The Rab Cirrus Alpine Insulated Jacket is a versatile, eco-friendly synthetic puffy tailor-made for damp, cold-weather grit. It is a budget-friendly, durable, and warm alternative to traditional down, designed to handle moisture just as well as it handles the cold.
The Rab Cirrus Alpine Insulated Jacket: Down Power without the Down
- Shell: Pertex Quantum Ripstop Nylon 30D
- Insulation: 100% Recycled PrimaLoft Silver Rise
- Liner: 20D Pertex Quantum
- Weight: 706 grams
- Origin: Bangladesh
- Size Tested: XL
- Tester: 205 lbs, 187cm
The Shell: Pertex Quantum Ripstop Nylon
The Rab Cirrus Alpine features a 30-denier Pertex Quantum Ripstop Nylon. This tightly woven material is designed to trap still air, significantly boosting the efficiency of the insulation beneath it. At 30D, it is impressively abrasion-resistant, and the DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish allows it to shed light precipitation with ease.
In practice, this means the Cirrus Alpine can serve as either a mid-layer or a standalone outer. It has survived tight bushwhacking and light showers without a hitch. In fact, during an accidental binding release just yesterday, I slid 50 meters downhill on the jacket; it emerged without a single mark.
While I wouldn’t choose this as a primary outer layer for a full day of rain, it easily handles five minutes of wet snow during a backcountry transition. It has become my go-to insulation for rainy days, providing peace of mind that even if my hardshell becomes saturated, the Cirrus will keep me warm.
The Insulation: Primaloft Silver Rise
PrimaLoft Silver Insulation Luxe is designed to mimic the 650-fill loft of down. It achieves this through a loose-fill structure, whereas most synthetic insulations are manufactured in flat sheets. It has surprisingly good “rebound” after being compressed in a stuff sack, meaning the loft (and warmth) kicks in almost immediately after pulling it out of your pack.
Because it mimics 650-fill down—rather than the ultra-premium 800+ fill found in more expensive pieces—the Cirrus Alpine isn’t the lightest or most packable synthetic puffy on the market. It stuffs into its own right-hand pocket, packing down to roughly 1.5 times the size of a Nalgene bottle. While synthetic fill rarely matches the packability of high-loft down, the Cirrus is significantly more affordable than its down counterparts.
The 100% recycled fibers are inherently water-resistant. If moisture manages to penetrate the Pertex shell, these fibers maintain their structure and continue to trap heat far longer than traditional down would.
I find I can wear the Rab Cirrus down on its own to -10 celsius comfortably but where the insulation really excels is when conditions become humid. Unlike down, synthetic insulations keep the wearer warm when moisture hits and the Rab Cirrus Alpine jacket does a fantastic job.
Fit and Features
- The Hood: The hood features a wired brim to keep it from sagging into your eyes and elasticated sides for a secure fit. While it lacks drawstrings, it fits snugly over a helmet. As it is a fully insulated hood, wearing it under a helmet is best reserved for “emergency” warmth.
- Sleeves & Cuffs: True to Rab’s climbing heritage, the sleeves are generously long—a feature I love. The cuffs are elasticated, which is my preferred closure method. They stretch well enough to fit snugly over mid-sized gloves, though you’ll struggle to tuck a large gauntlet glove underneath.
- Zips & Pockets: The main zipper is smooth, though a two-way zip would have been a welcome addition for using this as a belay jacket. Two hand pockets provide ample warmth, and an internal chest pocket is large enough to accommodate an iPhone Pro Max. Note that the hand pockets are positioned low, so access is restricted if you are wearing a climbing harness.
The Rab Cirrus Alpine Jacket in Use
The Rab Cirrus Alpine jacket was my main warmth workhorse last winter. From volcano summits to soaking wet ski spring tours, it saw at least 50 days of riding. I wore it as an outer layer during transitions, as a midlayer on bitterly cold days, and even around town—because the two-tone colorway actually looks pretty sharp.
For those of us in the Pacific Northwest who want reliable warmth without spending a fortune, this is an excellent synthetic insulation option. I stayed comfortable in temperatures down to about –10°C. On one lodge trip where temps dipped closer to –20°C, it wasn’t enough on its own. I reached for a full expedition jacket instead. That’s not a knock, just a realistic limit.
In nearly every other scenario, the Cirrus Alpine came along and delivered. It handled light precipitation well, kept me warm in damp, near-freezing conditions, and didn’t require the careful handling that most down jackets demand. The tougher outer fabric made it easy to wear without worrying about babying it..
That durability does come with a tradeoff: it doesn’t pack down as small or weigh as little as a comparable down jacket. On the upside, it’s significantly more affordable, which makes the compromise easy to accept..
If you like the look of a down jacket for everyday wear but don’t want the hassle, or if down just isn’t your thing, the Cirrus Alpine is a solid alternative.
Who is the Rab Cirrus Alpine Jacket for?
The Rab Cirrus Alpine is for anyone seeking a warm, durable layer at a reasonable price. It is especially well-suited for skiers and hikers in maritime climates (like the Pacific Northwest) where moisture is a constant factor. Like all Rab insulation we’ve tested, it comes highly recommended, even more so when you take into account its very modest price.
Looking to pick one up? Head on over to Rab to pick one up. Rab Cirrus Alpine Insulated Jacket
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BlackSheep was provided a free sample of the Rab Cirrus Alpine for this review. This in no way affected our editorial stance. This post also contains affiliate links; if you choose to purchase gear through these links, we may earn a small commission which supports our independent testing at no extra cost to you.
