fitting silhouette and non-bulky design, the Ascendor can be one of the vital packable jackets we examined. 

When shedding a layer throughout your journey, this jacket packs down small and takes up minimal area in your daypack. Resulting from its excessive rankings in packability and weight, we extremely advocate this fleece for alpine adventuring and backcountry journeys.

Options

The Ascendor is designed to maintain you transferring when situations and routes continually create various temperatures and exertion ranges. For that cause, it’s not probably the most feature-filled fleece in our lineup. Nonetheless, the Rab Ascendor boasts many wonderful qualities to amplify its supposed objective. Its flatlocked seams enhance consolation, a dropped hem down the decrease again provides additional protection, and elasticized binding on the cuffs and across the hood. 

The under-helmet hood is cosy and comfortable when pulled tight across the head or worn over a hat. 

Whereas the fleece does have one zippered chest pocket, we will’t assist however want that it got here with hand pockets for additional storage and heat for the fingers. 

The fleece options thumb holes contained in the sleeves to assist safe the jacket when worn beneath an outer shell. Nevertheless, we might have additionally preferred to have exterior thumb loops to offer some additional heat across the arms when in movement.

Ought to You Purchase The Rab Ascendor Gentle Hoody?

The Rab Ascendor is designed for the mountain adventurer with its slim-fitting under-harness construct and distinctive insulating materials that can be moisture-wicking and breathable. With its light-weight design and aggressive packability, the Ascendor is an ideal layer for backcountry expeditions. The primary function this fleece lacks is hand pockets. However, in case you are busy climbing up a mountain, you seemingly gained’t want them!

If you’re in want of a fleece with wider shoulders and extra space within the higher arms and chest, the Ascendor will not be one of the best match for you with its narrower, body-hugging silhouette. For hikers in search of a thicker and plusher fleece jacket for final heat, the Ascendor wouldn’t be your go-to – this fleece prioritizes balancing heat with breathability for intense bodily pursuits.

What Different Fleeces Ought to You Think about?

To match the Rab Ascendor Gentle Hoody to different top-performing fleece jackets for the yr, check out some comparable strategies under or try our absolutely up to date gear information for extra thorough critiques.

Arc’teryx Kyanite Hoodie Overview: Equally, a comfortable, heat and slim-fitting hooded fleece, the Kyanite can be quick-drying and breathable with two zippered hand pockets.

Outside Analysis Vigor Overview: The Vigor is a light-weight, quick-drying, and breathable hooded fleece that comes at an identical worth level because the Rab; the Vigor will not be as heat, however it additionally boasts two zippered hand pockets. 

REI Trailmade Fleece Overview: For a budget-friendly hoodless fleece that additionally presents a slimmer match, try the REI Trailmade. This can be a nice light-weight various to contemplate if affordability is your predominant precedence.