Finding the right rain jacket is a very serious step if the hope of wading the treacherous harsh rainy weather may be accomplished successfully. This is why it is necessary to get to know the various factors that should be considered while so doing.



This is the need that this particular discussion aims at fulfilling. If you ever hope to make the right choice, you have no choice but to carefully read this Rain Jacket Buyer's Guide.

Below are some of the factors or areas you may need to give extra attention while selecting the right breathable and waterproof rain jacket:

Seam Taping
Seam tapes are those covering on the needle holes. They are the ones that mainly prevent the fabrics of the jackets from absorbing water or moisture. Before purchasing a rain jacket, be sure to check that these holes are truly sealed. For best results, the rain jacket of choice should ideally be taped by the Bemis Seam Tape. For extra endurance, the holes should preferably be double-taped.

Vents
Vents are the main components of the rain jackets which guarantee their breathability. They do so by basically letting in and letting out air. Different manufacturers use different methods to provide this feature. Some use meshed fabrics, others allow small perforations in specific areas of the jackets, and so on. Regardless of the method you prefer, you should be sure that these vents exist somehow.

Hood Design
Rain jackets inevitably have to protect the head regions as well from water. That is why they not only have to possess a hood, but also have it with the right design. The right hood has to have some adjustments and brims to enable you to alter their dimensions to conform to the unique shape of your head. Other than that, the hood of choice has to have zips for tighter enclosures.

Zippers
Almost all jackets, whether they are for the protection against rain or otherwise have zips. However, for rain jackets, having a zip alone is not enough. They should also contain storm flap or rubberized coating. These two are to provide further protection from any would-be percolations of water. They should further have zipper garage or zipper hut to provide additional protection from water to the tiny openings at the end of the tracks.

Pockets
Due to the need to prevent the percolation of water in times of rain, the pockets of these rain jackets should be specially designed. For one, they have to be strategically placed (preferably away from the shoulder straps and above the hip-belt) to let you access them with ease. Secondly, they undoubtedly have to possess waterproof zippers to reinforce the resistance to the percolation of water. Finally, they should, if possible contain a cord port to enable you to connect to your phone or music player while on the go!

Adjustment Features
All jackets, as a matter of absolute necessity, should (and indeed) possess adjustment features. These basically let you tighten or loosen the jacket to respond to variations in external conditions. For instance, they may enable you to provide protection from further sneaking in of water. They may also aid in improving the ventilation of the jacket. A good rain jacket should have a draw-cord at its bottom hem or waist level. This is because such areas are less likely to be impacted by rainwater.

Layering
This refers to the sum total of all the strata of constituent fabric materials that are used to make up the entire jacket. A good rain jacket should preferably have three layers. These are the outer waterproof fabric layer, a middle internal waterproof breathable membrane, and a third bonded protective inner lining. This is the only way that the jacket may be able to work well in extreme weather conditions.

Packability
Because these kinds of clothing are rarely worn, it follows that they have to be packable. This simply means that they have to be easy to pack, store, transport, and unpack if and when the need may so require. For this trait to be guaranteed the rain jacket of choice has to be extremely light and compact in size. If possible, it should also be accompanied by a storage pouch or stuff sack. These two greatly helps in their storage and transportation.

Brand
It is an open secret that some brands are more reliable than others. This is to say that they are better placed at producing higher quality rain jackets than others. For this reason, you should consider giving them top priority in your search for the most suitable rain jacket. As of the year 2018, these top brands are Marmot Minimalist, Outdoor Research, Marmot, Arc'teryx, The North Face, REI Co-op, and Patagonia.

Of course, there are innumerable other minor considerations. These include the costs, your financial resource endowment, the specific points-of-sales, and the time of the year when you choose to buy the rain jacket altogether. These factors may not be that important but may nevertheless play a crucial role in breaking a tie should you narrow down to two equal rain jackets. You should therefore not downplay these factors as well.

That aside, finding the right rain jacket may be quite daunting to a novice. That is why the assistance of a qualified expert may be necessary. You should, therefore, consider invoking expert advice or assistance whenever you get stuck.