Hi there,
I am going to London and Paris in August and will be taking a raincoat. I just received an Eddie Bauer Girl on the Go trench coat and it is perfect except that I'm worried I will sweat to death in a summer shower! Covers bum, zippered pockets, removable hood. It has great reviews on keeping water out instead of just being water "resistant". Is there anything equivalent out there that is lighter weight?
If you can find a Patagonia Torrentshell on sale that would be my recommendation. Here is a review:
I have an Eddie Bauer Girl on the Go raincoat that I take for winter in Italy—-nice and waterproof. But I agree it is too warm for summer use.
I have and like this unlined longer length jacket:
https://www.outdoorresearch.com/collections/womens-rain-jackets/products/womens-aspire-trench-287622
That said, in cities in summer I would just use an umbrella, and I really dislike them in general.
I agree with Lola. I love my Patagonia Torrentshell. It’s lightweight but it’s not thigh length like what I think you’re asking for. I would probably suggest a lightweight poncho during the summer to get the airflow necessary to not have the muggy feeling that a good waterproof jacket will produce during warm months.
The problem with the Torrentshell(which was CNN's top pick) is that it doesn't have a zippered pocket for phone on front of jacket. I bought an REI Goretex jacket for that reason.
EDITED: Lola, I don't want to store my phone in a side zippered pocket because I might reach into it for something else and my phone could fall out. I like the dedicated phone one at chest level. My phone has learned from our cats that it can get what it wants.
In London if it rains it’s unlikely to be very warm at the same time. I would always take a raincoat in preference to an umbrella, because even in August you could get some very wet days. I agree that in warmer countries you don’t want to be wearing a coat at all even on wet days, but British weather doesn’t have that tropical aspect to it. If it rains in August in the U.K, I wear a raincoat.
Cala, my Torrentshell has front hand pockets with zippers on both sides, and they are more than big enough for my phone. Maybe you have a different or older model? This one I bought in 2023 to replace my 10-year-old Torrentshell, which was still in perfect condition, because it was on sale and I wanted a different color. The “old” one went back to the Patagonia Worn Wear “recycle” program and was snapped up right away.
https://wornwear.patagonia.com/
I see a few Torrentshell jackets there (both mens and women’s) there now, including this “City” version which is longer:
If that XS is too small, there are other Torrentshellsin the regular length, in M, XL, and other sizes, for $75-$80.
I bought a Columbia Switchback III before a trip to Italy where I was worried my regular rain jacket would be too heavy. It was waterproof and comfortable EXCEPT the hood was not adjustable on the back so it kept flopping forward. Next time I use it I'll take a ball cap to wear underneath the hood.
It is not a trench length, though...
I've had this rain jacket for years and take it on every trip:
https://www.kuhl.com/kuhl/womens/outerwear/ws-jetstream-trench/?color=Black
It is waterproof, breathable, and incredibly lightweight. Trench length, down almost to my knees (I'm 5'4"), but I can zip it up from the bottom if I need to, like for driving. The hood is adjustable and locks down pretty well for windy days.
It's not cheap, but mine has lasted me a long time so far and shows no sign of wear. It is my rain jacket for home as well as travel, so it gets plenty of use.
Yes definitely looking for something that would allow me to sit and not get a wet rear-end! So Torrentshell is probably too short. Are there longer versions of the Patagonia jacket? I would also like to wear it here in Texas and it's warm here about 70% of the time it seems!
Patagonia makes a longer Torrentshell called the City. They are hard to find, and expensive. Here is one:
I posted a link to a “pre-owned” one from Patagonia Worn Wear above, for much less. But it is size XS only.
Thank you! Gosh they are expensive!
I have been very pleased with this Columbia one. It got its “trial by fire (ok, by rain - ha!) in Scotland. It also recently did well in the snow over a packable down coat. I like the long length - it not only covers more but it means I can sit down on a wet bench and not be wet myself.
