I've been studying Patagonia jackets for the last 3+ years (see full post list at the bottom). This post works as the blueprint to best Patagonia rain jackets.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSRP | 249 USD | 249 USD | 199 USD | 199 USD | 249 USD | 149 USD | 399 USD | 179 USD |
Overall score | ||||||||
Best uses | Day hiking & casual | High output activities - especially trail running & mountain biking | Top alternative to Calcite | A more common looking alternative to Storm Racer Jacket | Perfect for commuting | Casual. Impressive for its price! | Intention is all-round alpine use, but a fail IMO | Wet and dirty industrial work. Or maybe fishing... |
Cell | Calcite Jacket | Storm Racer Jacket | Quandary Jacket | Rain-shadow Jacket | Light Storm Jacket | Torrent-shell 3L Jacket | Triolet Jacket | Hose-Down Slicker Jacket |
Weather Resistance Comfort Breath-ability Packed Size Weight Versatility Style & Looks | ||||||||
Cell | Calcite Jacket | Storm Racer Jacket | Quandary Jacket | Rain-shadow Jacket | Light Storm Jacket | Torrent-shell 3L Jacket | Triolet Jacket | Hose-Down Slicker Jacket |
Pros | Great weather protection and DWR, comfy, looks good | Incredibly breath-able, ultralight, comfy, great packed size | Great fit, comfy, durable | Great weather protection and durability for its weight, packed small | More classic, parka-like look; useful hood | Thicker outer fabric indirectly offers warmth, amazing jacket for its price | Durable, versatile, highly water-proof | Extreme water resistance, looks weird unless you are Kanye West |
Cons | Average breath-ability, not packable | Niche design is hard to get used to, average water-proofing | Very heavy, not packable | Twice as heavy as Storm Racer | Jury is still out in terms of durability, very heavy | Clunky look, not breath-able at all | Heavy, baggy, price doesn't pay off | Unisex design causes poor fit, too "pro looking", hood too large |
Cell | Calcite Jacket | Storm Racer Jacket | Quandary Jacket | Rain-shadow Jacket | Light Storm Jacket | Torrent-shell 3L Jacket | Triolet Jacket | Hose-Down Slicker Jacket |
Packable? | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
Water-proofing | 2.5-layer Goretex Paclite Plus | 3-layer H2No | 2-layer H2No | 3-layer H2No | 2-layer Polyester | 3-layer H2No | 3-layer Goretex | Cell |
Weight | 411 g (14.5 oz) | 198 g (7 oz) | 714 g (25.2 oz) | 397 g (14 oz) | 695 g (24.5 oz) | 394 g (13.9 oz) | 550 g (19.4 oz) | 655 g (23.1 oz) |
Women's specific counter-parts | Hose-Down is unisex. |
Note: I wouldn't really recommend Triolet Jacket or Hose-Down Slicker Jacket. I'd simply get either one of other 6 options - especially one of the first 4 picks.
Calcite Jacket. My top pick for casual outgoings and recreational hiking purposes.
As some of you already know, I've been reviewing high quality clothing pieces for the last few years now. Especially from my most liked two brands: Arc'teryx and Patagonia (find full list at the bottom of this post).
Recently, I'm getting asked about my Best Patagonia Rain Jacket Picks, so here you go.
Attention: You will not see any insulated pieces in this review. I'll rather focus on waterproofing and general weather resistance.
If you're looking for an insulated jacket, on the other hand, then I'd recommend you to check out my Arc'teryx and Patagonia warmth chart post.
Summary
If you're looking for a short answer, here it is:
Storm Racer Jacket comes forward with its superior breathability, fit and comfort capabilities. This is why it's my top pick for high output activities. Having said that, it still offers impressive weather resistance, especially in the water beading department thanks to its quality DWR.
- For casual outgoings & recreational hiking purposes (waterproofing over breathability), I'd recommend you the Calcite Jacket. Quandary Jacket can mostly work as a cheaper alternative to it, although neither are packable.
- Get the Torrentshell 3L if you absolutely need it packed, or the Rainshadow if you can sacrifice weather resistance with more breathability in return.
- For high output activities (breathability over weather resistance), this Storm Racer Jacket is a state-of-the-art, handsome, unique killer - especially for trail running and mountain biking. If you'd rather getting a more time tested, proven piece, then this Rainshadow can be a great pick. They're both packed super small into their own stuff sacks.
A few more notes:
- Patagonia discontinued the Cloud Ridge Jacket by 2020, and hence it isn't included in this review.
- Rainshadow and Torrentshell saw complete revisions in 2020, so disregard any comments and reviews put forward before then.
- Quandary and Torrentshell also offer insulated adaptations: Insulated Quandary and Torrentshell Insulated (discontinued as of 2020).
Additional notes
- Yes, Torrentshell is packed into its own size - despite what you might see/read on other blogs. I've shared its images here: https://outdoorcrunch.com/patagonia-houdini-vs-torrentshell/
Speaking of which, the larger the packed size score in the chart, the smaller the size.
- Also, all these jackets are DWR coated - which is the number 1 thing you should look for in a rain jacket.
DWR is a coating.
It's basically sprayed on to the surface of these jackets as a finish. It stands for Durable Water Repellent - which means that water will be repelled under wet conditions instead of soaking into the fabric.
DWR also decreases dry time.
It's a good thing these jackets are coated in DWR, but pay attention to the fact that DWR is a coating - meaning that it will wear off over time.
Which is why you might want to invest in a DWR spray such as this one for after treatment.
As you see, there's a strong correlation between FP x FW and temperature ratings, but not more than, say, 80%. I explained why this happens here in this post of mine.
- Lastly...
If you're reading this, then you're looking to get a Patagonia jacket specifically (duh). Patagonia is a fantastic brand and it's almost impossible to go wrong with the jackets I recommended above.
Having said that, I'd probably still take a look at Arc'teryx's Zeta and Beta Series. See my review here if you're interested: https://outdoorcrunch.com/arcteryx-zeta-vs-beta/
...especially see the Zeta SL.
I hope this post was helpful for you to learn more about the jacket(s) in your mind.
Feel free to ask me any questions or provide feedback and I'll be happy to respond in the comment section below.
Guide: Insulated & Shell Jackets
Start here:
Complete list:
Also see:
Thank you for reading!
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