Best Women’s Lightweight Rain Jackets for Hiking in 2022

Over the years I’ve carried out my share of mountaineering within the rain. Apart from the 5 years I lived within the Pacific Northwest, on a Bearfoot Theory group journey to Alaska, we spent 8 strong days backpacking within the rain. Hiking within the rain and staying comfy is a little bit of an artwork, nevertheless it all begins with having the correct gear.

To show you how to keep dry in no matter situations you could face, we put collectively this listing of the perfect rain jackets for girls which have withstood the check of the path by the Bearfoot Theory staff. At the very backside, we discuss concerning the supplies and technical options of mountaineering rain jackets that can assist you decide precisely what you want.

Best Women’s Rain Jackets At A Glance

Best Women’s Rain Jackets Comparison Table

See the comparability desk beneath for a fast abstract of every of the highest ladies’s rain jackets. You can click on on the columns to type by what’s most vital to you.

Best Rain Jacket for Downpours

Arc’teryx Beta AR Women’s Rain Jacket

Great for: mountaineering in downpours, folks residing in wet climates

Pros: most waterproof jacket on the listing, “Lifetime of product” guarantee, very sturdy

Cons: costly funding, heavier and bulkier than different jackets

Arc’teryx is among the dearer out of doors manufacturers, and for years I puzzled in the event that they had been definitely worth the worth. Then proper earlier than my Alaska backpacking journey the place I wanted to be ready for the weather, I discovered the Arc’teryx Beta AR rain jacket for 30% off at REI and determined to strive it out. After mountaineering by means of downpours 8 of 10 days on that backpacking journey, I’m so joyful I made the funding. I by no means felt clammy, damp, or chilly sporting the Beta rain jacket and the waterproof zippers prevented water from seeping in. It stored me utterly dry, the jacket itself dried rapidly, and the pit zips had been important for avoiding feeling sweaty and clammy. This jacket additionally holds up towards the wind rather well.

If you reside within the PNW or one other moist, chilly local weather or have a backpacking journey the place the climate is a serious concern and want one thing that may maintain up towards a lot of rain and wind, this jacket is an superior alternative. For drier climates, lugging this jacket round could be a bit overkill, relying on the season. I took it on a backpacking journey within the Sierras final summer season and it was undoubtedly greater than I wanted for the occasional sprinkle for the reason that Beta jacket is stiffer and doesn’t pack down in addition to extra light-weight choices.

Overall, I’m so joyful to have made the funding on this rain jacket and it’s my go-to for mountaineering within the PNW and different wet climates, nevertheless it’s not the rain jacket I pack for each out of doors journey. If you need one thing slightly extra light-weight, take a look at the Arc’terx Beta LT.

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Best Ultralight Rain Jacket for Backpacking

Outdoor Research Women’s Helium Rain Jacket

Great for: ultralight backpacking, tossing in your daypack or automotive for emergencies

Pros: packs right down to pocket-size, probably the most light-weight jackets on our listing, breathable

Cons: no hand pockets, not a ton of additional options

This Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket is nice for backpackers and hikers who wish to shed weight from their pack. Bearfoot Theory’s former group supervisor, Kim, packed this rain jacket on her Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike and cherished the way it packed down tremendous small and held up towards the weather. Weighing lower than 6 ounces, it’s the most light-weight rain jacket in the marketplace! This can also be an ideal rain jacket choice to toss in your mountaineering daypack for emergencies because it weighs subsequent to nothing.

However, the most important draw back of this jacket is there are not any aspect pockets, so in case you are somebody who likes to carry your keys, telephone, or pockets in your pocket when you’re mountaineering or taking a stroll within the rain, this is probably not the jacket for you.

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Best Budget-Friendly Rain Jacket

REI Rainier Women’s Rain Jacket

Great for: finances buys, summer season journeys, light-weight backpacking, mountaineering, and tenting

Pros: versatile for a lot of out of doors adventures, holds up in windy situations

Cons: doesn’t maintain up in heavy rain, not nicely vented

The REI Rainier Women’s Rain Jacket gives incredible worth at a finances worth! At lower than $90, it’s among the finest rain jackets for girls on a finances and is the rain jacket that Linda, Bearfoot Theory’s Director of Operations, presently sports activities on wet day adventures. She’s been utilizing it on all her mountaineering, tenting, and backpacking journeys since getting it final 12 months and completely loves it.

The Rainier Rain Jacket is light-weight and does an ideal job at repelling rain and blocking out wind. It has all of the options we search for in a rain jacket, like pit zips, an adjustable hood, and pockets in all the correct locations, plus it additionally comes at an ideal worth level. She loves this rain jacket a lot that she additionally purchased one for her husband for Christmas. You can discover the boys’s model right here.