I have an LL Bean trail model rain jacket that I’ve worn twice to England. It’s lightweight and stows away in its pocket. They also have it in a longer style. I was pleasantly surprised by how dry it kept me during a steady rain In London. Fortunately, I didn’t experience a lot of rain on either trip, but wound up wearing it for extra warmth, especially in Cornwall.
If you aren’t terribly concerned about the color, LL Bean often has good deals on discontinued colors. When I purchased my jacket I chose a color that was 50% off.
I'm not sure it's as lightweight as you're looking for but I really like my Duluth Dryfecta jacket! I like the length and it isn't very warm in its own but that means I can adjust with layers underneath. I have tested it in the rain for an extended period of time and it kept me dry! https://www.duluthtrading.com/s/DTC/womens-dryfecta-rain-coat-47703.html?color=DLB
Thank you Lola! I hadn’t seen that longer length. Hmmmmm, I wish I had had that in Ireland last year. And yes, danip, Patagonia is expensive but their products are well made, last a long time and they want you to continue to wear their stuff. I just had a zipper replaced on an older down jacket. All they charge for is the shipping.
It looks like Eddie Bauer has a longer length one on sale. It’s not 3L but 2.5.
https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/20612721/womens-cloud-cap-stretch-rain-parka?ch=pla&color=Dark%20Plum&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrrL6pKzchQMVzwetBh2TQAbnEAQYBCABEgKGcPD_BwE&size=L&sizeType=Regular&sp=1
If you want to fit in with the locals, The North Face is very popular in the UK. I don't think I've seen any of our friends from North America mention it on here. I don't have any particular recommendations for jackets for ladies though.
Patagonia is going to score some points over Eddie Bauer around town too. It's another quite fashionable brand over here. Eddie Bauer isn't really sold over here I don't think.
I have an older down jacket by a brand called Rab, which is quite a popular hiking / mountain brand over here. It's worth Googling their range of jackets for the rain too.
Personally, I think trench coats and totally waterproof / Goretex etc is way overkill for London in August. The weather is unlikely to be that bad. Sustained rain and wind would be quite unusual in my experience. By August in 2022 everything was parched and dry in London. We had a few rainy days last summer, but nothing I'd call significant. When you're in town it's not difficult to keep dry if you need to.
I wear a Blocktech Parka from Uniqlo almost every day. It's waterproof enough and a bit more stylish for town than the hiking brands. It has that technical look, but I like that the sleeves are cut in a way to hang in much the same way as a suit jacket in length and width.
I use a spray waterproofer on my jacket and backpack before I leave for a trip. They really do make just about anything waterproof. Just don't wash the item during your trip!
Which spray do you recommend? I did find an REI raincoat that has everything I am looking for but read reviews that it is not as waterproof as advertised.
Look for a jacket that has zippered pits - a game changer for preventing sweating to death in more humid climates. I have this jacket by 33,000ft that doesn't meet your "removable hood" criteria but it's lightweight, packable, and waterproof. The company also sells a longer version but it doesn't have the pit zips. Given that you probably won't wear it much, they're affordable options.
Re: recent question about waterproofing - there is a product called Nikwax TX Direct that is a wash in waterproofer. I've found that it works best on re-waterproofing clothing that was already waterproof to start with - i.e. it is not great at waterproofing something that is only water resistant or not waterproof at all. If you really want waterproof, I'd start with a jacket that is already equipped with the feature (my 2 cents).
I've used KIWI Camp Dry to waterproof.
I'm going at the end of May. I have an LL Bean H2Off knee length coat, and it does not breathe at all. Last year I wore it once in the 10 days I was in England. This year, I don't think I will bring it at all unless colder temps are predicted.
SandraL, my friend in London sent me a couple of links to inexpensive rain coats. She said we could go shopping when I arrive if I want. Of course it's been raining a lot here in Dallas recently!
danip1969--are the links to UK stores? Or US ones? If they're here, would you mind sharing them? Thanks!
SandraL, UK!
