Best Rain Shells of 2019

Eddie Bauer’s BC Uplift Jacket is the lightest waterproof jacket they have ever made and that we reviewed. It has an impressive 20K/20K waterproof/breathable rating thanks to their proprietary WeatherEdge Pro fabric and StormRepel Super DWR which is their longest-lasting moisture-shedding finish. When not needed it packs down into its own chest pocket and waits out the sunshine for inclement weather. While it doesn’t have many of the features of more expensive rain shells it gets the job done and won’t break the bank. The Eddie Bauer BC Uplift Jacket is a true minimalist rain shell ideal for summer hikes when the rain is threatening and you don’t want to pack along a heavy jacket that will weigh you down.

Price: $259CAN / $199US
Weight: Men’s - 189g / 6.7oz (M); Women’s - 150g / 5.3oz
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL, XXL; Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Colours: Men’s - Pimento, Black; Women’s - Blue Smoke, Black
Warranty: Unconditional Guarantee
Available: Men’s and Women’s

Rab’s GTX Muztag Jacket is a full-featured, durable jacket that can protect you in the harshest environments. While technically designed for climbers the GTX Mutag will also work as rain shell for hikers and campers. The three-way adjustable helmet-compatible hood with its laminated wired peak and pack/harness friendly chest pockets means mountaineering, ski touring and climbing are all possible with the GTX Muztag. The body mapping design of the GTX Muztag places 30D Gore-Tex Active panels on the back, under the arms and around the neck (where you generate the most heat), while 40D Gore-Tex Pro makes up the rest of the jacket. This dual fabric use ensures optimal breathability while still maintaining full waterproof capabilities. All of this technology and these features come at a cost, both monetarily and weight wise as the GTX Muztag Jacket is both the most expensive and heaviest we tested. 

Price: $650CAN / $500US
Weight: Men’s - 470g / 16.6oz; Women’s - 440g / 15.5oz
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL, XXL; Women’s - XS,S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - celestial, Dark Sulphur, Firecracker; Women’s - Ruby, Blueprint 
Warranty: Limited lifetime
Available: Men’s and Women’s

Mont Bell has used Gore-Tex Active with ShakeDry technology for the Peak Dry Shell which is a revolutionary waterproof/breathable membrane. This fabric places the membrane on the outside of the jacket with no face fabric to protect it so a DWR finish is not required and you can be guaranteed that the fabric will not wet out and continually beed water. You do have to baby the fabric and protect it from oils and abrasions since the membrane is not protected on the outer face. Which also means that the Peak Dry Shell breaths like no other jacket.

The Peak Dry Shell is ideal as an emergency layer for light and fast mountain missions and trail running where a heavy pack is not required. Day-to-day use with a large pack can damage the exposed membrane so this is not the Peak Dry’s forte. Its lightweight and compact size meant it’s to be stored in your pack and pulled out for those situations where the weather turns on you. Cut from a single piece of fabric, Mont Bell’s innovative K-MONO CUT drastically reduces the number of seam lines required which means this eliminates places where water can penetrate, keeping the Peak Dry Shell waterproof and lightweight. 

Price: $329CAN / US
Weight: 185g / 6.5oz 
Sizes: M, L
Colours: Gunmetal
Warranty: Lifetime 
Available: Men’s

Westcomb is known for their Arcteryx-like refinement when it comes to design and also their dedication to quality and so it’s no surprise that their Helios Hoody is second to none in either of these categories. While Helios was a Greek Titan God of the Sun, the Westcomb hoody by the same name will protect you when the sun decides to give way to light rains and deluges alike. Using a 3 layer Pertex Shield fabric for its impressive waterproof/breathable qualities, the Helios Hoody also provides a great range of motion thanks to Pertex Shield’s built-in stretch. With a slim appealing cut, the Helios Hoody allows you to still move fast and stay comfortable. Packing down into the included stuff sack the Helios Hoody is incredibly small yet surprisingly durable. While not fully featured, the Helios Hoody has you covered when the weather doesn’t cooperate there is no reason not to take it along on all your hiking, biking and camping adventures since it weighs next to nothing.

Price: $359CAN/US
Weight: 160g / 5.6oz
Size: S, M, L, XL
Colours: Summit Blue, Black
Warranty: Practical lifetime of the product to the original owner.
Available: Men’s

The Outdoor Research Guardian Jacket is a full-featured rain shell that comes complete with all the features one could ever want. There is the fully adjustable hood, pit zips, zippered chest and harness compatible hand pockets (of which one doubles as a stuff sac), built-in key clip, elastic cuffs and drawcord hem. This all comes at a very fair price and is, of course, made up of waterproof/breathable fabric. Outdoor Research chose to use their proprietary Acentshell 3L fabric which is more breathable than most other waterproof fabrics and has some built-in stretch to maximize the Guardian Jacket's range of motion. With all these features, the Guardian is not the most packable jacket tested nor the one with the most curb appeal, but it does offer up a lot for very few greenbacks.

