Best waterproof jacket

[Dan Maynard]

Bit of a thread revival but just been on regatta.com and they have some jackets 70% off.

 

On the basis that all jackets have about the same resistance to a silky, I've bought a couple at £20 odd down from £70 to see how they fare.

[Ty Korrigan]

Cold wet Friday on the border of Brittany and Loire wearing my stylish waterproof from Decathlon.

TBH, this second generation is a bit fragile for climbing or brambles.

[AHPP]

On 09/11/2024 at 23:15, AHPP said:

 

Went another direction and got an Arktis B310 DP (special Danish filth version). Quite heavy and too warm when moving even moderately fast but for shuffling along with my hands in my pockets, waiting for the dog to piss so we can go home, ideal. I still don't like looking warry but the pockets are very useful. So useful that I'm prepared to look even warrier if I can find a B211 or B220 at a good price and have more pockets. I suspect the water resistance would be good enough a lot of the time. Could add a size up Ridgeline over the top of it on dedicated rainy days... Whatever. Got this one now.

 

No use for tree work unless just sitting on a machine or rigging and telling other people to move things.

 

On 10/11/2024 at 14:06, AHPP said:

 

I think it does the opposite of blend in. It’s at least a bit grubby now. It was gleaming silver when it arrived and the water repellent finish absolutely refused to hold mud for weeks. 

 

That’s a medium on a 5’8” athlete btw. Arktis says in their sizing blurb to not go a size up because they’ve already allowed for body armour etc. I’m a medium in everything and I could have still coped with a large in this to cover my thighs a bit more. 

 

 

 

I thought I'd already checked back in about this but here's my year-and-a-quarter review. It's still waterproof. Material and build (things like pocket corners) are still good. Apart from the zip, which went floppy at the bottom quite quickly and is now a fiddle to do up. The pockets aren't big enough, there aren't enough of them and the top ones are too close to the bottom ones; I struggle to get the ice cream tub of veg scraps into the bottom pocket because the top pocket is bulky and in the way. Biggest complaint is the hood. No protection on the side of your cheekbones and eyes. Perhaps cut for being warry and having hawk-like peripheral vision but still feels like pac-a-mac design on a 300 quid coat. 

So well made but some design flaws. Or just not the exact design I want.

 

I need a similar, non-waterproof one but I'm not buying the obvious choice of the Arktis B211 Mountain Smock if the hood is going to be the same (and the pockets are smaller). I've only found one brand who do what looks like a decent hood (Lockwood) but they're all waterproof. I rather rashly the other day exclaimed, "Fjuck it. If nobody makes what I want, I'll do it myself."

I don't much fancy a 250 piece minimum order of £200 jackets.

Edited Wednesday at 23:23 by AHPP

[markieg31]

Absolutely pissing it down there days on the trot here, hedge laying, the sip is doing the business!👌🏻

[Blindman873]

On 21/01/2026 at 23:09, AHPP said:

 

 

I thought I'd already checked back in about this but here's my year-and-a-quarter review. It's still waterproof. Material and build (things like pocket corners) are still good. Apart from the zip, which went floppy at the bottom quite quickly and is now a fiddle to do up. The pockets aren't big enough, there aren't enough of them and the top ones are too close to the bottom ones; I struggle to get the ice cream tub of veg scraps into the bottom pocket because the top pocket is bulky and in the way. Biggest complaint is the hood. No protection on the side of your cheekbones and eyes. Perhaps cut for being warry and having hawk-like peripheral vision but still feels like pac-a-mac design on a 300 quid coat. 

So well made but some design flaws. Or just not the exact design I want.

 

I need a similar, non-waterproof one but I'm not buying the obvious choice of the Arktis B211 Mountain Smock if the hood is going to be the same (and the pockets are smaller). I've only found one brand who do what looks like a decent hood (Lockwood) but they're all waterproof. I rather rashly the other day exclaimed, "Fjuck it. If nobody makes what I want, I'll do it myself."

I don't much fancy a 250 piece minimum order of £200 jackets.

Have a look at Dragon Supplies, they make military kit to order, done jackets in the past as far as I remember but they'll be able to knock up pretty much anything if you have a conversation with them about what spec you're after I think

[AHPP]

57 minutes ago, Blindman873 said:

Have a look at Dragon Supplies, they make military kit to order, done jackets in the past as far as I remember but they'll be able to knock up pretty much anything if you have a conversation with them about what spec you're after I think

Can you recommend any custom makers who predominantly serve the private sector?

[Blindman873]

Unfortunately I can't, only had experiences of Dragon supplies. I do know Alpkit have made random stuff in the past with their sewing machine workshop but no idea about what they'd be willing to make or adapt, same for Rab with their workshop.

[AHPP]

13 minutes ago, Blindman873 said:

Unfortunately I can't, only had experiences of Dragon supplies. I do know Alpkit have made random stuff in the past with their sewing machine workshop but no idea about what they'd be willing to make or adapt, same for Rab with their workshop.

Someone on a bushcraft forum will know the little independents. Thanks for your help. 

[Blah]

Whatever you do, don't buy arbortec heavy duty breathedry jacket. It's shite, and takes forever to dry.

 

I too bought a couple of Regatta hi vis jackets in the sale. For the price, they're OK. I bring four waterproof jackets to work, if one's wetted out, I just change into the next one. 

 

Not sure I could justify spending Karona money, for something that is not bramble / silky / wild rose proof.

[Mark Bolam]

Just keep spending money on shite that doesn’t actually keep you dry then.