When those dark clouds roll in and the heavy stuff comes down, there's nothing that says you can't still go out and play. Just throw on that waterproof rain jacket, poncho or rain suit you got at Sports Unlimited, flip up the hood and head outside without a care. Our full line of rain jackets
and raincoats are seam-sealed and completely waterproof, so you'll always stay dry even when Mother Nature has other plans in mind.
I need a
new rain jacket but with so much selection, where do I even begin?
Although we'll
admit we brag about our huge selection of rain gear, it's true that with
so many options comes some confusion. That's why we're here to help out. First things
first; let's narrow down your decision and help rule out what you don't
need, by answering a few questions:
In what type of climate
will you be wearing this jacket?
I mean, yes,
we know...you use rain jackets in "rainy weather." But will it be cold
rain or warm rain? Driving storms or light summer showers? City rain or
saturated foliage? Knowing where you'll be wearing your rain jacket will
help you determine what type of rain jacket you need.
What types of activities will
you perform in this jacket?
If you plan
on hiking, climbing, biking, or running in your new rain jacket, you're
probably going to need something that's lightweight and breathable, with
plenty of features to keep you moving. But if you're looking for
something to keep you dry and stylish while you run errands or take the
dog for a walk through the park, you're going to need something
completely different. Know how you're going to use it, and you'll have a
better idea of which rain jacket to look for.
How long will you need to
wear your rain jacket at a time?
Some rain
jackets hold up to continuous rain better than others. If you plan on being out in wet,
rainy conditions for hours at a time, you're going to need an
incredibly durable, seam-sealed rain jacket. On the other hand, if you
plan on using it for quick trips or runs to the car, that type of
durability probably isn't as important to you.
What features are most
important to you in a rain jacket?
Modern rain
jackets come with all sorts of advanced options and materials. From
breathable moisture wicking fabrics to heavy duty storm hoods, the
options are almost endless. When you know how you'll be using your
jacket, in what climate, and for how long, the final decision is which
options and features meet your needs.
Which rain
jacket is right for my regular activities?
Rain jackets come in all
shapes, styles, and materials. Some are incredibly lightweight and
packable, great for travel and hiking. Others are breathable and wick
moisture, to keep you dry when you're getting really active. When you
have an idea of how you'll be using this jacket, you should have a
better idea of exactly what you're looking for.
Low Aerobic Activity
Mid - High Aerobic Activity
Example:
Stadium spectating Running errands Walking the dog Commuting
Walking Running Biking Hiking Outdoor exercise
Features::
Waterproof / Breathable Water
resistant Zip-in compatibility for warm layering Heavier weight fabric for warmth Stowable / Removable hood for versatility Adjustable cuffs to fit over gloves
Waterproof / Breathable material Extra ventilation with pit-zips Ultra-lightweight and durable 3-layer, with moisture wicking layer Adjustable hood Helmet compatible hood for biking or climbing
Which rain jackets
are suited for which climates and environments?
Your environment is a huge indicator of
what type of rain jacket you'll need. If, for instance, you live in
an area that experiences a lot of wet, cold weather, we'd suggest
going with a GORE-TEX rain jacket, or a jacket with a GORE-TEX
membrane layer, since these jackets are 100% waterproof, warm, and
incredibly breathable. If your area sees infrequent or random rain
fall, your regular jacket can double as a rain jacket. Look for
water-resistant materials and jackets with stow-able hoods, so
you'll be prepared in case it starts to rain any day.
To make things
easier, let's take a quick look at the average annual rain fall, in
inches, for the entire United States...
*Source:
The National Weather Service (www.weather.gov)
...and what rain
jackets would be perfect for each area of the States.
Type of
Climate
Suggested Geography
Materials to Look for
Appropriate Styles to Fit Your Need
Example
Warm, with infrequent rain
Southeastern United States
Water / wind resistant materials in a
mid-range price point jacket are great for infrequent and light rain
storms
Lightweight waterproof and breathable
materials are perfect for keeping you cool and dry in warmer
weather. Keeping a packable / stowable rain jacket in your pack or
car is a great way to stay prepared for those unexpected showers.
