Rab Named Backpacker Magazine's 2011 Editors' Choice Award Winner

LOUISVILLE, Colo. (March 8, 2011) — Technical apparel manufacturer Rab is honored to receive Backpacker Magazine’s 2011 Editors’ Choice Award for their softshell, the Boreas/Aurora Pull-On. This is the most prestigious award in the outdoor industry, given annually to products in recognition of their outstanding innovation in design, materials and performance. The award will be featured in Backpacker Magazine’s April Gear Guide which hits newsstands this week.

The Backpacker Editors’ Choice Awards honor products that Backpacker editors have chosen as the best of the year based on months of intense, real-world testing by teams of highly experienced hikers and climbers. With no set categories for the awards and no set number of recipients, the products and the testing process drive the award categories, and help consumers and retailers identify quality gear for outdoor adventure.

Selected from hundreds of products tested, the Rab Boreas/Aurora Pull-On is one of just 13 innovative products that have been honored with a 2011 Backpacker Editors’ Choice Award. Designed with high alpine adventures in mind, the Boreas/Aurora Pull-On offers an under-helmet hood, flatlock seams for comfortable layering and sun, wind, and moisture-resistance. Thanks to the unique next-to-skin softshell fabric, the wearer will find all the comfort and stretch typical of a knit, but all of the durability and protection expected of a woven.

Rab is especially thrilled to receive this award, their second Editors’ Choice Award. “Traditionally known for our high-end down products, this award for a softshell not only demonstrates our commitment to innovation but also our expertise beyond the category of insulation,” said Matt Gowar, CEO of Rab, emphasizing that “as a relative newcomer to the North American market, it serves to highlight the Rab brand as a real contender in this marketplace.”

The Rab Boreas/Aurora Pull-On is now available in specialty retail stores nationwide.

About Rab

Rab Carrington, one of Britain’s foremost mountaineers, established the Rab brand in 1981 to design and manufacture the world’s finest down clothing and sleeping bags. From its earliest days, Rab created a reputation for producing garments that are truly for ‘the most extreme conditions in the world’ and for searching out the finest technical fabrics to use in its designs. Rab clothing stands among the most technical and innovative on the market, designed to meet the exacting demands of the Scottish mountains that remain the inspiration and testing ground for many of its products. The Rab brand continues to be run by climbers for climbers. All products are tested in extreme environments by our team of mountain athletes. For more information, visit www.rab.uk.com.