HOW TO BUY WATERPROOF JACKETS
Design
The jacket should be designed to work while wearing gloves and a rucksack. Ideally you should be able to pull the cuffs down over the gloves to stop water getting in when walking. But when scrambling it’s best if you can fit gloves over the cuffs. Take your gloves into the shop to make sure you can operate all the drawcords, zips, press studs, stormflaps and pockets with them on.
Sizing
Some jackets are available in women’s sizes while others are only available in men’s or unisex sizes, and this is indicated for each jacket. Look for a reasonably long length with good freedom of movement, so that the jacket hem remains still and the cuffs don’t ride up when you move around.
TRAIL TIP
Cleaning jackets is just as critical as washing normal clothing, if not more so. The pores in waterproof membranes need to stay clear and DWR coatings need to be up to scratch, so regularly wash with a specialist cleaner like Granger's or Nikwax.
Zips
Normal zips aren’t waterproof, and neither are water-resistant zips. In other words, all zips leak. To keep the water out you need a double stormflap over the top. Double flaps do make zips hard to operate, however, so a single stormflap may be fitted instead – you need to decide if the ease of opening outweighs staying dry.
Drawcords
Check that the drawcords on the hood, hem and waist are all neatly tucked away in order to prevent them from snagging on anything – or whipping you in the chops.
Ventilation
Look for ventilation options in the jacket, such as a front zip and adjustable cuffs. Pit zips allow venting under the arms, while mesh pockets allow core venting across the body.
Fabrics & coatings
Waterproof jackets are usually made from 3-layer fabric with no lining, or 2-layer fabric with a loose mesh or material lining. More recent arrivals in the fabric world are Gore-Tex Pro Shell and Polartec NeoShell, and there are classics like eVent, Nikwax and a slew of proprietary fabrics. Loose material and mesh linings make a jacket softer and comfier but they snag easily. Jackets usually feature a DWR coating (durable water repellency) that repels rain, causing it to ’bead’ and roll off the fabric’s surface. The Keela jacket shown here features a special lining system called System Dual Protection.
Hood
The hood should move with your head and not restrict vision at all. Watch out for hood drawcords cutting into your face. Ideally the peak should be wired or stiffened so that you can shape it around your face. If you’re going to be using the jacket for casual wear off the hill, then a rollaway hood may be useful. When cycling and climbing a removable or rollaway hood is a good idea; you might also want to check if a hood is helmet-compatible.
Pockets
Pockets must be accessible while wearing a rucksack, and large enough for maps and guidebooks. Some pockets extend below the waistline, making it difficult to retrieve small items from them without removing your rucksack. Mesh-lined pockets add ventilation but they allow water to pass through the jacket if left open, if the zips have no stormflaps or if you put anything wet in them. So mesh-lined pockets are desirable where maximum breathability is often essential, but when walking in the rain sealed pockets are a better option.
Sleeves
Look for sleeves that fit the length of your arms and won’t ride up when clambering over things like stiles and rock steps. The cuffs should fit snugly around the wrists.