British climber Rab Carrington made his first piece of technical kit in his Sheffield attic back in 1981, and Rab quickly expanded into a premium outdoors brand for the climbing community. It has evolved to cater for most adventure mountain sports, and that now encompasses mountain biking. See our review of Rab’s Cinder Kinetic waterproof jacket.
However, as its name implies, this Ascendor Light hoody is designed primarily for climbers, and recommended by Rab for skiing and mountaineering too, but the marketing folk have missed a trick as it’s also ideal for biking. Lightweight, warm and easily packable, I've kept it in my pack throughout this winter as a versatile midlayer. It's available in men and women's versions, which are the same apart from their colors and sizing (Rab also make a thicker Ascendor hoody for colder conditions). Pair the hoody with one of the best cycling base layers, and you'll be sitting pretty from fall through to spring.
