Waterproof jacket for Italy in October

I have a lightweight LLBean mesh-lined H2OFF Rain Jacket that has travelled everywhere with me for the past 3 years. It's waterproof yet breathes, has an attached hood (which comes in handy in a rainstorm), and comes in a choice of colors (mine is coral, which unfortunately is no longer offered). It's not too hot for a summer rainstorm. On cooler days, I layer it with a t-shirt and a lightweight LLBean Fitness Fleece (which also travels everywhere with me). This combination has kept me comfortable even in a snowstorm.

I have a Rick Steves suitcase with a long zipper alongside on the top. I slip this jacket in there so it hardly takes any room at all, and I can always have it with me.

Water-resistant should serve you. A hood is nice for unexpected showers. Carry or buy there a small umbrella. When it rains, the vendors come out of nowhere with cheap umbrellas. Be sure your jacket breathes.

I initially bought a Marmot Precip (waterproof) for travel as that is what my first Rick Steves' guide wore! Last year I went with a Cabela's waterproof (their own brand) jacket and really like it. Of course there have been innovations in fabric over the past few years so this one is a lot less crinkly sounding than the Marmot. It does not have as slim a cut as the Marmot so I can get a small crossbody bag zipped up under it. If you are going to buy something, I would go ahead and get waterproof over water resistant. The Cabelas one was wonderful on the GAS tour, London and walking in UK.

In general packable down garments are not waterproof. If it is really down as opposed to synthetic down you don't want to get it wet.

I would go with the waterproof outer layer and a cardigan sweater to layer under.

You've got plenty of time so if you have an outdoors store in your area, go and look at the clothing and read the tags. If you have an REI, I find their sales staff very knowledgeable. Cabelas staff does not seem as informed. If you live out west and happen to have a Sierra Trading Post near you, that is a good place to go AFTER you've done your research.

You can't go wrong with Prada and an umbrella.

I have a hip-length hooded jacket from North Face that I wore in mid-March throughout all kinds of Italian weather. It is lightly lined and water and wind resistant. If you haven't bought a jacket in a few years you will find the fabric technology is amazing. I wouldn't bring down--too bulky. And as someone else pointed out, you can always buy a cheap umbrella on the street.
Cynthia

When we were in London in February a couple of years ago, we just took our old Catalina windbreakers, but sprayed them with Camp-Dri (or some such) waterproofing first. I think I sprayed them with 2 coats, and an extra spritz on the seams. They worked fine, and compressed down to almost pocket sized. The ones we have fold up into their own zipped pouch, making them about 3" x 4", and they compress down even more. Very light, as well.

When it was cold, we wore them over layers, including silk long underwear, and if necessary, a sweater. Very effective. And cheap.

I know Rick says you can always buy an umbrella if it rains, but I've run into issues with that strategy (which I didn't plan to employ, but I left my umbrella behind in a restaurant):

• If you're traveling off the tourist path, finding an umbrella for sale may not be as easy as you expect.

• If you're in a town where everything closes for the siesta and it starts to rain during the closing period, good luck finding an umbrella.

• The umbrellas most readily available at cheap tourist shops (and those available anywhere in less-affluent countries) may be very cheap and not make it even through the first downpour.

• There's little hope that a cheap umbrella will stand up to the combination of rain and even moderate wind.

Packable down jacket and Waterproof Jacket are 2 completely different things for different purposes.

Packable down jacket would be for the cool evenings or mornings and just a way without too much space to back a layering piece that can keep you warm when needed.
Genuine down will keep you warmer than synthentic but since we are not really talking that cold, synthenic down is probably just as good for this trip. Genuine down you absolutely do not want to get wet and even synthenic down is not for getting wet either.

In October a waterproof light jacket is definitely advisable.

They don't provide too much warmth though if it is not raining you probably won't wear it and something truly waterproof if you want to walk around in pouring rain or even in dry weather is likely to not be very breathable which means if you do a bunch of walking in it and sweat the sweat cannot get to the outer layer of the jacket which is not a good thing.

Any 1 jacket would be a compromise at the 2 intended purposes, so your call in which to bring. Hill towns in October will be much colder than Sicily. So for Sicily I think you wouldn't need a jacket and the lightweight waterproof jacket be the better idea, in Tuscan Hill Towns I imagine evenings could be quite chilly and having a layer jacket would come in handy.

Honestly I would bring both but both would be the packable type (usually they fold into their own pocket) to save on space. These packables with 2 of them each for different purpose would take up about the same size as 1 non packable jacket.

A lightweight rain jacket should be taken everywhere, all the time. Even the desert.