A Guide To The Best Hiking Jackets For Men And Women

Trekking up the mountains will require a hiking jacket also referred to as a trekking jacket which is one of the basic hiking equipment necessities.   The best hiking jackets differentiates themselves from other ordinary and basic hiking jackets by offering the protection needed to help combat the conditions the mountains bring.

Strong wind and rain are weather conditions you’ll often find at different altitudes of a mountain, hiking jackets are usually waterproof and windproof in order to protect you from these conditions.  We explain in more detail these two features further down the page.

These hiking coats are not only used for hiking, because of their ability to be wind and rain resistant they also can be used for dog walking, jogging or any other outdoor activity where you’re susceptible to wind or rain.

How To Choose The Best Hiking Jackets

A coat or jacket designed for hiking we feel is one of the compulsory hiking items alongside hiking boots and hiking trousers.  Below is a list of factors to take into consideration in order to find your best hiking jacket.

Outer Shell/Material – The outside material of the jacket gives a good indication of whether it can adapt or offer protection to different weather elements. 

Most manufacturers are quite straightforward in defining what material the outer shell of the jacket is made from, but Berghaus uses terminology not everyone will be familiar with.  As Berghaus is quite dominant when it comes to the best hiking jackets, we’ll explain their preferred terminology below:

AQ2 – Fabric designed for hill use, due to its ability of being waterproof and allowing breathability.  Moisture vapour can easily escape through the fabric which allows you to keep cool.

Gore-Tex – A type of fabric which is truly waterproof and breathable. 

Gore-Tex Paclite – Combined with the above, the Paclite uses nylon face fabrics for maximum durability.  Tested against aggressive rain has earned the Gore-Tex Paclite Shell the achievement of meeting Gore’s extreme wet weather construction requirements. 

Adjustable velcro cuffs allow you to tighten it to retain heat or loosen it to release heat

Adjustable Hood – All of the hiking jackets will come with a hood, if it’s adjustable you’ll be able to tighten or loosen it accordingly.  This can be very useful in windy or rainy conditions as tightening the hood may keep the warmth in and prevent the wind or rain from getting through.

Number of Pockets/Pocket Closure – Pretty much all of the jackets will have at least two pockets which zip up which is very useful for storing any valuables or goods as you know they are unlikely to fall out.

Cuffs – If the jacket has adjustable cuffs then it’s capable of tightening the cuffs to trap in heat or loosening it to let heat escape if it gets to warm.  Elastic cuffs will be more tightly fitted around your wrist preventing heat from escaping. 

Gender – Our table will show men’s and women’s hiking jackets, there are some differences between the two so if you are a women you may find hiking jackets for women may fit you better than men’s hiking jackets.

Waterproof & Windproof Jackets Explained

When hiking up the mountains you’re bound to experience strong wind and rain, so having a waterproof and windproof jacket will help combat these conditions.  If a jacket is waterproof that doesn’t mean it’s also windproof but many manufacturers will make jackets with a combination of the two.

Below we’ll go into more depth on how these two features work:

Waterproof hiking jacket – There are different ratings as to how good the waterproofness of a jacket is.  This is measured in millimetres and conducted by using a hydrostatic head test. 

Jackets with different ratings will be designed for different uses, the higher the mm the more waterproof a jacket will be.  Most of the waterproof jackets shown in our table will be either 5,000 or 10,000 mm which makes it suitable for moderate or heavy rain respectively but if you’re unsure it’s best to check with the manufacturer.

Windproof hiking jacket – The fabrics are weaved together very tightly in order to be classed as windproof, this prevents wind from getting through.  Despite some of the jackets being thin, the fabric still keeps you well insulated.

Why A Lightweight Waterproof Jacket Is A Wise Choice

Rather than using any other type of jacket, wearing a lightweight rain jacket is an ideal choice, we won’t go into detail regarding the waterproof element as we’ve already covered this above.  We’re trying to put more emphasis on how we feel a lightweight jacket is more suitable for hiking over a heavy duty or any other type of jacket. 

Most of the lightweight waterproof jackets fold away taking up minimal space

Here are the following reasons why we feel a lightweight rain jacket is ideal for hiking:

• Prevents water from penetrating through.
• If it’s also windproof it’ll still keep you warm.
• As it’s not heavy duty you won’t get as hot and bothered as often.
• If you don’t want to wear it, you can easily fold it up and put it in your backpack.
• You can wear layers underneath as the jacket is quite thin.
• Very light and space saving.

How To Clean Waterproof Jackets

Before you clean or wash your waterproof jacket, you should read the manufacturers label first.  Below we’ve put together a list of do’s and don’ts when cleaning your waterproof jacket.

Do’s:

• Brush off any loose dirt or mud before washing.
• Do up any zips, velcro or close any flaps.
• Remove any detergent build up from the detergent compartment of your washing machine.
• Use non-biological soap such as Nikwax Tech Wash which Berghaus recommends on their products.
• Check the wash label to find out what settings to put your washing machine on.
• Allow the garment to dry naturally or use a tumble dryer on a low heat.
• If your jacket is absorbing water rather than repelling it then re-proofing it will improve the durable waterproof repellency (DWR) and aim to restore the jacket’s ability to repel water.

Don’ts:

• Use ordinary detergent or biological soap.
• Excessively wash it if it’s not necessary, as the more times you wash it the more it’ll affect the performance of the jacket.
• Iron it as the heat from the iron can damage the material and affect its performance.