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Best Eco-Friendly Rain Jacket

Patagonia Torrentshell Women’s Rain Jacket

Great for: folks seeking to purchase eco-friendly gear, windy situations, mountaineering in downpours

Pros: deep pockets, Bluesign-approved material – constructed from recycled nylon waste, good wind resistance

Cons: stiff materials, runs small (really useful to order a dimension up)

We’re big followers of Patagonia at Bearfoot Theory, due to their sustainable enterprise practices and high-quality gear. So it’s no shock that the Patagonia Torrentshell made the listing of the perfect ladies’s rain jackets. This light-weight rain jacket is made with sustainable, eco-friendly supplies, has an adjustable hood, and is available in quite a lot of colours. This jacket holds up extraordinarily nicely within the wind, conserving you not solely dry however heat.

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Best Lightweight Rain Jacket for Travel

Eddie Bauer Women’s Cloud Cap Rain Jacket

Great for: journey, summer season use, light-weight backpacking

Pros: probably the most light-weight jacket choices, adjustable hood

Cons: material makes a crinkly noise when sporting

Linda, BFT’s Director, wore the Eddie Bauer Women’s Cloud Cap Rain Jacket on a visit to Yosemite National Park and had an opportunity to try it out on the Mist Trail and in a summer season thunderstorm. The verdict? It’s the right ultralightweight rain shell, particularly in heat climate and on backpacking journeys the place you don’t wish to carry any additional weight. She additionally wore this rain jacket in Hawaii and loves that it’s stylish sufficient to put on round city in addition to on the mountaineering trails.

Since it packs down so small and is so gentle, it’s straightforward to throw in your daypack or journey bag so that you’re ready in case you get caught in a day downpour. It has pit-zips for air flow and an adjustable hood – two options we contemplate important for any rain jacket, and it folds up small into the right-hand pocket making it straightforward to deliver alongside on any journey.

Most Durable Rain Jacket

Black Diamond Stormline Stretch Women’s Rain Shell

Great for: out of doors sports activities like biking and climbing, heavy rain, light-weight backpacking

Pros: extraordinarily sturdy material, breathable, probably the most light-weight jacket choices

Cons: outsized hood (for those who’re not utilizing it for biking), stiff material

You may know Black Diamond from their climbing or backcountry ski gear, however in addition they make incredible ladies’s out of doors attire. This Black Diamond Stormline Stretch Women’s Rain Shell will stand as much as no matter nature throws at it.

This rain jacket has comparable options to most of the different jackets on this listing and is available in quite a lot of colours. What units the Stormline other than the opposite rain jackets on our listing is that this jacket is tailor-made for out of doors sports activities like climbing and biking with ultra-stretchy material for added mobility and a climbing-helmet-compatible hood. If you need a ladies’s rain jacket that may sustain with all of your out of doors sports activities, that is the one.

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Best Value Rain Jacket

North Face Venture 2 Women’s Rain Jacket

Great for: brief hikes, dry climates

Pros: a tried and examined mannequin that has been round for over a decade, nice worth for worth

Cons: can really feel sticky if mountaineering for prolonged intervals of time in it

Another budget-friendly shell on this listing of the perfect rain jackets for girls is the North Face Venture 2. This was my rain jacket earlier than I upgraded to the Arc’teryx, and I discovered it to be efficient, comfy, and sturdy. It’s an ideal rain jacket alternative for shorter outings the place you may encounter scattered showers or backpacking journeys in drier climates the place climate isn’t an enormous concern. It packs down tremendous small, is light-weight, and has a stretchier texture that I discover fairly comfy in comparison with different rain jackets.

This jacket doesn’t present a lot wind safety or heat and I wouldn’t depend on it for prolonged downpours or tremendous moist climates. If I hike for lengthy intervals of time on this jacket, I can begin to really feel sticky, nevertheless it does have pit zips which helps regulate temperature. Be warned, this jacket does are likely to run small so I like to recommend sizing up to make sure a roomy slot in case you wish to layer with base layers beneath.

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6 Factors to Considering When Buying a New Rain Jacket

1. Price

The worth of a rain jacket does make a distinction since you’ll get increased high quality merchandise which have gone by means of extra testing, analysis, and growth to make sure they work nicely. While a decrease or mid-priced mountaineering raincoat will nonetheless get the job carried out, it usually comes at the price of some consolation, whether or not that’s a sturdy Gore-tex outer layer or breathability and air flow on the within that may reduce sweating.

Although it’s robust to spend a bigger chunk of change on a chunk of drugs, it’s usually definitely worth the cash and might prevent from having to switch that merchandise a number of instances sooner or later. Think of it as an funding that may final you for a few years, slightly than an overpriced piece of drugs. In this case, it’s value it.

If you’re on a finances, select a top quality mid-priced raincoat – the REI Rainier Rain Jacket is a superb possibility – that has the options you want and use most frequently. Consider the actions you do most frequently and select a light-weight rain jacket that fits your mountaineering fashion. Chances are you’ll be able to resell it if it’s nonetheless in good situation and when you could improve you’ll know precisely what to purchase.
Another nice possibility to save cash is to purchase gently used out of doors gear.

