The Swedish brand RevolutionRace has been making outdoor clothing since 2014. The brand originated from a need for high-quality and affordable clothing. For Gearlimits I checked out the RevolutionRace Cyclone Rescue jacket 2.0 and the Hiball Pants.

The clothes have been tested in the Netherlands in autumn and winter, with rain, storm and temperatures between 10 and -5 degrees.

Cyclone jacket

As the name suggests, the jacket is waterproof and windproof. The Hypershell® Pro membrane guarantees extremely good ventilation and the fluorocarbon-free BIONIC-FINISH®ECO makes the fabric extra water resistant. The jacket has 4-way stretch for an optimal fit and is fully taped to withstand extreme weather conditions. The jacket has a Recco® reflector, so that you can be traced in the mountains by rescue services. Designed for: all-round, hiking, winter sports.

Technical specifications

Fabric: nylon 86%, elastane 14%

Water column : 15 000 mm

Review Cyclone Rescue Jacket 2.0

As with many water-resistant clothing, it feels a bit stiff. The more I wear the jacket, the more flexible it becomes. The hood is big enough to fit over a helmet (or headphones) and the storm collar is nice and high to keep out the wind. The hood has a reinforced visor, which prevents water from getting into your face when it rains. The collar can be adjusted by an extra zipper, which gives more room for ventilation.

The addition of the Recco® reflector makes the jacket suitable for mountain areas all year round. The jacket is intended as a shell layer, which means that when it is cold, you wear an intermediate layer. Like many of Revolution Race’s clothing, the fit is ‘regular fit’, so that an extra layer fits perfectly. I definitely needed this on colder days and it’s nice that the collar can be a bit looser. In case of rain and wind in a warmer season, the long ventilation zippers under the arms are very nice.

Features

The basic things are present: 2 side pockets, a breast pocket and 2 inner pockets. The sleeve openings are velcro adjustable. That is not my preference, because I often navigate on my watch and you always pull your sleeve back and forth over your watch when it’s cold. I prefer non velcro sleeves. There is a small pocket on the left sleeve for, for example, a ski pass, and when you use the jacket in the Netherlands, it is useful for a train card or bank card. The bottom of the jacket can be closed windproof with an elastic string. The model is a bit longer and a 2-way zipper would have been an addition in my opinion.

Despite the fact that the jacket should be able to withstand heavy rain, it did leak a bit on the shoulders the first time when I was outside for an hour. That’s why I waxed the coat when I got home. Annoying, because normally I don’t have to wax a coat so quickly. It hasn’t happened again after that, but I haven’t experienced such a heavy shower either.

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Hiball Pants

The HiBall Pants are water-repellent, breathable and lined softshell pants for autumn and winter. The pants have zippers at the leg openings so that the legs fit optimally over ski and hiking boots. Designed for: hiking, skating and skiing.

Technical specifications

Fabric: polyamide 89%, elastane 11%

Water column : 6 000 – 10 000 mm

Review Hiball Pants

The Hiball pants are made of supple 4-way stretch fabric and have a regular fit. The pants are nice and soft on the inside due to the fleece lining. The outside appears to be water-resistant. During a rainy walk of 4 hours I noticed that the pants got a bit clammy, but also dried very quickly due to the well-breathing and quick-drying polyamide. When it’s not too cold, the rear vents help too. These turned out to be very pleasant on milder autumn days.

The pants have 2 deep pockets on the thighs; handy for your phone. The pockets for your hands, which are a bit higher, are lined with fleece, which is of course nice in winter. The pre-shaped knees prevent the pants from riding up. The legs have a zipper with which you can make the bottom a bit wider; useful with high hiking boots and ski boots. Other pants I have often have a hook that you can use to attach the pants to your laces. I personally like it when it’s windy and when you have to climb a lot. Unfortunately, these pants don’t have that.

Final verdict

RevolutionRace has nice and affordable clothing for people who like to be active outside. Besides this jacket and pants, I have more clothing from this brand, especially for the fit and affordability. The price of the jacket is €179,- and the pants are €109. Great clothes for the money. It can take a beating, but if you want clothing that can withstand extreme weather conditions, keep searching. The Cyclone Jacket has to withstand extreme weather according to the Revolution Race website and has the best membrane they have, but unfortunately does not survive hours of rain even in the Netherlands. The pants are fine and live up to what they are intended for.

Review overview