Waterproof and breathable materials that
help to retain body heat to keep you warm. Zip-in compatible jackets
or jackets made with GORE-TEX are ideal to retain heat and keep you
dry when it starts to rain.
Heavier waterproof and breathable
materials keep you warm and dry in cold rain storms. Look for zip-in
compatible jackets to help with layering, or jackets with a
waterproof/breathable GORE-TEX layer.
I know how I plan on using
my new rain jacket, but which one is right for my needs?
Knowing the amount of time you plan on
spending in your rain jacket, and the activities you plan on using it
for, helps to determine which one is right for you. Assess the following
chart to see which jacket best fits your needs:
Amount of Time
Suggested Activities
Materials to Look
For
Features to Look For
Appropriate Styles
to Fit Your Needs
Brief amounts of time - No more than 30
minutes
Running errands, taking the dog for a walk,
commuting
Hiking trips, camping, week-long backpacking
adventures, wet-weather activities without shelter
Waterproof/Breathable/Windproof materials,
seem-sealed, waterproof zippers, 3-layer, ultra-lightweight, durable
fabric to keep you light, dry, and comfortable on long treks. DWR
(Durable Water Resistant) treated material suggested.
Packability, for a lightweight,
easy-to-store jacket, when it's not raining. Extra ventilation such as
pit-zips can be important
How do I know which
rain jacket features are right for me?
Many brands offer impressive features in
their rain jackets. Some are incredibly technical, and are meant for
hiking, mountain climbing, and other intensive outdoor sports that put
you in heavy rain and heavy activity. Others are perfect for keeping you
comfortable when that sudden downpour puts a damper on your day out in
town. Check out our comprehensive glossary to find the features that
will best fit your outdoor lifestyle.
Term
Definition
Adjustable Cuffs
Adjustable wrist cuffs let you pull your
rain jacket over or under gloves, for added warmth and protection.
They're also great at sealing up your coat from cold air drafts.
Adjustable Hood
Typically built with pull cords at the
bottom of the hood, near the collar and in the back of the head,
adjustable hoods deliver a custom, secure fit so your head stays dry
during rigorous activity or high winds.
Breathable
Breathable rain jackets pull sweat vapor
away from your skin and through the fabric where it can
quickly
evaporate, keeping you dry, cool, and comfortable underneath your
jacket.
Jackets that are
"waterproof/breathable" are manufactured with pores in the material,
small enough to keep moisture, like rain and snow, from penetrating the
fabric, but big enough to allow sweat vapor out, where it can evaporate.
GORE-TEX is the most commonly known waterproof/breathable fabric, and is
made of a complex membrane material.
A measurement of windproofness, cubic feet
per minute measures the air permeability of a fabric. The higher the
number, the less windproof the garment is. A garment of 1 CFM or less is
considered completely windproof.
Drawcord Hem
Also known as a hem cinch cord or an
adjustable hem. Can be pulled tight to keep cold air drafts away from
the body, or loosened for added ventilation.
Napoleon Chest Pocket
A vertical zippered pocket on the left chest
of a jacket, typically including a storm-flap or water-resistant zipper,
to keep rain out. Named for the French military leader who was often
pictured with his hand in the left part of his jacket, these pockets are
great places to hold onto small essentials, like cash, credit cards,
cell phones, or music players, so your hand-warmer pockets are free to
do what they do best...keep your hands warm!
Pit-Zip Vents
Zippers located on the underarm of a jacket,
usually a hard shell garment. When un-zipped, these vents allow for
added breathability to the body's core and underarm area during high
levels of activity in cold weather. Pit-zips are a good feature to have
for outdoor enthusiasts who hike, climb, mountaineer, and perform other
aerobic activities in wet or cold climates.
Packable
Also referred to as compressible or
stow-able, packable garments can be packed into themselves, or into a
small area such as a backpack, for convenient, lightweight hauling.
Packability is important in hiking, mountaineering, travel, and other
activities where space is limited and low weight is important.
