The Greatest Backpacking Rain Jackets for Hikers

May 17, 2024

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10 Best Backpacking Rain Jackets

What do you have to search for in a rain jacket for mountaineering and backpacking? Whereas having a water-proof/breathable jacket generally is a plus, it’s fairly straightforward to overwhelm their means to vent moisture within the rain while you’re perspiring with a backpack strapped to your again. You’re actually higher off shopping for a extra reasonably priced jacket that has options that hikers want like a totally adjustable hood, pit zips, velcro wrist cuffs, and hem adjusters. Monitoring down rain jackets that match that description takes a bit leg work, however we’ve performed it for you beneath.

We’ve additionally included waterproof/breathable rain jackets in addition to ones made with non-breathable materials since you’re going to perspire while you’re sporting them within the rain, irrespective of how a lot they value or what they’re made from. If staying perspiration-free within the rain is vital to you when you’re mountaineering down a path carrying a loaded backpack…perhaps you must decide one other sport. You’re going to sweat. Consider a rain jacket as a part of your bigger layering system as a substitute. Its greatest use is to maintain you heat when it’s raining or the wind is blowing arduous, typically together with a mid or base layer. Perspiring is inevitable. Your aim must be to remain heat and keep away from hypothermia.

Listed here are the ten prime (fairly priced) rain jackets that we advocate for hikers and backpackers.

1. Patagonia Torrentshell 3L ($179)

The Patagonia Torrentshell 3L Jacket is a fully-featured rain jacket phrases with an adjustable hood, pit zips, velcro wrist cuffs, hem pull wire, and facet pockets. Whereas the Torrentshell has been accessible for years, Patagonia lately up to date it and made it a full three-layer waterproof/breathable jacket with improved breathability and luxury. This together with its spectacular function set makes it a really enticing rain jacket at a comparatively low worth level. It’s accessible in males’s and ladies’s sizes.

2. Black Diamond Stormline Stretch Rain Shell ($180)

The Black Diamond Stormline Stretch Rain Shell is a light-weight, 2.5 layer BD.Dry waterproof/breathable rain shell with a quantity adjustable, helmet-compatible hood and entrance brim, pit zips, velcro wrist cuffs, zippered handwarmer pockets, an elastic hem adjuster, and a YKK polyurethane zipper for further water safety. It’s made with a really comfy and quiet stretch material that’s absolutely seam-taped for max climate safety. It’s accessible in males’s and ladies’s sizes. Learn our Stormline Stretch Assessment.

3. REI Rainier Rain Jacket ($100)

The REI Rainier Rain Jacket is similar to the Marmot Precip Eco listed beneath. It has a 3-way adjustable hood that may be folded away when not in use, velcro wrist cuffs, pit zips, handwarmer pockets, inner drop pockets, and a drawcord hem. It’s made with REI 2.5 waterproof/breathable Peak membrane and has an exterior DWR which is able to have to be refreshed periodically when rain stops beading on the jacket’s exterior. Accessible in males’s and ladies’s sizes. Learn the SectionHiker Rainier Rain Jacket overview.

Store at REI

4. Out of doors Analysis Foray II ($225)

The Out of doors Analysis Foray II is an up to date model of OR’s hottest waterproof/breathable Gore-tex rain jacket. It’s loaded with options together with a three-way adjustable hood with a entrance brim, velcro wrist cuffs, chest and hand hotter pockets, YKK Aquaguard zippers, and elastic hem adjustment. However what units this jacket other than all others are its full-length torso-flow side-zips which could be opened like pit-zips however prolong all the best way down the edges of the jacket so you’ll be able to absolutely ventilate the jacket like a poncho and even put on it over your hip belt to maintain it dry within the rain. The ladies’s mannequin known as the Out of doors Analysis Aspire II. Learn the SectionHiker Foray II Assessment.

5. Montbell Versalite Jacket ($249)

The Montbell Versalite Jacket is a fully-featured ultralight rain jacket that has pit zips, a four-way adjustable hood, hook and loop wrist cuffs, hip-belt suitable chest pockets, an internally managed hem adjustment, waterproof zippers, and taped seams. Whereas it’s by far probably the most breathable Gore-tex jacket on this checklist, it’s made with 10-denier nylon ripstop that’s straightforward to wreck and skinny sufficient that it’s greatest utilized in extra reasonable climate when much less heat is required. The Versatile jacket is out there in males’s and ladies’s sizes. Learn the SectionHiker Versalite Jacket overview.

Store at Montbell

6. Enlightened Tools Visp Rain Jacket ($250)

The Enlightened Tools Visp Rain Jacket is a 3-layer waterproof/breathable jacket made with a skinny 7D ripstop nylon, a non-porous PU membrane and a mushy tricot lining for a cushty next-to-skin really feel. Weighing 5.6 oz it’s very light-weight, however much less puncture-proof consequently. It has pit zips below the arms with waterproof zippers. The jacket has a fitted hood with a stiffened visor that adjusts at the back and front and formed wrist cuffs with a velcro adjustment for added wrist heat and utility. Made for mountaineering, the Visp has a drop-tail hem that gives further protection within the again to maintain the jacket from driving up below a pack in addition to an elasticated waist to forestall drafts from beneath. A ladies’s mannequin is out there. Learn the SectionHiker Visp Assessment.

