Dr. Lee finding snow and an opportunity for hardshell comfort. Alaska style.

Dr. Lee finding snow and an opportunity for hardshell comfort. Alaska style.

 

Hardshells are key when you need them. In this first look, Rab’s Korma Kinetic serves us ample features at a reasonable price point.

 

What can you say about hardshells?

No, really, what can you say about hardshells? They’re just glorified raincoats, right? They’re heavy, bulky, stuffy, uncomfortable, and rarely appropriate for going uphill. And yet…when you need ’em, you really need ’em! I hate a hardshell until I love a hardshell.

The synthetic jacket revolution began in the rain on the British Isles more than a century and a half ago. A Scottish chemist sandwiched a layer of rubber between layers of fabric in 1824, marking the first modern innovation in jacket technology beyond waxed canvas (the “Mackintosh Jacket”). Synthetic materials further revolutionized the shell 120 years later. By the late 1970s, Gore-Tex began the contemporary race for lightweight, packable, waterproof, and breathable outerwear, which continues today. Most major outdoor brands today use a mix of nylon and synthetic poly blends with DWR and other custom waterproof finishes to move forward in the outerwear race. The trick is allowing moisture out, keeping the scales down, and making something that can fit in a backpack, all without burning a hole in your wallet.

Since it’s been 45 degrees and raining in Anchorage for what feels like the last 1000 years, I must admit, a good waterproof, breathable shell is sometimes a necessary and underrated piece of kit. More snow has fallen this year in New Orleans than at my house in Alaska. There is snow up high, but it has been wet and windy. Time to test a hardshell: The Rab Korma Kinetic fits the bill.

Rab advertises the Korma as offering “the protection of a hardshell with the comfort of a softshell.” I figured it’s a good option for Gore-Tex skeptics like myself.

Rab continues the tradition of British jacket manufacture. An outdoor gear benchmark company based in the UK, Rab still feels like a bit of a niche brand Stateside, despite 40 years of making quality gear. With a durable reputation for layers that last, I was excited to take the Korma Kinetic for a spin here in the subarctic. The Korma is made from Rab’s Profelex fabric—a three-layer, 20-denier lightweight nylon with a fluorocarbon-free DWR finish. I took this thing out on a zero-degree day and felt just as shielded from the elements as in the rain. The Proflex works.

The Proflex is rated at 25,000 g/m2/24 hrs; you know the classic g/m/day unit? Yeah, me neither, but this puts it on par with Gore-Tex Active and Gore-Tex Pro, which beats Gore-Tex PacLite. It’s breathable by industry standards.

 

It’s a first look. We’ll keep it simple. The Rab Korma Kinetic will be put to the AK test this winter. So far, it seems an excellent hardshell that keeps the budget balanced.

It’s a first look. We’ll keep it simple. The Rab Korma Kinetic will be put to the AK test this winter. So far, it seems an excellent hardshell that keeps the budget balanced.

 

The medium comes in at 538 grams. Neither light nor heavy, reasonable for a real-deal hardshell. The thing is, reasonable is actually hard to come by at the price point. The Korma Kinetic runs about $400. Steep? Yes. But, consider a Gore-Tex layer like the  430g Mammut Nordwand at $650 or the 515g Arc’teryx Alpha sv at a whopping $900, and $400 sounds reasonable for the right material. Maybe it’s not a steal of a deal, but it’s competitive.

Aside from the ski pass arm pocket that I’d probably ditch, I really like the pocket design—two supersized primary pockets up front, with mesh backing, and two smaller mesh internal pockets. The two chest pockets easily accommodate skins, goggles, and smaller dog breeds.

Good zippers, pit zips, lower powder skirt style snap (without the full skirt), and a hood adjustment cord round out the bells and whistles.

The Korma shines with its simplified design and great packability for what it is. It’s comfortable because it’s not bulky or overbuilt. The material has more stretch than many competitors, giving good mobility.

It’s a shell. It works. It doesn’t feel like a trash bag. Do I think it’s an uphill jacket? No. Does it come with gummy bears? No. But it’s a capable backcountry jacket that, at first pass, is durable, breathable, and effective.

 

The Basics According to Rab

  • 2-way adjustable ski helmet compatible hood with concealed internal cord locks and single handed adjustment.
  • Wired and stiffened peak for increased weather protection.
  • 2 zips on rear arms allow for venting using YKK® AquaGuard Zips.
  • 3 external pockets (2x Napoleon/1x Ski Pass) using YKK® AquaGuard Zips.
  • Napoleon pockets are mesh lined allowing for additional venting options.
  • 1 zipped and 1 mesh internal pockets.
  • 2-way YKK® VISLON® centre front zip with zip guard, lower snap fastener and fleece lined chin guard for comfort.
  • Extended cuffs with lower elastication and hook and loop adjustment for better fit around gloves or mitts.
  • Dual sided rear hem adjustment, concealed cord locks and anti snag tether.
  • 90% Polyamide, 10% Elastane. 100% Polyester Back. Polyurethane membrane.
  • 20D Proflex™ Stretch Woven Nylon 3-layer Waterproof Technology with fluorocarbon-free DWR (149g/m²) HH: 20,000mm and MVTR: 25,000 g/m²/24 hrs.
  • Price: $400.00