Best waterproof jackets that actually stay waterproof
Every jacket here passes the waterproof test when new. What separates them is how long they keep water out in a real downpour, and what happens once the coating wears off.
4 products ranked Updated
Our rankings are built from published testing by named outlets, not from our own lab. We earn a commission when you buy through our links, and it never changes the order.
The short answer
- 1 Patagonia Torrentshell 3L Best for most people $189
- 2 Arc'teryx Beta SL Most waterproof $500
- 3 Rab Downpour Waterproof Jacket Most comfortable for the money $140
- 4 REI Co-op Rainier Cheapest worth buying $100 list, per OutdoorGearLab
Prices checked 14 September 2026. They move constantly — the retailer's own page is the authority.
Patagonia Torrentshell 3L
4 / 5
Our reading of OutdoorGearLab — 78/100, their Best Overall, with a water resistance score of 8.7/10; also Switchback Travel's best overall , 2026
Both our sources put it first, and the reason fits this guide: it is a 3-layer jacket, the construction that holds up longest, at a price usually paid for the 2.5-layer kind whose inner coating wears first. OutdoorGearLab scored its water resistance 8.7 out of 10, beaten only by two Arc'teryx jackets at more than twice the price. It is stiff and rustly when new, and on a hard uphill you will sweat inside it.
Pros
- 3-layer construction at under $200
- Water resistance 8.7/10, third of 18
- Pit zips and a well-sealing hood
Cons
- Stiff and crinkly until broken in
- Clammy during sustained hard exercise
- No chest pocket
- Construction
- 3-layer H2No, measured 12.7 oz
Where these findings come from
- OutdoorGearLab: 78/100 and Best Overall; water resistance 8.7/10, third of 18 behind two Arc'teryx jackets costing far more; kept water out of sleeves, hem and hood in sideways storms
- Switchback Travel: best overall; durable 3-layer construction with a tricot lining; stiff and crinkly at first; no chest pocket
- OutdoorGearLab: limited breathability during long hard efforts, though it has pit zips; measured 12.7 oz
Arc'teryx Beta SL
4.5 / 5
Our reading of OutdoorGearLab — 87/100, the top score of 18, with the best water resistance score of 9.4/10; also Switchback Travel's best performance rain jacket , 2026
The most waterproof jacket in OutdoorGearLab's test, at 9.4 out of 10, built from 3-layer Gore-Tex. It is closer to a mountain shell than a town raincoat, and priced like one. Buy it if you are out in serious weather for hours at a time. For commuting and ordinary walks, the Patagonia gets you most of the way for less than half the money.
Pros
- Best water resistance tested, 9.4/10
- 3-layer Gore-Tex
- Packs small for its protection
Cons
- $500
- Slim cut; many need to size up
Where these findings come from
- OutdoorGearLab: 87/100, highest score; water resistance 9.4/10, the best tested; described as best-in-class weather resistance
- Switchback Travel: 3-layer Gore-Tex with a helmet-compatible hood and pit zips; the most expensive on their list; fitted cut may mean sizing up
Rab Downpour Waterproof Jacket
4 / 5
Our reading of OutdoorGearLab — 75/100 and their Comfort on a Budget award, water resistance 7.9/10 , 2026
The best-scoring 2.5-layer jacket for keeping water out, and the one both sources call comfortable: its inner fabric does not have the clammy, rubbery feel that most cheaper rain jackets do. It sheds ordinary rain very well. As a 2.5-layer design its thin inner coating is the part that wears with use, so expect it to age faster than the Patagonia.
Pros
- Water resistance 7.9/10, best of the cheaper jackets
- Comfortable, non-crinkly lining
- $140
Cons
- Not for sustained torrential rain
- 2.5-layer lining wears sooner than 3-layer
Where these findings come from
- OutdoorGearLab: 75/100; water resistance 7.9/10, fourth of 18; Pertex Shield liner noticeably more comfortable than the usual rubbery 2.5-layer lining; measured 13.3 oz
- Switchback Travel: very reliable in all kinds of wet weather; nice to the touch and not crinkly
- OutdoorGearLab: not meant for the most intense rain; some fabric bunching at the stomach
REI Co-op Rainier
4 / 5
Our reading of OutdoorGearLab — 71/100 and their Best Bang for the Buck; also Switchback Travel's best budget rain jacket , 2026
A well-featured jacket for about $100, and both sources' budget pick. It is fine for light and moderate rain. OutdoorGearLab flags the thing this guide is about: the sprayed-on inner liner is the weak point over time. Buy it knowing it is a jacket for a few seasons, not a decade. No photograph and a quoted price: REI's store refuses our requests, and REI sells it mostly through its own shops, so the link is a search.
Pros
- Pit zips and full adjustment at a low price
- Both sources rate it the best value
Cons
- Liner longevity concerns
- Not for heavy, sustained rain
- No photograph or verified price
Where these findings come from
- OutdoorGearLab: 71/100 and Best Bang for the Buck; water resistance 7.5/10; pit zips and adjustable hood, cuffs and hem
- OutdoorGearLab: 2.5-layer spray liner is not the most comfortable and raises liner longevity concerns; fine for light to moderate rain
Why waterproof jackets stop being waterproof
Two things fail, in this order.
The water-repellent coating wears off. A new jacket has a durable water-repellent finish (DWR) that makes rain bead and roll off. Dirt, body oils and abrasion wear it away. The jacket is still technically waterproof, but the outer fabric soaks through, looks dark and wet, and stops breathing, so you get damp from your own sweat. This is what most people mean when they say a jacket has stopped working, and it is usually fixable.
The membrane or its inner coating fails. In 2.5-layer jackets the waterproof layer is protected by a thin sprayed or printed coating on the inside, which wears where straps and collars rub. Three-layer jackets bond a proper fabric over it and last much longer. That is why the construction matters more than the price for a jacket you want to keep.
How to bring a jacket back
Switchback Travel's advice: wash it with a technical cleaner rather than ordinary detergent, rinse twice, and follow the label on drying, since some jackets revive their coating with gentle heat. If water still does not bead, reapply a DWR treatment. Clean jackets breathe and repel water better, so washing does not harm them.
What actually matters
3-layer over 2.5-layer, if you want years out of it.
Pit zips, because no waterproof fabric breathes well enough during hard effort.
A hood that seals, with adjustment at the back and a stiff brim.
Where this comes from
We do not test jackets. OutdoorGearLab tested 18 in real storms and under a shower head, scoring water resistance separately, which is the number quoted on each pick. Switchback Travel provides a second view and the care advice above.
What we are leaving out
Softshells, which are water-resistant rather than waterproof, and ultralight emergency shells that trade durability for weight.
Where this comes from
We did not test these. These people did.
Every score on this page rests on the testing below. The ranking is ours; the measurements are not. How we research.
- OutdoorGearLab — 18 men's rain jackets tested in downpours in the field and under a shower head, timing how long zips, cuffs and fabric take to wet out; water resistance is 45% of the score. Updated May 2026.
- Switchback Travel — Rain jackets used for years in the Pacific Northwest and Patagonia, with detailed notes on construction and on caring for the water-repellent finish. Updated June 2026.
Questions people ask
What does waterproof rating in millimetres mean?
Can I put a rain jacket in the washing machine?
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