What are good waterproof jackets? (budget ~100-200€)
What are good waterproof jackets? (budget ~100-200€)
Good evening folks! I am looking for a decent waterpoof jacket but getting kinda stumped at the options.
While I would mainly use it for just taking walks, I do want something a little better that I could possibly use on hikes and such as well (might as well get a better one right away in case I ever decide to do something like that).
Now, I've found Jack Wolfskin have some nice looking ones (in particular the Elsberg 2,5l), but opinions on the brand seem to differ a lot.
So I wanted to ask if anyone can recommend a good brand I can get in Europe that fits my budget and delivers decent quality. Thanks everyone in advance!
Not direct advice. But I've switched from "technical" waterproof fabrics that use DWR chemicals, to waxed fabrics. I've found that after a year of use, the technical fabrics lose their ability to repel water, and I can't get them back no matter what I do. Waxed fabrics are heavier and don't breathe as well, but you can reapply wax to get them to repel water again.
I strongly agree. It's been trendy to wear technical jackets for everyday clothing, and I can certainly understand the alure of just having 1 jacket to do everything, but we are all better off saving the DWR+membrane jackets for their designated purpose.
Just walking about, you don't need much breathability, so waxed clothing works just fine.
I've looked them up a bit and I love the idea that they can also just be rewaxed! However, I gotta admit I think right now they are a bit too expensive for me. Most of them easily cost two or three times as much as the technical jackets I've been looking at. I will do some more research tho, and definitely keep that kind of clothing in mind just because I think it's a really cool way to make them weatherproof
Not to mention that those technical fabrics are full of PFAS.
Some companies have switched to Fluorine-free waterproofing chemicals (e.g. Deuter for backpacks). Iirc, there's even a Fluorine-free version of Goretex nowadays. I haven't really looked into whether these materials are this much better though.
I didn't even know fabrics like that exist, gonna look it up right away, thank you!
I've been eying waxed jackets for a while, do you have any brand recommendations?
Barbour are the best I've had. Pricey though