The Xenair Alpine is a higher volume synthetic puffy jacket that is both warm and versatile. It’s a roomy, relaxed fit which makes it great for throwing over other clothes quickly or layering with other warm layers in colder conditions. There’s a drop tail, a very adjustable hood and mixed cuff closures for sealing the warmth in further. The arms have a great range of movement and there’s no rise when active.
David Lintern Recommends
It’s brilliant as a both climbing belay jacket, or a deep winter camp jacket (when paired with slimmer insulation layers underneath), and it’s breathable enough to work in without sweating too much- Warm
- roomy
- Good pockets
- None
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £230 Weight: 528g (men’s medium) Fill: 133gsm PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Active+ (55% Recycled Content) Shell: 20D Pertex® Quantum Air with fluorocarbon-free DWR (47gsm) Hood: stiffened, single adjustment at rear, helmet compatible Cuffs: Semi elasticated with Velcro adjusters. Hem: drawcord with 2x adjusters Pockets: 4 outer: 2 chest, 2 handwarmer. Sizes: S–XXL Women’s version: yes rab.equipment |
The fill is Primaloft Gold which is very efficient and reasonably environmentally sound, with 55% recycled content. The Shell is Pertex Quantum Air, which at 20D I have found to breath well. There’s a balance between water repellence and durability on the one hand, and air permeability on the other. Pros: the jacket dries quickly. Cons: the jacket does let air pass through – it’s susceptible to windchill. It’s also quite bulky, both when packed and when worn, so it is best worn outside other layers.
However, these are not criticisms per se – just a balance of technical features. I’ve had this on long term test for about 18 months, from mixed summer alpine to minus double digits in the Cairngorms, and it’s performed brilliantly throughout. The fill is still bouncing back from being compacted into drybags, and it’s still incredibly warm and cosy. Despite the relatively lightweight shell, there’s no snagging or abrasion as yet. I love the oversized fit and the pockets are massive, with glove friendly zip pulls.
There’s a harness friendly, 2-way main zip and a chin guard to hide behind in bad weather. It’s brilliant as a both climbing belay jacket, or a deep winter camp jacket (when paired with slimmer insulation layers underneath), and it’s breathable enough to work in without working up too much of a sweat. An excellent all-rounder, outside of high summer.
