After I first moved to Seattle from the Midwest 16 years in the past, I didn’t personal a rain jacket and by no means had. It’s not that I didn’t spend time exterior within the rain; I simply received moist. Or I’d carry an umbrella. I’ve imprecise childhood recollections of my dad throwing a plastic poncho over me when our canoe received caught in a day downpour, however waterproof clothes wasn’t a closet staple.
However now I used to be dwelling in a metropolis notorious for its precipitation. Plus, I received a job working on the REI Seattle Flagship retailer as a gross sales specialist. My new pals there, well-versed in important out of doors gear for the native situations, let me realize it was time: I used to be a Seattleite now, and I’d one way or the other additionally develop into an individual who went mountain climbing in my free time.
I wanted a rain jacket.
For those who’re studying this text, it’s protected to imagine you, too, are at a crossroads. Maybe you want a brand new rain jacket, whether or not it’s your first (welcome to the membership!), a alternative or an improve. I nonetheless work for REI—albeit now as a product copy editor at headquarters. The co-op has been designing and making its personal gear for many years from its headquarters close to Seattle. Who’s higher certified to make rain gear than a bunch of Pacific Northwesterners?! I even stay down the road from one of many co-op’s longtime product prototypers—you’ll be able to see a number of stitching machines by way of his front room window—so I’m particularly tickled by the thought of counting on gear that received its begin proper right here in Rain Metropolis, USA.
Nonetheless, it may be overwhelming to attempt to determine which product is your best option for you. Under, I take the guesswork out by evaluating the 4 REI Co-op rain jackets obtainable this spring. I share what I’ve realized from my very own purchasing journey and from REI designers and prototype testers.
Learn on for the total article or click on on the hyperlinks under to leap forward to a bit:
- Overview: A fast take a look at the Teris GTX, XeroCloud 3L, Rainier and Trailmade REI Co-op rain jackets
- The Particulars: Drilling down on the design particulars of every jacket, from waterproofing to breathability and extra
- Conclusion: Which jacket is best for you?
Overview of REI Co-op Rain Jackets
REI Co-op Teris GTX Rain Jacket ($249; Ladies’s and Males’s)
New for spring 2025, that is the co-op’s burliest rain jacket, which contains a 2-layer GORE-TEX waterproof/breathable membrane. A loose-hanging inside liner provides some heat in addition to some weight. It’s received all of the bells and whistles for technical efficiency on the paths, round city, and even on the slopes.
REI Co-op XeroCloud 3L Rain Jacket ($189; Ladies’s and Males’s)
Additionally new for spring 2025, that is the co-op’s top-tier technical, light-weight rain jacket for mountain climbing and backpacking. It’s the one jacket on this batch with 3-layer waterproofing: a HydroWall
3L laminatethat provides it distinctive waterproof efficiency and breathability. It additionally options stretchier material, elevated trim particulars and a complicated function set, which I’ll dive extra into quickly.
REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket ($99.95; Ladies’s and Males’s)
That is the co-op’s flagship rain jacket—beloved for years by REI Co-op Members and up to date in recent times with 100% recycled ripstop nylon shell material. It contains a 2.5-layer HydroWall waterproof/breathable laminate plus most of the identical technical options as premium rain shells—pit zips, ample adjustability, packability into its personal pocket—however at a bangin’ worth level.
REI Co-op Trailmade Rain Jacket ($69.95; Ladies’s and Males’s)
REI launched its Trailmade assortment in spring 2023, welcoming new hikers and backpackers with enjoyable, approachable gear that may be worn on the path or round city. This jacket is deliberately easy and streamlined to make it simple to get exterior and go. And like many merchandise within the Trailmade Assortment, its design was knowledgeable by an REI inclusion advisory panel of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, body-positive and adaptive communities.
The Particulars
Now, let’s get into the weeds to know what units these rain jackets other than one another. Learn on or click on on the hyperlinks under to leap to a bit.
- Material and Waterproofing
- Breathability
- Pockets
- Hood Design
- Cuff and Hem Changes
- Weight
- A Closing Notice on Match
Material and Waterproofing
Let’s begin with a rain jacket’s most essential job: protecting you dry!
