It’s tempting to buy a high quality rain jacket for the adults in the family then skimp out on the kids…hey, they grow fast! But a quality rain jacket can mean the difference between happy traveling kids and whiny, miserable ones. And when you’re on a family trip, the latter is always preferable. Everyone in our family owns a high quality rain jacket or shell for precisely this reason. Our ten-year-old wears a Little Crossover Rain Jacket by Showers Pass.
Like mom’s and dad’s, the Crossover is made from an ArtexTM Hardshell 2.5 layer waterproof fabric that’s still breathable (no sweaty kids). It has a bike-friendly dropped tail, and two hand-warmer pockets. Perfect for kids, the Crossover also features adjustable velcro cuffs for a snug fit at the wrists, elastic on the sides to help the hood stay in place, and an adjustable drawcord. In other words, the entire jacket is highly adjustable, allowing for a customized fit that will (within a size perimeter) grow with your child.
My ten-year-old appreciates the relaxed fit; the Crossover doesn’t pull or tug, and he can move and run in it. I love the reflective piping generously added to the jacket; it glows nicely in twilight. He’s worn it as a top layer over a fleece and t-shirt this fall and found it perfectly roomy, and has worn it solo with a t-shirt in drizzly weather in warmer months. The Crossover packs down small, so it’s his go-to outer layer for fall and winter trips where we expect rain and wind but no snow. It also came on some late summer backpacking trips as a quick rain layer in case of thunderstorms.
The Crossover comes in three colors that are all unisex…a nice touch. Get it in a bright powder blue, rust (an orange-y color) and chili pepper red. It’s available in sizes XS-L, fitting kids age 4-10, approximately. Our slightly-small 10-year-year-old fits nicely in a size L, so if you have a 10-year-old who normally wears a 10-12 size or up, you may need to order an adult small. There’s a girl-specific model, which is essentially the same product with an additional pink color.
At $69, it’s a good value and a solid product that will last through more than one kid. Need a Showers Pass jacket for adults? Amazon has the men’s and women’s version.