Quick Guide to buying a Waterproof Jacket

A good waterproof and breathable Jacket should be the most important investment in your outdoor wardrobe. Take time out to try on as many jackets as your wife or partner will let you before they get really fed-up.

 

A good place to start is to have a long hard look at your chosen activity; this could save you time and a great deal of money. Take your time until you feel you have chosen the right jacket for you.

A Sou’wester is fine on a fishing trawler, Captain, but chances are you’ll drown in your own sweat if you went for a mountain hike in one. On the flip-side of the coin, a flimsy, pack-away jacket is as much use as a handkerchief on Cairngorm when it’s blowing a hoolie.

But what should you look for?

Waterproof jackets are available in many different guises: lightweight and longer cut jackets with linings are great for walking the dog or traipsing around the high street, but you’ll need a more durable and breathable jacket for attacking the mountains. Spend as much as possible on what you know is the right jacket for you.

If you are heading for the hills, here’s a short list of attributes and features that you’ll find useful in a waterproof jacket:

• Make sure there’s room to get two layers on underneath; waterproof jackets are not thermal.
• If you carry a backpack, reinforced shoulder and hip areas will be useful
• Do you wear a helmet when scrambling or mountaineering? Yes? Make sure the hood is helmet compatible? A wire peak is handy too.
• External chest pockets should sit above the waist belt of a backpack
• Are all the seams taped? It won’t be waterproof without them.
• Can you adjust all the cords with one hand? Yes? Good. Now try doing it with gloves or mitts on.
• Make sure the jacket is comfortable to wear; you might be spending a great deal of time in it.
• Can you move your arms above and around freely?
• Water resistant or waterproof zips are a must. 
• Under arm zippers are cool.

 

·        Buy a brightly coloured jacket; it’s easier for the rescue team to spot you.

What about materials and fabrics?

Waterproof jackets are the main barrier against the weather, but good waterproof jackets will also help to keep you warm and dry from the inside too.

 

Waterproof and breathable fabrics such as Gore-Tex or Event membranes are built into waterproof jackets and are designed at great pains to afford a high degree of breathability to remove the build up of moisture from inside your jacket.

 Many outdoor clothing brands now employ ‘proprietary’ or non-branded waterproof membrane fabrics. This does help to help keep the costs down somewhat, and although they may not be regarded as market leading technologies, these waterproof fabrics seem to be holding their own against the likes of Gore-Tex and eVent in certain areas of the market.

Vive la difference!

Rab MeCo 120 Long Sleeve Base Layer

Rab’s Slim-fitting and comfortable MeCo 120 base layer is competition-ready and durable enough for a multitude of fast moving outdoor activities.

 

The MeCo 120 sits comfortably at the lighter-weight end of the base layer spectrum and is nicely constructed from a combination of Australian Merino wool and recycled polyester, with the 65-35% split in favour of the Antipodeans’ sheep.

Lightweight base layers are more suitable to fast, high pulse activities like running and cycling, but they end up being used as do-it-all, single layers for anything from climbing to canoeing. It’s a personal choice of course, and activities like climbing might fall outside of a company’s marketing plan, but so what? When a good top becomes a favourite and is worn to oblivion it can only be a good thing for that company.

Rab’s use of Cocona technology plays its part admirably here. Used to enhance the overall drying, UV protection and antibacterial performance of the fabric, so you can live in it whether competing in an extended running event, walking a GR route ... or are just plain lazy. 

 

Here’s what the Cocona company says: The Cocona Patented Technology permanently incorporates natural active particles that have micro porous structures, into fibres, fabrics, polymers, and films. These active particles have been tested by industry standards and have been found to enhance the performance of fabrics by 30 to 50%. The benefit of Cocona® technology includes: increased breathability, Dry Times, UV protection and Odour management.

And Rab say: Cocona® technology is contained inside the recycled fibre and will not wear out or wash off.

In the 120 Long Sleeve Tee we use a 120g/m² MeCo fabric. The fabric is lightweight and makes the most of the comfortable and anti bacterial nature of merino wool but is made faster drying due to the synthetic content of the fabric.

Does it work? In a Coconut shell – Yep! I’ve found that even after a string of daily commuter rides, gentle runs, or sterner series of rain-drenched blasts on my mountain bike, the MeCo120 is pretty effective for at least three days before my wife suggests’ that it heads towards the washing machine. I try to avoid eye contact for a further 24 hours (in the name of product testing) before it suddenly disappears from its home on the hallway radiator.

A nice touch is the flat-lock seams that hold the top together. Flat-lock seams are important if you're carrying anything that might rub, like a back pack or hydration system - they just add to the overall comfort factor too.

Base layers, like Rab’s MeCo 120 are, by definition, are close-fitting garments that work best where they touch the skin and have two main purposes: to help keep you warm, and secondly transfer sweat away from the body and out to the next layer.

If you’re dry you’ll remain comfortable for longer and therefore perform better for longer during your given activity – is the theory.

Pros: Close but unrestricted fit, comfy to wear, very durable

Cons: Can’t think of any - it's a base layer and does exactly what it says on the tin

Verdict: I really like the MeCo 120 top. And I particularly like the close fitting. It’s plenty long enough for my gangly arms; no scrimping cut-backs with fabrics here. The feel is soft and light, there’s no itchy-scratchy discomfort, and as an all-round lightweight base layer that's practically lived on my back during this long wet winter, the MeCo 120 proves to be hard-wearing.

 

Seems, all that washing machine turmoil has done it no harm at all.

Sizes: XS - XXL (size tested was a medium on a 5'11 dummy)

Weight: 165g (Large)

For full details on the MeCo 120 visit: www.rabclothing.com

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Layering Up - Part 1

The three-layer system is the widely recognised way of kitting yourself out for hill walking or trekking, but the basic layering system is also transferable to a wide range of outdoor pursuits: from cycling to skiing and from sailing to mountaineering.

In its simplest format, layering up looks like this:

•             Base Layer

•             Insulation Layer

•             Shell Layer

The Base Layer

As it suggests, the base layer is the first layer and is the layer that sits next to the skin. Its main function is two-fold: to trap warm air next to the body to keep you warm, and secondly, transfer moisture (sweat) away from the skin and out to the next layer to regulate body temperature to help maintain a comfortable working level. 

A base layer works best if it sits comfortably close to the skin to allow ease of moisture transfer.

Insulation or mid-layer

This is where the ubiquitous fleece comes into play. To function properly, the insulation layer is sandwiched between the base and outer shell layers. The mid layer again helps trap warm body air but also should be capable of transferring (wicking) moisture to the outer shell layer. 

Aside from the fleece, many lightweight insulated jackets, body warmers and softshell garments can also work well as mid layers.

Shell Layer

The shell, or outer layer, is the protective element of the three-layer system and fundamentally the most important item that you will purchase. Ideally the shell layer should be fully wind and waterproof, well made, will work hard at transferring moisture away from the inner layers, and be totally suitable for your intensions.

I.e. a cheap pack-away smock is far from suitable for the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland at any time of the year.

Please note: all, with the possible exception of the mid layer, the above example can relate to the lower half of the body too, i.e. Long Johns and waterproof over-trousers.