The best way to deal with rainy weather while on your vacation is to be prepared for it. Even if you’d prefer that it not rain, having a great waterproof jacket packed away in your suitcase will ensure that if Mother Nature goes against your wishes, you’ll be just fine.
The ExOfficio Women’s Rain Logic Jacket is exactly that kind of jacket.
The shell is constructed from 2.5 layers, consisting of a low-weight face fabric to block water, a polyurethane laminate to block wind, and a protective inner layer (here’s that half layer) that provides abrasion resistance. The jacket weighs 13.5 ounces and folds up fairly small, so it won’t take up too much room in your bag. You can even just roll it right into the hood.
You often hear that a certain jacket is “waterproof,” but quickly realize that it’s not, because perhaps it’s only been treated with Durable Water Repellent (DWR) yet still has regular (non-waterproof) zippers and it’s not seam sealed. The Rain Logic Jacket is fully seam sealed, has a waterproof front zipper and two front-welded pockets with waterproof zippers, and is treated with DWR for additional water resistance.
The jacket’s fabric is breathable, so you’re not zipped into a sweaty hothouse. But if you tend to run hotter than the average person, there are two-way pit zips for ventilation.
Inside the jacket is a four-pocket travel system. Each pocket is sized for different items and labeled: Connect (electronics), Getaway (passport/ID), Secure (keys), and Protect (sunglasses/glasses). All but the Protect pocket have zippers. This way, you can use the interior pockets for your stuff and still have the two outer pockets for more stuff, or your hands if it’s not raining.
When it’s time to wash the Storm Logic Jacket, machine wash it in cold and tumble dry low. If you’re an ironing freak, go ahead, but use the low or delicate setting.
The ExOfficio Women’s Rain Logic Jacket comes in black and marina (blue) and lists for $107.99 on the ExOfficio site. It’s also available at Amazon.