Walking - VR Lite Alpine Maya Jacket - RAB - Heason Events

VR Lite Alpine Maya Jacket - RAB

3rd Jul 2014


I have two young boys so whenever we are out and about I am invariably carrying my kit and theirs, be it spare jackets on a day-walk, or full camping gear if out overnight. It means that I'm a stickler for lightweight gear. If I can save 1-200g on each and every piece of kit I am carrying then we're talking kilos in total. 


The VR Lite Alpine Maya fits snugly into the lightweight category at 300g, that's probably half the weight of its replacement. 


It's essentially a full sleeved, wind-proof, water resistant insulated, zipped jacket with a hood. The sort of thing that's absolutely ideal for climbing, but also worth throwing in for a bike ride or run. It's no down jacket and won't keep you toasty warm around the camp fire, but is designed for wearing whilst being active - or at least during the pauses in your activity. It packs down to a nice and compact size so means that putting it in a bum bag or running rucksack is perfectly practical. The outer shell is wind proof and also does a great job of keeping light rain out - it's not a fully waterproof jacket and isn't suitable for heavy rain. That said, even in heavier rain it takes a long time for the water to wick through the insulated lining and actually penetrate. It's clearly been designed for use whilst wearing a harness as the pockets are high on the chest - personally I would have liked two more pockets at the usual level as the reality is that the jacket spends more time on without a harness than with, but that's a small quibble. The pockets are zipped. There's also a neat hood which hangs low and doesn't foul on the back rim of your helmet. 


All in all I'm thoroughly impressed. Retails at £124.99 - a fair price for a very good jacket that is a jack of all trades.

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