We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. How we earn.
Best waterproof hiking jackets to buy right now
For UK hills, buy a jacket with a hydrostatic head of 10,000mm or more, taped seams and a hood that moves with your head. Breathability matters as much as waterproofing once you are climbing, so look for pit zips. A cheap jacket keeps rain out on a flat walk but wets through from the inside on a steep one.
-
Best for most people
1. Berghaus Deluge Pro
Fully adjustable · Hydroshell 2-layer · 2 zipped
A dependable shell from a British outdoor brand and the best seller of the hill-ready jackets here. The listing quotes Hydroshell 2-layer fabric for drizzle to downpours, a fully adjustable hood and hem, and two zipped pockets. It gives no hydrostatic head figure and no pit zips, and the women's version, the Deluge Pro 3.0, is sold separately.
-
Best budget
2. Regatta Pack It Jacket
Adjustable shockcord · Unlined · 2 lower
A cheap, unlined jacket that sells in huge numbers and lives in a rucksack until the rain arrives. The men's listing says only waterproof and breathable; the women's Pack It III listing is more specific, quoting a 10,000mm ISOLITE fabric. It is a good flat-walk and travel jacket, but a thin budget shell like this is the kind that wets through from the inside on a steep climb.
-
Best budget with taped seams
3. Mountain Warehouse Pakka
Fully taped · IsoDry · Packaway hood and stuff bag
Mountain Warehouse's packable rain jacket, with fully taped seams and IsoDry waterproof, breathable fabric according to the listing. It packs into its own stuff bag and the hood rolls away. Like the Regatta it gives no hydrostatic head figure, so keep it for low-level walks rather than a day on the tops.
-
Best packable
4. Columbia Watertight II
Machine washable · Omni-Tech · Packs into hand pocket
A light Columbia shell that the listing pitches at hiking and trail running all year round, and that packs into its own hand pocket. It quotes Omni-Tech waterproof, breathable fabric, an attached adjustable hood, two zip pockets and machine washing. The listing does not say whether the seams are taped and gives no waterproof rating.
-
Best Gore-Tex
5. Berghaus Cornice Interactive Gore-Tex
Hook and loop · Gore-Tex · 2 lower plus internal map pocket
A Gore-Tex shell for walkers who are on the hills most weekends. The listing quotes a fully adjustable roll-away hood with a brushed fleece collar, a zipped map pocket, and drawcords at waist and hem so it fits over layers. It is a premium choice and the listing names no pit zips.
-
Best for women
6. Montane Women's Torren
Petrichor 3-layer recycled nylon · 20,000mm hydrostatic head · RET under 6
The most technical jacket here and the only one whose listing gives the numbers that matter: a 20,000mm hydrostatic head and a RET under 6 for breathability. It uses a 3-layer recycled nylon ripstop and is cut for arm lift on scrambles. It is women's only, sells in small numbers and is the premium choice.
-
Best lightweight
7. Montane Norste Lite
Storm Guard placket · Pivot 2 adjustable · Pertex Shield 2.5-layer
A light men's shell from Montane in 2.5-layer Pertex Shield with a fluorocarbon-free water repellent. The listing quotes a Pivot 2 hood with separate face and crown adjustment, and fewer seams for better breathability. It gives no hydrostatic head figure, and a 2.5-layer fabric is lighter but less hard-wearing than a 3-layer one.
Nothing matches those filters. Try fewer filters, or search for a brand like "MSI" or "Crucial".
How we rank
Ordered by how well each sells in its Amazon UK category, what the listing confirms (fit, materials, sizes, features), and price. We have not handled these products: the write-ups rest on what each listing states. Prices and stock are checked daily.
Prices are Amazon UK and eBay UK at the time we last checked; they move daily, so confirm on the retailer's page. We earn a small commission if you buy through our links, at no cost to you. It never changes the order. More about how we work.