Women's Rain Jackets

What styles of rain jackets are available for women?

A high quality, well-constructed waterproof jacket is essential for your rainy day adventures. Our range of women's rain jackets is designed with technical elements you can rely on in a downpour - seam sealed construction, waterproof outer shells, breathable linings, hoods, and adjustable hems and wrist cuffs to name but a few. These features have been carefully built into our styles to deliver the best rain jackets you could zip on.

What makes a good rain jacket?

The best rain jackets are constructed with certain technical design features that give them comfort, functionality, but most importantly weather protection. These include:

Waterproof Fabric - A waterproof jacket must use waterproof fabric. This creates an outer shell that acts like a barrier between the rain and your body, stopping water from penetrating through. The strength of this barrier is called the waterproof rating, which is measured in millimetres and indicates how much water the shell can withstand. Generally speaking, the higher the rating, the greater the waterproofness. GORE-TEX® is a technology brand that specialises in manufacturing these fabrics.

Breathable Fabric - This refers to fabric that has the ability to transfer hot air and sweat from inside to the outside, measured as grams of water vapour passing through 1m² of fabric in 24 hours. The higher the rating, the more breathable the fabric. This is an important feature if your rainy weather activity is high intensity and you're working up a sweat.

Seam-Sealed Construction - For a fully waterproof jacket, the seams should be sealed internally to prevent water from passing through the stitching.

Durable Water Repellent (DWR) Finish - This is a treatment applied to the outer shell of rain jackets that prevents the face fabric from becoming saturated by causing water to bead up and roll off the garment's exterior.

Functional Design Components - The best rain jackets have functional components like adjustable hems and wrist cuffs to improve your personal fit. A women's rain jacket with hood will also help maximise protection from the elements.

What are the best waterproof jackets for hiking?

Aside from being waterproof, the best rain jackets for hiking are breathable, helping to keep you dry on the inside when you get more active and start perspiring. They do this by transferring warm body heat and sweat droplets to the surface of the outer shell for evaporation. A women's lightweight rain jacket from our rainwear range is also an ideal choice for your hike, meaning you carry less weight over your journey. And if you can make it a women's packable rain jacket, you can conveniently stow it away in your pack when the sun comes out.

Do women's rain jackets offer wind protection?

The highly technical nature of the fabric of a waterproof jacket means that it will also provide effective wind protection. The waterproof membrane and seam-sealed construction generally prevents cool air and wind from penetrating the jacket, keeping you warm and comfortable when the outside conditions are unpleasant. There are various tests to determine if a jacket is categorically 'windproof' but as a rule of thumb, if you're wearing a waterproof jacket, you should be protected from wind chill.

What are the best women's rain jackets for warmth?

Rain jackets designed with a waterproof membrane and seam-sealed construction will prevent water and cold air from entering the jacket through the fabric surface and seam stitching. But to get the most warmth on wet weather adventures, waterproof jackets should be paired with thermals, and in really cold climates with an extra mid-layer piece such as a fleece top or vest. A women's rain jacket with hood will give your head and ears additional protection from cold air and chilly breezes so consider that feature when you're making your selection.

Which women's waterproof jackets are lightweight?

We've carefully chosen the fabrics for all the styles in the Mountain Designs women's rain jacket range to be robust and waterproof, but also light in weight. This allows you to layer up with thermals and mid-layer garments such as fleece tops, down vests or t-shirts. A women's lightweight rain jacket should keep you dry and safe, but also fit comfortably over sub-layers without the weight holding you down.

Are women's rain jackets breathable?

When you sweat, the air inside your jacket heats up and becomes more humid than the air on the outside. The best rain jackets use waterproof fabric technologies, such as GORE-TEX®, which prevent water from penetrating to the inside but also help to remove perspiration to the outside of the shell. Each style in our women's rain jacket range is designed to be breathable as well as waterproof, giving you comfort and protection when the heavens burst open.

What are the colour options for women's rain jackets?

The Mountain Designs range of women's rain jackets comes in various styles and colourways to brighten up the gloom of your rain day activity. We have outdoor adventure basics like black and khaki green, as well as red and blue for your more colourful options. But whichever colour you choose from our rain jackets, take confidence in the fact that each style is lightweight, breathable and purpose-made to shield you fully from wet weather.