Waterproofing technology is constantly evolving and today's best waterproof jackets can keep you dry and comfortable in the most extreme conditions. They're one of the most fundamental pieces of your outdoor gear and are constructed of myriad innovations to keep you adventuring for longer, whether you're out in rain-drenched, windswept highlands or tropical climes.
Of course, fleeces and down jackets are your friend when it comes to retaining warmth, but their lack of waterproofing means they aren't suitable as an outer layer in a deluge. Having one of the best waterproof jackets is therefore essential, so we've tested all these jackets extensively in a range of environments to ensure that they live up to their claims of being waterproof, breathable and wind resistant.
Where available we've included ratings for waterproofing and breathability, to help you make the best choice for your needs.
The quick list
Here's our Quick List, starting with our top performers when it comes to quality waterproof jackets. For a more detailed look at these excellent hardshells, navigate further down this guide.
We’re confident in the performance of this versatile jacket, which marries high performance with light, breathable, soft material to give all-season protection, at an admittedly eye-watering price
This jacket kept us dry in a drizzle and a deluge. We were easily able to wear it over several layers and, though it might not be as breathable as some jackets intended for running, it’s hits the spot for hiking
A three-layer, professional-grade waterproof coat, this jacket is capable of keeping out the very worst weather. We loved the highly adjustable, helmet-compatible hood, double zipping, and numerous extra features
Part of Berghaus' performance Extrem range, the GTX Pro jacket is an uncompromising waterproof for mountaineering professionals and we found it to be hugely robust and high performing. Unsurprisingly, it's not cheap
A fantastic Gore-Tex three-layer, ready for anything, outdoor jacket that's breathable enough for year-round hikers, climbers, scramblers and skiers. Our tester found it offered excellent protection from the elements, particularly snow, but also severe rain and wind
Rugged and practically indestructible, the Patagonia Men’s Triolet is a versatile hardshell that cuts out wind, rain and snow and gave us the ability to stride out in confidence, whatever the weather
This is a seriously warm, reliably waterproof and windproof jacket with a great hood and some great insulation tech. It's too chunky to be part of a layering system but our reviewer reckons it's perfect for when you know the weather's going to be bad all day
Inov-8’s hiking jacket debut is a success, with a quality, breathable and lightweight waterproof that’s fit for the fells and mountains. We found it perfect for stepping out on the trails in spring, summer and fall
This Helly Hansen offering attempts to provide both extreme protection and excellent breathability, and according to our tester, it definitely succeeds. It's pricey, but it's worth it
With its clever design allowing freedom of movement while still protecting its wearer against harsh conditions, our tester found this North Face jacket to be extremely comfortable in any situation, from the morning commute to high-altitude hiking
More than a standard waterproof, the Columbia Ampli-Dry Waterproof Shell Walking Jacket has you covered for some solid protection at a decent price. According to our expert though, if you're facing harsh conditions, you should look elsewhere
Completely waterproof and breathable, this is a rugged and reasonably packable rain shell with sturdy construction and a streamlined design. The sweat wicking liner meant we didn't miss the exclusion of pit zips on milder treks
This three-layer waterproof jacket from Patagonia is made from recycled fabrics, has a good price and stuffs into its own pocket for easy carrying. We liked the fold down and hood and pit zips - both helpful to avoid overheating in milder weather
We were really impressed by the breathability and levels of waterproofing - even the pockets are designed to keep the elements out. The level of protection is even more impressive when you consider the price tag
A waterproof jacket specced for mid conditions, rather than the most extreme climes, the Jack Wolfskin Moonrise is a great three-season choice. However, its real selling point is that it comes with removable insulation, giving you a ready-to-go fleece mid layer as well as a waterproof softshell
The best waterproof jackets we recommend in 2024
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The best waterproof jacket overall
When preparing to battle challenging weather conditions, you usually have to pick between saving weight and high performance in your waterproof jacket. The less a waterproof weighs, the more difficult it is to have confidence in it standing up to the extreme conditions your backcountry expedition might throw at you.
