The start of the year can be a wet and windy time – and has been to date as I write this in the second week of January! So, getting a decent waterproof coat is a good idea, especially now as sales will be on. But as we know, the British weather can be extremely unpredictable (remember the heatwave in October?), so I’ve done a round-up not only of thick, padded coats but also thinner, lightweight ones.
But before we dive into the reviews, I want to begin with some feedback for all waterproof coat makers, and to save from sounding like a broken record on almost 90 per cent of the reviews. So, here goes: why can’t lightweight waterproof coats be longer? With the exception of the M&S, Kathmandu and two padded Regatta coats shown here, all of the others come only to around mid-bum level on me, meaning I can’t, should I want or need to, sit down outside in the wet without getting a soggy bum! Granted, I am tall-ish at 5ft 8in and have a longer-than-most body. However, even shorter people would still get wet thighs if not a wet bottom. And if you’re out on a long walk, or perhaps using one of these coats for sailing or another water sport, it would be useful to be able to sit down on a wet surface, i.e. park bench or seat of a boat. I guess the answer is to wear waterproof trousers, of course, but not everyone wants to do that, especially if only heading out on a quick country walk and it’s not raining when they first set off.
I’d just really love to see a decent long-line and lightweight coat on the market. One incorporating all the fab features on offer with the coats shown here, but which is both lightweight and comes to my knees. I returned home from a few wet-weather walks with soaking wet thighs, thinking “wouldn’t it be nice if…”. So, with that said, let’s look at the latest offerings…
LIGHTWEIGHT JACKETS
These thinner, lightweight waterproofs are great for warmer days and packing down into bags…
Craghoppers Women’s Sariah Waterproof Jacket
(£95, craghoppers.com)
What the brand says: Designed for the everyday trail, this versatile jacket provides effective waterproof protection in an agile design that incorporates half-a-dozen pockets for trail essentials, including maps and mobile. It has an AquaDry Membrane stretch construction with grown-on hood and EcoShield PFC-free DWR for all-weather performance, all year round. Available in a range of colours including Sedona (shown here).
‘This coat
