Rain or shine: The best waterproof jackets for men
Stay sheltered from surprise showers with these lightweight waterproof jackets you can carry anywhere
All products are chosen independently by our editors. Luxury London may earn commission on items purchased.
Rain mac, anorak, parka… Call it what you will, a waterproof jacket is an essential bit of kit to have in your wardrobe – especially with the unpredictable UK weather. And whether you want to make a style statement on this year’s festival circuit, look sharp on your next camping trip, or just make it to the office without getting your suit soaked, there’s a waterproof jacket for you.
Of course, your choice should be based on what you will wear the most often, and what will go with your existing wardrobe, but there are a few things to consider when buying a waterproof jacket. Firstly (and this may seem obvious, but it can be surprisingly hard to tell), check that your coat of choice is actually waterproof. This means looking out for rubber rain macs and shells with water-resistant properties – Gore-Tex is usually a safe bet here – or you’ll end up damp and dissatisfied once the heavens open.
Secondly (and this is more important if you’re planning to wear yours year-round), opt for a breathable shell which can be worn over warm base layers in winter, rather than a padded down jacket that will leave you sweltering once temperatures rise. Those with vents and detachable or hidden hoods work especially well for year-round use as they offer the option to increase airflow and stay cool while keeping you sheltered from the elements.
Luckily, there’s never a shortage of practical waterproof jackets ready for Brits to buy, and with a growing penchant for functional outdoor wear, in street style consciousness, they’ve never been more stylish. So, where to start? Read on for our pick of the best waterproof jackets for men to buy now and wear all year round.
Private White V.C. Ventile Mac 3.0
The story goes something like this: during WWII, Winston Churchill ordered the British Cotton Industry Research Association, headquartered in Manchester, to devise a material that would keep airmen dry should they get shot down over the sea. The result was Ventile, a densely-woven cotton fabric that swells on contact with water to make it 100 per cent waterproof. Named after a soldier who was awarded the Victoria Cross during World War I, Private White V.C. has been manufacturing wet-weather gear for more than a century – and makes its own Ventile coats a short distance from where the material was invented.
Mackintosh Soho ripstop-texture raincoat
Like Hoover or Biro or Blu-Tack or Jacuzzi or Tupperware or, in a way, Google, Mackintosh is a genericisation – a trademarked name that’s become so popular it’s widely perceived as a common noun for a broader product type. Invented by Scotsman Charles Macintosh in 1824, so successful was the rubberised raincoat, that ‘Mackintosh’, or ‘mac’, has become a catch-all term for a waterproof coat. Who better to turn to, then, than the OG of rain-beating outwear?
Rains Long Jacket
The company launched with a poncho and soon became one of Scandinavia’s biggest fashion exports. The brand is a regular on the Paris Fashion Week schedule, with big-name admirers including footballer Virgil van Dijk and popstar Justin Bieber. Not bad for an outfitter formed by three Danish friends, two of whom were still at university. Rains’ Long Jacket has become its halo piece, ubiquitous in urban environments thanks to its contemporary styling and accessible price point.
THE ROW Django Shell Trench Coat
The Row, the contemporary, feted American fashion label, spent two years researching and wear-testing before launching its much-anticipated inaugural menswear collection in 2018. This trench coat – typically minimalist for the famously pared-back label – is loosely fitting, yet provides a streamlined silhouette thanks, largely, to its dropped-shoulder seam. The waterproof coat is padded for warmth, yet lightweight enough to carry around town once the rain abates.
DRIES VAN NOTEN Padded Shell Coat
Designed for a slightly loose-fitting style, Dries Van Noten’s lightly-padded, 100 per cent polyester shell coat features buffalo horn buttons and creates a timeless silhouette. Tough enough for biblical showers, yet lightweight enough to layer with jumpers and hoodies, we’re big fans of this gunmetal grey variant.
BARACUTA G9 Harrington jacket
Sounds Italian, right? Yes, but no. Baracuta is actually a British brand famous for inventing the G9 Harrington jacket, beloved by everyone from Steve McQueen and James Dean to Brad Pitt and Elvis Presley. The company has been around since 1937, and the silhouette of this lightweight, water-resistant jacket has barely changed since.
BURBERRY Reversible Vintage Check Jacket
Burberry never goes out of fashion, and while the popularity of its archive beige check has ebbed and flowed the tartan print is very much in right now. This reversible, 100 per cent polyester number gives you the option of switching between an all-black outer-shell or full-on Burberry check. Face the rain as you see fit.
LORO PIANA Traveller Windmate Jacket
Twill fabrics feature a diagonal channel, like you see on corduroy. They are hardwearing, versatile and good at hiding stains – making them the go-to fabric for work-wear. It took Loro Piana 20 years to develop its trademarked Storm System, a treatment that’s applied to a special wool-twill to make the material completely waterproof, yet still soft and warm. If Loro Piana did rain jackets, essentially.
