Rab Flashpoint 2 Jacket

The lightest waterproof jacket from Rab, the Flashpoint performs admirably in everything from misty, windy weather to sustained downpours. Plus, it weighs under 7 ounces and packs down to the size of an softball. It’s made from super-lightweight 3L Pertex Shield+ three-layer fabric, with micro-taped seams for improved breathability. Along with a helmet-compatible hood, half-hem drawcord, and Velcro sleeves that cinch to lock out the breeze, the Flashpoint features 2 hand pockets with room for your phone, keys, and energy bar. Whether you make it your summer alpine go-to or carry it in case of emergency, you’ll see why Backpacker Magazine says this shell offers an “insanely high level of protection for the weight.”

Rab was founded by Scottish mountaineer Rab Carrington in 1980s Sheffield, South Yorkshire—but the seed for the company was planted much earlier. In 1973, Carrington found himself in Buenos Aires, his expedition to Patagonia aborted due to a UK dock strike that had delayed the arrival of his equipment. He decided to stick around, and took up work sewing sleeping bags for the Argentinian army. Today, those skills and ethos of adventure can be seen in Rab’s full line of performance clothing, sleeping bags, mountaineering tents, and extreme expedition gear.