That said, the Beta Lightweight jacket from Arc'teryx excels in managing to offer bombproof weather protection while still feeling light and comfortable. Of course, there has to be one reason to make you stop and think before buying, and with this jacket it's the price tag, which is among the highest in this guide.
Combining Gore-Tex in a breathable shell jacket, it's really an outer layer that will take you anywhere. We put it to test on rainy Scottish Munros, on an Alpine glacier trek and even city bike rides, and it excelled in every environment.
On paper, the Arc'teryx Beta Lightweight is a hardshell jacket, giving full protection against wind and water. In real life though, the pliable fabric is light and breathable, making it feel like a softshell that gives as you move, making it versatile and easy to reach and bend in.
For versatility, it's difficult to find a more reliable jacket that will handle all seasons and so many outdoor activities. You'll just have to save for a little longer before you buy.
Read our full Arc’teryx Beta Lightweight Jacket review
The best lightweight waterproof jacket
Robust protection offered by the Montane’s Spirit waterproof jacket's 2.5 layer construction uses Gore-Tex PacLite, making it lightweight and highly packable too. It weighs in at 330 grams for a women's small, meaning it's just a tiny bit heavier than the Montane ultralight Phase Lite jacket. It costs less, and still gives you a solid range of technical features.
The comfortable cut meant that our tester could layer up underneath the jacket, and she was able to adjust hem, hood and cuffs, keeping her dry in Scottish drizzle and even a deluge while she tested. The stiffened peak, as well as the taped seams and waterproof membrane, helped fend off the rain.
If you want to hike at pace, or trail run, this might not be the jacket for you as breathability isn't as good as the ultralight version, but it excels at offering all-weather protection on hikes. It would have been nice to see the jacket's eco credentials boosted with the use of recycled materials, but that's our only gripe.
Overall it's a sturdy, reliable waterproof jacket that delivers on hikes at altitude with a well-made hood that will help keep out driving rain.
Read our full Montane Spirit Waterproof jacket review
The best waterproof jacket for hike leaders
With a super-high hydrostactic head of over 20,000 mmH2O, the Odin 9 Worlds 2.0 Outdoor Shell Jacket is included in the Helly Hansen's Tech Professional range and rated top by the company for its “extreme waterproofness”.
It is designed for real use in potentially extreme conditions by serious outdoor professionals, such as rescue workers and guides, in the most challenging conditions. It more than steps up to the task, it's three-layer construction made from top-of-the-range fabrics giving you ultimate protection from whatever the weather gods throw at you.
It has a breathability rating of over 20,000g/m²/24 and underarm vents, meaning you can keep cool and moving in the heaviest of downpours.
You will have to part with a significant amount of cash for this jacket, but if you're planning serious backcountry adventures, you'll head out safe in the knowledge you're braced for all conditions.
Read our full Helly Hansen Odin 9 Worlds 2.0 Outdoor Shell Jacket review
The best waterproof jacket for professionals
When it comes to serious mountain missions, the Pro Jacket from Berghaus' revamped Extrem range steps up to the challenge. It is a hugely hardwearing and high-performing outer layer that will take the professional across snowy ridges and gullies. It's technical prowess is reflected in its list price.
The mountaineering jacket uses Gore-Tex Pro Most Rugged, which is what makes it so durable. Built in are Gore-Tex Pro Stretch panels, giving you freedom of movement in the areas you need it most.
While it's not the lightest or most breathable of fabrics, this jacket is for serious mountain conditions offering protection while not inhibiting movement.
Well-planned components, such as the interior insulated pocket for electronics and a helmet-compatible hood with three points of adjustment, meant this jacket came high on our tester's list of most-wanted. The fact that fastenings were easy to manipulate while wearing thick gloves was a boon.
There is much to love about the GTX Pro jacket. It's protection and insulation make it too much for summer wear and casual use, so it's for serious adventurers only. However, if you are considering taking on a more extreme outdoor challenge soon, this is the jacket to invest in.
