YOUR COMPLETE BUYING GUIDE TO WATERPROOF JACKETS

WE DEDICATE THIS guide to anyone who’s ever felt like poor old Rob McKenna. He is a character in Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy saga. And it rains wherever he goes. Tormented by precipitation, he has listed 232 different types in his logbook, ranging from ‘heavy spotting’ to ‘two finely distinguished varieties of vertical torrential downpour’. We probably faced most of them over the last few months (which saw Storm Barra) and we have never been more grateful for the marvel that is the modern waterproof jacket – aka the ‘hardshell’. Whether you’re a walker who relishes ‘liquid sunshine’ or endures it stoically, reliable weather-proofing is invaluable. Rain, wind or snow needn’t ruin (or put you off) a walk when you have the right clothing to keep you dry and warm. As you’ll see over the next few pages, there’s a huge range of jackets out there, represented by the 14 we’ve picked and field tested. They vary immensely: some are streamlined and light, others are feature-laden and reassuringly rugged. You won’t always need a waterproof. But come sunshine or squall, you’ll be glad you have one. Head-to-toe weather protection calls for gaiters and waterproof trousers, which we look at on page 87.