UKH

User views please on either or both. Looking to have a jacket for use similar to my Buffalo Teclite which is gubbed. 

I got a Kinesis on sale just because it was cheap and it's become my go to jacket for a lot of stuff. It's a good cut for climbing, breathes well and is just about windproof enough. It seems to offer the right amount of insulation for those chillier rock climbing days. Good hood design too.

Owned both, still have the kinesis. Fit is a bit different, the kinesis is a bit longer in the body imo. Kinesis packs into a pocket which the VR Summit does not. Hood is better with a helmet on the Kinesis.

Manufacturing quality and finishing is generally superior on ME products (partner is in garment industry and I get the expert opinion when she looks over any new gear!).

I've had some really shite Rab stuff but never had issues with ME.

I have a Kinesis jacket and I think it's the best bit of clothing I've bought. Wicks and breathes amazingly and i think a key piece of clothing that helps me stay dry when working really hard (with just a Rab Sonic LS Zip). Durable enough to cope with the coffin pitch on the Old man of Hoy too. Not totally wind proof but close enough for most conditions if you're gunning it.. 

I do have Vapour Rise alpine pants which are really nice but having seen the jacket, it doesn't look as breathable to me. 

The Velcro cuffs on my Vapour Rise didn't last long, but otherwise I'd really rate the jacket.

Comments on the Vapour Rise seem to suggest it's poorer quality but in terms of windproofness, I'm thinking of the full version not the Alpine Lite but the comments about Kinesis seem to be swaying me to ME. Your view?

I too have had shite stuff from Rab and no issues with ME.  For Rab things have literally come away at the seams.  If you go for Rab make sure you keep the receipt.

Have the VR Alpine. I like it generally - breathable, feels nice, good length including arms. Never been convinced with it as part of a layering system though - the inner micro fleece type material is too 'sticky' to a lot of things worn under it, and even to its own outer layer. And under a shell it doesn't feel right and there hood/cuffs are too weird (not bulky as such, but stiff - hard to describe).

Replacing a Buffalo isn't an easy task.

keep the receipt _and_ take a waterproof with you!

My VR is maybe c.12 yrs old now and is the Alpine Lite version. I've found it to be quite windproof and apart from the cuffs issue which may now have been rectified, it's a decent jacket. I've several other Rab jackets (4 I think now), all of which I've found to be very good and perform as intended. But as someone else said further down-thread, the VR's inner fleece is very sticky!

I do also have an old ME jacket, don't know the model but it's essentially the same as the VR, (bought used from Dave Macleod in fact many years ago) and I would say it's overall a better jacket in terms of prerformance, build quality and 'non-stickiness' of the fleece. Its not an alpine version though so there's no hood, but it has a high collar and the velcro cuffs never come undone. All things being equal, I'd probably go with the ME, and that's coming from a bit of a Rab aficionado!

The Kinesis (and VR) is great just over a base layer in UK temps when you're working hard, nothing else is quite as comfortable and breathable imo. 

For colder conditions (< -10C) a light grid fleece like ME lumiko layers well under it. 

My only complaint with these jackets is that after a couple of days working hard pumping sweat through the fleecy layer, it picks up an horrendous funk. 

A vote for the Rab here - I tired the ME but I seemed to fall between sizes.

My original VR lite alpine lasted for about 10 years before wearing though - considering it was my favourite layer and worn almost every day that is quite impressive!

I find them to be an almost perfect level of breath ability and protection for hillwalking, climbing and deep winter mtb. Wear it over a base layer and under a shell if required. Wicks sweat away fantastically and forms a pleasant microclimate.

I replaced it with the new one when they were released and it’s also very good. They’ve changed the design quite a lot: it layers much better now as the grabby micro pile is replaced with a more slick material; the hood is now an under helmet version (which I think is sensible); the cuffs are now elastic rather than Velcro which is less bulky and easier to layer over. I wasn’t convinced the new material was as breathable at first but it just needed a few washes to get rid of the DWR spray clogging it up… Happy to say it’s excellent! No quality issues at all - looks as new so far.

I had one of the old, heavy weight, VR Guide jackets years ago and didn’t get on with it at all - I would recommend the lighter weight version!

Can I just ask which VR jacket it is you're taking about here? All those I can see on Rab's site seem to have velcro cuffs still but I'd be interested in an elasticated one. 

You sure can: I’ve got the newest Vapour-Rise Alpine Light Jacket

https://rab.equipment/uk/vr-alpine-light-jacket

Cheers, from the photos that looks like a sort of hybrid of my Flex which is fairly minimal and the old VR-AL.

I have the Kinesis and think it’s a great jacket, lovely feel to the inner, nice and warm, breathes well. Can’t really compare to my VR smocks as they are 20 years old and different weights.

I've had several Vaporise jackets and never had any quality issues.  I currently have the Alpine Light and I think it's a great piece of kit, very versatile.  I haven't tried the Kinetic so I can't compare.

The only thing I don't like is the elasticated cuffs. The velcro wasn't great but the wider cuffs meant I could roll up the sleeves when it was warm, which the elastic makes impossible.

To ‘All’, ‘thank you’ for your range of comments. If I can find an ME, I’ll buy but Medium in the greeny/yellow or orange aren’t widely available.