Removable Hood
A removable hood gives you the option of
protecting your head when it's raining, and removing the hood for a
streamlined look when its a bit nicer out. This feature gives jackets a
lot of versatility, making it perfect for commuters and other more
"on-demand" rain-jacket needs.
Seam Sealed
Garments that are seam sealed are
waterproofed at the seams. Garments that use waterproof fabrics, but are
not seam sealed, are not 100% waterproof, and are only suited for light
rain and snow.
Storm-Flaps
Fabric covering a zippered or snap closure
on a jacket. Storm flaps are also found on the inner side of a closure,
and are meant to keep wind and water away from the body, and out of
pockets.
Stowable Hood
These types of hoods let you pack the hood
away into the collar of the rain jacket when you don't need it. When it
starts to rain, it's as easy as pulling the hood back out and cinching
it up. Preferable to removable hoods, for more seasoned outdoors people,
since they are not easily lost when moving.
Visor
A support band attached to the top of a hood
delivers a hard surface edge to the hood that diverts rain away from
your face.
Zip-In Compatible
An insulation piece that is zip-in
compatible can be zipped into a corresponding outer shell for added
warmth and protection. An outer shell that is zip-in compatible can be
incorporated into a matching zip-in compatible insulation jacket. Most
outerwear brands offer zip-in compatibility, but those garments can only
be used with other garments from that brand, and in the same size. For
example, a The North Face Women's Denali Jacket, in a size small, can
only be zipped into a The North Face zip-in compatible Women's outer
shell, also in a size small.
What types of fabrics
should I look for in a new rain jacket?
Rain jackets are made out of all sorts of
fabrics, and feature the latest and greatest proprietary technologies,
to deliver a comfortable feel, dry experience, and enhanced durability
for your time in the outdoors. Check out our glossary of the various
rain jacket fabrics out there:
Term
Definition
Columbia Omni-Tech
Columbia's multi-layer waterproof/breathable
protection system keeps precipitation from getting inside the jacket,
while allowing moisture vapors from inside the jacket to escape.
Columbia Omni-Shield
Columbia's fabric technology that repels
water and stains. Omni-shield fabric also dries quickly, and is ideal
for light rain conditions and outdoor activities where stains are
unavoidable.
Durable Water Repellent (DWR)
Durable water resistant treatments and
coatings helps to bead water from fabrics, and make them more resilient.
Commonly used on the outer layer of a jacket, gloves, bags, or headwear.
GORE-TEX®
Products with a GORE-TEX®
membrane, placed between a water repellant outer fabric and insulation,
are completely waterproof and windproof. These products are also
incredibly breathable and durable.
GORE-TEX® products
are ideal for an active lifestyle in cold weather, since they will keep
you dry in any weather condition you might face, while also allowing
perspiration to escape.
GORE-TEX PacLite Shell®
A GORE-TEX fabric that enhances the
breathability and waterproofness of GORE-TEX with extreme lightweight
and packability. Perfect for running, biking, hiking, climbing, and
other outdoor activities where weight and space are limited and crucial.
A
2-layer waterproof/breathable fabric technology specific to The North
Face. This technology uses a polyurethane (PU) waterproof coating that
also allows sweat vapor to permeate the fabric where it can quickly
evaporate, cooling the user and improving comfort. It is also durable,
waterproof, and breathable.
