When it comes to waterproof jackets, there’s a multitude of decisions to make. Something to fend off the elements while walking the dogs or hiking is an entirely different beast from something that will keep you dry during your morning commute into the office.
As well as factoring in style and colour, warmth is also worth considering. Are you likely to be wearing the waterproof during winter months for long periods of time or is it a spring and summer transitional jacket you’ll be wearing to the pub in the evening in case it rains during the walk home?
While running waterproof jackets are all about the lightweight and taped seams, there’s length, cuff, hood style, fastening type and colour to think about when looking for an everyday waterproof jacket or one for outdoor adventures.
Fortunately, we’ve done the hard work for you and selected the best waterproof jackets on the market, to help make your search quicker and easier.
How we tested the best women’s waterproof jackets
A few of the jackets we put to the test
(Clare O’Reilly)
All jackets were worn over three test periods: on a short walk in lighter drizzle, on a longer walk in heavier rain, and in a commuting scenario where time was spent on public transport, with the jackets worn on either side of the journey. The jackets were tested for comfort, style, ease of fastening, design and how well they coped with rain run-off.
The best women’s waterproof jackets for 2024 are:
- Best women’s waterproof jacket overall – Mountain Warehouse Rainforest II Extreme women’s waterproof jacket: £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget women’s waterproof jacket – Mountain Warehouse Swerve women’s packaway waterproof jacket: £42.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best plus-size women’s waterproof jacket – Adidas Marimekko Traveer raindry waterproof jacket: £24, Sportsdirect.com
- Best women’s waterproof jacket for dog walks – Adidas Terrex Skyclimb gore soft shell jacket: £44, Sportsdirect.com
- Best women’s waterproof jacket for the commute – Barbour Hebrides waterproof jacket: £219, Barbour.com
- Best women’s waterproof jacket for hiking – Columbia Wyldwood waterproof jacket: £250, Columbiasportswear.co.uk