Lara Dunn finds the Rab Cirrus Ultra Insulated Hooded jacket best suited to rest stops and summits than it is to prolonged cold camps or wildlife watching forays.

Thanks to its lightweight Primaloft ThermoPlume+ loose fill synthetic insulation designed to mimic down, used together with heat-reflective technology and body-mapped sheet insulation, the Rab Cirrus Ultra Insulated Hooded jacket punches well above its weight in terms of warmth to weight.

Lara Dunn recommends

It’s compact, packable, warm, and made from over 75% recycled materials and it’s good value for money.
Pros
  • lightweight
  • warm
  • durable
  • packable
Cons
  • loose cuffs
Quick specs
Price: $265 / £230 (available from Rab)
Weight: 566g (size 14)
Fill: PrimaLoft ThermoPlume + loose fill insulation
Shell: 100% recycled polyamide – 20D recycled Pertex Quantum with Flurocarbon-free DWR
Hood: Drawstring adjustable, stiffened peak
Cuffs: Elasticated Hem: Drawstring adjustable
Pockets: 2 side zipped pockets (1 doubles as a stuff sack)
Sizes: UK8-16
Men’s version: Yes
rab.equipment

It’s not the warmest, lightest or most compact of Rab’s insulated jackets but it provides an excellent compromise in a robust and breathable jacket. The fit is quite roomy, but not loose, while the sleeves are a little on the long side. The drawstring adjustment of the deep insulated hood is easy to operate with gloves on and effective at providing a cosy fit around the head. Thanks to its stiffened peak, visibility is not too badly impaired.

The main zip is smooth and glove friendly and features a soft pad at the top to protect the chin. The two size zipped pockets are huge but could do with a bit of a cosy lining in an ideal world. One of them doubles as a stuff sack for the jacket. There’s a sizeable chest pocket too, but no internal insulated pocket for gadgets.

The elasticated cuffs could do with being a little more snug, or deploying a Velcro strap to adjust the fit more neatly. In use, it’s very warm and cosy for reasonably long periods in the cold, but better suited to rest stops and summits than it is to prolonged cold camps or wildlife watching forays.

The DWR on the outer shell fabric isn’t quite as effective as I’d like, but thanks to the synthetic insulation it stays warm even if damp. It’s compact, packable, warm, and made from over 75% recycled materials and it’s good value for money.

Testing conditions

Lara tested the jackets on walks in the Malvern Hills, Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains during a mixed autumn and a spectacularly cold, snowy early winter. Long, static wildlife-spotting evenings proved a good test of insulation properties. She usually takes a size 14, sometimes 16.

This review was first published in the March 2025 issue of The Great Outdoors.