Breathability Rating: 600 g/m² / 24 hours on the
MVTR scale Waterproof Rating: 25 PSI
HyVent 3-Layer Fabric
A 3-layer waterproof/breathable fabric
technology that uses a PU waterproof coating, and allows moisture vapor
to pass through the fabric, away from the body, where it quickly
evaporates. This cools the user and leaves the inside of the waterproof,
windproof shell, completely dry. Breathability Rating: 700
g/m² / 24 hours on the
MVTR scale Waterproof Rating: 25 PSI
HyVent DT
Used in The North Face's Exploration and
Flight Series products, this fabric is similar to the HyVent 3-layer
technology, except its 3rd layer is a thinner, micro-grid print that
creates a moisture-wicking barrier between the garment and skin. This
layer also makes the fabric more lightweight and packable than other
HyVent technology. Breathability Rating: 700 g/m² / 24 hours
on the
MVTR scale Waterproof Rating: 25 PSI
HyVent Alpha
A waterproof/breathable, micro-porous
lamination membrane that contains about half a million pores per square
inch. This allows sweat vapor to pass through the jacket, without
letting rain or snow inside, keeping the user dry, warm, and comfortable
in inclement weather conditions. Breathability Rating: 700
g/m² / 24 hours on the
MVTR scale Waterproof Rating: 75 PSI
The Moisture Vapor Transfer Rate (MVTR) is a
measure of the amount of water, in a gas form, that passes through a
fabric over a certain amount of time. The higher the rating, the more
breathable the garment. The rate is expressed in terms of grams per
square meter during a specific amount of time. Example: 700
g/m²/24 hours
Nylon Ripstop /
Polyester Ripstop
A woven nylon fabric made with a gridded
reinforced technique that makes it resistant to tearing. Easily
identifiable by its gridded texture, this type of fabric is ideal if
you'll be wearing your rain jacket frequently in harsh environments or
rigorous activities.
Fabric that will not allow water to
penetrate the outer layer, but does allow water vapor to escape its
inner layer, out to the surface of the fabric. This allows sweat and
heat to move out of the jacket, without letting precipitation in, so you
stay dry and cozy.
GORE-TEX was the first, and now probably
the most well-known waterproof/breathable fabric brand out there. Some
brands have developed their own versions of waterproof/breathable fabric
to compete with the GORE-TEX and price tag. For instance, The North Face
makes use of its HyVent technology,
Patagonia has the H2No barrier, Frogg Toggs utilizes its DriPore
technology, and Mammut has its DRYtech technology.
Waterproof/breathable jackets typically
use 2, 2.5, or 3-layer construction. These layers include an Outer Layer
with Waterproof coating, a 2nd layer of Breathable Membrane (and in some
cases, added insulation), and a 3rd layer Inner Lining. 2- and
2.5-layer jackets are durable enough for moderate use, while 3-layer
jackets are incredible durable for heavy use.
Jackets that are
"waterproof/breathable" are manufactured with pores in the material,
small enough to keep moisture, like rain and snow, from penetrating the
fabric, but big enough to allow sweat vapor out, where it can evaporate.
GORE-TEX is the most commonly known waterproof/breathable fabric, and is
made of a complex membrane material.
A vertical zippered pocket on the left chest
of a jacket, typically including a storm-flap or water-resistant zipper,
to keep rain out. Named for the French military leader who was often
pictured with his hand in the left part of his jacket, these pockets are
great places to hold onto small essentials, like cash, credit cards,
cell phones, or music players, so your hand-warmer pockets are free to
do what they do best...keep your hands warm!
Zippers located on the underarm of a jacket,
usually a hard shell garment. When un-zipped, these vents allow for
added breathability to the body's core and underarm area during high
levels of activity in cold weather. Pit-zips are a good feature to have
for outdoor enthusiasts who hike, climb, mountaineer, and perform other
aerobic activities in wet or cold climates. 
A support band attached to the top of a hood
delivers a hard surface edge to the hood that diverts rain away from
your face.
Columbia's multi-layer waterproof/breathable
protection system keeps precipitation from getting inside the jacket,
while allowing moisture vapors from inside the jacket to escape.
Columbia's fabric technology that repels
water and stains. Omni-shield fabric also dries quickly, and is ideal
for light rain conditions and outdoor activities where stains are
unavoidable.
A GORE-TEX fabric that enhances the
breathability and waterproofness of GORE-TEX with extreme lightweight
and packability. Perfect for running, biking, hiking, climbing, and
other outdoor activities where weight and space are limited and crucial.
A
2-layer waterproof/breathable fabric technology specific to The North
Face. This technology uses a polyurethane (PU) waterproof coating that
also allows sweat vapor to permeate the fabric where it can quickly
evaporate, cooling the user and improving comfort. It is also durable,
waterproof, and breathable.