Read our full Berghaus MTN Guide GTX Pro jacket review
The best waterproof jacket for harsh conditions
The Tierra Västra Jacket is a super stylish Gore-Tex shell jacket made from top-quality components and coming with some useful features. We found it offered excellent protection from the elements, including severe rain, snow and wind, and is therefore a great pick if you're faced with challenging conditions. You don't need to worry about getting wet or sweaty in this jacket as it scores breathability and waterproofing ratings that are right at the upper end of the scale.
There are two large zipped hand pockets that will each fit a sheet map, plus front zippered pockets that are placed high enough so as to not get covered by a harness. There are multiple points of adjustment for when the conditions start to get a little colder too, allowing you to keep warm while still maintaining that breathability. The hood is helmet-compatible and can also be easily adjusted.
It's also easy enough to dump heat quickly, thanks to the large pit zips. This is important, as aside from this feature, there aren't a lot of ways to stay cool thanks to the 500g weight, and its general bulky nature. If you're looking for a summer hiking jacket, look elsewhere, but the Tierra Västra Jacket is perfect for some wintry, harsh mountaineering.
Read our full Tierra Västra Jacket review
The best waterproof jacket for durability
Technical and stylish, first impressions of the Patagonia Triolet are good – it looks and feels like a jacket that can hold off extreme weather and filled our tester with confidence from the off. However, how did it stand up on the mountain?
For the hefty price you get a triple-layer Gore-Tex workhorse that won't be bothered by a heavy backpack filled with gear. However, the durability means it's pretty heavy, tipping the scales at 550g / 19.4oz just in a size small, which is as much as some ultralight tents. It will keep out snow though, and is marketed by Patagonia as a hardshell for the snowsport lover as well as Alpine mountaineer.
The jacket has two generous hand warmer pockets, two large chest pockets (with waterproof zips) and a large inner stash pouch, which we found ideal for carrying gloves, maps or anything else we wanted to keep out of the weather. It also comes with two huge underarm vents that allowed us to dump heat while keeping dry and features a built-in RECCO reflector in the neck.
Read our full Patagonia Triolet Alpine Mountaineering Hardshell review
The best insulated waterproof jacket
The Columbia Mount Si Down Waterproof Parka is a very warm waterproof jacket with a design that gives you plenty of length while allowing you room to manouvre. It's perfect for when the conditions are chilly and damp, but it's not part of a layering system or the kind of jacket you can tuck into your backpack when the sun comes out. it doesn't have the breathability of some, but when feisty weather has set in for the entire day and you’re going to be out in cold, wet and windy conditions, it’s got your back.
The fill is made up of 650 fill power of RDS (Responsible Down Standard) -certified duck down, alongside Columbia’s Omni-Heat lining, which employs gold-hued metallic dots to reflect body heat. We found this to be an extremely warm coat when testing – on a par with some of the best puffer jackets, but with the added benefit of being fully weatherproof.
The faux fur can also be removed if you prefer, and there are multiple pockets. The Mount Si Down is an excellent choice for the extreme cold, and will have no problem protecting you from the lowest of temperatures.
Read our full Columbia Mount Si Down Waterproof Parka review
The best waterproof jacket for speed hiking
This is a high quality jacket directly aimed at hikers who like their adventures fast and light. We think it's a perfect three-season jacket, although we think you'll need to do some serious layering up if you want to wear it in the winter too.
It's lightweight, despite being constructed from a 3-layer waterproof fabric, and has a respectable hydrostatic head rating of 15,000mm. We like the fact that it incorporates recycled materials, which is something we'd like to see as standard.
Where the Venturelite truly excels is in the breathability stakes, where it boasts an impressive 40,000g moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR), higher than most of the best waterproof jackets. Our tester said jackets like this made uncomfortable sweaty ascents a "distant memory".
What inov-8 are aiming for here is a jacket that remains comfortable when you’re pushing hard uphill. It’s a jacket that allows moisture given off by your exertions to escape.
Read our full inov-8 Venturelite Jacket review
The best waterproof jacket for breathability
With its neat fit and adjustable peaked hood, this Helly Hansen jacket offers style as well as some serious weather protection. Most of all, the Verglas Infinity Shell offers excellent breathability, allowing you to keep the jacket fully zipped in huge downpours while maintaining a lovely temperature. Because of this, the Verglas Infinity Shell is a must for those that are looking for something able to handle high exertion excursions in extreme weather.
