#summitsafely week 19 – choose the right waterproof jacket

It's week 19 of the 20 week #summitsafely campaign. This week’s #summitsafely top tip – have the correct type of waterproof jacket with you when heading into the mountains.

Your waterproof jacket offers you the important protective barrier to the wet weather and is the last part of your layering approach to tackling the elements. When picking your waterproof jacket you need to decide on what type of breathability you might need for the activity your will undertake. Either high aerobic or less demanding activity. If you are embark on hiking up Helvellyn for example we would recommend picking a waterproof which is highly breathable.

The importance of picking the correct jacket and for it to be waterproof has been highlighted throughout the 20 week #summitsafely tips. As noted in week 18 top tips, getting wet can make your outdoor experience cold and uncomfortable and once you’re wet it’s hard to get your core-body temperature back up again.  

When looking into the right kind of fabric for the best waterproof jacket for you need, you’ll need to consider coated fabrics, GORE-TEX®, GORE-TEX® Active Shell, eVent, GORE-TEX® Pro or Polartec Neoshell. Think about if they are waterproof, breathable, windproof, good for hiking, mountaineering, climbing, cycling or running.

We recommend you do you research, speak to the experts in your chosen shop and most importantly think about how you will use your jacket. You need to be prepared for extreme weather conditions when heading into the mountains so pick the right jacket to go with your activity.

Date: 24 Apr 2017