The key to having the right kind of protection when you’re facing the outdoors is knowing what you need. Different activities will require different demands from your waterproof jackets, and a bit of research will help you get what you need for your chosen pursuits.

For example, if you run a few times a week, the material you wear should be comfortable and breathable, but if  you spend your weekends hiking through forest trails, your coats will need to be made of stronger stuff.

Materials for Wet, Cold Conditions

For hiking day tours and weekends, we recommend using a material with a double layer of construction. This can mean that the material doesn’t pack down as much as others, and that it is slightly heavier than triple layered materials, but it will provide better protection against wind and rain. In this jacket, with Texapore materials, the coating or membrane is permanently bound to the woven shell (support material).

Materials for Drier, Warmer conditions

Even when hiking during spring and summer, conditions can get very wet and cold from time to time. For these excursions, we recommend a slightly lighter material for your outer jacket, but keeping the water and wind proof options.

In 2.5-layered TEXAPORE materials, the coating or membrane is permanently bound to the woven shell ( or support material) and is covered with an ultra-thin protective layer on the inside, meaning there is no need for a separate lining. 2.5-layered materials make extremely lightweight clothing with a very small pack size, but are also less hard-wearing than double-layered and triple-layered materials (as above). These jackets are recommended for biking and trail walking.

If you’d like to see more clothing suitable for hiking, walking and biking, check out our Jack Wolfskin brochure available here: