LD Welcomes Rab

History

The original seed of an idea for Rab® was started when Rab Carrington found himself stuck in Buenas Aires en route to Patagonia in 1973. His expedition was postponed by a dock strike in the UK which delayed his equipment. He turned instead to working for a friend Hector Vieytes, sewing sleeping bags for the Argentinian Army. He didn’t realise it then, but he was learning the skills with which he would redefine the future of technical mountain clothing and equipment.

Throughout the 1970s, Rab Carrington was a key figure in the world of climbing and mountaineering. He spent much of this time on ground-breaking expeditions across the globe, graduating from winter climbing in his native Scotland to first ascents in the Alps, the Andes and the Himalayas. With his climbing partner Al Rouse, Rab became a leading proponent of fast ascents with minimal gear – a lightweight approach that although revolutionary at the time, has since become the norm.

In 1980 Rab moved to Sheffield with his family and started making use of his experience crafting down sleeping bags and clothing for the climbing community. Demand grew and eventually Rab outgrew his attic and moved to a factory in Sheffield where he built on his reputation for making no-nonsense, hardwearing gear – made by climbers, for climbers, for the most extreme conditions in the world.

Brand Overview

Rab Carrington built his company on two things: A deep understanding of what climbers and mountaineers need, and a commitment to practical gear that works. It’s this down to earth, honest approach that still informs the design and testing process linking us firmly to that modest beginning in 1980’s Sheffield. Those same qualities of innovation, integrity and function have endured, remaining at the heart of the Rab® brand today

Design Ethos

We design garments to work well in the most extreme conditions in the world. We don’t embellish things just for the sake of it. Our products, our mentality, demonstrate crafted, pragmatic solutions. Behind every new product is the belief that it has real value. We craft our range in order to offer products that are trustworthy, functional and fit for purpose. Rab believes in creating great partnerships which foster innovation and advancement of the outdoor industry. We use the latest technologies to deliver measurably increased performance to the end user.