Rab Ascendor Light Hoody Review

We logged thousands of feet of elevation gain in the Rab Ascendor Light Hoody and are pleased to say it's among the most breathable fleece jackets we've yet tested here at GearLab. While it is not our top choice for staying warm while standing still, it is easy to toss a layer over top when the weather turns cold or stormy.

Warmth

As a lightweight fleece, the Rab Ascendor Light Hoody wasn't the warmest. On cooler summer nights or for spring/fall missions, it was insulating enough as a stand-alone jacket, but the Ascendor Light requires more insulation if recreating in the winter.

If you're hunting for a layer that'll retain every bit of body heat generated, the Rab Ascendor Light Hoody might not be the right fit. However, it's easy to throw additional insulation over or under it, and it can be worn on its own in more moderate temperatures. The hood fits quite easily over a hat, and it's very effective as an under-helmet hood as well.

Comfort

The soft and stretchy construction of the Rab Ascendor Light Hoody made it a standout layer in terms of comfort. This is undoubtedly an all-day or all-trip layer that's easy to wear for hours or multiple days, putting it quite high on our list for comfort.

Rab cut this layer trim enough to avoid excess fabric, but not so slim that the Ascendor Light restricts movement. To top it off, this layer is also particularly stretchy, making it an upper body companion for anything from rock climbing to chopping wood.

The interior of the Rab Ascendor Light Hoody is soft and was a joy to wear even with a t-shirt. The exterior is almost as soft, making the Ascendor light an all-around top-scoring fleece for comfort, and had our testers reaching for it again and again, even after testing had concluded.

Breathability

While the Rab Ascendor Light Hoody scored very well in multiple areas, breathability was its top metric. Thanks to alternating strips of high- and low-loft fleece, Rab has created a layer that's more breathable than most jackets in its class. Simply put, if you need a fleece that can be worn on the go, this should be put on your finals list.

The Rab Ascendor Light Hoody is a lightweight fleece that uses Thermic S fabric, which has lanes of thinner material inside that ushers sweat and body heat away from the base layers. We wore the Ascendor Light for multi-day climbing and skiing adventures in the winter months and rarely got too hot.

Layering Ability

This was a fairly easy model to layer. The Ascendor Light's fit is on the slimmer side, but it affords just enough room for a base layer thanks to a stretchier build and a bit more fabric across the chest.

The Rab Ascendor Light Hoody generally favors adding layers over rather than under it. With a more precise fit, the Ascendor accepted one base layer and a thinner vest, but otherwise, we treated it as our outermost baselayer for winter recreation. From midweight insulation to hardshells to softshells, we had minimal complaints about adding more clothing to any given day's layering system.

Weight

The Rab Ascendor Light Hoody is both packable and lightweight, weighing only 10.3 ounces.

While there are a few fleece jackets in our lineup that are lighter, this one's got stronger all-around scores compared to its lightweight competition. This was also a fairly packable fleece, and we were able to cram it into even the tightest of spaces when our backpacks were filled to the brim.

Should You Buy the Rab Ascendor Light Hoody?

If ventilation and breathability are key attributes you look for when shopping for fleece, look no further than the Rab Ascendor Light Hoody. This impressively capable model is also super comfortable. While we'd tell you to look elsewhere if standalone warmth is a priority, the Ascendor Light is easy to layer over when things get stormy.

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