Review – Rab Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Jacket and Trousers

Rab Equipment have years of knowledge and experience from creating the finest mountaineering, mountain running and skiing kit. This year, with the launch of the Rab Cinder collection they introduce versatile bikepacking apparel – designed to 'give riders freedom and confidence to take on whatever lies in their path.'

I have been testing the Rab Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Jacket and the Rab Men's Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Pants; two pieces of outerwear that promise to keep you riding even when the heavens open and you are battling against the elements.

To put the apparel to the test, I took them on my West Country Way Adventure – a four day journey of five hundred kilometres – over challenging terrain and in some of the worst early season weather that North Devon and Exmoor could throw our way.


Review – Rab Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Jacket

Tim Fish, Design Director at Rab, said, "Off-road biking adventures require immense versatility in apparel; one moment you're too hot, then too cold; it is windy, and you are always dealing with moisture." To address similar conditions that Rab encountered in mountaineering and mountain running pursuits, the company introduced Proflex…

Proflex is a unique Rab fabric innovation, made by sandwiching a bespoke PU hydrophilic membrane between two high gauge soft knit fabrics. The construction allows Rab to make 'softshell' jackets with the waterproof protection of a traditional hard-shell; the result is a stretchy, robust, fully waterproof, and highly versatile layer – perfect for bikepacking. 

The Cinder Kinetic Jacket is engineered for days in the saddle. It features a longer back for added protection against rear wheel spray, and a silicone gripper to keep the jacket in place when you are riding. A large over-helmet hood can be easily adjusted using the inbuilt cinch system, and the stiffened peak provides improved protection. Extended cuffs with elasticated hems offer a good junction with waterproof cycling gloves (such as the GripGrab Polaris 2), and a duo of a zippered chest pocket and an expandable zippered rear pocket provide ample storage for ride essentials.

Soft to the touch, but durable, protective and feature packed – the Rab Cinder Kinetic Jacket offers superb comfort and weather protection. 


Review – Rab Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Trousers

The ideal pairing for the Cinder Kinetic Jacket is the Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Trousers; featuring the same Proflex material, they offer equal protection, breathability and comfort for your legs.

The highly breathable stretch waterproof fabric is used throughout the waterproof cycling trousers; with bike-specific features including an articulated cut, reinforced seat and inner thigh, and a driveside hem protector pad for added resilience to drivetrain abrasion.

A zipped ankle allows for a more tailored fit on the lower leg to reduce the chance of fabric snags; while offset inseams reduce the chance of uncomfortable rubbing. Low-profile thigh vents can help heat escape as you work hard out on the trail, and they double up to provide access to your cargo shorts below. Two further zippered pockets allow extra storage.

Stretchy, comfortable and impressively breathable – the Rab Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Trousers are some of the best cycling-specific waterproof trousers I have used to date, and an invaluable asset on multi-day tours in changeable and unpredictable weather.


Summary

The new Cinder collection from Rab demonstrates that the brand has successfully been able to take their years of knowledge and experience in the outdoor clothing industry and employ it well in the world of bikepacking and adventure cycling. 

The two Kinetic waterproof pieces are superb companions to have, ready to deploy when the weather unexpectedly turns for the worst; they will keep you riding in comfort hour after hour. 









Disclaimer: Rab supplied a set of Cinder Kinetic Waterproof Jacket and Trousers for test and review on Life In The Saddle
Labels:


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SwissStop Disc Brake Pads Comparison Test Review – Are All Disc Brake Pads Made Equal?

Image
The market for disc brake pads for gravel bikes, mountain bikes and road bikes is saturated; there are hundreds of different brands producing disc brake pads claiming to last longer and perform better than the competition. So, what is the difference between a set of low cost disc brake pads from eBay/Amazon versus the high-end pads from SwissStop? Are SwissStop disc brake pads worth the extra money? To find out, I have been doing some extensive disc brake pad testing over the last few months. October to February is obviously a period of wet winter riding, and I have been testing the following list of brake pads on road, gravel and mountain bikes—to create the ultimate test for any disc brake set-up. The disc brake pads on test:  SwissStop Disc 34 RS (Shimano Road/Gravel)  SwissStop Disc 32 RS (SRAM Road/Gravel)  SwissStop Disc 31 E (MTB SRAM Avid)  Superstar Sintered Shimano Road Disc Brake Pads (Shimano Road/Gravel)  SOMMET Resin and Semi-Metallic Disc Brake Pads (SRAM Road/Gravel
Keep reading

