What makes the ultimate waterproof?

As climber and gear guru Andy Kirkpatrick once pointed out, the ultimate breathable waterproof already exists. It’s called the umbrella. Unfortunately, wandering around with a brolly in your hand isn’t very practical for hillwalking! But when it comes to choosing a waterproof jacket, use hydrostatic head or MVTR as a rough guide only. Choose a jacket that fits well, has the features you want and not those you don’t, and is designed for your needs – whether that’s summer hillwalking, lightweight backpacking or winter mountaineering. Trail gear reviews are also a decent place to start, since nothing beats all this theory like getting into the hills and doing some practical, realworld testing. Lastly, be mindful of your budget and the sustainability of your gear too. In recent years, chemical DWRs and membranes, particularly those that contain or use perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), have been heavily criticised for their negative environmental impact.