How to Fold Columbia Rain Jacket Into Pocket
How motivated you are to step out into a shower—and how long you're willing to train in the rain once you're there—often comes down to how well your jacket performs against the elements. Rain jackets for runners come in a range of options, from lightweight shells to heavy-duty outerwear, and with a variety of features, such as hoods that cinch, pockets to pack into, and reflective trimming. There's also the fabric's water-resistance and breathability to consider. Read on for tips on how to buy a rain jacket that fits your running style, followed by our reviews of the best after extensive testing.
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Features to Consider
Reflectivity
To stay visible, look for apparel with reflective detail, such as the Showers Pass Cloudburst, which has reflective trim on the shoulders, lower back, cuffs, and along the zipper.
Perforated Zones and Interior Mesh
If you prefer or need increased airflow, consider a jacket with vents in peak sweat areas (i.e., underarms, sides, mid-back). Fourlaps's Adapt Run has perforations along the front zipper and on the mid-back.
Stowability
Jackets like Brooks's Canopy, which packs down into a mini-backpack with adjustable shoulder straps, allow you to run hands-, belt-, or "coat cape-" free.
Snaps
A hidden snap beneath the zipper, like the one on Janji's Zephyr Runner, lets you unzip when the temperature rises without the loose flaps violently whipping in the wind.
Cinches
For a more customized fit, look for a hem cinch to tighten the waist. And a cinch in the hood, like the one on Mountain Hardwear's Stretch Ozonic, will ensure it stays on when you're running into a headwind.
Water-Resistance Terminology
Waterproof: A fully waterproof jacket, like the Showers Pass Cloudburst Jacket, uses material and construction that make it much more resistant to moisture, even during long runs and heavy downpours. Sometimes you'll see a jacket's waterproofness represented in units: 10K/10K, 15K/15K, or 20K/20K. Using 10K/10K as an example, the first number means that, in testing, the jacket withstood up to 10,000mm of water pressing on one square inch of the fabric before it started to leak. The second 10K indicates the 10,000 grams of water vapor per square meter that the jacket can release from the inside. A 10K/10K jacket is best for mild rain, whereas a 20K/20K rating means the garment will protect you from Niagara Falls-like downpours (sort of).
Water-repellent: When a garment's material is treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) coating—like the fabric in Tracksmith's Off Roads Packable Jacket is, for example—water beads up on the surface and can't easily penetrate. A factor to consider: Like a running shoe's midsole, a jacket's DWR finish won't last forever. How long depends on frequency of usage and exposure to water (typically 20 "washes"). Check to see if water droplets roll off the surface; if they stick and absorb into the fabric, the coating likely isn't working anymore. But that doesn't mean it has to be relegated to dry days only. Twenty minutes in the dryer on low heat or a spray-on application, such as Grangers Performance Repel Plus ($14), can restore your jacket's DWR finish.
Water-resistant: A shell, like Cotopaxi's Teca Light Half-Zip Windbreaker, provides a thin, water-resistant layer between you and the elements, but also allows water to sometimes soak through during extended exposure to the rain.
Lakota Gambill
Lakota Gambill
Testing Permeability
A waterproof jacket is great for staying dry, but it can be a hotbed for swampy heat midrun. Guided by Popular Mechanics test editor Brad Ford, we performed a fabric-permeability test indoors to measure how much water vapor passes through the material. We cut—yes, cut—patches from several jackets, banded them over Styrofoam cups filled with 50 grams of desiccant beads (porous beads made of silica gel), and weighed them. Then we put the cups on a perforated tray and sealed them over a bain-marie (a type of heated bath). After two hours, we went back to the cups, removed them from the bain-marie, and weighed them again, recording the difference in weight pre-sauna. This test was to assess each jacket's breathability, the warm vapors from the bain-marie representing the sweat and heat our body generates during a run.
Know that, since this experiment was performed in a controlled environment, certain variables like movement and wind will cause different results. Another thing to factor in is that this test focuses on only the fabric's breathability, excluding perforations, mesh, and vents that help circulate airflow.
