TLDR

Jacket	Waterproof	Breathable	Packable	Pit zippers	Price
Columbia Pouring Adventure	+	-	+	No	$60
Eddie Bauer Cloud Cap	+	+	+	Yes	$80
Outdoor Research Helium	+	+	++	Yes	$150
Patagonia Torrentshell	+	++	+	Yes	$150
Marmot Minimalist	++	-	-	Yes	$150

• Other brands we recommend are Mammut, Helly Hanssen, and L.L. Bean.
• Make sure to reapply your DWR coating at least once a year.

BIFL Rain Jackets For All Budgets

Whether you like it or not, the rainy season will come sooner or later. This guide provides an overview of BIFL rain jackets to prepare you for it. We’ve made a selection of trustworthy and durable rain jackets for all price categories. Most of the selected jackets exist in version for both men and women, or have similar alternatives from the same brand.

As with all things, the budget options will possibly not last as long as their higher priced equivalents. True BIFL often comes with a hefty price tag, but that does not mean cheaper options are never viable. All jackets on this list provide great value and will do an amazing job at keeping you dry for the rest of your life.

Best Budget BIFL Rain Jackets

Columbia Pouring Adventure II

The first pick on our list is the Columbia Pouring Adventure II jacket. This jacket is both lightweight and packable, which makes it great for bringing along on a hiking trip. It is however also stylish enough to be worn as an everyday jacket on rainy days. Other than this, it’s a rather basic jacket without a lot of technical features. Still, it does a great job at what it should do: being waterproof.

Priced at around $60, it is our top pick for when you’re on a tight budget. For this price, you get a jacket that’s almost as waterproof as all other jackets on this list, and that is of high build quality. The main downside is the limited breathability of the jacket, which can lead to sweating on warmer days or tougher hikes.

Eddie Bauer Cloud Cap

When it comes to budget rain jackets of high quality, the Eddie Bauer Cloud Cap is our top pick. This jacket is lightweight and packable, yet very waterproof. It also comes with pit zippers for good breathability.

Coming from the very reputable US brand Eddie Bauer, it can be bit harder to get your hards on in Europe. Its priced at around $80 and truly unbeaten at this price point. And if you really want to push it, you might even find it for around $50 if you are patient and stay on the lookout for good deals.

Best Mid Range BIFL Rain Jackets

Outdoor Research Helium

For mid range jackets, the first option to consider is the Outdoor Research Helium. The jacket is available in a model for men and for women and it's priced at around $150, but often available for less. At this price, it is somewhat disappointing that the jacket is manufactured in Bangladesh.

Top features of the Outdoor Research Helium include being very packable and ultralight, good windproof design, and durable material usage resulting in a tear and wear resistant jacket. The main downside is that there are no pit zippers, but this is mitigated partly by the breathable materials used for the jacket.

Patagonia Torrentshell

Next up on this list is the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L jacket. It comes in both a male and female version and is 100% made from recycled materials. The jacket has all of the features needed from a rain jacket. It is completely Gore-Tex waterproof and can be stuffed into one of the pockets. On top of this, it’s made from a very breathable material and comes with pit zippers for even more breathability. It is usually priced at around $150, although prices vary from country to country.

The true strength of this jacket is the fact that on top of producing quality clothes, Patagonia truly aims for full repairability. This starts with providing DIY repair guides on their website, but also a strong warranty for factory defects and reasonably priced repairs for defects caused by wear. Overall, they have a great customer service. The main downside of Patagonia is that next to producing clothes in the US they also produce in countries like China and Bangladesh. This jacket specifically is most commonly made in Vietnam.

Marmot Minimalist

Another great choice for a mid range rain jacket is the Marmot Minimalist. This jacket is manufactured using 100% recycled material formed into an amazing waterproof layer. It does it’s job of keeping you dry very well at a reasonable price of around $150. Or if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, you might want to consider it’s smaller brother the Marmot Precip jacket.

The jacket is probably the most waterproof on this list, but this comes at a cost of a less breathable jacket. For this reason, the jacket luckily comes with much needed pit zippers. Also, if you’re looking to take this jacket with you on hiking trips, be aware that it does not pack into itself (but it does pack pretty small). All this being said, it’s still a quality, well-built and durable rain jacket but perhaps a better choice as an everyday waterproof jacket rather than a packable jacket to bring on your hike.

Top Of The Line

Our choice for a top of the line rain jacket used to be the Arc’teryx Beta LT. But any rain jacket coming in at $400 is too expensive to be called a value option. In terms of bang for your buck, you’re better of picking another option on this list. On top of this, the jacket is produced in China to reduce labor costs, quality has dropped recently, and the Arc'teryx warranty is very limited.

Because of these reasons, we no longer recommend this jacket. Keep in mind that it's still a good jacket, but just too overpriced. So instead we recommend going for one of the mid range jackets.

Shopping Tips For A BIFL Rain Jacket

This list provides a starting point rather than an exhaustive overview of rain jackets to consider during shopping. There are definitely other jackets that fit the BIFL category. Other jackets from the same brand as those mentioned above are to be considered, as well as jackets from other brands such as Mammut, Helly Hanssen, or L.L. Bean.

Most of the jackets listed exist in both a male and female version, or have similar options from the same brand available. Also, all brands on this list are solid choices, and often higher prices mean better quality. However, the best value in terms of bang for your buck jackets can definitely be found in the mid range or even budget options. All things considered, our top pick is the Patatonia Torrentshell 3L jacket.

As a final remark, we would like to mention that it's important to keep in mind that Gore-Tex or similar coatings do an amazing job at keeping you dry. However, BIFL also means taking care of your gear, and for such coatings this might mean having to reapply every so often. We recommend to reapply your Durable Water Repellent (DWR) as soon as your everytime your jacket starts to feel less waterproof. Usually, this is around once a year, but this depends heavily on how often you use the jacket.

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Written by dazf3865
August 15, 2024