2. Waterproof vs. Water-Resistant

If you might be investing in a sturdy and efficient rain jacket that may stand as much as the wind and rain, you’ll need one thing that’s waterproof. While waterproof raincoats are good for gentle wind and rain, they don’t have as many technical parts and the material gained’t do you a lot good in a storm.

A lightweight windbreaker is an effective instance of a waterproof jacket and you may think about how that may fare for those who get caught in an sudden thunderstorm on the path (spoiler: not nicely).

3. Fit

A mountaineering rain jacket ought to match free sufficient you could add additional layers beneath and have an excellent vary of movement that lets you transfer your arms round comfortably. It must also match comfortable sufficient so that you don’t have an excessive amount of additional material getting in the way in which as you might be mountaineering.

4. Jacket Materials

If you’ve ever been for a hike within the rain, then you definately may know the way uncomfortable and distracting it’s to really feel moist from the rain whereas additionally struggling by means of that sticky feeling of your jacket clinging to your pores and skin out of your sweat. 

A superb raincoat will assist maintain you dry by conserving moisture out from the surface whereas additionally permitting sweat or different water vapors from the within to evaporate.

Here are the commonest waterproof materials you’ll discover when selecting a mountaineering raincoat.

• Gor-Tex: We usually point out Gore-Tex right here at Bearfoot Theory as a result of it’s a preferred technical material that’s generally utilized in waterproof out of doors gear. Gore-Tex is an artificial, waterproof material that retains you dry within the rain or snow. Its light-weight development makes merchandise with Gore-Tex nice for breathability and air flow so that you gained’t get overheated while you’re sizzling on a wet hike. A raincoat with Gore-Tex is a sturdy, waterproof possibility that helps maintain you cool and dry.
• Durable Water Repellent (DWR): DWR is an additional coating that gear firms add to mountaineering raincoats that permit them to actually repel water from the jacket. As water hits the floor of the material it beads up and rolls proper off slightly than getting absorbed or evaporating. DWR undoubtedly retains you dry, nonetheless, it may well make a raincoat barely much less breathable. It additionally requires a little bit of repairs as a result of the end can put on off over time, so you could have to reapply a brand new DWR coating now and again. Either method, DWR is a superb possibility for staying dry and infrequently comes at a cheaper price than Gore-Tex.

There are just a few different supplies that main out of doors manufacturers are utilizing, corresponding to DryVent, eVent, and so forth, usually with proprietary expertise, however Gore-Tex and DWR are probably the most generally utilized in the perfect rain jackets for girls.

>> Read Next: Tips for Hiking within the Rain

5. Number of Fabric Layers

Most raincoats have a 2, 2.5, or 3 layer development to them that sandwiches the a number of totally different layers or membranes of cloth collectively to create a water-resistant jacket. Here’s a fast breakdown of the three varieties that may show you how to navigate the product description and the worth when you find yourself selecting a mountaineering raincoat.

• Midweight 2 Layer Rain Jacket: The midweight 2 layer raincoat is a extra budget-friendly possibility that normally prices underneath $100. It’s the least technical model and has a mesh liner, in order that they are typically breathable, however don’t have as strong of waterproofing. It’s good for sporting round city and shorter hikes the place it’d rain. (Example: North Face Venture Rain Jacket)
• Midweight 2.5 Layer Rain Jacket: The mid-range 2.5 layer raincoat is a greater waterproof possibility and barely much less breathable than a 2 layer. However, it’s a sensible choice for longer wet hikes and backpacking journeys. These rain jackets are light-weight and compact with extra technical options like pit zips and DWR. 2.5 layer rain jackets can value over $100. (Example: Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket)
• 3 Layer Rain Jacket: The most sturdy and technical possibility is the three layer raincoat, also called a hardshell, which gives final safety, usually in a light-weight package deal. This is a superb possibility for backcountry and harsh climates and might value $150-$300+. (Example: Patagonia Torrentshell)

6. Important Features

Before you buy a rain jacket, be sure to think about what options you need and want corresponding to:

• Adjustable Hood:  Having an excellent hood to guard your face and eyes from the weather is a vital function of a mountaineering rain jacket. Look for one that’s adjustable and has a brim to defend your eyes from wind and rain.
• Armpit Vents: This is a MUST for me with any rain jacket I purchase. When there may be an excessive amount of humidity within the air for simply your mountaineering raincoat to do the trick, strategically positioned vents, particularly across the armpits, will probably be your new finest pals. Pit vents launch heat air, and a few even have vents within the hood or the pocket linings.
• Adjustability drawcords: If you end up out in gale-force wind and rain, and even one thing rather less intense, adjustable drawcords within the hem or waist of your raincoat will cinch within the material to assist maintain the weather out.
• Sealed Zippers: Zippers are locations the place moisture can seep into the within of your rain jacket. Bonded seams on the zippers will assist maintain the rain out, and issues like laminated zippers and a zipper storage (a small flap of cloth to cowl the zipper when zipped) will maintain you dry.

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