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It has been rainy for a number of days with some good downpours, so I cycled through my "waterproof" outerwear depending on the forecast and my whims vs needs. I'm too lazy to take pics.
I'll start with coats for the classic menswear crowd.
Schneider's Salzburg GoreTex overcoat. Knee-length, 2-layer pac-lite, taped seams. Keeps you really dry for prolonged periods. As long as the DWR is up to snuff, it won't wet out for as long as you need it. Lighter GoreTex means it wears cooler. Way too big for me now. Shame.
Mackintosh rubberized cotton overcoat knee length. Now this is a raincoat. Go sing in the rain. It doesn't even pretend to breathe except for the puny armpit vents. But it is light. Alas, too big as well.
Aspesi PU coated trench. Water-resistant and not much more. Meh.
14 year-old Loro Piana nylon-poly, wool lined storm system car coat. Bulletproof. Wish I could find a similar one.
Bridge and Burn waxed parka. Robust hood, heavier weight than Barbour waxed cotton. Pile lined. The wax is in excellent shape so this resists rain quite well. Not a light coat. Fits well over a jacket. Rarely wore it.
Casual
Barbour Sapper. my favourite standard Barbour and Fall jacket because of the design; the funnel neck is protective and it has poly insulation making it a more robust jacket even though it has lightweight waxed cotton. Takes a long time to wet through and then take as long time to leak because it has to get through the insulation. The nylon hood is useless. I might look for a Winter Sapper, which has more insulation to extend its range and a solid detachable hood. Not a sustained downpour jacket.
Filson Tin Cloth by comparison is waterproof in sustained downpours. but it is heavy and stiff as fuck. You have to drive over it to soften it up.
Barbour Moorland, is a better Beaufort decent with a heavier wax. Good for drizzles and showers but not a sustained downpour jacket.
Arc'teryx Alpha 2-layer pac-lite anorak. Minimal but super effective. Still, all waterproof-breathable lose the ability to breathe when the outer fabric wets out and you get wet from condensation and not rain drops.
Triple Aught Design (TAD) Gear. Schoeller C-Change fabric. Swells and opens with temperature and moisture, like an acorn. Super waterproof and windproof. Unlined, heat taped seams. Not warm so you need to layer beneath in cold. Hard to find jackets made with it outside of motorcycle weather suits. You can see who that irritating Bearskin hoody outfit ripped off.
Ventile/EtaProof
Ventile is interesting. It does swell and resist water. It beads and sheds because it has DWR. You need double layer and taped seams to approach waterproof. But single layer is shower and windproof. I find it better for wet snow than rain.
Maharishi Ventile shooting jacket. Just a great casual jacket that happens to be Ventile. Showerproof.
I wore this Wings+Horns Japanese (Daewoo) Ventile down jacket for 2 hours in steady rain. It kept me reasonably dry. Did not ruin the down either.
Klattermusenn Einride in EtaProof. Same like Ventile. Good hood means you can stay out longer.
Norse Projects Elka. PVC. 100% waterproof. Can be a sauna suit in warmer weather.
Bergan's of Norway Epic cotton anorak. Epic is silicone impregnated woven fabric. You'll be wet in 20 minutes in a steady rain unsheltered. I find it a better outer layer for wet snow.
I'll start with coats for the classic menswear crowd.
Schneider's Salzburg GoreTex overcoat. Knee-length, 2-layer pac-lite, taped seams. Keeps you really dry for prolonged periods. As long as the DWR is up to snuff, it won't wet out for as long as you need it. Lighter GoreTex means it wears cooler. Way too big for me now. Shame.
Mackintosh rubberized cotton overcoat knee length. Now this is a raincoat. Go sing in the rain. It doesn't even pretend to breathe except for the puny armpit vents. But it is light. Alas, too big as well.
Aspesi PU coated trench. Water-resistant and not much more. Meh.
14 year-old Loro Piana nylon-poly, wool lined storm system car coat. Bulletproof. Wish I could find a similar one.
Bridge and Burn waxed parka. Robust hood, heavier weight than Barbour waxed cotton. Pile lined. The wax is in excellent shape so this resists rain quite well. Not a light coat. Fits well over a jacket. Rarely wore it.
Casual
Barbour Sapper. my favourite standard Barbour and Fall jacket because of the design; the funnel neck is protective and it has poly insulation making it a more robust jacket even though it has lightweight waxed cotton. Takes a long time to wet through and then take as long time to leak because it has to get through the insulation. The nylon hood is useless. I might look for a Winter Sapper, which has more insulation to extend its range and a solid detachable hood. Not a sustained downpour jacket.
Filson Tin Cloth by comparison is waterproof in sustained downpours. but it is heavy and stiff as fuck. You have to drive over it to soften it up.
Barbour Moorland, is a better Beaufort decent with a heavier wax. Good for drizzles and showers but not a sustained downpour jacket.
Arc'teryx Alpha 2-layer pac-lite anorak. Minimal but super effective. Still, all waterproof-breathable lose the ability to breathe when the outer fabric wets out and you get wet from condensation and not rain drops.
Triple Aught Design (TAD) Gear. Schoeller C-Change fabric. Swells and opens with temperature and moisture, like an acorn. Super waterproof and windproof. Unlined, heat taped seams. Not warm so you need to layer beneath in cold. Hard to find jackets made with it outside of motorcycle weather suits. You can see who that irritating Bearskin hoody outfit ripped off.
Ventile/EtaProof
Ventile is interesting. It does swell and resist water. It beads and sheds because it has DWR. You need double layer and taped seams to approach waterproof. But single layer is shower and windproof. I find it better for wet snow than rain.
Maharishi Ventile shooting jacket. Just a great casual jacket that happens to be Ventile. Showerproof.
I wore this Wings+Horns Japanese (Daewoo) Ventile down jacket for 2 hours in steady rain. It kept me reasonably dry. Did not ruin the down either.
Klattermusenn Einride in EtaProof. Same like Ventile. Good hood means you can stay out longer.
Norse Projects Elka. PVC. 100% waterproof. Can be a sauna suit in warmer weather.
Bergan's of Norway Epic cotton anorak. Epic is silicone impregnated woven fabric. You'll be wet in 20 minutes in a steady rain unsheltered. I find it a better outer layer for wet snow.
