Rab vs Patagonia: Which Brand is Better?

Rab vs Patagonia: Which Brand is Better?

Reading brand reviews is an excellent way for potential buyers to learn about various brands and identify the one that suits their needs.

We usually analyze numerous brands throughout our website. We want our readers to know what each brand has to offer and what they can expect to make an informed decision.

In this post, we will talk about Rab and Patagonia. These two are brands that provide similar products and are quite reputable in the outdoor clothing niche.

Let’s see which of the two would be the better choice!

Contents:

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* Note: The availability of products on this page may change at any time. Please check the materials, features, colors, and sizes on the various shops (linked on this page) before buying, because sometimes our articles may contain errors. The product images you see here are for illustration purposes.

1. Rab

A Short History Of The Brand

Rab is a British clothing manufacturing company that started in 1981, within the small attic of a terraced house in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Rab Carrington created his first sleeping bag here that bore his name.

With his ingenuity, Rab hand-crafted and made outdoor equipment that became popular within the local climbing community. His experience and time spent up in the mountains can be seen in his designs even today.

Don’t miss: Rab vs Arc’teryx: Which Brand is Better?

The foundations of his designs can be attributed to the time when Rab Carrington was stranded in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1973. Requiring money, Rab asked help from a friend who taught him the techniques that would one day redefine the future of outdoor sleeping bags.

man and woman camping wearing down jackets

Nowadays, the brand is fully committed to the exact standards that Rab has set forth. The brand creates high-performance, rugged mountain equipment, and clothing that will give you the comfort, protection, and freedom you need wherever you go.

With more than thirty years of experience, Rab has continued to be inspired by its founder. The brand’s vision is to awaken the climber in each person and provide them with the things they need to ascend the mountain.

Rab Carrington retired in 2003, with his ownership of the company given to Equip Outdoor Technologies. They are now headquartered in Derbyshire. Despite this, Carrington remains an ambassador of the brand.

Read also: 9 UK Outdoor Clothing and Jackets Brands for Your Adventures

Materials and Manufacture

Rab clothing is made with light materials. These items are often packed with a variety of innovative technologies and features to provide users with the best outdoor experience they can get.

Rab sleeping bags, jackets, and expedition clothing utilize goose and duck down that is ethically-sourced in Europe and are Responsible Down Standard-certified.

Learn more: Duck Down vs Goose Down Jacket: A Useful Guide

The brand’s clothing and sleeping bags are applied with a fluorocarbon-free water repellent known as “Nikwax.” This substance is intended to prevent the items from losing their insulating ability when exposed to water.

For insulation, Rab also uses high-quality synthetics to ensure their clothing is as comfortable as possible, for example, Stratus™ and Cirrus™ for their jackets, Pyrotec™ for the sleeping bags, and PrimaLoft primarily for their gloves.

When it comes to fabric technologies, the brand uses Gore-Tex®, Pertex Shield®, Proflex™, and Pertex Shield®+.

Filled In Derbyshire - Rab Sleeping Bags filled and finished | Rab Equipment

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Popular Designs

We have selected two designs by Rab. The first is the Rab Positron Pro Jacket for men and the second is the Rab Guide 2 GTX Glove for men.

Rab Positron Pro Jacket for Men

Rab Positron Pro Jacket for Men

Image: rab.equipment

Check out Rab Positron Pro Jacket on Amazon.com (#ad)

For those planning to head to the mountains, the Rab Positron Pro is the jacket you need.

This down-filled outfit comes with zoned construction intended to optimize mobility and warmth while reducing bulk. The jacket is meant to help people endure even prolonged exposure to extremely cold conditions.

The Positron Pro is designed for expedition and mountain use, reaching high altitudes. The jacket utilizes a Pertex Quantum Pro shell that provides weather protection and is filled with top-quality and ethically-sourced down.

It has a box-wall construction for the torso, upper arms, and hood to give additional insulation. Its underarms have a stitch-through construction including side panels for better mobility, pack size, and weight.

Meanwhile, the hood is down-filled and compatible to use with helmets. It also has hood adjusters that are very easy to manipulate even with gloved hands.

Overall, the Rab Positron Pro for men is designed to provide the perfect balance of protection, mobility, and comfort even in severely cold weather.

Rab Guide 2 GTX Glove for Men

Rab Guide 2 GTX Glove for Men

Image: rab.equipment

Check out Rab Guide 2 GTX Glove on Amazon.com (#ad)

The dexterous and durable Guide 2 GTX Gloves are meant for the long winter days outside. Its robust outer material utilizes topnotch waterproof technology, Gore-Tex Warm, with a smooth leather palm and leather reinforcement.

Combined with high pile lining and synthetic insulation guarantees warm hands while worn.

The gloves are made following a pre-curved design to comfortably match the natural shape of human hands. Its increased dexterity allows users to handle ropes, maintain an iron grip on tools, and dig through their backpacks.

Furthermore, the gloves are made with a leather exterior that can handle everything from frozen powder to rock scrambles.

