These thinner, lightweight waterproofs are great for warmer days and packing down into bags…
Craghoppers Women’s Sariah Waterproof Jacket (£95, craghoppers.com)
What the brand says: Designed for the everyday trail, this versatile jacket provides effective waterproof protection in an agile design that incorporates half-a-dozen pockets for trail essentials, including maps and mobile. It has an AquaDry Membrane stretch construction with grown-on hood and EcoShield PFC-free DWR for all-weather performance, all year round. Available in a range of colours including Sedona (shown here).
What Katy says: ‘This coat is lightweight and thin. I like that the hood offers two sets of adjustments: one around the neckline and the other at chin height so you can pull the sides in nice and tight during wet, windy weather. The peak is also good for keeping off the rain. All adjustments are at the front, too, so you can see what you’re doing.
‘I could only find three pockets though, not the half dozen mentioned in the official blurb (so half a half-dozen!) with two on the outside and one large, zipped mesh pocket inside, which you’d not be able to access in super-wet weather as the coat would need undoing.
‘Size-wise the 10 fitted well with a thick woolly jumper underneath. I would have preferred it longer in the body (as with the others on trial, see intro). I love the orange colourway, and all-in-all it’s a durable, lightweight coat for short walks.’
Fit Functionality Style
ACAI The Waterproof Multiway Jacket (£129, acaioutdoorwear.com)
What the brand says: This stylish, versatile coat is fully waterproof, featuring taped seams, waterproof fabric, covered hems, a storm flap and a chin guard, to ensure not a single drop will get through. There’s also a removable hood, double pockets on both sides and draw cords for a snug fit, while the tailoring gives freedom of movement to arms and shoulders, making it ideal for active rainy days. The lightweight coat can also be neatly packed away inside its own hood.
What Katy says: ‘Fit wise, this comes up large over the hips. The 10 is fine across my chest – although does pull in that area when I put my hands in the pockets – but the hips are more a 14-16.
‘The cuffs can be pulled in with poppers, which look nicer than Velcro although are trickier to do one-handed when out and it starts to rain. The shirt-style collar looks smart when worn with the hood down. Hood up, the collar stands up to protect your neck and there’s a button-down flap to keep it in place to keep out rain. And while you can pull the drawstrings tight to close the gap around your face, doing so also pulls the hood too far down over your eyes and the lack of a peak makes it difficult to see out.
‘I like the double pockets with a zip on one layer, poppers on the
