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October 31, 2012 11:58 PM   Subscribe

Can you recommend a ladies' raincoat that won't make me sweat?

To my horror, lately I've been coming home sweaty and – here's the real problem – stinky after walking my dog in Seattle, where it's been raining pretty much non-stop for a couple of weeks. The, ahem, smell is new to me and I can't tolerate it. The culprit is my raincoat – it's not an issue for my dog's evening walk when I carry an umbrella instead (I like to pick up a cup of coffee to drink on the way home and need one hand free in the mornings).

I have this supposedly breathable shell and an older, shapeless Columbia Sportswear raincoat, and both have the same problem. Neither is insulated or lined. I usually just wear a t-shirt or a capilene tank top underneath since it hasn't been particularly chilly. I don't know whether they are causing me to sweat excessively – although I do feel rather warm and clammy in them – or just won't let my sweat evaporate.

I get a lot of results when I search for breathable raincoats, but mine are supposed to be breathable and still won't cut it. Do you have one that you know for sure keeps you cool while moving? Bonus points if it's fitted, has a defined waist, and comes in reasonably stylish colors.
posted by halogen to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (18 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
I had a Helly Hansen all-weather shell that was awesome in the rain (bought in NYC, used the shit out of it wilderness hiking and living in NZ - where it rains once a day...)

So I would look into something by Helly Hansen that is made for actual weather (they made their name making sailing gear, not for fashion, don't know what their rep is now) and go from there.

As a sailor, I bought that HH shell for hiking... And never looked back because it was so god damn functional in all temperatures!
posted by jbenben at 12:16 AM on November 1, 2012


I live in Victoria, about 3 hours to the north, and it rains a lot in the winter. I think that sweating will be an issue, even if you buy moderately technical breathable jackets made by HH or Gore-Tex - it is pretty humid in the winter around here, so any sort of exertion is going to make you sweat, and it may get trapped between skin and jacket.

I would suggest more layering. Wear an undershirt to wick away the moisture, and another thin layer (if it's warm) that get the moisture well away from your body to be let out (hopefully) by the jacket fabric.

I've also noticed that different materials make me stinky. I have a really nice polyester golf shirt that becomes stinky within minutes, but cotton t-shirts never do that.
posted by KokuRyu at 1:21 AM on November 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I work outdoors, difficult manual labour in the Pacific Northwest. You have exactly one option for fully breathable rain gear, and it's expensive (but worth it): Arc'Tyrex.

(my experience with both Helly Hansen and Gore-Tex is they are good but not perfect - you will stay mostly dry but will either sweat or the rain soaks through - sadly I can't really tell the difference anymore!)
posted by mannequito at 2:47 AM on November 1, 2012 [2 favorites]


Several years ago I (a guy) spent a winter in Northern California without a car, biking everywhere. The jacket I wore (similar to this, same comany) and loved was a Gore-Tex knock off fabric, but also much looser fitting than the one you linked to, with a mesh lining that kept the shell away from the skin, and vents in strategic places like under the arms and under a flap across the back.
posted by jon1270 at 4:20 AM on November 1, 2012


Try Icebreaker. They're expensive and provide warmth as well, but I love their stuff and they make some longer women's coats that I (a man) find quite lovely.
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 4:51 AM on November 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I don't have a reccomendation for a specific jacket, but the materials made by the Swiss company Schoeller (specifically their "Soft Shell") is a goddamn miracle.

I made a cycling jacket out of a couple of yards of their Soft Shell Dryskin, and its a dream. It's the equivalent to fabric teflon, in the way that water beads off of it; but it's totally breathable, and I used it everyday to ride to work during winter in Portland. The outside feels kind of like neoprene, but thinner than a wetsuit, and the inside is ever so slightly fuzzy, like a really fine, thin felt. It stays warm, and I sweat like a bandit, and I typically stayed pretty dry.

I had enough scraps leftover to make the dog a jacket too, he loves it.
posted by furnace.heart at 5:37 AM on November 1, 2012 [3 favorites]


I've found that I can have waterproof, or I can have breathable, but not both. All GoreTex/HyVent/eVent/H2No is a compromise, and it just doesn't work for me.

Breathability is only part of the story, though. I have Dri-Fit shirts that are perfectly breathable (though not waterproof), but if I sweat, they stink.

