This RAB waterproof – the Latok Alpine GORE-TEX Pro Jacket – has an immediate ‘everything in the right place’ feel to it. The pockets and adjusters were where I reached for them on my first day of testing during winter.
The highly-featured jacket does come at a price – but you can now save £130 on it in pre-Black Friday sales at TISO.
Peter Macfarlane’s Best in Test
This RAB waterproof – the Latok Alpine GORE-TEX Pro Jacket – has an immediate ‘everything in the right place’ feel to it.- fit
- pockets
- fabric
- hood
- comfort
- main zip can let in water
| Quick specs |
|---|
| Price: $550 / Materials: 80D and 40D Gore-Tex Pro Hood: wired and stiffened peak, crown and face volume adjusters, roll down Front closure: zip with internal storm flap, bottom popper Underarm/side zips: 2-way pit zips Pockets: 3 external, 1 internal Hem: drawcord adjustable Cuffs: Velcro tab Sizes: S-XXL Women’s version: yes |
When originally tested in 2023, I found the jacket has a relaxed fit to allow winter layers to be worn underneath but doesn’t feel baggy. The body is long with excellent coverage, the arms are also long, and the shaped cuffs offer extra protection. The cuffs on the RAB Latok are wide and I can tuck insulated winter gloves inside them. My arm movement is completely free with no hem movement from a high reach. The hood is very well shaped and is easily adjusted to fit over a winter hat or my bare head. It moves with my head even when not fully tightened so vision is maintained.
The three external pockets on the RAB Latok have water resistant zips and are huge. There’s also an internal zipped mesh pocket on the right side which takes a large smartphone. The pit zips are excellent: easy to use with two-way zips. The main zip runs smoothly and easily, has a rear storm flap and stays waterproof except when the rain becomes wind-driven, where the stormflap does its best to catch it and channel it down to the hem. The two Gore-Tex Pro fabrics see the heavier variant used in high-wear areas. The DWR is excellent and has aged well through use with beading still strong. The fabric is extremely breathable and dries quickly with venting when I’ve overloaded it.
The brand also has a ‘Material Facts’ table, which explains the amount of recycled materials used and the fluorocarbon use on the Latok and other equipment. It’s a worthy step in transparency to help inform such a big purchase.
Read more: Peter’s full review of the Rab Latok
Testing conditions
Peter wears a size Large. He took this jacket into the hills in winter 2023 to test its effectiveness in snow, and it’s had a very varied life since then with regular hill and trail outings. Heavy rains brought a welcome update on the longevity of the DWR coatings after many months of wear. Weights are from his own digital scales.
