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Buying Guide: How to Choose a Waterproof Jacket?
6 minutes
If you find it difficult to choose a raincoat from all the models on the market, consult this short guide. It should help you choose a model that suits your needs.
Waterproof or water-resistant?
There are three main categories of coat that can protect you from the rain:
Water-resistant coat: A water-resistant coat is treated with a durable water repellent that causes water to bead up on the coat. This treatment is effective in light rain, but it does not prevent water from penetrating the fabric if exposed to rain for a long time or heavily. However, as this type of coat is very breathable, it does not contain a barrier that blocks the exchange of heat from your body, which means it wicks away your perspiration very well.
Waterproof-breathable coat: Waterproof-breathable prevents rain or snow from entering your coat while allowing your perspiration to escape. The seams of waterproof-breathable coats are therefore sealed to prevent the pressure of a bag from letting water into your coat. However, if you wear a raincoat during intense physical activity, your perspiration may not be able to escape your coat quickly enough. You may experience a feeling of dampness that is not related to the waterproofness of your coat, but to your perspiration being produced in too large a quantity to be evacuated as it is produced.
Waterproof coat: This is the type of coat that completely cuts out the rain, but sticks quickly to the skin if you sweat even a little. It is suitable for low-intensity activities in cool weather.
Type of breathable waterproof material: paint or wallpaper?
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L'imper-respirant is effective thanks to a coating or membrane that allows perspiration to escape from the body while keeping you dry. There are two main categories of waterproof-breathable fabrics:
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The microporous coating: Think of it as paint that you spread on a wall. The coating is a type of paint applied to the shell of your coat to make it waterproof. Once dry, this paint forms a waterproof and breathable barrier. The more layers of paint, the more resistant the coating is, but the less breathable it is.
The Membrane: Think of waterproof wallpaper. That's somewhat what a waterproof-breathable membrane is. The latter has pores smaller than a water droplet, but larger than sweat droplets. These pores allow sweat droplets to escape, but they block large raindrops. This allows your body heat to evaporate without water from the sky entering your coat. This membrane is heat-sealed onto the shell of the coat.
Note that coatings are less breathable than membranes, but they are also cheaper.
Number of layers
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Les fabricants d’imper-respirants enveloppent leur couche imperméable d’un tissu externe, qui la protège de l’abrasion et d’une couche interne, qui l’éloigne des huiles naturelles du corps. En gros, il existe trois constructions de manteaux imper-respirants :
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2 layers: The coating (or membrane) is applied (or laminated) to the outer layer of the jacket. A light lining is fixed inside the jacket so that the body does not rub directly on the coating or membrane.
2.5 layers: The coating or membrane is applied or laminated on the outer layer of the jacket. However, there is no lining inside. The "0.5" layer comes from a protective film that is applied directly to the coating or membrane to increase the abrasion resistance of the jacket.
3 layers: Here, we are generally talking about a membrane. The latter is laminated between the outer layer of the jacket and the lining. The three layers are laminated together. This construction normally provides excellent durability and very effective breathability.
Durable Water Repellent (DWR): Most waterproof-breathable garments are treated with a DWR coating that causes water droplets to bead up and roll off the surface of the jacket. Without this treatment, the outer layer of the jacket can absorb water, which makes the jacket heavier and slows down the evaporation of perspiration.
Over time, the DWR wears off. Therefore, when you notice that water is beading less on your jacket, it is necessary to apply a DWR treatment. This step should be part of your rainwear maintenance routine.
The devil is in the details.
Hood size and shape: If you're buying your raincoat for cycling, climbing, or skiing, choose one with a helmet-compatible hood.
Pockets: The placement of the pockets is very important, especially if you plan to put your backpack over your raincoat. Keep in mind that the straps and belt of backpacks can block access to pockets. They must therefore be strategically placed to remain accessible during your outdoor activities.
Underarm vents: These vents allow for good air circulation during intense efforts.
Compressibility and durability: Ultracompressible models are very practical when weight needs to be reduced to a minimum, and space in luggage is limited. Ultralight models are often less robust, however.
Size: As temperatures vary greatly outdoors, make sure you have some room to slip a thick sweater or fleece under your raincoat, to give you a little warmth if the mercury drops or if the wind picks up.
Need specific advice? Visit one of our La Cordée stores for personalized advice on choosing your raincoat.
Maintenance
If you want to maintain the full effectiveness of your coat, be sure to give it some love from time to time to extend its lifespan. Here are some tips for properly caring for your raincoat.
Often, for fear of damaging your coat or your waterproof-breathable pants, you avoid washing them. However, like any garment, raincoats accumulate dirt that alters the effectiveness of your technical clothing. Indeed, sweat and sebum secreted during a day outdoors harm the technical properties of your clothing. So, give them a spin in the washing machine from time to time to restore their breathability and waterproofness.
To do this, first read the cleaning instructions on your clothes. These always take precedence over the tips listed below. Otherwise:
- Close all zippers and then turn your garment inside out.
- Wash it in lukewarm water (30 °C or 40 °C) with a small amount of liquid soap of the Nikwax type. These products are designed to restore or preserve the properties of your membrane, i.e. waterproofness, breathability, and water repellency.
- Do not use fabric softener as it could reduce the performance of your waterproof-breathable garment.
- If the rain no longer beads on your garment, take the opportunity to spray a waterproofing agent on your coat while it is still damp.
- Dry your garment completely in the dryer by selecting a moderate temperature.
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