It makes for a very practical jacket that keeps the elements at bay while also managing to look slimline and stylish. And I don’t like wind! So I was immediately attracted to the Highraise with its distinctive collar. I really like the feeling of being protected around the neck as that’s where the wind and rain seems to penetrate first.

GORE-TEX two-layer fabric lined with taffeta.

Finally, the sleeves are tailored to slope inwards towards the wrists which means that it’s harder for the wind to get in, but you still have plenty of room to move your shoulders around. This means you don’t get that scratchy feeling on your neck that you so often get with cheaper waterproofs. The Arc Eco also has a fleece lining on the chin guard and the back of the hood. Rab also tick all the sustainability boxes by using PFC-free, recycled materials. The pockets are plenty big enough for a map and are also easy to unzip even when you’re wearing a backpack. The hood has adjustments at both the back and the front and there are vents under the arms. Despite my deliberate attempts to work up some sweat, my body stayed dry and my pet hate - the wind - was kept at bay. I took the Rab on one of my longer testing walks and also on a bike-ride and found it faultless on both occasions. They are qualities that can work in opposition to each other, so it’s finding the right balance that’s key and Rab seem to have found it here. As Richard explains in the introduction, these are the industry tests for waterproofing and breathability respectively. Rab’s hi-tech fabrics are among the best and the Arc Eco is made from a three-layer Pertex Shield material which combines a 20,000 Hydrostatic Head (HH) rating with a 15,000 Moisture Vapour Transfer Rate (MVTR).

Hood with wired and laminated peak, fleece-lined chin guard.

Three-layer chemical-free recycled Pertex® Shield fabric.

We don’t like: it’s hard to criticise this coat, but the waterproofing isn’t as high as more premium options We like: the high-tech fabric and tailored sleeves If you’re heading out into the wilds this winter, you may also find our guide to the best walking boots useful. Jump straight to Richard’s guide to men’s jackets if you prefer. Here’s what we found, starting with Sarah’s guide to women’s jackets.

We settled for jogging uphill and cycling hard to test how comfortable the jackets were to wear while perspiring. All of the jackets reviewed here passed this test with no leakage.īreathability is rated using something called the moisture vapour transfer rate (MVTR), measuring the amount of moisture that passes through a square metre of fabric over 24 hours, but this requires specialist equipment. To mimic the HH test at home, we stretched a section of each jacket over a bowl, covered it with water, and came back in the morning to see if any water had seeped through.

Best packable waterproof jacket - Jack Wolfskin Shell.

Best for running (men’s) - On-Running Waterproof.

Best for running (women’s) - Lululemon Break A Trail.Best hiking jacket - North Face Dryzzle.Best overall - Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity.

But if you’re in a rush, here’s a quick look at our top five: Which are the best waterproof jackets of 2023? At a glance You can read our full reviews further down, followed by the answers to some frequently asked questions. We also run and cycle, so we were keen to see how this year’s crop of jackets handled those conditions too. It’s been the perfect training to be reviewers of waterproof jackets. How do you decide which one’s for you?Īs outdoors writers, Sarah and I spend much of our lives in cold, rainy, windy weather. You’ll find polyester numbers, Gore-tex linings and even wax coatings.

In this country, finding the best waterproof jacket is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make (along with choosing a pair of wellington boots).Ī brief glimpse at online clothing stores will confirm there are many types out there, including traditional raincoats, sporty shells, Scandi-style rubberised coats and hardcore mountaineering jackets. It rains a lot in Britain – 133 days a year, according to the weather researchers at Current Results – and you never know when you might get caught.

Mens pullover waterproof jacket