Store at Enlightened

7. Marmot Precip Eco ($100)

The Marmot Precip Eco is a highly regarded backpacking rain jacket as a result of it’s cheap, however absolutely featured with pit zip vents, a totally adjustable hood, velcro-wrist cuffs, and a hem adjustment. The jacket additionally has two mesh-lined entrance pockets that are nice to retailer gloves or a hat and supply further air flow. The Precip Eco is made with Marmot’s proprietary waterproof/breathable material which will get the job performed however will have to be reproofed when the DWR coating wears off. Whereas the Precip Eco is priced at $100, you’ll be able to normally discover it for much much less. The Precip Eco is out there in males’s, ladies’s, and youth sizes. Learn the SectionHiker overview.

Store at REI

8. Lightheart Gear Rain Jacket ($150)

The Lightheart Gear Rain Jacket is a fully-featured rain jacket with an adjustable hood, pit zips, velcro wrist cuffs, inside, and exterior pockets, and a drawcord hem. It’s made with siliconized polyester (silpoly) which is a completely waterproof material, so that you’ll by no means want to revive a DWR layer as a result of it doesn’t have one. Lightheart Gear is a cottage producer that sews all of its jackets. It’s additionally accessible in a pleasant number of colours. The sizing is unisex. Learn the SectionHiker overview.

Store at Lightheart

9. Frogg Toggs Xtreme Lite ($60)

Store at Amazon

10. Rab Downpour Eco Rain Jacket ($140)

The Rab Downpour Eco Rain Jacket is a 2.5-layer Pertex Defend shell with a recycled polyester membrane that gives 20,000 mm/20,000 g waterproof/breathable safety. It has non-helmet suitable hood (sized for people) with a versatile polymer peak that may be adjusted from each the back and front. Deep-venting YKK pit zips with storm guards assist maintain you cool so that you perspire much less in humid climate. Hook-and-loop adjustable cuffs assist seal in wrist and hand heat whereas an adjustable hem prevents drafts from beneath. A ladies’s mannequin is out there. Simply goes to indicate, they know a bit about mountaineering within the rain within the UK. Learn the SectionHiker Rab Downpour Eco Assessment.

Backpacking Rain Jacket Choice Standards

What are crucial options to search for on a mountaineering and backpacking rain jacket?

Adjustable Hoods

Sadly, many rain jackets have outsized hoods which are supposed for skiers and climbers who put on protecting helmets. What you must search for is a totally adjustable hood with a rear quantity adjustment so you’ll be able to shrink the hood dimension to suit your head, facet pulls so you’ll be able to modify the scale of the face opening, a wire or shapeable brim to defend your eyes from wind and snow, and a excessive collar that covers your neck and mouth. All of those options will assist shield your face from the chilly and wind and assist you to keep hotter.

Zippered Pockets

You’ll be able to’t have too many rain jacket pockets. They’re nice for carrying spare gloves, hats, and protecting navigation instruments in straightforward attain. They’re additionally good for protecting snacks shut at hand so you’ll be able to eat when you hike. I view rain jacket pockets as an extension of my backpack as a result of the additional storage cuts down on the variety of instances I’ve to cease to get garments or meals out of my pack.

Venting Capabilities

When it’s a must to hike in cool moist climate, you wish to restrict the quantity you perspire by actively managing your heat degree. The important thing to doing this entails venting extra heat by eradicating or venting layers. A superb rain jacket ought to present a number of methods so that you can dump extra warmth with out having to take it off fully. Listed here are a number of the most vital options to search for when evaluating totally different jackets.

Adjustable Hook and Loop (Velcro) Wrist Closures: This helps regulate the physique warmth at your wrists the place the blood flows near the floor of your pores and skin. They are often worn below gloves or over them relying in your choice and the glove kind.
Two-way entrance zipper: For those who pull the underside half up, you’ll be able to dump lots of extra torso warmth, poncho-style.
Hem drawcord: Cinch it closed to maintain the wind from blowing up between your legs and robbing your torso of warmth.

Breathability Scores

What do you have to search for when it comes to breathability rankings when mountaineering rain jackets? For cheap rain jackets, the very best you’ll be able to hope for is 10,000 (g/m^2/d) MVTR (movable water vapor transmission fee), which is fairly lackluster. A lot of the producers listed above don’t publish the MVTRs for his or her jackets, as a result of they’re not that aggressive with dearer clothes.

However to be trustworthy, I don’t belief the breathability rankings printed by producers as a result of they’re measured in preferrred laboratory circumstances which have little to do with precise use. Pit zips and energetic venting trump breathability claims any day. For those who get too sizzling, venting your rain jacket goes to chill and dry you off much more shortly than ready for water vapor to maneuver throughout a breathable membrane whereas your zipper is closed.

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