Shopping for a waterproof jacket can be a little confusing. You may have seen that jackets have different labels which state their level of water proofing – these come in the form of water-resistant (sometimes called showerproof) and waterproof.
Different jackets offer different protection from the elements. To make sure you know what you’re getting into and what will offer you the best protection, we’ll discuss the different levels of waterproofness.
Water-resistant jackets will have a waterproofing repellent coating (called DWR) applied to the outer fabric to prevent absorption of water, this means that water droplets will bead and roll off the fabric. However, water-resistant jackets will not be fully taped seamed and will only protect you in limited exposure to rain. A lot of soft-shell jackets, like the Exodus Showerproof softshell tend to be water-resistant, wind-proof and the cost of is mid range. But you can also find warm winter coats, such as the Isla II Womens Down Jacket that are water-resistant.
This means the jacket has a waterproof coating on the outer fabric with fully taped seams and it may have a built in membrane lining. A membrane lining is a sheet of material with lots of tiny holes in it to help with breathability, because these holes are so small no water can penetrate it.
A waterproof jacket will have a waterproof rating to let you know the best weather conditions for that item. This can range from items such as our Pakka Waterproof Jackets, which have a rating of 1,500, which will protect you from light to moderate rain, all the way up to our ULTRA range, which has a rating of 20,000.
| Water-resistant | Waterproof |
| Suitable for light showers | Suitable for heavier rain |
| Fabric has been treated with DWR (durable water repellent) | Fabric has been treated with DWR (durable water repellent) or will have a waterproof fabric membrane |
| No taped seams | Taped seams |
