Wasted $80 on a 'waterproof' hiking jacket that soaked through after 45 minutes in a drizzle

I picked up this jacket from a big outdoor retailer three months ago, specifically for light rain on day hikes. Took it out on the Blue Ridge trail last Saturday and it was completely soaked inside after just a short shower. Anyone else found a brand that actually holds up to its claims without costing a mortgage payment?

2 comments

2 Comments

beth27622d agoMost Upvoted

OH FOR THE LOVE OF PETE, @drewr15 is right and I hate to admit it. I rolled my eyes so hard when I read that comment but then I actually tried it and guess what? My fancy jacket still leaked. So either I'm doing something wrong or the whole "waterproof" thing is a TOTAL scam for most brands. Honestly the term "waterproof" should come with a warning label that says "works great unless there's actual water." That Blue Ridge drizzle must have been the SUPER wet kind, huh? I ended up just accepting that I'll be damp for the rest of my life and bought a cheap poncho from Walmart that works better than any jacket I've owned. Sometimes you gotta laugh about it or you'll just cry into your soaked jacket.

drewr1522d ago

Honestly did you wash it before using it? A lot of people don't know that new jackets need a wash and then a DWR spray reapplied. The factory coating wears off fast if you don't. For what it's worth my REI co-op rain jacket has held up fine for a few years now and it was only like $60 on sale. But you gotta do the maintenance first or nothing will work right.