Waterproof and breathable, mega chest pockets, and a clear aesthetic are the substances for a strong backcountry snowboarding hardshell
It’s straightforward to jot down about outerwear with the latest tech, innovative membrane, or actually revolutionary options. That’s half the rationale these options exist – to face out in advertising and marketing copy. However is that what backcountry skiers really want? My style in jackets is nearly boring: give me chest pockets, a trim match, good arm articulation, strong breathability, and a clear look. Cool, however not too cool. A jacket that does its core perform exceptionally effectively.
That form of jacket isn’t as straightforward to jot down about. What it lacks in flashy options is probably its biggest energy. The absence of fluff is what grabs my consideration. That will not be essentially the most gripping introduction to Rab’s Khroma Converge GTX jacket, however persist with me. This waterproof hardshell checks most of my packing containers for ski touring. In the event you’re a hardshell jacket backcountry skier like me and also you’re available in the market for a sturdy all-rounder, it’s price a glance.
I’ve examined a dozen totally different hardshells over the previous few years ranging in value from about $350 to $800. Rab’s Khroma Converge GTX lands close to the center at $575. I’m not going to faux that’s a discount to your common skier, however I’ll say that Rab managed to place a good value on a jacket that they may in all probability cost extra for.
Rab Khroma Converge GTX Evaluation
The Khroma Converge is Rab’s high finish snowboarding hardshell jacket and considered one of two devoted hardshells of their ski line. The opposite one, the Khroma Kinetic ($400), includes a lighter weight, much less featured construct and leans extra into the breathability aspect of the spectrum.
The headline of the Khroma Converge GTX is chest pockets. In the event you’re actually into chest pockets, Napoleon or in any other case, it’s price dunking a hand into considered one of these monsters. The Khroma Converge options two Napoleon fashion chest pockets which are straightforward to open and plentifully roomy. So roomy that I had no drawback stuffing a full sized pores and skin in every one or a thick pair of gloves. So roomy that perhaps I don’t even want that a lot room.
On high of these – actually – Rab added two extra zippered hand pockets for max chest carry capability. A lot that I ran out of issues to place in all of them. There’s additionally an inside zippered mesh pocket and a mesh drop pocket, all positioned out of the best way of backpack hip straps and harness zones.
Match and Construct
I’ll admit that I’m somewhat bit enamored with the Khroma Converge’s match. I sized down only a hair to a medium (I’m 6’1”, 195lbs for reference) and the factor simply matches like a glove. The comparatively slim match is plentifully lengthy with out overdoing it. It layers effectively beneath backpack straps. And that slim match retains it from bulging on the stomach. I like the best way it appears to be like and feels. It’s only a flattering piece of outerwear.
That comparatively slim profile comes with a couple of benefits and downsides. Within the professionals column, there isn’t extra cloth sloshing round. And it matches elegantly with a harness in harness-over-the-jacket eventualities like mountaineering and mountaineering. The downsized model I’ve been carrying felt somewhat bit too slim for harness-under-the-jacket eventualities. It’s price sizing up somewhat bit if that’s your norm.
The slim match additionally received somewhat bit tight with cumbersome insulation layers beneath for something larger than a grid fleece or related fashion. Another shoutout to Rab – the Evolute fleece layer is the warmest (but one way or the other nonetheless breathable) fleece layer I’ve stumbled upon for tight-fitting insulation. I didn’t find yourself deploying my massive puffy fairly often once I had these two items layered collectively.
The Khroma Converge additionally includes a massive helmet suitable storm hood that matches and nonetheless strikes round effectively when deployed. It didn’t really feel restrictive like some hoods can when issues get actually nasty out. And I just like the mega zipper pull, particularly once I weirdly discovered myself carrying mittens.
Breathability and Safety
The Khroma Converge’s foremost cloth is 80D Recycled 3-layer GORE-TEX ePE that’s fairly waterproof. It’s rated at 28,000mm like the remainder of GORE-TEX’s high finish membranes. Rab claims a breathability score of “<13” RET (resistance to evaporative warmth switch), which roughly equates to 15k-20k MVTR (Moisture Vapor Transmission Price). In plain phrases, it’s very breathable so far as waterproof hardshells go.
Miraculous on the pores and skin monitor? Undoubtedly not. Even essentially the most breathable GORE-TEX hardshell I’ve examined, Norrøna’s Lyngen Lively Jacket, I’m not getting many strides uphill earlier than I moist that factor out from the within. Rab’s Khroma Converge doesn’t really feel as breathable as that one (it falls on the opposite finish of the sturdiness spectrum as one proxy measure), nevertheless it performs in addition to others within the class.
Breathability is aided by two average-sized underarm vents which are customary for jackets on this class. So I handled this jacket like I do all my hardshells – a layer that begins in my pack, comes out for the ski portion of human powered excursions and storms, and never a lot else.
When the snow and wind actually began hammering, The Khroma Converge did what it was designed to do whereas remaining breathable. The three-layer cloth has a comparatively heat backer in comparison with lighter weight shells. That meant it had an additional buffer between me and the nastiness outdoors. The flip aspect is that it’s a hair hotter than different shells once I began trudging again up the pores and skin monitor.
The Converge isn’t the lightest hardshell on the market at 693g. It leans into the sturdiness aspect of that spectrum and that’s a tradeoff many backcountry skiers will likely be comfortable to make. I haven’t put three to 5 years of heavy obligation use into this jacket. However it was my major touring shell for many of the ‘24/25 season and I did my finest to place it by means of the gear grinder referred to as Colorado’s Gore Vary. I don’t have a lot to indicate for it when it comes to harm or put on. The shell is burly, and at this level I really feel assured that it’s going to final many seasons.
Conclusion
When what you really need is a hardshell jacket, it’s very nice to have an precise hardshell jacket. We actually don’t want them on a regular basis in Colorado and plenty of skiers forgo them altogether. However I nonetheless discover myself carrying one 80% of the time for the gusty ridgelines, forested powder stashes, and blizzard days.
Rab’s Khroma Converge GTX jacket is a refreshingly easy hardshell jacket designed as an all-around ski shell that slots in naturally for ski touring. It’s sturdy and it has 4 large chest pockets. It protects you from the wind and snow and it’s received a pleasant athletic minimize. It’s not pretending to be one thing it’s not. I’m struggling to give you reputable critiques on this one.
It’s not the lightest, flashiest, or most tech-forward shell on the market. And that’s form of the purpose. But it’s not fairly cutthroat minimalist both, however somewhat a chunk that’s trimmed right down to what issues in a ski touring hardshell jacket.
Bergen Tjossem is a ski fanatic, conservation skilled, and nature nerd based mostly in Vail, Colorado. His life and profession have centered round defending the pure setting and public lands that raised him, however as Ed Abbey put it, “It isn’t sufficient to battle for the land; It’s much more vital to take pleasure in it.” So when he’s not working his day job, you’ll discover Bergen ski touring earlier than daybreak, mountaineering at the hours of darkness, working trails till his legs fall off, snowboarding 13er’s along with his mates, or making the world’s finest pizza along with his spouse, Rachel. You’ll find him on Instagram.
