Just for your information(see how i write in full) i took my new Rab vapour rise summit out today and it pissed down for an hour and a half, admittedly on and off, but i would say 50% of the walk was rain and 25% of that was heavy and when o got back to the car and took it off, the single base layer i was wearing underneath was bone dry and the fleece layer inside the jacket was also bone dry. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE. This jacket is AWESOME. Sorry, just had to say, mainly because i am a massive clothing geek and perfectly happy with that to, but of all the clothing i own, this has to be one of the best i have and maybe have ever owned. I might just do my own video.
Interesting... If washed correctly (i.e. using Tech Wash) it'll certainly dry quickly, but if you're out in the rain for a few hours I'd have expected you to get wet. For what it's worth, the Vapour Rise Summit isn't actually designed to keep you dry - it's designed to keep you warm, even whilst wet - although it's obviously a bonus if you can also stay dry as that's much, much nicer!! Glad you got on so well with it though - great report.
What you're describing sounds like the 'blurry lines' we were discussing in/around softshell, which can act as both a mid layer or an outer layer. Because they do a little bit of everything, including keep you warm, keep the wind off, and shrug off a bit of rain too too. As a result they're really versatile and are great for those in between days throughout spring and fall where the weather feels like it can range from full on summer to full on winter. When it is a little warmer they have the breathability to stop you from sweating as much as a waterproof might and on colder/cooler days you can always layer up without fear of melting. The one featured within the video - the Rab Vapour Rise Summit Jacket - is a really good example of this kind of layer.
