Best value waterproof jacket guide for all the family

The weather is becoming more stormy and you may need a good waterproof jacket, here we have you covered with the best value guide.

Like most things these days you will have cheap, medium-range and high quality, some of the cheapest jackets we have tested outperform some of the best brands on the market.

We tested several Triboard jackets from Decathlon and several out performed jackets that cost over £200 the Triboard jackets tested were no more than £60.

Trespass jackets and Regatta are two well known cheaper waterproof firms and with the jackets tested had different results, it was found both had breathability issues, and all jackets had leaked in moderate rain within half an hour, we did not test the Trespass DLX range.

Karrimor is another brand well known and offers some of the best value in sportswear and waterproofs, the cheaper you go the more issues with breathability and how long the jacket remained waterproof, the jackets tested lasted about the same as Trespass and Regatta although the Helium range which costs £60 was highly breathable and lasted longer in moderate rain.

The brand has some jackets that are over £100 and one we tested was made with ‘Event’ fabric, this jacket was so breathable it was like having no jacket on! it outperformed rival Gore-Tex by miles, the only problem was it was not that waterproof, Note the Event fabric no longer exists.

Mountain Warehouse jackets are very cheap and have a variety to choose from, for us they were a complete letdown, even the best jacket that they claim is highly waterproof lasts no more than twenty minutes in moderate rain, however, they are nice fitting jackets.

With these jackets we suggest to use your DWR spray because Mountain Warehouse jackets are cheap, the testing may not have been done properly and so the DWR that they put on will be minimal or so cheap it will be of no use in rain.

We suggest also to check the pressure of the jackets so for anything that says 5,000mm will last the shortest time and anything over 10,000mm will last much longer in moderate rain.

The bigger brands like The North Face, Berghaus, Sprayway, Haglofs, Marmot and Rab and all the others offer some amazing products.

Berghaus has their own waterproof systems and also uses Gore-Tex products, Gore-Tex is simply the best waterproofing you can find, the best we have tested is the Paclite range which continued to keep the tester dry almost for 3 years! 

In cheaper jackets you will sweat, and all your clothes will end up drenched more so if you are doing any activity, this sweat will lower your body temperature  if the jacket gets drenched which will give you the chills remember that when buying a jacket.

Big sports brands also do some great jackets, Adidas and Nike will provide you with good protection inside and out, Adidas has a range called ‘Terrex’ which is incredibly waterproof and breathable, however, some of the jackets do not have taped seams.

Keeping yourself warm and waterproof we suggest a couple of things, for both adult and child, get a synthetic jacket from the big names called ‘Hydroloft’ . it will keep you warm and dry, it is also breathable.

Down jackets we do not recommend due to animal cruelty, it is also true that the feathers end up everywhere if you buy a cheaper jacket as somehow the feathers end up coming out of the huge holes the stitching has made in the lining, 

A DWR (Durable Water Protection) can be applied easily, either wash it in, or spray it on, and is very cheap! one bottle under £10, Nixwax is recommended.

Go Outdoors offer some amazing deals and we recommend them and Decathlon for your jackets this winter.

If you buy a great jacket that is made from Gore-Tex it is guaranteed to keep you dry, remember to follow all instructions before washing a waterproof jacket or pants, using a softner rips up any DWR on any jacket.