A good travel rain jacket is worth its weight in gold. It never fails that you set out to explore on a sunny day only to have it turn into rain unexpectedly.
It’s not so bad if you’re traveling in a city where you can easily duck into a hotel or a museum to avoid the rain but if you are out on an adventure in the middle of nowhere, that can be a whole other story. The travel raincoat is an essential item for your trip.
That said, finding the perfect raincoat can be a real challenge. There are many on the market and not all travel raincoats are the same.
So where do you start? There are many factors that you should take into consideration to find the right travel rain jacket that not only fits your style but helps you to stay dry.
Never fear, we’ve tried and tested many of them and have done the leg work on the art of selecting the perfect rain gear for travel.
In this comprehensive guide, we not only walk you through all the considerations of choosing new gear but offer our recommendations based on our experience and the items we use for our own travels.
How to Choose the Best Travel Raincoat
Surprisingly, many people don’t think about these things before selecting their go-to travel raincoat and their vacations are hampered because they did not make the right selection in travel rain gear. Don’t be this person. Do your research and select the gear that will work for the type of travel you have planned.
Travelers need functional gear that will hold up for wherever their tickets take them; from the majestic fjords of Norway, the rugged landscape of Patagonia, the cobblestone streets of London and everywhere in-between.
Not all rain gear is created equal and we have tried our fair share of the most popular brands during our travels, all claiming to have the newest and best rain gear.
Unfortunately, I’ve also spent more adventures cold and wet than I care to admit. It’s been a learning process and I’m happy to tell you that our own experiences have taken the guesswork out of the task for you.
Features: The Ultimate in Comfort
Something that we always look for in a travel rain jacket is pit zips. I know this sounds funny, but once you’ve had them you never really go back. Pit zips are factory-installed zippers that run along the armpit seam of your rain jacket. They allow you to vent that area to increase airflow while still protecting you from the rain.
Other features we love include the ability to pack the jacket into its own pocket so it takes up a small amount of space, removable hoods, seam-sealed zippers, hood adjustment on the side and back, adjustable wrist holes, waterproof stash pockets, and no stick flush linings.
Weather: What kind of weather will you encounter?
I know what you are thinking, you can’t plan for every type of weather, but you can be prepared by doing some simple research on weather conditions at your travel destination. Doing a simple search on the internet for your destination and the month you are traveling will give you a wealth of useful information to aid in packing.
Once you know this, you can determine what type of raincoat will be suitable for your trip. If you travel a lot, you may even want to consider having more than one set of rain gear for different climates. We both have multiple sets of travel rain gear because the items we use in hot, wet climates are not the same as what we use in cool, wet climates.
Waterproof vs Water-resistant
Most rain jackets claim to be waterproof. A rain jacket is called waterproof when it keeps out all types of rain, but not all rain jackets are the same.
Columbia puts their products to the test in their labs and out in the field. They don’t put waterproof on their items unless it’s truly waterproof.
Rain jackets featuring a hybrid shell are typically water-resistant, not waterproof. You will find this on most all-around rain jackets, and they tend to feature a mix of a soft and hard shell type of fabric.
It is normal for rain jackets like this to have multiple types of fabrics incorporated into one type of rain jacket. These raincoats work great for light rain and are truly breathable, however, the breathable fabric isn’t normally very water-resistant.
Activities: What kind of activities will you be doing?
Your activity level when traveling will determine the type of rain jacket you should consider for your trip. Are you exploring a city or are you exploring a back-country hiking trail? Those two different activates require a different type of travel raincoat.
If you’re going to be hiking or doing a lot of walking, you will want to look at features that allow you to regulate temperature while wearing your jacket.
Technologies: Not all travel raincoats are the same
Did you know there are different types of weather protection for travel raincoats? Any type of raincoat offers some level of water resistance, but truly understanding the technologies and terms will help you determine what degree of protection a specific travel rain jacket may have.
Breathability
What does breathability mean and why do you care about it in a travel raincoat? Breathability means the fabric works in two ways.
It not only repels water but it allows heat and sweat to wick back through the outside. This is a great technology for active travelers.
Have you ever been hiking in a raincoat and you suddenly started to feel like your hiking in a sauna? No one likes to be a sweaty prune, that’s what’s magical about waterproof, breathable travel rain jackets. They should not be overlooked.
