The RAB Phantom Waterproof Pull-On Jacket shell uses waterproof 2.5-layer construction, with taped seams and lightweight 7D Pertex Shield 2.5L fabric. To reduce bulk and simplify the design, it has no pockets, a low-volume elasticated hood, half micro elasticated hem and cuffs, and a half-length zip. These features still deliver effective weather protection without excessive weight and enable it to be packed down into a palm-sized storage sleeve. At just 90g, the Phantom Pull-On provides highly specialized mountain protection in an exceptionally packable form for any adventurous outdoor activity.
Impressions
The Rab Phantom Waterproof Pull-On Jacket is an uber lightweight (large 95 g/3.36 oz) purposefully designed for mountain bikers, trail, and mountain runners/hikers.
The Phantom jacket has no pockets, a 1/2-length front zipper, and an integrated hood. I prefer full-length zips since they provide more functional venting and are easier to take on and off, especially when wearing a helmet. By design, it’s just a simple essential jacket with little frills; its job is to keep you warm, dry, and protected.
The jacket has an athletic or tighter fit. Even though the fabric does have a minute amount of stretch, I’d go up a size so you can use it over a regular jersey or shirt, and the added space will offer more maneuverability while wearing. The jacket has a decently long cut, along with generous arm length, so I didn’t feel any overt unprotected spots. The waist has two short 5-inch elasticized hems by the hip to help keep the jacket securely in place, while the wrists have 2-inch elasticized hems with extended cuffs for additional protection. Otherwise, there are no adjustable features for fit.
It’s constructed with Pertex fabric with taped seams for waterproofness, windproofness, and breathability. The scientific gibberish means it utilizes the 7D Pertex Shield 2.5L fabric with a hydrostatic head listed at 20,000mm and MVTR at 20,000 g/m.
The hood is pretty simple and includes a 5-inch bendable wire front brim to mold it in place, along with 2-inch elastic sections on either side of the wire. You can bend the brim around for adjustment and fit, but I couldn’t get it to stay ideally in place when worn by itself (call it floppy/baggy.) Perhaps wearing it with a running cap might help, though I didn’t try that since I primarily used it for biking. The hood fits nicely under a helmet since the helmet itself keeps the unwieldy brim system in place.
The hood can be rolled up, and an integrated elastic loop latch and clip system keeps it securely in place. Rolling the hood out of the way prevents it from flopping around in the wind while flying down the trail.
The jacket does a fantastic job of providing wind protection, and whenever I wore it on cooler, inclement days, it provided additional warmth and protection. It offered good breathability, but it was still substandard compared to a windshirt, so it could get a bit toasty when it wasn’t chilly enough out once you started creating body heat. It’s tough to give a ballpark temperature range since wind, dampness, and conditional factors are complex, but it can be used in the 30s to 50s without any issues.
I wore it on some wet and snowy days and throughout the year, and it offered some excellent waterproofness, keeping me warm and dry. Now, when I had to deal with hour-long heavy deluges, I got a bit damp, and I think the jacket couldn’t handle things to that degree. I still wasn’t soaked to the bone, nor was I cold, but I wasn’t as comfortable as I would have liked. I know in those types of conditions, a heavy-duty waterproof shell would have been more functional, but this alternative would be heavier and less packable. At least the Phantom was keeping me from going hypothermic.
Although the jacket utilizes a lightweight and thin fabric, I haven’t suffered any tears or worn spots, even on my elbows and underneath where a pack’s shoulder straps would rub. It’s not recommended for heavy-duty bushwhacking adventures. Still, as yet, I haven’t had any durability issues with the material, even with my bashing through lots of scrub oak on my local trails.
The Phantom jacket packs down into a tiny size, whether into its own small stuff sack or jammed down into a back jersey pocket or pack. I tended to find it was most straightforward to fold or roll the jacket and then put it into my pack. It was so light and took up so little space that it was a no-brainer to always bring along on any outdoor adventure. It just disappeared into my pack, taking up a minuscule amount of storage.
Bottom Line
The Phantom Waterproof Pull-On Jacket is the ideal lightweight wet and wind apparel for inclement outdoor usage and is perfect for biking, running, and hiking. It will keep you warm and dry in almost any weather, short of a full-on hurricane. Since it’s imminently lightweight and offers superb packability, it’s a waterproof hooded jacket you can always bring with you and never leave behind. Consider the ultimate in stash and forget survival gear.
Specs
- Weight:86g/3.03oz (Size M)
- 7D Pertex® Shield 2.5L fabric with stretch (40gsm) HH: 20,000mm/MVTR: 20,000 g/m2/24hrs
- Ultralight taped seams
- Reduced volume hood with ultralight stiffened peak, micro elasticated front section, and easy access adjustment.
- Deep venting, calendered YKK front zip for weather protection with internal waterproof zip guard
- Optimized elbow pre-curve for unrestricted movement while running
- Extended bonded cuffs to optimize hand warmth during exposed runs
- Part elasticated cuffs for better access to sports watch
- Part elasticated hem for improved fit
- Pre-tensioned stuff sack for quick and easy storage
- Packed size: 8cm x 10cm
- Multi-angle reflective branding throughout
- 100% polyamide with polyurethane coating
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