Rab Firewall Jacket Review: When I need a new garment, Rab is one of my “go-to” brands. Rab provided me with a Firewall jacket to test. I knew they made fantastic hard shells, but this was the first time I’d worn a jacket made with Pertex Shield, so I was quite excited to try it out. The Rab Firewall felt great from the moment I put it on. It was blissfully quiet with a lovely absence of that shuffling sound that drives me mad. My opinion:
Features
Pit zips, a helmet-compatible wired hood, a Tricot-lined collar, and a roll-down Velcro tab are all features of the Firewall jacket. There are two zippered chest pockets and one large Napoleon pocket, and the main zip is YKK Aquaguard with internal storm flaps. Finally, there are wrist closure tabs with Velcro and wrist retainers. Pertex Shield is a stretchy, breathable three-layer fabric. The Rab jacket is suitable for all seasons. It comes in three colors: orange (Yoko), blue (Amazon), and black. For my 40-inch chest in size medium, the Firewall’s regular fit (intended to facilitate layering) was plenty roomy. I could wear a base layer and two midweight synthetics on top of each other.
The length of the dress reached my upper hips, and the sleeves were quite long. This gives you a lot of flexibility when reaching up and allows you to pull your hands in (which I often do when walking in the rain). When necessary, the hood can be tightened to accommodate a helmet. The Tricot lining and high collar provide lots of protection. On a Rab jacket, the rest of the features work as expected. Without interfering with the harness, two breast pockets can be used for storage or hands. Weatherproof zip garages and a weatherproof front zipper are included. A third Napoleon-style breast pocket with a waterproof closure can hold a map.
Rab’s Pertex Shield+ all-around Mountaineering
All of the hem and cuff adjustments work well and are comparable to those found on any excellent jacket. The pit zips are a unique feature. ‘Escape Artist’ zips are used by Rab. A long 2-way YKK Aquaguard zip runs from above the cuff to the chest on the other side of the armpits on either side. This allows them to be used for pit venting as well as pulling arms out of sleeves when fully opened. This is a simple-to-use new jacket function. I can’t see needing this much ventilation when wearing a hard-shell jacket. Pit zips aren’t my favorite feature, despite the fact that they’ve been seen on a lot of jackets, especially if the fabric is breathable.
Pertex Shield is a three-layer hydrophobic PU fabric with increased breathability as energy output increases. It breathes as well as other hard shells I’ve used in the past. Because the fabric stretches, you may wear it tight and still move around freely. This is ideal for active pursuits. The jacket is made of soft Pertex Shield, which makes it quite comfortable to wear. It drapes beautifully and does not rustle like some other fabrics. So far, the jacket has performed admirably and has resisted severe rain. So far, it’s been windproof and durable. On a multi-pitch day in Snowdonia, it got a little scraped, but given the thrashy climbing, I was pleasantly surprised.
Demon Pit-Zips!
We’ve largely used the Firewall for Peak District hills. Short days and loads to do suggest hammering. The ‘Escape Artist’ pit-zips are the jacket’s trump card(s) (s). When sauna shell syndrome sets in, unzip a vent and stretch your arm out for massive cooling. The zips from the wrist to the armpit work nicely. When you tuck the flapping sleeve under a pack strap, you’re wearing a waterproof gilet. They function quite well. You can use them traditionally if you prefer. Genius! Brilliant bargain for a name-brand fabric, a terrific cut, and the best pit zips we’ve used. The single suggestion of cost-cutting is the omission of a YKK Vislon main-zip in favor of a water-resistant one. This jacket is a steal.
Full Specification
Once, that meant second-rate performance, but fabric technology has evolved. Micro-engineered PU layers promote breathability. Shield+ is more breathable than the original Pertex Shield fabric (no ‘+’) and on par with all bars the best rival textiles. This variation is mild. We’re not sure how useful the built-in stretch is. Otherwise, it’s state-of-the-art construction and components, but it lacks the fancy Vislon zip that swankier Rab jackets employ.
Performance Rab Firewall Jacket
The Firewall’s soft, silent Pertex Shield+ 3-layer material was a pleasant break from Gore-Tex Pro. The slight stretch helps psychologically, we think. It’s well-cut. Sleek and athletic without superfluous fabric, but still enabling fluid movement. Rab’s somewhat longer than average sleeves work beautifully for climbing and scrambling. If your ape index is high, you should know.
In most conditions, you’ll become soaked. Choose
Good hood, too. Rear and front adjusters are integrated, but the result is a hood that works with or without a helmet and offers wired facial protection. The thin adjuster cords had a ‘never-ending stretch’ effect the first time we used them, but they work. Thicker ones could work.
Small Things
More? Black Diamond and Berghaus’ flat, easy-to-use Cohaesive cord-grips made Rab’s feel fiddly with gloves. The PU-coated, water-resistant YKK main zip isn’t as smooth as the molded-tooth YKK Vislon kind, but we can live with it. Three wide pockets suit packs and harnesses. No internal pocket, however, that’s not a deal-breaker for us.
Verdict: Rab Firewall Jacket
The Firewall is a terrific all-around mountain jacket. It fits nicely, has a protective hood, and while the permeability isn’t the finest, the pit-zips allow rapid and effective cooling. The cloth is soft and silent. No more wind-blown plastic bottles! The fabric is smooth and silent, which is a benefit.
Breathability
I sweat a lot so regulating my temperature is my biggest challenge. I was delighted with the almost full-length pit zips on the Rab Firewall. So long, in fact, I could even get my arms out of the jacket altogether. The interior of the jacket also seemed to wick away my sweat pretty effectively.
Additional features
The hood on this jacket was a big win for me. It is not too bulky despite the fact it is helmet-compatible. It has a wired peak and is two-way adjustable which meant I could get a nice snug fit on a rather windy summit. The pockets are good and roomy (more than enough room for a map) and sit above your hip belt on your rucksack.
No more wind-blown plastic bottles
For long-term durability, we’d like a tougher fabric like Gore-Tex Pro or the heavier eVent Rab employs for its own demanding Latok Jacket, but for all-around mountain use, the Firewall’s hard to top at the price. The firewall is wonderful. I won’t use the pit zips and could get by with one Napolean chest pocket, but all the other aspects are well-thought-out and well-executed. The jacket’s foul-weather performance and fit are both good. Pertex Shield feels and functions excellently. I recommend the Firewall and think it’s a lot of jackets for £200. (and if you explore around you might get it even cheaper online).
