There are a whole bunch of different materials that are good at keeping you dry, but Goretex is without a doubt one of the best. A good Goretex rain jacket will keep you dry when other materials fail. Goretex does often cost quite a bit more than other waterproof materials, but then quality materials tend to be more expensive. You wallet wont thank you for the a Goretex jacket, but you’ll be thankful when it’s the third hours of a rain storm and you’re still dry.
Goretex Rain Jacket
What to look for when you're looking for a Goretex rain jacket.- Goretex – There are a few different kinds of Goretex, and you need to decide on which one you want. Something like 3L Pro is a heavy, 3 layer Goretex that will do an excellent job of keeping you dry. Something like Paclite, however, is a 2.5 layer Goretex that will keep you dry, but will breath better, and pack down smaller too.
- Zippers and Seams – So the material that your jacket is made out of is waterproof, but what about the seams and the zippers. Manufacturers sometimes cut corners, making their seams and zippers just water resistant, and then these areas end up leaking, while everything else stays dry. So pay attention to just how waterproof the seams and zippers are.
Best Goretex Rain Jacket
Some of the very best Goretex rain jacket for men and women.Men's Goretex Rain Jacket
- Arc'teryx Alpha SV Jacket - If you want the best, then the Alpha SV is likely it. It uses the high quality 3L Pro Goretex fabric, which will definitely keep you dry for those prolonged rain storms. It has all the essentials, like zippered hand pockets and underarm zippered ventilation, plus a good hood that is helmet compatible. It also has a few great design features, like a minimal amount of seams. The seams are also laminated, rather than taped, to really keep the water out. This is a high quality Goretex rain jacket that will work well no matter what you're doing in it.
- Marmot Minimalist Jacket - At the other end of the spectrum is something like the Minimalist from Marmot. It's quite a bit cheaper than the Arc'teryx jacket, in part because it uses the 2.5 layer Paclite, which is a more breathable version of Goretex. It also lacks much in the way of features, besides the basics like zippered hand pockets and pit zips. It really does live up to its Minimalist name. So definitely a quality Goretex jacket, but lacking a lot of bells and whistles.
Women's Goretex Rain Jacket
- Arc'teryx Alpha SV Jacket - Price is sometimes not indicative of quality, but with Arc'teryx jackets the high price really does reflect quality materials and thoughtful design. For starters, this jacket uses the top of the line Goretex 3L Pro, which will definitely keep you dry. And things like minimal seams that are laminated, rather than taped, an extra few inches to bring the jacket down over the hip, and a helmet compatible hood all point out just how much thought went in to the design of the Alpha SV. Of course it also has all the basics, like a few zippered pockets and underarm zippers to keep you ventilated when working hard.
- Marmot Minimalist Jacket - The Minimalist sits on the opposite end of the spectrum from the Alpha SV. It's quite a bit cheaper, for starters, and uses Goretex Paclite, which is the more breathable, 2.5 layer version of Goretex. And while it has the essentials that you would expect, like pit zips and zippered pockets for your hand plus one on the chest, the focus with this jacket is small, lightweight minimalist design. Less is more.
