Is Your Jacket "Overkill"?

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Which jacket would you rather own: One that's lightweight, breaks the wind, won't trap your sweat no matter how hard you work out, and sheds drizzle and rain showers? Or a jacket that's a bit heavier, blocks out the wind as well as torrential, all-day rain and snow, and has tendency to get a bit sauna-like when you're working hard?

That's the choice facing buyers of technical outerwear. At its essence, the choice is relatively simple, but when terms like"water resistant," "water repellent," "waterproof," and "waterproof-breathable" are thrown into the mix, it can get downright confusing. In my experience, outdoorspeople of all stripes and levels of experience scratch their heads over these terms, so let's clear away some of the murk and make your purchasing decision clearer.

The Meaning of Resistance

"Water resistant" is a somewhat vague term applied to fabrics that are capable of preventing moisture from penetrating, but not indefinitely. It's synonymous with "water repellent," another term you'll seen thrown around. Sooner (cheaply made fabrics) or later (higher quality apparel), moisture will seep through a water resistant fabric.

Don't confuse water resistance with waterproofness. A water resistant jacket or pair of pants will most likely keep you comfortable in a light drizzle or a brief shower, but they'll prove woefully inadequate in an all day rain or snowfall. Persistent or heavy precipitation will overwhelm the fabric, and you'll get soaked in a matter of hours, or even less time.

So why even bother considering the purchase of a water resistant jacket? Depending on what you do, and where and when you go in the outdoors, water resistant apparel could be a low-cost and low-weight alternative to waterproof-breathable stormwear.

The operating idea is you're willing to trade the weather protection and heavier weight of a waterproof-breathable fabric for the enhanced breathability and lighter weight of a water resistant fabric. (The better water resistant fabrics are also reasonably wind resistant, if not windproof.) Admittedly it's a gamble, but one you might decide worth taking under certain conditions.

For example, if you day hike on established trails in spring, summer, and fall, water resistant outerwear could be all you need. Same goes for cross country skiing on groomed track or mountain biking and road biking where a bail out option is always available in case the weather takes a nasty turn.

But if you're headed out for overnight backpacking or headed into a high alpine zone for peak bagging or an aggressive day hike, don't depend on water resistant outerwear, unless you're comfortable rolling the dice with your own survival. All it takes is a protracted mountain thunderstorm or freak snowstorm to make you regret not having full weather protection.