Lakota Gambill
Results: The Brooks Canopy was made with no mesh, vents, or perforations—and no wonder. According to our permeability test, the Canopy's thin, lightweight polyester was proven to be the most permeable out of all our jacket samples. Nathan's Stealth Jacket weighed in as the "least" permeable. In a natural setting (say, worn outside running in windy, drizzly conditions), however, the jacket proved to be breathable and not stifling.
How We Chose the Best Rain Jackets
Besides putting them through lab testing, we seeded these jackets to more than 50 local wear-testers for vetting. Our team logged several runs, using their own observations to evaluate wind- and rain-resistance and breathability, as well as comfort and fit. We've included some of their comments below.
Wind-Resistant
Fourlaps Men's Adapt Run Jacket
Permeability: 51.2 g
Lakota Gambill
Adapt Run Jacket
Fourlaps fourlaps.com
$148.00
- Relaxed, flowy fit allows range of motion
- Material is noisy compared to others
The Adapt is the only jacket on this list without a DWR finish. But it blocks wind efficiently with its recycled nylon material and facilitates airflow with perforations on the front, sides, and back. These perforations, along with the relaxed fit, made the jacket a win for our tester, who liked how it was unrestrictive and added a range of motion in contrast to those with a more tailored fit. "The freedom of movement this jacket afforded was shocking," he said.
Water-Resistant
Nathan Stealth Jacket
Permeability: 50 g
Lakota Gambill
Women's Stealth Jacket
- Silent, no-swoosh, breathable material, and a ventilated back
- Thumbholes
- Adjustable hoodie
- Packs into chest pocket
- Long sleeves
- Only some reflective detail
- One pocket
The Stealth had the lowest permeability out of all the jackets we tested, but contrary to our lab measurements, wear-testers described the jacket as lightweight, comfortable, and breathable—even on muggy, warm days. The noise-free nylon material, which is windproof and has a DWR finish, was a highlight for our testers. "I have worn other jackets that make a loud swooshing noise with every movement," said one. "This jacket is quiet, allowing you to enjoy a conversation with a fellow runner or listen to the sounds of nature." One minor critique was the baggy fit and long sleeve length. "I understand the additional length to accommodate the thumbholes, (which I loved!)," said a tester, "but the sleeves extended past the tips of my fingers."
Buy Men's Buy Women's
Brooks Canopy Jacket
Permeability: 51.7 g
Lakota Gambill
Canopy Jacket
Brooks amazon.com
$119.95
- Stowable hood
- Packs down into a miniature backpack
- No drawstring to cinch the hem
According to our permeability test, this jacket is extremely breathable; its cup weighed the heaviest post-bain marie sauna. The Canopy has a stowable hood so it won't flop behind your head as you run, and front pockets with a snug compartment to slide your phone into. Its lightweight and packability make it the ideal for unpredictable weather when you may have to stash or zip up.
Buy Men's Buy Women's
Tester Feedback: "This jacket has a bunch of unique features that I sort of geeked out about. I mean, why has it taken so long for someone to think of putting snaps on the front so you can completely unzip while you're running without the awkward coat cape or committing to taking it off and needing to stash it mid-run? And why hasn't anyone ever thought of adding a built-in bag with draw cords that double as straps so you can wear it on your back when the temperature jumps."
Oiselle Women's April Showers Anorak
Permeability: 50.9 g
Lakota Gambill
April Showers Anorak
Oiselle oiselle.com
$98.00
- Packs into chest zipper pocket
- Items bounce around in pocket
The April Showers Anorak packs down into the front zipper pocket and has a hood that rolls up and stays put via a strap on the collar. Our tester praised its fit—not too tight, nor too loose—and was impressed with how it cuts through the wind during a 10-mile sub-freezing run. For such a lightweight jacket though, the price may be a little steep for some.
