When I took delivery of the jacket, and as soon as I opened it up and tried it on, I exclaimed that this could be my new fav jacket, and not just for the looks and how it feels wearing it, but it ticks so many boxes, which is important when considering what type of jacket to buy.

The jacket in question is the RAB Mythic Alpine jacket, coming in at an uber light 313g, helped by the 900FP hydrophobic goose down encased in a10D Pertex Quantum nylon ripstop shell, which allows the down to fully loft in the trapped still air, helping keep you warm; plus it has a DWR water repellent finish to shed light rain and snow.

Specification	Rab Mythic Alpine
Weight	313g
Down	900FP hydrophobic goose down
Outer fabric	10D Pertex Quantum
Insulation	Goose down
Fit	Slim
Hood	Down-filled, wired peak
Best use	Ski touring/mountaineering / cold-weather layering
Tested by	Gavin Baylis
Tested in	French Alps / Serre Chevalier

I'd tested the kerb appeal of the jacket out at night in a few bars and restaurants, and then using it under my North Face Summit shell in a good few storm riding days in the forest, here in Serre Chevalier, when we seemed to have one powder day after another, and then skiing around the mountain on the pistes.

However, I really wanted to use it for what it was designed for....

And that in my books, is for ski-touring, where you need a jacket that scrunches up into a small light bundle and can then be thrown on quickly, having reached the transition point hot and sweaty, but knowing that all too quickly in the biting chill wind you'll quickly get cold and hence instant warmth is immediately required as you set about transitioning from the ascent to the descent, or merely having a break.

Rab Mythic Alpine Review – Verdict

Overall: 9/10

Best for: ski touring, fast-and-light mountaineering, cold-weather layering
Not ideal for: people wanting a robust everyday down jacket
Biggest strength: exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio
Biggest weakness: very lightweight 10D outer fabric requires care

 

The season of 25/26, especially here in the French Alps will be remembered for the tremendous amounts of snow, but with that came far more avalanches than usual due to an ever-present weak layer, and it's when you see and hear avalanches all around you and on faces you've always believed to be relatively safe that you decide to nigh on hang up your touring gear and wait for conditions to stabilise; this season many decided to carry on regardless. 

Whilst we have done a few mellow ski-tours in the forest and meadows, not in the best of visibility and snow-pack, I was waiting for the snow to stabilise via warmer conditions and opt for Spring snow ski-touring, which on the whole is way safer than skiing North Face powder currently, as well as still opting for safe terrain with not too much above you.

I started the climb very close to where we live in Serre Chevalier, on the South side of the valley, climbing up from the village of Le Freyssinet at circa 1,450m. I'd already done it once earlier in the season before most of the recent snow accumulations, and this time it was a lot warmer, and we'd had a couple of days for the snow to start the freeze/melt cycle, but the temps really should have been much colder overnight.

I was quickly down to one light base layer at around 10:00, but then as I cleared the trees, the wind started to bite, and on went one layer and a light wind jacket, which was right for temperature control.

Ever conscious of the frailties of the terrain, and now what was obvious were slides from where the rocks had warmed up; after 1,000m, I started looking to transition somewhere that would give me a good line of attack onto a more SE'ly aspect for the descent.

 

After securing my pack and skis, off came the light jacket and on with the RAB, and that is such a lovely feeling, especially in the stiff cold breeze, and for something so light, the jacket is so warm, which is down (excuse the pun) to the 900FP goose down.

The whole fit of the jacket feels like it was made to measure for me. At 178 and 79kgs, the medium is perfect, and the slim fit is not at all restrictive and is obviously not bulky.

The down-filled hood works really well, and there's a nice design touch of a stiffened peak, and I was glad to get that up and around me pronto.

 

The outer fabric feels delicate; however, the ultralight 10D Pertex® Quantum fabric with built-in ripstop did its job when a tree with quite a few branches jumped out in front of me.

And it's the material of the outer shell, together with how the square panels are configured around the body and arms, and not forgetting the hood, that help maximise the jacket's warmth, giving it an almost luxurious feel, far better than a hard shell :)

I haven't deliberately tested the Mythic Alpine in sustained rain, so I wouldn't claim it is a wet-weather jacket. My testing has been primarily in cold, dry Alpine conditions and light snow. The 10D Pertex Quantum shell and DWR should shed light precipitation, but in serious wet weather I'd still use a waterproof shell over it.

And Ullr, loves the colour as he can pick me out from afar, and you'll hear me in the video firmly shout "No" at him as I spotted a handful of chamois/mouflon below me.

 

The video gives you a good idea of how the jacket is used on the mountain as opposed to someone sitting at a desk reviewing it :)