Rab Latok Mountain Gore-Tex Pro | Tested and reviewed

Rab has developed a great reputation over the years, with its kit regularly performing well in our tests. But like all brands, not every product is a hit. Here, gear tester James Forrest takes the Rab Latok Mountain Gore-Tex Pro waterproof jacket into the mountains to see if it deserved a place on our list of the best winter waterproof jackets.

Scottish mountaineer Rab Carrington first entered business in the 1980s, selling sleeping bags sewn together in his attic in Sheffield.

The design and quality of Rab’s new products were as then unmatched in Britain, Carrington having mastered his craft patching sleeping bags together in Buenos Aires during a long spell in Argentina in 1973.

The burgeoning brand soon developed a formidable reputation. Today, though Carrington is no longer at the helm, Rab’s reputation remains intact and is first choice for many hikers and mountaineers.

Carrington was part of the legendary British mountaineering scene of the '70s and '80s, when characters like Al Rouse, Alex MacIntyre, Joe Tasker and Peter Boardman were pushing the limits of alpine-style climbing in the Greater Ranges.

This heritage is still apparent in the brand’s messaging and ethos. Its range of Gore-Tex jackets contains names like Namche, Kangri and Latok, a nod to the mountains of the Karakorum and the Himalayas.

Named after a cluster of sensationally dramatic Karakorum towers, the Latok Mountain Gore-Tex Pro is one of Rab’s premium hiking and winter walking jackets.

Featuring 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro – the specific version of Gore-Tex Pro used is called the “most breathable” version – it offers robust protection against the elements and exceptional durability, while being more breathable than many technical jackets.

It’s in good company, too, as the same membrane is used in Mountain Equipment’s Tupilak and Lhotse jackets, two favourites among British mountaineers and guides.

Key to its design is the dual-weight construction, utilising 80-denier Gore-Tex Pro in high-wear areas and 40-denier Gore-Tex Pro across its core, which keeps the weight down to a reasonable 496g (men’s medium).

This gives you the protection you need for winter adventures, without weighing you down or feeling overly restrictive.

It’s not as light as some, has no RECCO reflector and fluorocarbons are used to achieve its waterproof qualities, but aside from these qualms, it’s a terrific jacket.

Waterproofing and construction

With its dual-weight construction, Rab has gone to the effort of providing robust 80-denier fabric reinforcement across the shoulders, sleeves and hood to protect against continuous abrasion from hiking rucksacks.

A 40-denier fabric is used across the rest of the jacket. This lighter fabric gives more freedom of movement, saves on the gram count, provides more breathability and makes the jacket that little bit more packable.

Gore-Tex no longer publicly states the hydrostatic head (HH) or breathability ratings of its materials, explaining in a blog post that the lab tests used for the scores are “not relevant to real-life situations”.

However, Rab has gone ahead and revealed the stats on the Latok regardless. The fabric has a 28,000mm+ HH rating, which should be more than enough to cope with all-day epics in the poorest of conditions.

To protect their breathability, both face fabrics are treated with Gore’s durable water repellent (DWR) treatment, which is what makes water bead so satisfyingly on the surface.

To stop the seams from leaking, Gore-Tex Pro seam tape is used throughout.

Breathability and ventilation

As with the hydrostatic head, Rab has spilled the beans to reveal a breathability rating of <6 RET (resistance to evaporating heat transfer).

What does this mean in real terms? Anything between 0 and 6 means that a fabric is very good at allowing water vapour to escape, which is exactly what the doctor ordered for a hard shell designed for dynamic pursuits.

Don’t expect the Latok to wick moisture away as readily as a trail running jacket, we’re still talking about a burly winter waterproof here. However, considering its credentials, the level of breathability is impressive.

In terms of ventilation, Rab has popped a couple of 2-way YKK AquaGuard zippers on underarm pit vents, meaning you can open them up and dump heat during sweaty ascents.

There's more good news, too, as the main front zipper is also two-way, which provides flexibility both in terms of ventilation and when adding additional layers.

Weight and packability

At 496g (men’s medium), the Latok Mountain is around the average weight for a Gore-Tex Pro jacket.

It’s not as lightweight as the Mountain Equipment Lhotse or Arc’teryx Beta AR, but it’s way lighter than other winter-ready jackets such as the Keela Pinnacle and Páramo Alta III.

In terms of packability, the 40-denier fabric across the main body packs down pretty compactly.

Fit and comfort

As is typical with technical hard shells, there’s space under the Latok Mountain Gore-Tex Pro jacket for multiple layers, yet it never feels baggy.

Coverage is a real plus; the back of the body comes down slightly lower than the front and the arms are long, too.

Its design means that freedom of movement isn’t compromised, meaning difficult winter ridges and snowed up gullies can be tackled without feeling restricted.

Considering its robust fabrics, it’s a very comfortable jacket – hats off to Rab on this score.

Features: Hood, pockets and everything else

The hood is large enough to swallow a helmet and features an extended, stiffened peak to stop rain rolling down onto your face.

A single, one-hand adjustment point means you can tighten it up, even when wearing thick winter gloves or mitts.

On those days when the sun makes a welcome appearance, you can roll the hood up and stow it away via an internal flap – a neat touch.

Another little detail that goes a long way is the fleece lined chin guard, which is comfortable and soft against the skin.

Stashing items on the trail is easy thanks to the three zippered front pockets and single internal zippered security pocket.

On the front, you’ve got a Napoleon chest pocket, perfect for stashing a phone or securing your compass via the integrated clip.

Then there are the two large hand-warmer pockets, positioned high enough to be out of the way of a harness or hipbelt.

On winter adventures, the internal pocket is ideal for storing electronic devices, as this keeps lithium-ion batteries immersed in your body heat and away from the freezing temperatures that have a habit of draining them to naught.

Sustainability

Rab’s excellent ‘Material Facts’ initiative – which lists the total recycled content (measured by weight) of every Rab product in a bid for environmental transparency – outlines that 19% of the Latok is recycled.

This is mostly the face layer of the 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro, which is 100% recycled. However, the other two layers, the membrane and the backer, are made afresh.

Rab also indicates fluorocarbon content is used in the fabrics, zips and trims. There are waterproof jackets around now that avoid the use of such chemicals, such as the Helly Hansen Odin Mountain Infinity 3L Shell.

However, in general Rab is making sustainable strides and has been a Climate Neutral Company for four years now.

In fact, 80% of its products are fluorocarbon-free... it just so happens that the Latok isn’t one of them.

Rab also clarifies that “we have removed all long-chain (C8) fluorocarbons from our supply chain, but short-chain fluorocarbons (C6) are still needed for some of our high-end technical products”.

Verdict

The Rab Latok Mountain Gore-Tex Pro is a protective and fully-featured hard shell with Gore-Tex Pro’s “most breathable” technology – but the use of fluorocarbons see this jacket lose marks.

Pair this jacket with a pair of the best waterproof trousers to stay dry in even the worst weather.

About the author

James Forrest is a prolific peak bagger and long-distance walker who’s one of the most high-profile outdoor writers in the UK.

He writes regular features and route guides for Trail and has been one of our main gear testers for the last few years. James is based on the edge of the Lake District so when he isn’t off on his latest crazy adventure or challenge, he’s walking in his local fells.

James reviews every type of outdoor kit for Trail and is a real authority on everything you need for wild camping and packing light for a multi-day walk.

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