We live in a Golden Age of water repellency. Before nylon shells and Gore-Tex membranes, humans devised hydrophobic clothing using vinyl or oiled canvas — and, beven efore that, cured seal and whale intestines. Now, thankfully, that’s all in the past; today, waterproofing happens at a molecular level with advanced membranes that keep water droplets out but let body vapor (i.e. sweat) through.
The advancements have allowed rain jackets to become lighter, more breathable, packable and no less rain-proof. Rain jacket technology keeps getting better too — today, companies are experimenting with new fabrics to make rain shells softer and more comfortable and adding stretch for increased mobility (and less of that trademark crinkly jacket sound).
Style hasn’t fallen by the wayside either. The new class of rain jacket is light enough, durable enough, breathable enough and waterproof enough to handle multi-day treks through misting rain as well as the inevitable deluge during commuting hours.
Products in the Guide
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Patagonia Granite Crest Rain Jacket
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The North Face Dryzzle Futurelight
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REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket
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Cotopaxi Cielo Rain Trench
Best Adjustable Rain Jacket
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Snow Peak Light Packable Rain Jacket
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Norrona Gore-Tex Pro Light Jacket
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Arc’teryx Beta LT Jacket
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Black Diamond StormLine Stretch Rain Shell
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Mountain Hardwear Exposure/2 Gore-Tex Paclite Jacket
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Rapha Commuter Jacket
Best Rain Jacket for Cycling
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Outerknown Apex Jacket by Kelly Slater
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Houdini The Orange Jacket
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Columbia OutDry Extreme Mesh Hooded Rain Shell Jacket
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RAB Kinetic 2.0
Best Softshell Rain Jacket
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Sitka Dew Point Jacket
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Aether W Storm All-Weather Jacket
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How We Tested
Testing a rain jacket is inherently weather-dependent: as the name suggests, you’ve got to have a little rain for true testing to take place. Lucky for you, our testers are strategically located across the greater U.S. and tested these rain-defenders in a variety of conditions, from the streets of New York City to the hiking trails of coastal California and everywhere in between.