The jacket also comes with some useful features. Two-way pocket zippers are welcome, allowing access to your gear when wearing a backpack.The cuffs are adjustable alongside the hood, and the PFC-free DWR and recycled content make it quite eco-friendly.
The drawback, as with many on this list, is the price, alongside a heaviness that may not be ideal depending on your preference. If you are looking to keep yourself cool while fully protected though, the Verglas Infinity Shell has you covered.
Read our full Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket review
The best waterproof jacket for comfort
With it's excellent manoeuvrability and exceptional comfort levels, The North Face Summit Torre Egger Futurelight Jacket is a great pick for casual hikers or those more serious about mountaineering. While the material is on the heavy side, the jacket features The North Face's Futurelight fabric, which, according to The North Face, delivers, “breakthrough breathability”, “innovative waterproofness” and “exceptional comfort”.
The jacket fully delivers on these promises, offering protection from the elements with its three-layers while feeling more like a softshell-style jacket. There are intuitive design choices here too, with a cut that allows a surprising amount of freedom when moving, zips that work well with gloves, wrist cuffs, internal dump pockets and a hood that caters for a helmet better than most.
The main drawback here is the price, with the Torre Egger coming in at the top end of the price spectrum for hardshells in this class. If you have the money though, you can't do much better for comfort.
Read our full The North Face Summit Torre Egger Futurelight Jacket review
The best waterproof jacket on a budget
This offering from Columbia will serve you well if you're looking for a general, high quality waterproof that doesn't break the bank. It fends off most weather conditions extremely well, while feeling lightweight and easy to move around in thanks to its stretchy material.
The hood is excellent too, with a snug, secure fit without blocking vision, while not blowing down in the wind or letting too much rain in. The key factor here is the price, far cheaper than other offerings on this list while bringing a level of quality exceeding what your may find in other jackets at this price point.
Breathability is where the Columbia Ampli-Dry falls down however, with moisture buildup on the linings when in certain situations, despite the excellent underarm vents. If you're looking for something more able to withstand harsher conditions, this one isn't for you. But as a cheap and solid all-rounder? The Ampli-Dry definitely fits the bill.
Read our full Columbia Ampli-Dry Waterproof Shell Walking Jacket review
The best waterproof jacket for portability
Columbia has made a slightly unusual design decision with its OutDry Extreme Mesh Waterproof Hooded Shell jacket, putting it waterproof membrane on the outside, which makes for a lighter and more watertight shell, and a shiny finish that won't be to everyone's tastes.
It has taped seams and adjustable cuffs and hem, which we found really did keep the rain out when we encountered a deluge during our test. The liner might not be the softest we've encountered but it does a great job of wicking sweat and is highly breathable, meaning that, at least on milder treks, the lack of underarm vents wasn't an issue.
The adjustable hood pulls in tight nicely around your head to keep it firmly in place during high winds. The low cut keeps you dry when sitting on wet rocks. Two hand pockets are big enough to easily stash a map or guidebook, and their stretchy mesh inner panels means the whole thing can pack inside either one making this a strong choice – if not the most stylish – for wet weather adventures, even when you’re trying to cut down on weight and bulk.
Read our full Columbia OutDry Extreme Mesh Waterproof Hooded Shell Jacket review
The best waterproof jacket for eco credentials
The huge range of colors to choose from will be your only difficult decision when it comes to the Torrentshell, which scored very highly when we tested, and has ten options for men and nine for women.
It has a sweat wicking membrane and a knitted tricot liner that felt lovely next to the skin. The neck also has a micro-fleece lining to make life cosier when the heavens open. When it does rain, the outer shell, which is made from a tough, recycled nylon, will protect you from the deluge.
When faced with the joy that is sideways rain, the velcro cuffs and hem drawcord, internal and external storm flaps and adjustable hood do a lot of heavy lifting to keep the water out.
Should you be lucky enough for conditions to dry out, the hood folds and hooks down, and pit zips help regulate your temperature, which we found very useful. And when it’s sunny, we were able to stuff the whole jacket into its own hand pocket for easy carrying. It’s made from recycled materials and is fair-trade certified.
