The wind picks up, temperatures drop, gray clouds cover the sky and rain showers take over our lives. In short, autumn has made a comeback in our daily lives, and for this reason, one essential item is essential: a raincoat! The best companions for everyday wear, rain jackets are a must-have for coping with seasonal downpours. Often windproof as well as waterproof, these technological gems (almost) have it all ☔️
THE BENEFITS OF A WATERPROOF JACKET
Waterproof jackets are a must-have for the autumn season, but not only! It's useful all year round, whenever it rains, in town or in the country, on vacation or on the way to work... A raincoat has many advantages, starting of course with optimum protection against the rain. But there's much more to a rain jacket than that: it has many more features and ingenious details to keep you dry.
All about waterproofing
A waterproof jacket isn't simply a jacket that's been sprayed with waterproofing or water-repellent spray (that would be too simple). First of all, when looking for your essential mid-season jacket, pay close attention to the protection it offers against rain. Waterproof jackets offer minimal protection against rain - occasional at best - but they're not made for heavy downpours. 🌧
There are several ways to make a jacket waterproof:
- Either we apply a water-repellent coating to it using the coating process, which will prevent water from passing through, but only temporarily.
- Or we can design it directly with a membrane on the inside of the garment. The membrane is a hydrophilic film that prevents water from entering, and lets your body's water vapor escape! This solution is recognized as being more effective and more durable than the first.
In short, a raincoat is designed and engineered to withstand the elements for as long as possible. What's more, there are different levels of protection, measured in millimeters of water. For the best protection, opt for 10,000 mm of waterresistance . 💧
If you'd like a little more info on waterproofing, how it works and how it's tested, it's over here!
How to choose your waterproof?
Making a fabric waterproof is great, but keeping water out is even better! So when choosing your raincoat, take a close look at all the details that will ensure maximum protection. In addition to waterproofing, there are a number of other features to consider.
On a waterproof jacket, if the openings aren't well thought out, you're likely to end up getting wet all the same. So, to ensure an effective barrier, the seams of waterproof jackets are often heat-bonded or heat-welded, and zippers are fitted with a flap that doubles as a protection against water.
And because we know that no one really goes for a walk these days empty-handed (phone, wallet, maybe even tissues because it's cold season...), raincoat pockets are also designed to keep water out. They can feature the same zippers as the rest of the jacket, or work with a buttoned, snap-fastening flap, cutting off access to rain and moisture! ❌
A raincoat is often equipped with many advantageous details designed to keep you nice and dry (and warm, down with the wind!). Often, you'll find adjustment elastics and stoppers placed at the hood, waist, bottom of the jacket, and sometimes on the cuffs too! Thanks to them, you can adjust your protection as you see fit, depending on how much rain is falling or how much wind is blowing. 🌬
It's even possible to find raincoats with even more optimized adjustment. For cycling enthusiasts, for example, length-, width- and even depth-adjustable hoods are imagined on raincoats! Say goodbye to hoods that block your view as soon as you turn your head. Not practical in life, and even less so on a bike.
When we say that araincoat is a mid-season must-have, we're not lying: we've thought of everything to perfect it!
Why choose a breathable raincoat?
In addition to being waterproof, rain jackets are often windproof. They act as a barrier, not only against the rain, but also against the season's cool breeze. Saves you time and money: no more wondering " Which jacket should I choose this morning ? A raincoat guarantees you THE ideal two-in-one!
Windproof means windproof. So the last technical detail to take into account is the breathability of the raincoat. An important detail, this is the one that will ensure you don't sweat like an ox inside your rain jacket. However, let's face it, there's no magic solution to not sweating AT ALL, it's only human 🥵
When choosing your raincoat, therefore, pay particular attention to the information that concerns your garment's breathability. They will define your jacket's ability to evacuate the water vapor that emanates from your body due to the difference between its temperature and the outside temperature.
How do you know the breathability of a waterproof jacket?
Breathability is measured in g /m2 / 24h, i.e. the amount of water vapor evacuatedby a jacket over 1m2 in 24h. As a rough guide, a waterproof jacket is considered to be breathable at 10,000 g /m2 / 24h, and not very breathable below this measurement. If you look closely at the labels on your raincoat, you'll certainly find this information!
How to wear a raincoat
Waterproof jackets are a dime a dozen. Longraincoats , mid-thigh length raincoats or wide raincoats... These are the most popular, for the simple reason that when it rains, you need to put on your raincoat on top of an already well-appointedoutfit. Raincoats are designed to be practical, to meet a real need: to protect you, while keeping you comfortable!
Some of you may also choose to opt for more sophisticated models, such as bombers, straight or short cuts , or even trench coats!
And whether you're a parent or a child, the choice is always wide, with an ever-expanding list of models, colors and patterns. In short, finding your favorite raincoat is almost child's play!
Today, stylish and colorful raincoatsare available for men and women, and we're no longer content with basic, bland rain jackets.
Waterproof jackets are above all practical
Any self-respecting waterproof jacket also has to accept the need for storage. As we all know, after the rain comes the good weather. So when the sun finally comes out, there's usually little need for a rain jacket.
Practicality is the watchword for every waterproof jacket. They are often designed to be stored in a pocket, the hood, or even in an integrated bag !🎒
There you have it, we've given you all the reasons why a raincoat is a mid-season essential (and a wardrobe essential at that). Now you've got all the details you need to make the best choice, so it's up to you! Find your favorite raincoat☔️
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