Men's Waterproof Jackets

Men's waterproof jackets for Irish weather

A good men's waterproof jacket earns its place on the days that turn. The soft morning that is lashing by lunchtime, the wind that drives rain sideways across an open ridge, the long walk back to the car. This collection runs from light shells that live in a bag to warm, insulated waterproof jackets for winter, with The North Face, Columbia, Patagonia, Mountain Equipment, Berghaus, Arc'teryx, Rab and Helly Hansen side by side so you can compare them properly.

Start with how you will actually use it

Be honest about your typical wet day, because that one answer settles most of the decision. For the commute, the school run and the dog walk, a lighter everyday shell is the more comfortable choice. It sheds the rain, breathes well enough for short bursts and packs away when the sun comes out. For full days in the hills, choose a jacket rated around 10,000mm with fully taped seams, which keeps you dry through hours of steady rain. Exposed ridges, winter walking and long days under a heavy pack are where a 20,000mm-plus mountain shell earns its price.

What the waterproof rating really means

The millimetre figure on the label is a lab measurement called hydrostatic head. A jacket rated 10,000mm holds back a column of water ten metres tall, roughly three storeys, before a single drop is forced through. Pressure is the word that matters. A rucksack strap pressing wet fabric into your shoulder, or wind driving rain against your chest, pushes water far harder than rain simply landing on you, which is why a higher rating pays off on long, exposed days. Brands do not all test the same way, so read the number as a band rather than a precise promise. Our guide to waterproof ratings explained breaks the full scale down.

Membranes, layers and why the jacket breathes

Most jackets in this collection use a waterproof, breathable membrane that blocks rain while letting sweat vapour escape. GORE-TEX is the best known, and you will find it on mountain shells like the Arc'teryx Beta GORE-TEX, the Mountain Equipment Saltoro and the Berghaus Hillwalker 2.0, which Berghaus rates to a 28,000mm hydrostatic head. Brands build excellent membranes of their own too: DryVent from The North Face, Omni-Tech from Columbia, H2No from Patagonia and Pertex Shield from Rab.

How the jacket is built matters as much as the name on the membrane. A 2-layer jacket has a separate hanging lining and feels soft and familiar against a shirt. A 2.5-layer shell swaps the lining for a thin protective coating, so it is lighter and packs smaller. A 3-layer jacket bonds face fabric, membrane and inner backer into one, which makes it the most durable and the best at breathing on a hard climb.

The details that keep you dry

A jacket is only as waterproof as its weakest stitch line, so look for fully taped seams and a protected front zip. The hood should turn with your head, carry a peak stiff enough to keep rain off your face and cinch down so it stays put in a gust. Underarm vents dump heat on a climb far quicker than any fabric can breathe it. The Columbia Trailborne 2.5L has both, and it packs into its own hand pocket for the days when the forecast cannot make up its mind.

Waterproof jackets for the colder months

If you want one jacket for cold, wet days in town and on the trail, look at the insulated waterproof jackets in this collection. They pair a waterproof outer with a warm synthetic or down fill, so there is only one layer to think about. If you prefer flexibility, a 3-in-1 or zip-in system lets you attach a compatible fleece or insulated layer inside the shell and take it out again in spring. The North Face DryVent Zip-In Jacket works this way, and you will find more in our men's 3-in-1 jackets.

Look after it and it will look after you

When a jacket starts to feel damp inside, it is rarely a leak. The water-repellent finish on the outside wears or clogs with dirt, the face fabric soaks up rain, and the sweat you produce on a climb condenses on the inside. A wash with a technical cleaner, followed by a reproof when water stops beading, brings it back. Our guide on how to wash and reproof a waterproof jacket walks through it step by step, and the cleaners and treatments from Nikwax and Grangers are in our clothing care range.

Want to go deeper before you choose? Our guide on how to choose a waterproof jacket and our pick of the best waterproof jackets in Ireland cover fabrics, fit and features in more detail. For head-to-toe cover, pair your jacket with men's waterproof trousers.