All 4 jackets share some fundamental parts: waterproof material that’s been handled with a nonfluorinated sturdy water repellent (DWR) end, a water-proof/breathable laminate, and taped/sealed seams to forestall water seepage.
The Teris, XeroCloud and Rainier are totally seam-sealed. Meaning all seams are bolstered on the within to maximise the jacket’s waterproofness. The Trailmade is designed for reasonable, on a regular basis actions; solely its crucial seams (probably the most uncovered ones) are sealed—on this case, the hood, shoulders and tops of the sleeves. The jacket will preserve you dry on a drizzly hike or canine stroll however could also be extra inclined to water seepage on longer hikes in heavy rain. (Professional tip: In case your rain jacket ever begins wetting out on you, the DWR is straightforward to revive. Right here’s how.)
Past the seam taping, a lot of the variations between these 4 jackets comes within the development technique of the waterproof/breathable laminate. All 4 are thought of waterproof and breathable, however the variety of layers within the development technique results in variations in breathability, lining design and jacket weight.
The Teris GTX options GORE-TEX in a 2-layer development, whereas the XeroCloud, Rainier and Trailmade function a proprietary (unique to REI HydroWall laminate (3-layer on the XeroCloud; 2.5-layer on the Rainier; 2-layer on the Trailmade). What does all that imply, you may ask?
The two-layer development of the Teris and Trailmade combines an outer layer bonded to the waterproof/breathable laminate with a full, hanging inside liner. The liner material differs a bit in these jackets, however the impact is comparable: It provides them a cushty really feel on the within and provides extra heat for year-round put on with out important layering.
In contrast, the Rainier jacket’s 2.5-layer HydroWall waterproof/breathable laminate means it has a sturdy outer material, a water-proof barrier utilized inside that, after which a skinny protecting sheen—that’s the half layer—laid inside that to assist shield the laminate. This retains the jacket lighter than 2-layer jackets just like the Trailmade or Teris.
The XeroCloud is the one rain jacket among the many 4 with a 3-layer development, which is mostly thought of the best high quality and most breathable waterproof development. In it, the liner material is bonded to the membrane to guard it—a development technique that renders your complete jacket lighter and extra breathable.
As for texture and really feel, you virtually need to see and contact these jackets to understand the variations of their shell materials. Nonetheless, I’ll do my greatest right here:
The Rainier and Trailmade really feel and sound like basic rain jackets. They’re louder and extra textured—you’ll discover a crinkle sound.
The XeroCloud and Teris GTX are made with a softer, quieter material. They might simply be mistaken for a gentle shell however are certainly waterproof.
Breathability
The extra vitality you propose to exert whereas carrying your jacket, the extra essential breathability turns into. In any case, a water-proof jacket gained’t preserve you dry in the event you’re sweating profusely inside it. A method rain jackets get their breathability is with pit zips: underarm vents that may be unzipped to offer extra cooling airflow to your physique. These vents are particularly helpful on rainwear, since waterproof membranes make jackets inherently much less breathable than non-waterproof choices like gentle shells or fleeces.
Pit zips add breathability to the Teris GTX, XeroCloud 3L and Rainier, making them nice for reasonable bodily exercise like mountain climbing and backpacking. The Trailmade doesn’t have pit zips and is greatest for informal put on or mountain climbing in mild rain.
Unzip the hand pockets for much more breathability. A factor I didn’t know till I began working at REI: For those who’re not storing something in a jacket’s hand pockets, you’ll be able to go away them unzipped to spice up the jacket’s breathability everytime you’re working up a sweat.
The hand-pocket hack will work for each the XeroCloud 3L and Rainier, however not the Trailmade or the Teris GTX. Whereas the hand pockets on all 4 jackets are mesh-lined, the 2-layer development of the Trailmade and Teris GTX means their hand pockets have a stable layer between them and your physique, so unzipping the hand pockets doesn’t present the identical airflow as on the XeroCloud 3L and Rainier. (This isn’t actually a priority on the Teris GTX, because it already has generously sized pit zips for venting.)
Pockets
Thank goodness for pockets. Not solely do they let me preserve issues like my cellphone helpful on the path, however in addition they assist preserve my palms heat on chilly hikes if (when) I neglect my gloves.
All 4 jackets have zippered hand pockets. The upper-priced XeroCloud and Teris GTX have a further zippered chest pocket.
The Trailmade retains issues streamlined with simply the 2 hand pockets, whereas the Rainier additionally options two massive inside drop-in pockets: spacious sufficient on your cellphone, pockets or perhaps a spare hat or pair of gloves.
Hood Design
For those who suppose all jacket hoods are created equal, suppose once more. You’d be amazed how a lot analysis and improvement goes right into a rain jacket’s hood—and the way the assorted design particulars and adjustment mechanisms can have an effect on your carrying expertise. (One other professional tip, which applies to all rain jackets: Put on a ball cap or trucker hat beneath the hood to assist in giving it some construction, enhance your visibility and likewise preserve that sideways rain out of your eyes.)
The hood on the Teris presents probably the most adjustability of those 4 jackets. Twin entrance bungees (hidden for a modern look) cinch down the hood. A cinchable rear bungee permits for a good tighter match to reduce interference together with your peripheral imaginative and prescient.
The XeroCloud contains a cinchable rear bungee on the hood as nicely, however no separate entrance changes. One standout function it does have is a pleasant tall hood collar with some construction inbuilt for good neck protection in entrance, no matter whether or not you have got the hood pulled up or not.
Much like the Teris, the Rainier has twin hood-adjustment bungees within the entrance, hidden contained in the collar for a clear look. Within the again, it contains a easy vertical hook-and-loop strap that may be tightened to shift the hood’s built-in visor somewhat increased up in your brow.
The Trailmade contains a easy hood. You may cinch it down with twin bungee cords on both aspect of the chin.
Cuff and Hem Changes
All 4 jackets supply a bungee-cinchable backside hem to seal out chilly air and rain, however there are a number of variations within the stage of adjustability and the match they supply.
The Rainier and Trailmade have single hem bungees, whereas the Teris and XeroCloud supply one on either side. This enables for an much more personalized match across the hips.
The Teris and XeroCloud share one other premium function: barely longer sleeves with slanted cuffs. that present your wrists and palms with somewhat additional protection from the rain.
The cuffs on the Teris, XeroCloud and Rainier modify with a hook-and-loop strap. The cuffs on the Trailmade should not adjustable however they’re partly elasticized, which I discovered did a terrific job protecting the rain out and my sleeves in place, with out having to regulate any straps or toggles.
Weight and Packability
The Teris GTX is the heaviest of those 4 jackets, partly because of the weight of its hanging liner. It suggestions the scales at 20.5 ounces for the ladies’s and 24 ounces for the lads’s.
The Trailmade can also be barely heavier, due partially to its hanging liner, however nonetheless clocks in beneath a pound in most sizes. The ladies’s weighs 13.1 ounces and the lads’s weighs 15.5 ounces.
The Rainier and XeroCloud 3L jackets are the lightest of those 4 jackets. For those who depend ounces when selecting gear, look no additional than the Rainier (at 9.9 ounces for a ladies’s small, and 11.2 ounces for a males’s medium), and the XeroCloud 3L (11.3 ounces for the ladies’s; 13.4 ounces for the lads’s).
The XeroCloud 3L and the Rainier each have a delegated “packable” pocket. You may stuff your complete jacket into its personal left-hand pocket as a neat little storage pouch, with a double-sided zipper and bungee hold twine.
A Closing Notice on Match
All of those are sized to suit layers beneath as wanted.
You could find a dimension chart on the person product pages for every jacket. As a part of the co-op’s dedication to inclusive design practices, all 4 jackets can be found in a spread of sizes from Ladies’s XS to 3X to Males’s S to XXL Tall. My physique measurements put me on the higher finish of the ladies’s dimension small vary; I can nonetheless simply match a base layer and light-weight puffy jacket beneath a small in any of those jackets.
That mentioned, every jacket is reduce barely in a different way to swimsuit various match preferences.
The Teris GTX boasts probably the most beneficiant match of those 4 jackets. It has ample layering room by way of the torso, barely longer sleeves, a droptail hem (longer within the again than within the entrance) and an additional inch or two in total size in comparison with the opposite jackets.
Conclusion
The XeroCloud 3L matches closest to the physique of those 4 jackets, notably by way of the waist. This isn’t to say it runs small! It matches true to dimension however contains a extra contoured match with barely much less room for layering beneath. Just like the Teris GTX, it has a extra pronounced droptail hem than the opposite two jackets, and barely longer sleeves as nicely. I used to be in a position to match a base layer and light-weight puffy jacket beneath the XeroCloud however doing so made me look somewhat extra “stuffed” than with the opposite three rain jackets, so in the event you plan on repeatedly layering this over a thicker puffy, you may think about ordering one dimension up.
The Rainier has a normal match. In comparison with the XeroCloud, it presents barely extra room for additional layers beneath.
The Trailmade has a barely boxier match than the opposite three jackets. It has a beneficiant reduce by way of the chest and waist, plus a barely shorter size in each back and front.
Conclusion: Which REI Co-op rain jacket is best for you?
Select the Teris GTX rain jacket (ladies’s, males’s) if you worth sturdiness, a roomy match and high-end climate safety, and aren’t in search of an excellent light-weight jacket. It performs nicely in reasonable to heavy rain and is burly sufficient to be used as a light-weight snowboarding jacket or informal shell for on a regular basis put on.
Select the REI Co-op XeroCloud 3L rain jacket (ladies’s, males’s) in the event you’re a hiker and/or backpacker trying to improve your outerwear to one thing top-tier. Its stretchy, comfy material, wonderful breathability and elevated particulars are excellent for individuals who love transferring somewhat sooner or going somewhat farther on the path. The jacket can also be obtainable in an extended silhouette—for each ladies and males. And there’s a line of rain pants too.
Select the REI Co-op Rainier rain jacket (ladies’s, males’s and ladies’s lengthy line) in the event you’re on the lookout for a high-performing jack-of-all-trades. The Rainier hits the candy spot for a lot of of us: It’s a full-featured waterproof jacket that’s light-weight, breathable and totally seam-sealed to maintain rain out all day lengthy. Its worth level is difficult to beat for every part you get with this tried-and-true piece of rainwear.
The Rainier can also be the one considered one of these three jackets provided (with a much less technical function set) in children’ and toddler/toddlers’ sizes.
For the grownups, the ladies’s model can also be obtainable in an extended silhouette. For those who, like me, get pleasure from sitting on benches on wet days with out getting your butt moist, the has you (actually) coated. (Or in order for you full head-to-toe protection, think about the Rainier rain pants).
Select the REI Co-op Trailmade rain jacket (ladies’s and males’s) in the event you’re on the lookout for a terrific worth on a trendy, high-quality rain jacket you’ll be able to put on every single day and for exploring native trails. It is available in quite a lot of kinds—enjoyable patterns, vivid colorblocking or extra subdued colours—to fit your private style. It doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of extra technical mountain climbing jackets, however it would do a fantastic job protecting you dry in something however extended downpours. The Trailmade line additionally contains rain pants as an possibility.
Curious which one was proper for me?
My life appears so much completely different now than it did once I was a newly anointed and rain-jacketless Seattleite 16 years in the past. As a longtime REI worker, I’ve had the chance to develop my rain-jacket arsenal over time to assist my passions for mountain climbing, backpacking and path working.
My favourite trails nowadays are steep, lengthy ones; I’m a sucker for a terrific summit view. I are inclined to sweat so much, particularly once I’m carrying my 4-year-old on my again. So, the comfy material and distinctive breathability of the XeroCloud 3L actually gained me over.
Actually, I find it irresistible a lot that I even wore it for the second half of a 100-miler I ran on Orcas Island in February, throughout which it rained on us all evening lengthy. Whereas this jacket wasn’t essentially designed particularly for working, loads of ultrarunning is glorified velocity mountain climbing—and the truth that the XeroCloud saved me comfy for 12 hours of high-exertion motion in moist, windy climate is a testomony to its spectacular waterproofing and breathability.
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Editor’s word: This text was up to date to incorporate the brand new REI Co-op Teris GTX and XeroCloud Jackets.
The submit Which REI Co-op Rain Jacket Is Proper for You? appeared first on Unusual Path – An REI Co-op Publication.