A sudden downpour can ruin a day of sightseeing faster than almost anything else — and a heavy raincoat isn't much use if it never leaves your hotel. The answer, according to a new gear roundup from Condé Nast Traveller UK, is a lightweight waterproof that folds down small enough to live in your day bag, ready for whatever the forecast does.
The editors tested their way through the crowded packable rainwear market and pulled out winners across categories, with recognisable outdoor names like Patagonia, Columbia, Arc'teryx and Lululemon sitting alongside fashion-forward labels. The Columbia Arcadia II took best packable, the Arc'teryx Beta LT won for hiking, the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L was named top men's option, and the budget pick is a Champion Stadium packable jacket. For hot-weather trips there's the FP Movement Singin' In The Rain jacket, and Damson Madder's Athena raincoat was crowned best everyday choice.
Beyond the headline picks, the full list covers a range of trip types. Barbour's Kinsale shower cape brings the brand's heritage tartan look to drizzly countryside weekends, with a roomy hood and deep pockets, though the cape cut struggles in driving wind. Damson Madder's Liu raincoat — a viral hit in London last winter — is strictly showerproof rather than waterproof, but its oversized recycled-polyester build layers well over knitwear for autumn city breaks. Hunter's knee-length packable poncho folds into its own pouch and is pitched squarely at festivals and light summer showers.
A few entries stand out for specific travellers. The Mountain Warehouse Thunderstorm II is a 3-in-1 with a detachable fleece, making it as useful on a winter hike or ski tour as on a damp dog walk. Rapanui's raincoat is the sustainability pick, made from organic cotton with a PFC-free coating in a renewable-energy-powered factory. Sweaty Betty's ripstop jacket handles warm-weather 'mizzle' without overheating. And if style is the priority, the Bandhagen patch raincoat pairs a Sixties-inspired A-line silhouette with serious credentials: a 20,000mm water column rating, double-welded seams and a 530g PVC-based build — though the hoodless design and bell sleeves make it a city coat, not a mountain one.
The practical lesson from the roundup is to check what you're actually buying. 'Waterproof' and 'showerproof' are not the same thing, and the difference matters on a multi-hour hike far more than on a city lunch break. The editors also flag useful details to look for: taped seams, pit zips for breathability, zipped rather than open pockets, adjustable hoods, and reflective touches for safety. Weigh those against how you travel — a festivalgoer needs packability, a hiker needs a storm shell, and a city-breaker can happily prioritise looking good over technical specs.
Who is this for? Anyone who has ever cancelled a walk, a boat trip or an afternoon of exploring because the sky opened. One jacket that weighs almost nothing and stows in a sling bag is a cheap insurance policy for almost any trip.
Story first reported by Condé Nast Traveller UK.