I've found I'm much happier (and less stinky) over a range of conditions if I wear several wool layers instead of polyester/nylon.

A light sweater with a pendleton shirt over it is just about all the weatherproofing I need for walking the dog. The pea coat comes out if things get serious. If I'm watching a football game in the pouring rain, I'm going to opt for the PVC raingear, which is actually waterproof, and not at all breathable. The lack of breathability actually helps here, as it keeps me warmer than if I were wearing something porous. But for anything in which there's the slightest risk of sweating, I'm going to wear wool.

You'll get wet one way or another, either from rain or sweat. I'd rather be wet and comfortable than clammy and stinky.
posted by sportbucket at 7:35 AM on November 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


To answer your question more directly: try Icebreaker, as RandlePatrickMcMurphy mentioned. But also rethink raingear. A rain slicker isn't always the best choice.
posted by sportbucket at 7:44 AM on November 1, 2012 [1 favorite]


I've always felt this way when I've worn a raincoat or softshell without having long sleeves on. I might try wearing a thin wool layer in addition to the coat you have to see if warding off the clammy part of the equation keeps you happy.
posted by advicepig at 8:40 AM on November 1, 2012


This is as much about what you wear under the rain jacket as over. The membranes used by Gore and others aren't perfect. It takes time for sweat and vapour to go through them. With a thin or absorptive layer underneath, you will rapidly become sweaty and clammy. A cotton tshirt, for example, pretty much guarantees funk.

This is why outdoorsy people talk about layering. First, a thin layer against the skin to draw the sweat away from you: silk, rayon or those sporty dry quick materials. Then, a thicker layer that can hold the wet air until it can get through the membrane: wool, fleece, a sweater made of synthetics.

So, I'd try wearing a vest or a sweater over your shirt/blouse before putting the shell on. Even if you don't need the warmth, you may find this keeps you less funky. I'd also avoid cotton on wet days: it's a sponge and doesn't release water at all.
posted by bonehead at 8:56 AM on November 1, 2012


The best way I've found to keep dry is to dress properly. Wear far less/lighter clothing than you think you'll need for temperature. If when you first began walking, you're chilled and think that you definitely didn't dress warm enough...it's probably perfect. Once you get your body moving, you'll heat up quickly.

I also like to have jackets with pit zips and shirts with neck zips to further help regulate temperature, so I don't sweat. Wearing clothing that wicks plus a somewhat breathable jacket works for me!
posted by hannahelastic at 9:02 AM on November 1, 2012


I use this raincoat both in rainforests and Ohio. It's pretty lightweight in general, but it also has armpit zippers so you can get some airflow.
posted by ChuraChura at 9:04 AM on November 1, 2012


When we moved to the Seattle area we made the voyage to the Centralia Helly Hanson outlet. Awesome rain stuff, and stuff in general. My dear husband overheats, the jackets work for him :)
posted by ibakecake at 9:20 AM on November 1, 2012


I live here too, and I can relate. When I need my jacket to be waterproof (not just water resistant) and not too heavy, I wear a shell from L. L. Bean. I can't find the exact one on their website and I can't get their chat to look it up by the number on the tag (OCFA4 if you're curious) but I think it's an earlier model of their Mountain Laurel 3-in-1 Jacket. It's loose, so there's plenty of air circulating -- unlike many women's jackets, which are more fitted.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:39 AM on November 1, 2012


Have you tried wearing a wool sweater underneath your raincoat? Try this first before buying a new coat.
posted by oceanjesse at 11:49 AM on November 1, 2012


I have had problems with moisture wicking shirts giving me BO. I never have BO! They keep me dry like they are supposed to but magnify my BO through some strange magic. This does not happen when I just wear plain old cotton shirts that get soggy.
posted by dottiechang at 1:55 PM on November 1, 2012


Yeah hey I totally forgot about Icebreaker, which I've never personally tried, but a girl I worked with in the past swears by.
posted by mannequito at 6:12 PM on November 1, 2012


I'd try switching your next to skin layer from synthetic to wool before shelling out a bunch of money for a new shell (ha!). Like others have suggested, Icebreaker is awesome but also look at Smartwool and Ibex. If you still think you need a new shell, my wife and I picked up an REI jacket made from eVent for her father and he sings its not sweaty praises every time is rains.
posted by highway40 at 6:49 PM on November 1, 2012


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