I have finally given up on my 12 year old trusty North Face Gore Tex jacket and was very unsure about what could replace it. On visiting Cotswold, I tried on numerous Gore Tex jackets, but none felt quite right...too baggy, too long, too much like wearing a sowester! As soon as I tried on the Rab Neoshell, I knew it was the jacket of the future. It has what feels like a tailored fit. I’m quite skinny and most outershell jackets look enormous on me. This is slim fitting and the arm movement is unparalleled. I can only describe it as not feeling like you’re actually wearing a coat. There is no restriction and no noisy rustling of fabric.
Outside of the shop, I have had the benefit of 4 weeks of solid rain to test the Neoshell and it has been fantastic. Incredibly waterproof and breathability is second to none. The hood design is the best I’ve seen. Excellent all round visibility, which enables great freedom of movement (unlike my previous Gore Tex jacket – your head moved and the hood stayed still). It also fits very tightly and so manages to keep wind and rain seeping in. I’ve worn the jacket whilst running also and the lack of restriction and breathability have been exceptional.
The excellent fit of the jacket is probably down to the stretch qualities of the fabric, but this does mean you can’t have too many layers underneath. For insulation, I usually wear a mid-weight fleece or North Face Nuptse vest. The fleece fits really comfortably but I do look a little like the Hulk with the Nuptse vest underneath.
Overall, this jacket is the best I have ever owned. Once you try it on in Cotswold, you will see why and won’t want any other jacket.
Pros:
Pretty much everything about this jacket is fantastic (as above!)
Cons:
This jacket is pretty close to perfection, but just a couple of small things I find frustrating:
- Firstly, there are only breast pockets – nothing at waist height. I’ve taken to wearing gloves more and no longer walk around with hands in pockets! Storage of items could be an issue for some.
- Jacket length – the fit is virtually perfect but the medium is possibly just an inch too short, but I am a dangly 6’2”