Waterproof jackets, like any outdoor essential, are the subject of too much discussion. We really
shouldn't care so much, but we do. This is probably because of their role as one of the most important
and well used bits of kit anyone living in the wet, temperate climate of the UK can own, but perhaps there's also something inherent in them that brings forth the designer inside.
Because of the waterproof jacket's status as universal necessity, there are hundreds of different types,
a few of which will be pretty much dedicated to your specific needs. So whether you need something
lightweight and cheap to keep in the bottom of a summer cragging 'sack for the occasional shower, or
a more durable and well ventilated beast for longer, all-weather days on the hill, there's plenty
of choice.
You will, as usual with any outdoor gear, have to make your decision from a wide range
of design possibilities, but you can guarantee that there's something out there to suit both budget
and taste. The guide below is your starting point to what you need to know.
What do you need your jacket for? It's an obvious question that you need to ask yourself with honesty
because it only takes a winter Sunday on the South Downs to find Over-Spec Man (and it's almost always
a Man) strolling around in the latest, top of the range, gold threaded, flying carpet of a jacket
designed, in fact, for the summit of Everest. Ask yourself - do you really need it? (Maybe you do…)
But if you don't then a chocolate box of options opens up. At one end of the range are the smocks:
jackets like the Montane Hydra-Lite and the Lowe Rush Anorak that offer simple waterproofs designed with
a minimum of unnecessary features to help keep down both weight and price. They're ideal multi-activity
jackets, or as lightweight emergency waterproofs.
At the other end of the range are jackets like the Montane Super-Fly, the Kimmlite Alplite Jacket and
the Marmot PreCip which sport better fabrics and useful features like pit zips to help ventilation.
If you expect to find yourself hill walking more, or lightweight mountaineering, you may decide that
the extra functions are worth the increase in price and weight.
Waterproof jackets