Read our full Patagonia Torrentshell waterproof jacket review
The best two layer jacket
This stylish lightweight but extremely weatherproof outer jacket from Salewa is made with Gore-Tex Paclite and it shows. It has highly impressive figures when it comes to breathability and levels of waterproofing, and even the pockets are designed to keep the elements out. The level of protection offered is even more impressive when you consider the price tag, which is very reasonable for a technical piece of alpine trail and peak-ready apparel such as this. And it’s made with 100% recycled polyester, with a PFC-free durable water repellent (DWR) finish, so the eco creds are excellent too.
This is a 2-layer jacket, so it isn’t quite as warm as 3-layer shell, but the trade off is that it’s very light and easy to stash in a backpack or daypack, ready for when you need to deploy it in wet or windy weather. The fit is quite snug (Euro style), and there isn’t a massive amount of room for wearing a bulky mid layer beneath this jacket, so if you’re intending to use it at higher altitudes and/or in colder climes when you might need a puffer layer or down jacket, you may need to consider going up a size.
Read our full Salewa Puez Paclite GTX review
The best waterproof jacket for versatility
This is a versatile jacket made up of two pieces that zip apart - an outer shell and an inner fleece. The shell has a decent level of waterproofing (HH 10,000mm) that will see you right in fairly hefty downpours but may not be suitable for the very worst conditions. Instead, this is a jacket for cold, but not freezing, days, lower level hikes and hill-walking. The outer is reasonably breathable (6,000g/m2/24hrs) and during our test both waterproofing and breathability performed well during an absolute deluge, despite a lack of underarm vents.
It has two large hand pockets that are zippable, making an easy place to store valuables, and a high quality YKK front opening zip, with a nicely made zip garage to stop long hair or skin getting caught in it. Adjustable velcro cuffs help to keep the rain out, but we would have liked to see some kind of tightening system on the hood as well. There's no chest pocket, but this isn't a jacket for intrepid explorers. It's a mid-level jacket designed for mid-level conditions and it does that task well.
The inner is made from recycled Polartec 200 fleece and is super soft against the skin. It also has two hand pockets, but these don't zip up, which felt like an oversight to our tester. The inner and outer zip together at the front, with loops and poppers at the neck and cuffs and these were simple to use, whether putting the two parts together or separating them. For the men's equivalent see the Jack Wolfskin Taubenberg 3-in-1 jacket.
Read our full Jack Wolfskin Moonrise 3-in-1 jacket review
The best waterproof jackets comparison table
| Waterproof jacket | Price | Weight | Best use |
| Arc'teryx Beta Lightweight Jacket | $500 (US) / £450 (UK) | 11.6oz/ 330g (women’s small) | Hiking, mountaineering, winter sports |
| Montane Spirit Jacket | $259 (US) / £190 (UK) | 330g / 11.6oz (women’s small) | Hiking |
| Helly Hansen Odin 1 World Infinity Jacket | $450 (US) / £380 (UK) | Men's: 440g / 15.5oz; women’s: 400g / 14oz | Hiking, backpacking, hut-to-hut trekking, winter and alpine mountaineering |
| Berghaus MTN Guide GTX Pro Jacket | £500 (UK) / €550 (EU) | XS to 2XL (men’s) UK 8 to 18 (women’s) | Winter mountaineering and alpinism |
| Tierra Västra Jacket | £360 (UK) / €449.95 (EU) | 500g / 17.6oz | Hiking, winter walking, skiing, mountaineering |
| Patagonia Men's Triolet Alpine Mountaineering Hardshell | $399 (US) / £350 (UK) | 19.4oz / 550g | Hiking, mountaineering and alpine pursuits |
| Columbia Mount Si Down Waterproof Parka | $350 (US) / £345 (UK) | – | A super-warm parka ideal for the coldest temperatures |
| inov-8 Venturelite Jacket | $300 (US) / £230 (UK) / $270 (EU) | 450g / 15.9oz | Fast hiking and hill bagging |
| Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket | $450 (US) / £400 (UK) | 13.1oz / 368g | Hiking, Ski touring |
| The North Face Summit Torre Egger Futurelight Jacket | $590 (US) / £515 (UK) | 19.7oz / 560g | Hiking, mountaineering |
| Columbia Ampli-Dry Waterproof Shell Walking Jacket | $160 (US) / £145 (UK) | 10.9oz / 310g | Hiking |