Price:  $260CAN / $199US
Weight: Men’s - 388g / 13.7oz (L); Women’s - 340g / 12oz
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL; Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Colours: Men’s - Black, Baltic, Storm, Tomato, Seaweed; Women’s - Washed Peacock, Storm, Black, Purple Haze
Warranty: Lifetime 
Available: Men’s and Women’s

Arcteryx used Gore-Tex’s new PacLite Plus waterproof/breathable fabric for their Zeta SL Jacket (SL standing for Superlight). This superlight material is extremely packable without giving up many features that you want on outdoor adventures when the weather turns. It’s a hiking and trekking shell that is there when you need it yet it won’t take up much space in your pack on sunny days. While not the most minimal or lightweight rain shell we reviewed it achieves an optimal balance between quality, durability, and weight. In classic Arcteryx form, the Zeta SL is on the higher end of price but also quality.

Price: $380CAN / $299US
Weight: Men’s - 310g / 10.9oz (M);
Women’s -  270g / 9.5oz (S)
Size: Men’s - XS- XXL; Women’s -  XS-XL
Colours: Men’s - Dark Frioza, Robotica, Trail Blaze, Yukon, Labyrinth, Black; Women’s - Awestruck, Lolite, Robotica, Electrolyte, Theanine, Black
Warranty: Limited for the practical lifespan of the product.
Available: Men’s and Women’s

Black Diamond’s new Stormline jacket is a full-featured rain shell that won’t break the bank. At only $199CAN / $149US, you get adjustable cuffs, hem; climbing-helmet-compatible hood, YKK reverse coil PU coated front zipper, pit zips for ventilation and it all packs down into the right-hand pocket for safe storage and there is even a built-in carabiner clip loop. The StormLine’s underarm gussets and the ultra-stretchy BD.dry 2.5L fabric enhance mobility while still being durable yet waterproof, breathable and windproof. While not as waterproof/breathable as some jackets tested the Stormline made up for this with its complete feature set, more than reasonable price, lifetime guarantee and contemporary colour options for both men and women. Given its lightweight and compact nature, the Stormline is ideal for camping, hiking adventures and just cruising around town on stormy days. If you crave quality but have a limited budget than Black Diamond Stormline Rain Shell may be the one for you.

Price: $199CAN / $149US
Weight: Men’s - 282g / 9.9oz; Women’s - 247g / 8.7oz
Sizes: Men’s - XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL; Women’s -  XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - Ash, Captain, Aloe, Black, Kingfisher, Dark Clay, Hyper Red, Dark Forest; Women’s - Aluminum, Captain, Black, Ocean, Paintbrush, Aegean, Spruce, Wild Rose, Sunflare
Warranty: Full Lifetime Guarantee 
Available: Men’s and Women’s

It’s hard to tell if The North Face’s Dryzzyl Jacket is meant for the urban life given its great looks and refined style—or if it’s for serious adventures since it’s one tough weatherproof rain shell. Turns out it’s both. With Gore-Tex Paclite fabric you are guaranteed to stay dry (literally) and when not needed the Dryzzl will pack down impressively well considering all the features it boasts. Pit-zips for extra ventilation, adjustable wrist cuffs & hood, a cinch-cord at the waist and secure zip-up pockets are but a few of the features packed into the Dryzzl Jacket. The Grey Heather version that I have been testing has to be the most versatile rain shell tested when it comes to aesthetics, you could easily wear this jacket to a business meeting on Bay St and then head to the hills for a mid-day hike. While not the lightest nor most packable option I reviewed it does provide a more economical version to the similar Zeta SL Jacket from Arcteryx.

Price: $259.99CAN / $199.99US
Weight: Men’s - 366g / 12.91oz; Women’s - 317g / 11.2oz
Sizes: Men’s - XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL; Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL
Colours: Men’s - TNF Black, Medium Grey Heather, Urban Navy; Women’s - TNF Black, Medium Grey Heather
Warranty: Lifetime Guarantee
Available: Men’s and Women’s

Lightweight, storm resistance and full of features—pretty much sums up the Mont Bell Storm Cruiser Jacket. Using Gore-Tex with a C-knit backer, you can be assured the Storm Cruiser will keep you dry, breath well and most importantly not be clammy against bare skin. When you crank up the cardio and heat begins to build the Storm Cruiser’s pit zips come in very handy and if the sun happens to shine then it will pack down into the super small stuff sack that Mont Bell thoughtfully included. Unlike other lightweight rain shells, Mont Bell’s Storm Cruiser can take the abuse of epic adventures and constant use and is still light enough to toss in your day pack for every quick hike. It’s really hard to find anything bad to say about the Storm Cruiser but if I had to be really picky then the other thing I could gripe about is the crinkly texture to the jacket’s fabric—but again, this is being super picky. 

Price: $299CAN / US
Weight: Men’s - 284g/10oz;
Women’s - 255g/9oz
Sizes: Men’s - S, M, L, XL, XXL;
Women’s -  XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Colours: Men’s - Primary Blue, Black, Olive Green, Mustard, Red; Women’s - Orange Red, Turquoise, Shale
Warranty: Lifetime 
Available: Men’s and Women’s