Water-Repellent
Janji Zephyr Runner Jacket
Permeability: 51.1 g
Lakota Gambill
Zephyr Runner Jacket
- Reflective detail
- Chest snap to allows you to run with the jacket unzipped
- Packable, with a clip loop
- Only one zipper pocket, located on the chest
Like Brooks's Canopy, the Zephyr Runner has a chest snap, which allows you to unzip the jacket while running with minimal flappage. In fact, every detail was added with running in mind: Vents in the back allow even more airflow, the entire shell can be stuffed into the front zipper chest pocket, and reflective logos on the back and front provide some visibility in low light. The water-repellent finish is also PFC-free, making it eco-friendly (PFCs are man-made chemicals that break down very slowly once released into the environment).
Buy Men's Buy Women's
Tester Feedback: "I think for a packable shell, this is a really great option. It's lightweight and won't burden you if you have to take it off, but I also didn't overheat as the back panels were plenty breathable. For the upcoming spring, this is something you are going to want to have in your closet for the rainy, windy unpredictable Northeast weather."
Tracksmith Off Roads Packable Jacket
Permeability: 50.9 g
Lakota Gambill
Off Roads Packable Jacket
Tracksmith tracksmith.com
$198.00
- Four-way stretch, water-repellent fabric
- Packs into a zippered pocket with an elastic strap for your hand
- Boxy fit
- Expensive
The Off Roads Packable is woven with Swiss fabric that's treated with a Nanosphere DWR finish, which gives it a thin water- and dirt-repellent layer. Our testers were impressed with the workmanship that went into this incredibly featherlight shell. The upper back has a mesh vent for air flow, a zipper garage prevents neck chafing, and the cuffs have smooth, elastic stitching. The jacket packs down into a zippered pocket, and you can carry it easily in your hand with help from an elastic band.
Buy Men's Buy Women's
Tester Feedback: "The pockets are actually really amazing. I ran one day with a carabiner on my keys, and it was like it was barely there. I like that the pockets run deep to the zipper with a slight downward angle into the pocket. I ran with keys and my iPhone 8 Plus and it wasn't terrible. You can absolutely pack this down to almost nothing as a lightweight emergency layer."
Waterproof
Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic Jacket
Permeability: 51.3 g
Lakota Gambill
Stretch Ozonic Jacket
Mountain Hardwear amazon.com
- Cinched hood and hem
- Velcro cuffs
- Holds in moisture
- Pricey
The Stretch Ozonic is made of soft fabric that's waterproof and abrasion-resistant. It kept testers dry in the Stretch Ozonic, but they found themselves becoming sweaty later in their run due to little ventilation. Zippered underarm vents provide some airflow, however unzipping them results in "a lot of exposure to rain," said a tester. Other perks include Velcro tabs for securing the cuffs around your wrists or upper arm. And the jacket packs down into a zippered pocket for portability (though likely for packing into a suitcase or duffel, since it's too bulky to carry on your run).
Buy Men's Buy Women's
Showers Pass Cloudburst Jacket
Permeability: 50.6 g
Cloudburst Jacket
Showers Pass amazon.com
$189.00
- Reflective zipper, cuffs, and shoulders
- Packs down into pocket
- High waterproof rating and breathability rating
- Pocket zippers tend to catch
Showers Pass makes the Cloudburst with EliteAir, a three-layer polyester fabric that has a whopping 43K/10.2K breathability-waterproof rating. Reflective trimming on the zipper, pockets, shoulders, and cuffs enhances visibility against the ivory or orange colorway. The Jacket has a tailored fit yet is roomy enough for layering, making it a great option in the rain and snow.
Buy Men's Buy Women's
Tester Feedback: "This running jacket has a solid mix of quality, usefulness, look, and feel. What I liked most about the jacket was the material, specifically, the waterproofing. The stretchy material is very thin and comfortable to run in. It is quiet and breathable but still kept me warm and blocked out a lot of the wind. This is one of the more impressive running jackets I've run in."
Amanda Furrer Test Editor Amanda is a test editor at Runner's World and was a middle-of-the-pack Emerson College cross country runner; she's run the Boston Marathon consecutively since 2013.
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How to Fold Columbia Rain Jacket Into Pocket
Source: https://www.runnersworld.com/gear/a20866193/best-running-rain-jackets/