Best raincoat for Oct.

Highly recommend getting a 3/4 length one with a hood. But be sure to take a ball cap (preferably a long billed one) to wear under the hood. That will keep the hood from flopping about and obscuring your vision. At one time LL Bean had a good one, but not sure if they still do.

I didn’t see anything in your request stating a destination- are you going to Ireland, perhaps? We were just in Ireland on a tour in June and experienced some light rain and there was a chill in the air. For June I took a light unlined raincoat with a hood and wore layers underneath to keep warm. Depending on where you’re going in October, perhaps a raincoat with a remove able liner might be good. On our tou, I saw a lot of people wearing Eddie Bauer and some Helly Hansen rain jackets Hope this helps!

Yes, Ireland! Thanks.

You might consider bringing rain pants. I have some that can be pulled on over leggings or lightweight pants.

Even if it's supposed to be waterproof, I spray every one of my jackets with Kiwi waterproofer. You can get it at Target for $15 a bottle and it works like a champ. I put it on my shoes, boots, sneakers, all of it. I redo it for every trip but it's always worked.

This might be more information than you need but here’s an article on the different types of rainwear, why some cost more than others, and the different factors to consider when buying. https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/rainwear.html

Trotter, thanks for the link to that article - very informative!

I would go for a better quality rain jacket that is loose enough that you can layer under it. I'd want Gore-tex or the equivalent that provides a breathable waterproofiness. I have an old Cabelas jacket I'm replacing this year and will go for a good brand - Columbia, North Face, etc. IF you have an REI store near you I'd go try them on in the store. First for the fit and second to see if they are noisy/swishy, lol. That drives me nuts. You can then look for sales online once you have the brand narrowed down. Many on the forum like the Marmot brand but they were cut too slim for me to layer a vest under so I gave mine away.

Underneath that I would plan to layer a puffy vest or jacket. Your profile doesn't reveal where you live so not sure how cold tolerant you are. I can manage fine with a waterproof layer over a puffy vest down to or just below freezing but if you are from a warmer climate you might look at a puffy jacket. The 32 Degree brand which is available at Costco or at the 32 Degree website has some pretty good quality puffy jackets/vests very inexpensively.

To me the combo of a regular rain jacket with the puffy layer underneath is much more flexible than a heavier lined rain jacket.

I 2nd the suggestion to have a ball cap underneath. I am not a ball cap wearer but took one last year to Orkney and Shetland and was really glad I did. I have now purchased a waterproof ball cap (Outdoor Research) because the plain one got soaked pretty quick last summer, lol.

Also, if you don't already have them, get some lightweight glove liners. YOu can just shove them in your jacket pocket but you'll have them if it's wet and windy.

editing to add: George and his swooshy pants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fr5ByQo5TI&t=120s

Thanks for all this great info, everyone! I'm excited to start looking! We live in Rhode Island, so pretty used to cold weather. I like the idea of wearing my puffer jacket under the raincoat, and wearing rain pants.

I bought a Land's End packable waterproof raincoat for the Netherlands & Belgium this past April. I like that the length is a bit longer, but it's strictly a layer of protection from rain, not warmth. So it made layering really convenient and it was easy to remove and last minute I bought a Columbia fleece vest that I never imagined myself wearing, but it was an absolutely perfect combo; and I could remove the raincoat when it wasn't raining but then still have the vest for a bit of warmth. And I truly can't stand the feel of too many layers around my arms. So I like that the raincoat and vest adds no bulk.

I've tried all sorts of variations of rainproof wear for international travel; and I'm always confused by it because it's not something we really need in general in SoCal. But this time, I felt good about my decision. We took the RS Ireland tour in 2019 and thought my then newly purchased coat was waterproof; but not so much! But, I survived and loved the tour! It didn't rain all that much, but it was the end of August. Enjoy!

I hate hoods, so I always wear a hat. I have a couple Stetsons that have been all over for 20 years and work great. One's "western" but the one I wear the most is a "Gun Club" model that Indian Jones would have been proud of. It gets complements and it's got "character". Good hats can be rebuilt and cleaned and will last forever.

I have two "rain" coats. One is a medium weight from Helly Hanson that's high visibility yellow, which I used to wear when I worked on the seaports in the Pacific Northwest. If it got really cold, I put a fleece or sweater under that. The other is a longer Columbia "parka" with a fleece lining. I had a North Face one too, but that's gone after 20 years. The last two were my standard for Alaska in the winter.

If you know it's going to be wet, I highly recommend you use Nikwax on all your clothes, to include the cotton jeans, etc. It makes a major difference. I do all my outdoor gear annually, at least.