9 best women’s waterproof jackets to beat every drizzle and downpour

Best: Overall

The perfect waterproof jacket, this smart number from Swedish outdoors brand Fjällräven is technical enough to take mountaineering or on a long bike ride, but smart enough to wear out if the weather turns bad. It’s extremely light at just 281g, and packs down small if you need it to. Long sleeves (with a velcro strap if you need to tighten them around your gloves) and zippable pockets make it great for cycling; the generous hood and waist drawstring make it an adaptable walking partner. It was the most breathable activewear jacket we tested – the two-way zip added even more ventilation.

Best: For elegance

Elegant, tailored and timeless, this long, trench-style jacket will change your mind about waterproof jackets forever. That’s also how long this heirloom coat will last you: the outer is a cotton-nylon blend, so it feels soft to touch and decidedly un-crinkly, but it’s crafted with a waterproofing treatment that withstood every downpour we tested it in. The lining is a lovely tartan, which, along with the cinch-able waist belt, smart buttons, deep pockets and Barbour monograms, makes putting on this practical coat feel like dressing up. It’s the first time we’ve received compliments for a rain jacket.

Best: For a sustainable option

This is a gorgeous and practical jacket with impeccable eco credentials. We fell in love with the copper orange model we tested; a bright colour that glowed with a burnished warmth rather than a hi-vis sheen. Made out of completely recycled fabric, its matte feel is a nice change from the usual crinkly plastic, and it doesn’t scream athleisure. But don’t be fooled – this is a seriously technical jacket. Its hydrostatic head, at 10,000mm, is better than most premium tents, and the taped seams along with the waterproof and recycled zip will stop water ingress in any weather. But for all that, it’s really breathable, however hard you work.

Best: Lightweight jacket

Wonderfully flattering and effortlessly technical, we love the brilliant, bright colours on this jacket – we tested a berry model, and it brightened up our coat stand. The cut is perfect for walking, but this jacket is also excellent for cycling, with a roomy hood that pops over a helmet, a big zip pocket on the back, and a long cut at the back that keeps you dry if you ride in a lower position. Fantastically breathable, we kept it zipped up throughout a test run with no problems.

Best: For climbers

The JWP is a premium-feeling jacket that ditches the usual plasticky inner for a mesh lining that won’t stick to your skin when you sweat. The soft, brushed outer is smart and un-shiny, which means it’s not just for hiking trips and mountain scrambles. Zipped pockets and a smart cut, meanwhile, make it an ideal pick for weekend breaks and holidays. It packs away into its own pocket, which makes it effortless to stuff in your bag on the way out the door.

Best: For stormy weather

This is the ultimate waterproof jacket for climbers, scramblers, trail runners and mountaineers. Phenomenally waterproof, it’s unique among all the jackets we tested – no sweat-soaking inner here, just the abrasion-proof membrane layer that’s soft and un-sticky on the inside. It’s undeniably expensive, but quality is everywhere here, from the mighty, waterproof zip to the incredibly neat hood-gathering system, bonded seams and waterproof zip pockets. It’s the lightest jacket we tested, and packs down into one of its own pockets. This jacket would work great in tropical climates, where you risk heavy rain and high heat simultaneously. Bear in mind, however, that it is a rustler.

Best: For hiking

This is the best jacket we found for beating the wind as well as the rain, and it’s a stylish one as well. The smooth, satin-feel outer has a lovely matte texture, and the inner was the softest and most comfortable that we tested. The pockets, which are map-sized, have a mesh lining that is also ventilating. It’s packed with the kind of thoughtful features you would expect from a brand with Montane’s reputation for quality: a tough storm flap and waterproof zip, hanging hooks on the inside and outside, and a wired peak in the front of the hood.

Best: For a slim fit

Our previous iteration of this jacket survived one of the worst downpours we’ve ever experienced, on the Isle of Skye climbing the Old Man of Storr, so we were delighted to find that the newest model is even better. It’s hard to believe the super-soft fabric will be as effective as it is, but Rab’s dedication to quality and style makes this one of the best waterproofs we’ve ever tested. It’s so breathable you can even go running in it. We love the smart velcro on the sleeve cinches, which is modelled so as not to catch on your woollen base layers. The hood gathering system was the best we tested, giving you a really customised, snug fit. We found it to be a little on the slim side, however, so size up if you’re going to wear multiple layers underneath.

Best: Insulated waterproof

It’s almost impossible to find a warm waterproof that you don’t need to layer-up, but Keela has come close with this Primaloft jacket. It’s not waterproof – Keela says water-resistant – but we put it through a thorough shower test, and the shell shed all the water we could throw at it without any seeping through to the lining or – from what we could tell – affecting on the loft. A generous filling of ethical and recycled Primaloft (water-resistant, artificial down) and super soft synthetic fleece panels and pockets make it instantly warm. It’s the perfect jacket for spring and autumn.