RabMen’s Borealis Jacket Softshell Coat for Mountaineering & Backcountry Skiing

I am a bit biased when it comes to Rab gear as I have a lot of it since I find that it fits my body shape well. This soft shell has not disappointed. I combined it with the Rab Nexus fleece and I have basically been living in them since the weather has started to get cooler. If you buy a size that fits you snuggly then it is a great to wear when you don't want anything flapping around ie. jogging, trail running, bouldering, climbing etc. A good wind breaker it is also resistant to rain to a fair point - but it wont keep you dry in a downpour obviously.As with the most of Rab gear the attention to the details is what is great - the hood is very comfortable, the breast pockets a good size, elasticated cuffs keep the warmth in and elements out, as does the adjustable hem. It also really packs down small and is very light so you hardly notice it in your backpack when you don't need it. So far this year I have put it through quite a bit of use, skiing, trail running, climbing and paragliding and there is no sign of wear as yet.

I’m 42 chest, short in jackets . This was a perfect fit. Lightweight, yet windproof. Stood up to the occasional shower/drizzle whilst I was in Porto in March 24

It gives you just a bit of extra warms and protection against drizzle, but the best part is it is lightweight and packable. It is also stretchy, softer and more comfortable than any hardshell.

As a fan of the 1st generation Rab Boreas pull-on, which I have recently been wearing as a mid-layer under a beefier softshell, I had been giving some consideration to purchasing a Rab Ventus, thejacket version of the Boreas. I was going to buy one but found that they had been superseded by the new Borealis jacket and pull-on, so I ordered one of the new Borealis jackets.The aspects of the Boreas pull-on that made me look out for a jacket variant are the lengths of the sleeves, which are known to be a tad on the long side (not so bad when used as a mid-layer), understandably minimalistic pocket and the inherent awkwardness of it being a pull-on. The Ventus jacket certainly seemed to have solved these issues, from the looks of it. The Borealis jacket has too.In terms of fit, I'm a 39 inch chest in a happy medium, for both the 1st gen Boreas pull-on and the new Borealis jacket. Sleeve lengths are similar, but more convenient and controllable with the bound cuffs on the Borealis. The jacket is slightly more roomy, which is good if you want to keep things in the pockets. I might have preferred the pocket arrangement on the Ventus to be honest, as I'm not likely to be wearing a harness, but I suspect that if you are wearing a Borealis jacket as an outer shell, you're probably not experiencing the kind of weather where you need pockets to keep your hands in and in any case, the sleeves are plenty long enough to cover your hands if they need shelter from the wind.I've dropped a star for the following reasons:1) Seams are not flatlocked like the 1st gen Boreas. I assume they were flatlocked on the 2nd gen Boreas and Ventus too. They are not annoying, but they are not flat.2) The Borealis has seams around the arms at the shoulders whereas the Boreas had a more cunning seam arrangement.3) The 1st gen Boreas had a patch of a nice touchy-feely material on the chin/beard guard and around the neck. I assume that the 2016 Boreas update and the Ventus did too, but the new Borealis jacket does not. It probably won't matter much as I doubt that I will be wearing the Borealis as a base-layer.4) I preferred the asymmetric beard/chin guard on the old Boreas to the new symmetric one on the Borealis, but that might be more noticeable on the new Borealis pull-on.5) The Borealis doesn't have a storm flap (so it couldn't maintain the old style of beard/chin guard). I'm not sure that one is really necessary though,None of those niggles are worth dropping a star for by themselves, but together I feel that they are worth a whole star. That said, if I wasn't comparing the Rab Borealis jacket to the Rab Boreas pull-on, I wouldn't have anything negative to write about and it would get the full 5 stars from me.

Good quality lightweight jacket that arrived next day. Not cheap but wear it all the time and ideal for my active life

A genuinely beautiful jacket that works a treat against the winds of the south Dublin mountains. It’s water resistance is very basic however and it’ll soak thru within 30 mins of even a moderate shower.

Great jacket. I get really hot and sweaty even in cold weather and this jacket is great. Keeps the wind out but really breathable and lightweight.

Well made and packs down to fit into the side pocket of your backpack.

I bought this jacket for a long sailing trip in the Florida Keys in the winter. It was perfect for that use. With days in the low 70s and evenings hitting 60 the jacket cut the breeze but remained breathable. The hood helped keep the sun off and the whole kit is light and packable and looks nice enough to use casually. The big zips on the front were great for dumping heat. The trim fit was just right for me to wear over a T-shirt or light fleece (Rab Tectonic which was excellent too). The light water resistance was also an asset when getting splashed occasionally.

I love everything about this jacket! I'm 5'11", 140lbs. Got the medium. I use this for highly active sports. It does everything it should...to the max

Great for spring/summer alpine mornings where you’re only wearing a T-shirt or lightweight thermal. Will layer under insulation not over. Slim almost Asian fit sizing but stretchy.

Die Rab Borealis liegt mit ihren 300 g irgendwo zwischen Wind- und Softshelljacke. Habe bei normalen 1,90 XL genommen. Das passt gut, trägt sich angenehm und hat auch noch reichlich Platz z. B. für ein dickeres Fleece drunter. Größer dürfte es aber nicht mehr sein. Die Farbe "aspen green" sieht extrem gut aus, schön kräftiger Ton. Und die Kapuze ist nicht groß einstellbar, sitzt aber sehr gut am Kopf.Sie verfügt nur über zwei große Brusttaschen, was optisch ansprechend, für den Alltag allerdings weniger geeignet ist. Und eine Sache ist wirklich störend: die Stopper im Bund. Sie ziehen die Jacke nur hinten zusammen, so dass es reichlich seltsam aussieht: vorne glatt, hinten wie Ziehharmonika. Das hätte man besser lösen können!Alles in Allem aber für 88,- Euro ein schönes Teil - vor allem fürs Wandern oder Bergsteigen. Die richtige Wahl, wenn die Windshell zu dünn und die Softshell zu dick ist.

Beste Softshelljacke,sie ist extrem dünn und leicht,ich habe auch die Arcterix Squamish Windbreakerjacke und zwischen den beiden Jacken ist wenig Unterschied .Die Jacke passt mir in xl so das ich noch etwas drunter ziehen kann (ich bin nicht der schlankeste) sie ist super stretchy und klein zu verpacken (man kann sie in eine Fahradflasche stopfen.