The Rab Phantom Mountain Waterproof is an extremely competent jacket that delivers far above just a basic level of performance, says Lara Dunn.
For those situations where a waterproof jacket is most likely going to be dead weight in a backpack, this jacket from Rab is a cut above.
Lara Dunn recommends
It offers good value for money for what is a super-lightweight waterproof jacket with excellent breathability.- light and packable
- very breathable
- not suited to full-day wet weather walks
- very long sleeves
| Quick specs |
|---|
| Price: $225 / £160 (available from Rab) |
| Weight: 227g (size 14) |
| Materials: 2.5 layer Pertex Shield Diamond Fuse fabric 100% Polyamide. PFAS-free. |
| Hood: Volume adjuster and stiffened peak |
| Front Closure: Water resistant zip with small storm flap |
| Underarm/Side Zips: no |
| Pockets: 2 large high side pockets |
| Hem: Drawcord adjustment |
| Cuffs: half elasticated |
| Sizes: UK8 – 16 |
| Women’s version: Yes |
| rab.equipment |
It weighs about as much as a family sized bag of crisps and packs as small as a can of beans! Groceries aside, it’s an extremely competent jacket that delivers far above just a basic level of performance. The Pertex Shield fabric is a winning combination of windproof and highly breathable, yet offers a decent level of waterproofing too, keeping me dry for a couple of hours of utterly torrential rain without me overheating or getting sweaty, even on a warmer soggier day. It’s not really built to take on all day rain, particularly with a pack impacting on the fabric and increasing the chance of wetting out, but it performs well for long enough.
The hood is adjustable, has a low-key stiffened peak and also acts as an integral stuff sack for the jacket. The side pockets are very spacious and the overall fit is nicely contoured to avoid unnecessary extra fabric. However, it’s surprisingly long in the torso (not problematically so for me at 5’5” but possibly wouldn’t be ideal for a shorter woman) and the sleeves are really very long. The sleeves would not be a problem if it weren’t for the fact that there’s no means by which to cinch in the cuffs, so they flap over the hands. The cuffs are designed so that the sleeves can be pushed up in really warm conditions.
At £160 it offers good value for money for what is a super-lightweight waterproof jacket with excellent breathability that you’ll always be hoping you’ll never actually need to use, but that gives confidence in its ability to offer decent protection when it IS needed.
How Lara tested
Lara tested these waterproof jackets from February to June in a variety of wet conditions varying from around freezing temperatures to mid-twenties, on day hikes of varying lengths in the Malvern Hills, Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains. Lara is 165cm tall and wears size 14/14-16 (Large/XL), brand dependent. Weights are from her own digital scales. This review was published in the September 2026 issue of The Great Outdoors. Compare it with others in our guide to the best waterproof jackets.