Recipe – The Ultimate High Energy Flapjacks

Image
This traditional flapjack recipe is packed full of energy for long days on the bike. The oats supply a great low-GI fuel source, while the dried fruit offers instant energy and sweetness. Whether on or off the bike, these flapjack bars are a great high-energy snack for cycling. You can adapt the recipe by adding in other dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and spices to make these even more varied and flavoursome. I particularly like pumpkin seeds and chopped crystallised ginger added to the mix. Ingredients 200g butter 100g brown sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup ½ tbsp black treacle 300g porridge oats 100g raisins 75g soft-dried figs 50g soft-dried apricots Method Set the oven to 150°C or 140°C for fan-assisted oven. Place the shelf in the middle Stick a big pan on the scales and measure in the butter and brown sugar Heat the pan on the hob until the butter and sugar are all melted Add a tablespoon of golden syrup and half a tablespoon of treacle to the mix Add the porridge oats and y
Keep reading

Review – Selle Italia SLR Boost Gravel Superflow Saddle S3

Image
The Selle Italia SLR Boost Gravel Superflow Saddle is designed for gravel bike riding. Featuring gel inserts to reduce vibration, titanium saddle rails to absorb trail buzz, and a sleek low-profile design to offer style and performance—this is a saddle made for adventure. The SLR Boost Gravel is Selle Italia's latest offering for the growing Gravel segment of the market; engineered specifically to enhance riding comfort on difficult terrain and during endurance gravel events. Available in two sizes, I opted for the smaller version (S3), and have been testing it out over the last month… I have become a great advocate of the cut-away design for saddles—it offers greater flexibility in the centre of the saddle and reduces pressure on the sensitive perineum region. The SLR Boost Gravel Superflow is a superb example of this kind of saddle design; with a cutaway section, short nose, and flared sides to effectively support your seat bones. To improve comfort on rough terrain, Selle
Keep reading

Review – TRP Spyre SLC Cable Disc Brakes

Image
Cable actuated disc brakes get a lot of bad press. There is some justification for that — most of the systems lack the modulation and performance of their hydraulic counterparts. There is however one set of cable disc brakes that shines above the rest: the TRP Spyre SLC Disc Brake. This lightweight and sleek cable disc caliper excels in both design and functionality. My Kona Private Jake arrived in 2016 with a set of TRP's Spyre-C disc brakes fitted as standard. Those brakes worked very well for over 25,000 kilometres of use and abuse; I rode the bike for daily commutes (including a salty daily ferry journey), and I rode the bike fully loaded over the highest cols in the Pyrenees on the #CoastsandCols tour. The Spyre-C took all this abuse in hand and always produced the stopping power I demanded. This year, with the Kona Private Jake hitting a 25,000 kilometre anniversary, I decided it was time to upgrade and replace a number of the parts. To be honest, most of the component
Keep reading

Review – SunRace CS MX80 (MX8) 11-46T Cassette for SRAM

Image
If you are running a SRAM Force or Rival 1X drivetrain set-up, then you may well find yourself wishing for a lower gear, especially on bikepacking adventures. The SunRace MX80 / MX8 11-46 tooth cassettes supply two additional low ratio gears than you get on the standard 11-42T SRAM cassette. That is an upgrade worth considering... On my Kona Sutra LTD build , I was concerned about a lack of low end gear spread for the Tour Divide . Whilst pure grunt will usually get you up most things on an 11-42T cassette, I thought with the cumulative fatigue and long climbs on this 21 day bikepacking route, I might need something lower... SRAM rate their SRAM Rival and Force 1X rear derailleurs as suitable for a maximum of a 42-tooth cassette—I was keen to see if the SunRace MX80 and MX8 cassette would work with the derailleurs and provide that sought-after lower gear possibility. You may well not have heard of the SunRace brand, but you likely have heard of Sturmey Archer—the iconic hub gea
Keep reading