A rugged, heavyweight waterproof shell is a good choice for more ambitious hillwalking and mountaineering, particularly in the colder months. However, for the rest of the year, particularly the warmer months, a lighter waterproof jacket is sufficient. Especially if you’re moving relatively quickly with a light load. This is typically the case on summer day hikes but can also apply to weight-conscious backpacking trips.
After all, in spring and summer your rain gear is likely to spend most of its time stuffed in your rucksack. With that in mind, it makes sense to carry a lighter and more packable jacket, especially one that is equipped with a stuff sack or pack pocket for maximum compressibility. A lightweight waterproof jacket also has numerous benefits when you’re actually wearing it. Typically, thinner fabrics are more breathable and feel less cumbersome, permitting greater freedom of movement. This can be a benefit during other outdoor activity such as trail running and mountain biking. In turn, this makes many lightweight waterproofs a very versatile bit of kit.
If you’re looking for something a bit more substantial, check out our guide to the Best all-season waterproof jackets to see what we thought of the ones we tested.
It’s worth looking after your waterproof jacket in order to ensure it continues to offer optimum performance throughout its lifetime. Outdoor expert Chris Townsend has given his top tips on how to look after your waterproof jacket.
We’ve tested five of the best lightweight waterproof jackets for men and five of the best lightweight waterproof jackets for women. Take a look at our final verdicts and ratings. The selection includes jackets at different price ranges, so there should be a jacket to suit every budget. If you want something a bit heavier then take a look at our guide to the best waterproof jackets.
These jackets were tested by Matthew Jones and Ellie Clewlow. Matt and Ellie are outdoor writers and photographers living and working in Snowdonia, North Wales. Both reviewers tested these jackets extensively while hiking, climbing, trail running and backpacking in the hills and mountains of Snowdonia.