Staying Dry with Columbia Rain Gear
You can imagine after 15 years of travel to more than 85 countries around the world, we’ve really narrowed down the things that make or break a good rain gear experience for us.
Finding the perfect travel rain jacket is hard, especially once you are familiar with all the technologies and features available.
Despite all of the brands we’ve tested, we always find ourselves defaulting to our go-to and favorite rain gear brand, Columbia Sportswear.
Columbia products have been a staple travel clothing for years and you can look across all of our adventures on this travel blog and find photos of us wearing some type of Columbia products. They make products that truly last and we never leave home without our travel raincoats packed.
Like any big company, Columbia Sportswear offers a huge line of rain gear to suit all travel needs. We have tried many and have our favorites, thus you will find our top picks for the perfect travel rain jackets below.
Top Waterproof & Breathable Travel Raincoat
This is our ultimate go-to travel rain jacket when we want to stay dry. Acting as a shell, these raincoats are lightweight, breathable and ultra waterproof. They are perfect for all types of travel due to their features and will keep you dry in even the heaviest of rains.
Men’s Columbia OutDry EX Eco Jacket
Notable Technologies: Waterproof, breathable, and fully seam-sealed. 100% recycled fabric and made from 21 recycled plastic bottles.
Travel Raincoat Rain Rating: 8
Travel Raincoat Adventure Rating: 8
Travel Raincoat Uses: Trail
Travel Raincoat Packable Rating: 10
Buy your own Columbia Men’s OutDry Ex Eco Jacket
Woman’s Columbia OutDry EX Eco Jacket
Notable Technologies: Waterproof, breathable, and fully seam-sealed. 100% recycled fabric, made from 21 recycled plastic bottles.
Travel Raincoat Rain Rating: 8
Travel Raincoat Adventure Rating: 8
Travel Raincoat Uses: Trail
Travel Raincoat Packable Rating: 10
Buy your own Columbia Women’s OutDry Ex Eco Jacket
Top Water-Resistant Rain Jacket
This is a type of raincoat that’s also breathable however it only can handle light rain for a brief time. For example most windbreakers and featherweight jackets.
If it really starts raining heavy while you’re out exploring, you will get wet. The kind of trips we bring our water-resistance travel raincoats on are trips like when we road-tripped from Miami to the Florida Keys where if it did rain it would be a quick light rain.
These types of raincoats are also referred to as a soft-shell. This is the classic version of rain jackets that integrates an insulating layer with a water-restraint shell.
The trade-off is greater breathability for lesser protection from rain, wind, and cold. Softshells are best for high exertion activities where perspiration is a greater concern.
Men’s EvaPouration Jacket with Omni-Tech Waterproof/Breathable
Notable Technologies: Omni-Wick EVAP advanced evaporation, Omni-Tech waterproof/breathable fully seam-sealed, Underarm venting.
Travel Raincoat Rain Rating: 9
Travel Raincoat Adventure Rating: 9
Travel Raincoat Usage: City to Wilderness
Travel Raincoat Packable Rating: 10 (Packable into Pocket.)
Buy your own Columbia Men’s EvaPouration Jacket
Women’s EvaPouration Jacket with Omni-Tech waterproof/Breathable
Notable Technologies: Omni-Wick EVAP advanced evaporation, Omni-Tech waterproof/breathable fully seam-sealed, Underarm venting.
Travel Raincoat Rain Rating: 9
Travel Raincoat Adventure Rating: 9
Travel Raincoat Usage: City to Wilderness
Travel Raincoat Packable Rating: 10 (Packable into Pocket.)
Buy Your Own Women’s EvaPouration Jacket
Top Windproof Rain Jackets
Everyone uses different terms for wind-blocking jackets, such as windproof and wind-resistant, but they all mean the same. All types of rain jackets are also windproof.
This makes sense since the basic outer design of a rain jacket is made to block out rain, wind, and rain.
These ultralight travel rain jackets can easily pack down into a ball, making them great for packing. Most windproof/wind-resistant raincoats are made for light to misty rain days. If it’s steady rain, the rain will soak through leaving you wet and disappointed.
