UKH

Looking to replace my beloved vapour rise jacket, which has seen better days.  I can't find any womens' vapour rise tops on the Rab website (only trousers) and it appears most of the usual online retailers don't have anything.  Is the vapour rise line being discontinued?  Is there a replacement?

I think it's been replaced by the Polartec Alpha jackets. I've got a men's medium Vapour Rise Jacket which is too short for me somewhere if that would be any good to you?

Thanks, but that would be way to big - I currently have a women's small and it is baggy on me!

Thanks for the info - maybe I'll patch the big ice-axe gash in mine and spin it out a while longer...

No worries! I find it's an ongoing battle to keep things patched!

In stock here: 

https://www.alpinetrek.co.uk/rab-womens-vapour-rise-jacket-softshell-jacket... 

Thanks!

Checking their website again, it looks to be in stock? Probably an Autumn/Winter only thing or something.

The alpha flux and alpha direct jackets are also a very, very similar concept - they've dropped the liner fabric so it really is just outer fabric + very open weave fleece.

Huh, that's so weird!  You are correct but it definitely wasn't there yesterday!  Perhaps they were updating their pages over the weekend or something...  Thanks!

I have an Alpha Direct jacket, an old Vapour Rise Lite and both old and new VR Guide jackets (the new with polartec alpha, the old traditional Vapour Rise). I find the polartec alpha ones far less breathable than the older VR ones. They're more wind resistant, so great for spring/winter walking but as soon as I start running they are much sweatier than even the heavier VR Guide. I think polartec alpha is better thought of as a more breathable alternative to primaloft or lightweight down than as a competitor to vapour rise (something also suggested in Jon Doran's review for Outdoors Magic).

My experience of the two types is that the differences are due to the outer fabric, not the fleece lining. Yes, the alpha direct jacket is less breathable, but it is more windproof. I have an alpha flux, which has a much more air permeable outer and, for me, that is far more breathable than a vapour rise jacket. I used to get very sweaty arms with VR.