| Columbia OutDry Extreme Mesh Waterproof Hooded Shell Jacket | $250 (US) / £225 (UK) | 11oz / 313g | Hiking, backpacking, hut-to-hut trekking |
| Patagonia Torrentshell | $150 (US) / £150 (UK) | 394g / 14oz | Hiking, backpacking, hut-to-hut trekking, skiing |
| Salewa Puez Paclite GTX | $140 (not GTX) (US) / £200 (UK) / €230 (EU) | 373g / 13.2oz (men's large) | Alpine trekking, mountaineering, backpacking, hiking, climbing, snow sports |
| Jack Wolfskin Moonrise 3-in-1 | £190 (UK) | 750g / 26.5oz (size S) | Lower level hikes and hill-walking |
How we test waterproof jackets
Our reviewers test waterproof jackets and shell layers during wet and wild weather in a range of environments, from hills and peaks to coastal paths and woodlands, on day hikes and longer treks. Features (including waterproofing, breathability, ventilation, materials, style, pockets, hoods, snow skirt, weight and overall comfort) are tested against claims made by the brand, and we assess factors such as value for money, durability, functionality and environmental impact.
Meet the testers
Writer, editor and enthusiast of anything involving boots, bikes, boats, beers and bruises, Pat has spent 20 years pursuing adventure stories. En route he’s canoed Canada’s Yukon River, climbed Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro, skied and mountain biked through the Norwegian Alps, run an ultra across the roof of Mauritius, and set short-lived records for trail-running Australia’s highest peaks and New Zealand’s Great Walks. He’s authored walking guides to Devon and Dorset, and once wrote a whole book about Toilets for Lonely Planet.
Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Adventure.com. She is an author, mountain enthusiast and yoga teacher who loves heading uphill on foot, ski, bike and belay. She recently returned to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland after 20 years living in the USA, 11 of which were spent in the rocky mountains of Vail, Colorado where she owned a boutique yoga studio and explored the west's famous peaks and rivers.
Alex is a freelance writer and qualified Mountain Leader with an insatiable passion for the mountains. A Cumbrian born and bred, his native English Lake District has a special place in his heart, though he is at least equally happy in North Wales, the Scottish Highlands or the European Alps. Through his hiking, mountaineering, climbing and trail running adventures, Alex aims to inspire others to get outdoors. He is currently President of the London Mountaineering Club, training to become a Winter Mountain Leader, looking to finally finish bagging all the Wainwright fells of the Lake District and hoping to scale more Alpine 4000ers when circumstances allow.
Growing up just south of the glorious Brecon Beacons National Park, Craig spent his childhood walking uphill. As he got older, the hills got bigger, and his passion for spending quality time in the great outdoors only grew - falling in love with wild camping, long-distance hiking, bikepacking and fastpacking. Having recently returned to the UK after almost a decade in Germany, he now focuses on regular micro-adventures in nearby Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons, as well as frequent trips to the Alps and beyond.
After spending a decade as editor of Country Walking, the UK’s biggest-selling walking magazine, Jonathan moved to edit Outdoor Fitness magazine, adding adrenaline to his adventures and expeditions. He has hiked stages or completed all of the UK's national trails, but was once overtaken by three Smurfs, a cross-dressing Little Bo Peep, and a pair of Teletubbies on an ascent of Snowdon. (Turns out they were soldiers on a fundraising mission.)
An award-winning travel and outdoors journalist, presenter and blogger, Sian regularly writes for The Independent, Evening Standard, BBC Countryfile, Coast, Outdoor Enthusiast and Sunday Times Travel. Life as a hiking, camping, wild-swimming adventure-writer has taken her around the world, exploring Bolivian jungles, kayaking in Greenland, diving with turtles in Australia, climbing mountains in Africa and, in Thailand, learning the hard way that peeing on a jellyfish sting doesn’t help. Her blog, thegirloutdoors.co.uk, champions accessible adventures.
