Facts & Figures:
Weight: 259g
Fabrics: Matrix SWS Fabric with Polygiene treatment
Features: Chest pocket, hood, deep venting zip
Durability: The fabric is thin but tough and has endured the last couple of years without a mark
Acquired: April 2014
I've been using the RAB Boreas for the last year and a half now and despite a few issues, I have come to rely on it as one of my go-to pieces for outdoor adventures.
Fit
The fit is comfy and generous, even perhaps a little baggy on the lower body which is a plus for me as it leaves a little room for air to circulate and help cooling. It is long in the torso and the arms, which I really like. There is no hem drawcord adjustment but I've never really felt the need for it as the cut is scooped really low at the back, this protects your waist and lower back well and does not ride up.
The sleeves are a little snug, and I can only roll them up onto my forearms (not past the elbow) which at first was frustrating but now I have become used to it bothers me very little. The movement that they do have allows me to vent the arms a little, but the real venting comes from the deep central zip which really lets you open up almost half the front of the Boreas. This zip is a great feature and really allows the Boreas to be used in warmer conditions without over-heating.
The single chest pocket is small but adequate, enough for a couple of snack bars, a phone or a buff (though it bulges a bit!), and you can fold the whole shirt into the chest pocket for easy stowage.
The hood fits snugly around the head, and the zip comes up to cover your chin and neck, the hood is elasticated but has no adjustment. For me it provides a good fit, without obscuring my vision, but it's worth trying out yourself as Y.M.M.V. (your mileage may vary).
To begin with I wasn't quite sure where it would fit, it's a very lightweight top, but it doesn't cut out much wind and it certainly won't withstand any rain. RAB bill it as a sun-proof layer as much as anything else, and although for me it is too hot when the sun's out I can see that for some folks it would be perfect.
In practice, where it has excelled for me is as a secondary layer in cool weather and as a bonus outer in summer. The Boreas cuts just enough of the wind to keep my temperature steady whilst hiking hard in cooler conditions, and traps just enough heat in summer to be helpful to pull on at rest stops or as a "Just in Case" layer to throw in a daysack. At ~250g you barely notice the weight, but I've often really appreciated digging it out of my pack when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
The hood I use more than I expected to, and have found it really helps to trap the heat around your head when the wind picks up, even though it is uninsulated. It looks completely ridiculous with the hood up of course, but then I don't think many folks rambling in the hills are particularly concerned with how chic they look.
There are two main downsides as far as I'm concerned, firstly that the Boreas' long sleeves would benefit greatly from the addition of thumbloops. Secondly, after single day's hard use or a moderate couple of days, it reeks to high heaven! Now partly this is down to some weird thing with my sweat which reacts very weirdly to certain synthetic materials, but the Boreas smells noticeably much worse than any of my other layers (with the exception of one synthetic Snugpak base layer) after hard use.
This is not a problem as it is easy to wash, but does mean it is less practical (for me at least) for multi-day excursions.
Conclusions
I've really come to appreciate the adaptability of the Boreas. For anyone who runs hot it is great to have a layer which can just take the edge off, but still remains brilliantly breathable. The excellent venting options, combined with the close-fitting hood allow it to be used in a wide range of situations, meaning it generally gets put on and stays on for the whole day. It has become a core part of my layering strategy.
TL, DR:
Pros:
- Lightweight and extremely packable
- Does just enough to make it very welcome in cool conditions and as a bonus layer in cold ones
- Hood is very nice to have when the wind gets up
Cons:
- Smeeeeeelly! At least for feral stink-beasts such as myself
- No thumbholes
Recommended Kit?
Whilst on paper it just doesn't make any sense, in practice the Boreas is definitely one of the most useful and versatile layers I've got, I'd definitely replace this one when it wears out.
Weight: 259g
Fabrics: Matrix SWS Fabric with Polygiene treatment
Features: Chest pocket, hood, deep venting zip
Durability: The fabric is thin but tough and has endured the last couple of years without a mark
Acquired: April 2014
Fit
The fit is comfy and generous, even perhaps a little baggy on the lower body which is a plus for me as it leaves a little room for air to circulate and help cooling. It is long in the torso and the arms, which I really like. There is no hem drawcord adjustment but I've never really felt the need for it as the cut is scooped really low at the back, this protects your waist and lower back well and does not ride up.
The sleeves are a little snug, and I can only roll them up onto my forearms (not past the elbow) which at first was frustrating but now I have become used to it bothers me very little. The movement that they do have allows me to vent the arms a little, but the real venting comes from the deep central zip which really lets you open up almost half the front of the Boreas. This zip is a great feature and really allows the Boreas to be used in warmer conditions without over-heating.
The single chest pocket is small but adequate, enough for a couple of snack bars, a phone or a buff (though it bulges a bit!), and you can fold the whole shirt into the chest pocket for easy stowage.
The hood fits snugly around the head, and the zip comes up to cover your chin and neck, the hood is elasticated but has no adjustment. For me it provides a good fit, without obscuring my vision, but it's worth trying out yourself as Y.M.M.V. (your mileage may vary).
 |
| (The hood really does add a surprising amount of warmth, given that it is completely un-insulated) |
In Use
To begin with I wasn't quite sure where it would fit, it's a very lightweight top, but it doesn't cut out much wind and it certainly won't withstand any rain. RAB bill it as a sun-proof layer as much as anything else, and although for me it is too hot when the sun's out I can see that for some folks it would be perfect.
In practice, where it has excelled for me is as a secondary layer in cool weather and as a bonus outer in summer. The Boreas cuts just enough of the wind to keep my temperature steady whilst hiking hard in cooler conditions, and traps just enough heat in summer to be helpful to pull on at rest stops or as a "Just in Case" layer to throw in a daysack. At ~250g you barely notice the weight, but I've often really appreciated digging it out of my pack when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
The hood I use more than I expected to, and have found it really helps to trap the heat around your head when the wind picks up, even though it is uninsulated. It looks completely ridiculous with the hood up of course, but then I don't think many folks rambling in the hills are particularly concerned with how chic they look.
There are two main downsides as far as I'm concerned, firstly that the Boreas' long sleeves would benefit greatly from the addition of thumbloops. Secondly, after single day's hard use or a moderate couple of days, it reeks to high heaven! Now partly this is down to some weird thing with my sweat which reacts very weirdly to certain synthetic materials, but the Boreas smells noticeably much worse than any of my other layers (with the exception of one synthetic Snugpak base layer) after hard use.
This is not a problem as it is easy to wash, but does mean it is less practical (for me at least) for multi-day excursions.
 |
| (Layers very comfortably under waterproofs or insulation, but mostly gets used as an outer layer in the shoulder seasons) |
Conclusions
I've really come to appreciate the adaptability of the Boreas. For anyone who runs hot it is great to have a layer which can just take the edge off, but still remains brilliantly breathable. The excellent venting options, combined with the close-fitting hood allow it to be used in a wide range of situations, meaning it generally gets put on and stays on for the whole day. It has become a core part of my layering strategy.
TL, DR:
Pros:
- Lightweight and extremely packable
- Does just enough to make it very welcome in cool conditions and as a bonus layer in cold ones
- Hood is very nice to have when the wind gets up
Cons:
- Smeeeeeelly! At least for feral stink-beasts such as myself
- No thumbholes
Recommended Kit?
Whilst on paper it just doesn't make any sense, in practice the Boreas is definitely one of the most useful and versatile layers I've got, I'd definitely replace this one when it wears out.
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