Though most rain jackets come with a hood, there is the occasional one that doesn’t, and if you want to stay dry, it’s better to get a hooded rain jacket, rather than a jacket without a hood. Of course that’s not the only thing that you have to pay attention to when buying a rain jacket. The huge varieties in rain jacket prices should tell you that there are a lot of options available to you when it comes to picking out a new rain jacket, hood or not.
Hooded Rain Jacket
What to look for when you're looking for a hooded rain jacket.- Material – A hood wont do you much good if it leaks, and lets water through to get your head wet. Hoods tend to have a lot of seams, for the hood itself and then for things like drawcords. And seams will often leak if they’re not properly sealed. So pay attention to the material your jacket is made out of, and just how waterproof the seams are.
- Helmet Compatible – If you like to go skiing, snowboarding, climbing or anything else that requires a helmet, you might want to invest in a rain jacket that has a helmet compatible hood. In practice this just means a hood that will fit over a helmet, though some manufacturers do an excellent job of making your hood work with a helmet.
Best Hooded Rain Jacket
Some of the very best hooded rain jackets for men and women.- Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket (Women's) - First a solid, but cheap hooded rain jacket made by Patagonia. It uses Patagonia's own H2No fabric to waterproof you and allow moisture to escape. It has all the basics, like pit zips, a hood and a couple of hand warmer pockets. The hood is not helmet compatible, but really the main feature of this rain jacket is the low price.
- Arc'teryx Alpha SV Jacket (Women's) - If price isn't as much of a concern and you're really looking for the best possible hooded rain jacket, then the Alpha SV is a good choice. The SV stands for severe weather, and there are a number of features that make it ideal for just that. Like the Gore Tex 3L Pro fabric, for instance, that will definitely keep you dry in all kinds of bad weather. There are pit zips, and the hood is helmet compatible, but what sets the SV apart is the small stuff, like a design that minimizes the amount of seams, and seams that are laminated, rather than just taped. This is a hooded rain jacket for serious outdoor use.
- Marmot Super Mica Jacket - The Super Mica is a jacket designed specifically for backpackers and hikers who want a jacket that is lightweight, and will stand up to the unique demands of wearing a backpack. The shoulders and hips, for instance, are reinforced so that your backpack straps wont rub and damage the exterior of the jacket. The hand pockets are also raised just a bit, so that you can access them without having to unclip your backpack hip belt. And it's made with Marmot's very lightweight and breathable fabric called MemBrain, so that the jacket wont take up too much room in your backpack.