Rosee Woodland developed a taste for adventure at a young age, growing up in a home where camping was the default holiday, and good weather was a vacation bonus rather than a necessity. After bike-packing the length of France in her mid teens with her family, she started to undertake solo forays in her 20s, usually without the benefit of much technical gear at all. Happily, the years she later spent as a mountain biking journalist eventually gave her an appreciation of decent kit! These days she loves a water-based adventure, and is an outdoor swim coach, and a keen free diver. She has a soft spot for Northern Ireland's Mourne mountains, and can also be found hiking and kayaking in Pembrokeshire and the South West of the UK.
How to choose a waterproof jacket
Regardless of their RRP or reputation, the best waterproof jackets have to be right for you personally, whether you hike in country parks, rugged moorland or up on the high flanks of unforgiving mountains. It's all part of knowing how to stay dry while hiking.
To help you find the perfect fit for you body type and needs, we've put together a list of factors to consider when buying:
1. Fabric
Gear manufacturers deploy different technologies to make the best waterproof jackets, er, waterproof. The first layer is durable water repellency (DWR), which makes rain drops bead on the surface of the jacket. Walkers who take care of their kit can restore the DWR finish by washing a jacket with a specialist cleaning product, such as Nikwax, and then tumble-drying it. The second line of defence is the shell or barrier fabric, which gives the best rain jackets their structure, anti-abrasion protection, and determines whether it’s supple or stiff, silent or noisy.
2. Membrane
Attached to the outer shell is a membrane, the scientific bit of the design, which stops water soaking through but lets sweat evaporate out as vapour – to deliver so-called breathability. Gore-Tex is the best-known membrane, but many gear manufacturers have developed their own technologies along similar lines – most recently TNF with Futurelight. The membrane is typically protected by an inner mesh. Different types of membrane provide varying degrees of waterproofing, which is usually denoted by their hydrostatic head.
Our guide to breathable waterproof fabrics explains the differences between the various options.
3. Ventilation
In-store swing tags may promise that the best waterproof jackets are both waterproof and breathable, but the truth is that you’ll still feel sweaty climbing a hill in damp conditions with a backpack. If you've got your layering right, with a base layer and a mid layer (such as a fleece jacket), there will be times when your waterproof on top of all this is just too much, even when it's raining. Strategically designed vents and (arm) pit zips that facilitate a flow of air through the best rain jackets and can reduce condensation and leave you feeling less sweaty.
4. Hood
For maximum protection the hood needs to cover the whole of your head, ideally with enough space to accommodate a your best hiking hat underneath in winter. Climbers and mountaineers need to check the hood can swallow a helmet, too. The hoods of the best waterproof jackets move with your head (for unobstructed vision when crossing a road), so a cinch or ties are useful to secure a snug fit. Make sure any ties tuck away unless you fancy being whipped in the face when it’s windy. Finally, a stiff, wired hood will keep its shape in a gale.
5. Zips and seams
Sneaky old H2O seems determined to infiltrate any waterproof jacket, so it’s vital that all seams are taped and that zips are either stormproof or covered by a storm flap. If you plan to walk in winter, make sure you can operate the zips while wearing hiking gloves.
6. Fit
Leave enough space under your jacket for wearing a base layer and mid layer (check out our quick guide to mid layers) , such as a down jacket, for walking in colder conditions. Jacket length is a matter of taste – longer jackets naturally offer greater protection – and adjustable cuffs and hem will keep you warm and watertight or let you spill heat by loosening them.
7. Weight
For much of the year a waterproof jacket is an insurance policy – carried in a backpack in case of rain. Like the best one-person tents, the best rain jackets that are light and fold up small are easier to carry, but will typically offer less protection and be less durable. If you’re going to rely on one jacket for year round walking it’s far better to choose a robust jacket for the worst of winter and carry a few extra grams in summer, than depend on a featherweight jacket when December’s rain is blowing horizontally.
