The Rab Glaceon Pro Down jacket boasts excellent features for its price, says Peter Macfarlane.
The Rab Glaceon Pro Down jakcet looks and feels like a traditional mountain down jacket – a classic silhouette and big stitch-through baffles to hold the down fill in place – but in use I found plenty of details worthy of note.
Peter Macfarlane recommends
The outer fabric has an excellent DWR which sheds sleet and snow very well, and has a very high recycled content as do most of the materials on the jacket.- weight
- warmth
- stitch-through baffles
| Quick specs |
|---|
| Price: $340 / £250 (available from Rab) Weight: 604g size large Fill: 700FP Recycled Down with Nikwax Fluorocarbon-Free Hydrophobic Finish, 265g Shell: 20D Recycled Pertex® Quantum Pro outer 40gsm with fluorocarbon free DWR Hood: helmet compatible, adjustable, wired brim Cuffs: velcro Hem: drawcord, two side adjusters Pockets: 3 external zipped Sizes: XS-XXL Women’s version: Yes rab.equipment/uk/ |
The fit is excellent on my average build, size large frame and I can wear the Glaceon over a base layer or midlayer, plus get a shell jacket over it without over compressing the down baffles and therefore compromising performance by inhibiting loft. The body length is excellent with my backside well covered. The arms are long with good shoulder articulation, and the cuffs are wide enough that they easily slip over a winter glove, so the extra length doesn’t mean fabric bunches up. The cuffs also have easily managed, big Velcro adjustment tabs.
The hood is excellent with internal face adjusters and a Velcro tab at the crown for volume adjustment. This adjusts without feeling restrictive even with just my bare head. The peak is wired and doesn’t budge in the wind.
The main zip is two-way, baffled and has a microfleece chin guard. It zips up to just under the nose and the hood can be pulled up and down without having to adjust the zip. There are two deep microfleece lined hand warmer pockets which are partially accessible while wearing a hip belt. There is a zipped napoleon chest pocket with a discrete entry to cut heat loss, very handy when wearing the Glaceon on the move.
The outer fabric has an excellent DWR which sheds sleet and snow very well, and has a very high recycled content as do most of the materials on the jacket. The stitch-through construction saves weight and bulk but will allow a little more heat out, but the Glaceon is a warm, packable and light jacket well built for the winter hills.
Testing conditions
Peter rotated these jackets on every outdoor trip this winter so far, from Munros in all conditions to lunch breaks on ranger activities in the Kilpatrick Hills and static photography activities in sub-zero conditions. He wears a size large.
This review was first published in the March 2025 issue of The Great Outdoors.