Men’s Roan Mountain Jacket
Notable Technologies: Nylon waterproof shell with adjustable cuffs.
Travel Raincoat Rain Rating: 6 (Built for light rain)
Travel Raincoat Adventure Rating: 10
Travel Raincoat Usage: City to Trail (It’s a great all-around travel jacket.)
Travel Raincoat Packable Rating: 10 (Packable into hand pocket)
Buy your own Men’s Roan Mountain Jacket
Women’s Switchback III Jacket
Notable Technologies: Nylon shell, Fine mesh polyester, zippered pockets, a stowaway hood, and adjustable cuffs.
Travel Raincoat Rain Rating: 7 (Light – Moderate Rain)
Travel Raincoat Adventure Rating: 10
Travel Raincoat Usage: 10 (Town to Trail)
Travel Raincoat Packable Rating: 10 (Packable into back pocket)
Buy your own Women’s Switchback III Jacket
Top-Down Filled Raincoats
That’s right, with today’s technologies you can now have the comfort of a down rain jacket. Bringing only a rain jacket does not mean you have to be cold on a wet day.
The new down rain jacket from Columbia keeps you warm, dry and protected so you can go out exploring. Not all down jackets are waterproof, this is a game-changer technology by Columbia.
We all know down is great until it gets wet but you no longer have to worry about bringing a down jacket to a wet climate. These jackets are going to be the next big thing in travel; you heard it here first. PS: Lina LOVES her OutDry Ex Eco Down Rain Jacket.
Men’s OutDry Ex Eco Down Jacket
Notable Technologies: 100% recycled polyester, 700 down, OutDry extreme membrane outside, dry inside, Heat seal warmth.
Travel Raincoat Rain Rating: 8
Travel Raincoat Adventure Rating: 10
Travel Raincoat Usage: 10 (Town to Trail)
Travel Raincoat Packable Rating: 7
Buy your own Men’s OutDry Ex Eco Down Jacket
Women’s OutDry EX Eco Down Jacket
Notable Technologies: 100% recycled polyester, 700 down, OutDry extreme membrane outside, dry inside, Heat seal warmth.
Travel Raincoat Rain Rating: 8
Travel Raincoat Adventure Rating: 10
Travel Raincoat Usage: 10 (Town to Trail)
Travel Raincoat Packable Rating: 7
Buy your own Women’s OutDry EX Eco Down Jacket
Top Travel Rain Pants
I know this is something you are not traveling with but you should be. Rain pants help you to stay dry and comfortable when exploring in heavy rain or in colder climates.
We lived in ours while we hiked across Greenland recently and to be honest, never leave home without them.
Men’s OutDry EX Stretch Pant
Notable Technologies: 100% polyester, OutDry waterproof/breathable fully seam-sealed.
Travel Rain Pants Rain Rating: 10
Travel Rain Pants Adventure Rating: 10
Travel Rain Pants Usages: All (These pants are built to withstand the worst conditions.)
Travel Rain Pants Packable Rating: 10 (Packs into its own pack pocket.)
Buy your own Men’s OutDry EX Stretch Pant
Women’s Storm Surge Rain Pant
Notable Technologies: Omni-Tech waterproof/breathable, fully seam-sealed.
Travel Rain Pants Rain Rating: 10
Travel Rain Pants Adventure Rating: 10
Travel Rain Pants Usages: All (These pants are built to withstand the worst conditions.)
Travel Rain Pants Packable Rating: 10 (Packs into its own pack pocket.)
Buy your own Women’s Storm Surge Rain Pant
Choosing the Right Gear & Traveling Responsibly Matters
In today’s travel world it is important to highlight traveling responsibility. This is not only how you travel but also in the goods you buy.
Columbia Sportswear is leading the way in the outdoor clothing industry in responsible manufacturing. They strive to understand and reduce the environmental impacts associated with all of their products.
More outdoor clothing manufacturers need to follow in their footsteps to help not only preserve today but help preserve the world for feature generations. Besides the fact that they make great gear, they are a company that we can stand behind and will continue to use and recommend their products for many years to come.
Thank you to Columbia Sportswear for sponsoring this post. While this was a sponsored opportunity from Columbia, all content and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Interesting post! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! Finding the right gear can be a real challenge and we’ve tried and tested enough to help. 🙂