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Read also: 8 Beautiful Rab Jackets to Have Fun Outdoors

Prices

Compared to other brands, Rab is not a very affordable brand to purchase from. The good news is that it is also not that expensive.

The cheapest jackets can be bought for $60 to $100. Rab’s Downpour and Windshell jackets are your best bet if you want to buy affordable jackets from them.

As for the Guide 2 GTX Glove, you can expect a price range of $100 to $150 per pair depending on where you buy them from.

Are Rab’s Products Worth their Price?

The answer to this depends on what a person is looking to use and expect from an outdoor product. Overall, Rab offers quality and durable designs that may justify its price range.

2. Patagonia

A Short History Of The Brand

Patagonia is an American clothing brand that specializes in selling outdoor clothing. The brand was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard and is located in Ventura, California.

Don’t miss: 10 Outdoor Brands Like Patagonia That You’ll Definitely Love

The founder, Yvon, is a popular rock climber. He started selling hand-made mountain climbing gear as early as 1957 through the company Chouinard Equipment.

He worked and supplied his gear all by himself until 1965 when he became partners with Tom Frost.

woman hiking in forest

Patagonia’s first store was the Great Pacific Iron Works, which opened back in 1973.

Throughout the years, Patagonia has expanded its line of products to incorporate apparel for other sports, such as surfing. Apart from clothing, they also started selling sleeping bags, camping food, and backpacks.

Read also: 8 Patagonia Jackets for Autumn and Winter

Materials and Manufacture

One of the most-used materials by Patagonia is Hemp. They believe this natural fiber is a sustainable crop that can be cultivated with minimal impact on the environment.

Hemp does not require irrigation, uses less fertilizer compared to other crops, and is known to replenish essential nutrients in the soil.

Another material that Patagonia uses is the REFIBRA® Lyocell (TENCEL™) fibers. These fibers are made from combining wood and recycled cotton fibers.

The wood pulp utilized in REFIBRA is a renewable raw material that is sourced from sustainable forests.

Other fabrics and materials that you will find in the brand’s products are Nylon, Polyester, Gore-Tex, and H2No fabric technology.

H2No® Our Waterproof/Breathable Testing Standard

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Popular Designs

For Patagonia, we have chosen a jacket and one of the most popular day packs of the brand.

Patagonia Women’s Torrentshell Jacket

Check out Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket on Amazon.com (#ad)

Patagonia’s Torrentshell jacket for women is the breathable and waterproof jacket you need for the worst downpours. Its H2No performance and microfleece-lined neck provide the comfort users need for any expedition.

It comes with two zippered hand warmers as well as venting pit zips, all made with DWR-treated zippers and a welted exterior storm flap.


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Read also: Patagonia Torrentshell vs Marmot PreCip Jacket: A Comparison

Patagonia Atom Sling 8L Bag

Check out Patagonia Atom Sling Backpack on Amazon.com (#ad)

Patagonia’s Atom Sling 8L backpack is made with nylon and recycled polyester blend fabric and has a DWR finish. The travel pack is ideal for outdoor adventures, offering two compartments for objects that you want to bring with you.

On its shoulder strap and front, you can find small zippered compartments that can store small, yet vital items. It has an asymmetrical harness that remains comfortable throughout the day.

In addition, it has breathable mesh pads on the shoulder strap as well as adjustable buckles.

Patagonia Atom Sling 8L

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Prices

Due to the wide variety of items sold by Patagonia, their products come at different prices compared to Rab.

Buyers can purchase products from them starting at around $30, but in general, this remains an expensive brand with jackets usually costing more than $200.

Are Patagonia’s Products Worth the Price?

Although their jackets and other products may seem expensive, the high quality, sustainability of materials, performance, and durability is always there, so in our opinion, they are worth the price if you have the budget.

If you want to learn more: Why Is Patagonia So Expensive? Are Their Jackets Worth The Price?

3. Which Brand is Better?

man hiking wearing down jacket

Choosing between the two depends on what a buyer needs at the time when it comes to clothing and outdoor gear.

For outdoor outfits, gear, and equipment, Rab offers a wider selection of products that climbers need for their journey.

Rab’s jackets are known for their great design and quality. The brand also has a good reputation, with many in Europe potentially favoring the brand more than Patagonia.

However, Patagonia offers a more diverse choice of items. People looking to buy things such as underwear, duffel bags, rain jackets, dresses, and shirts can find them at Patagonia.

Furthermore, the brand utilizes recycled materials, making them an ideal store for eco-friendly individuals.

In terms of prices, Rab is less expensive compared to Patagonia, which is another aspect for you to consider.

Patagonia products are made both in China and in the United States, and also in other countries in Asia.

Meanwhile, Rab products are made in the United Kingdom, in Sheffield, and in Asia.

You can’t go wrong when deciding to purchase Rab items for your outdoor adventures. For people who simply want to enjoy the outdoors without going too extreme, Patagonia is a reasonable choice in our opinion.

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Read next: Patagonia vs Columbia: A Comparison

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