If you’ve ever been caught out in the rain without a waterproof jacket, you know the feeling of being soaking wet for the rest of the day. Nobody enjoys that feeling, and nobody enjoys being unprepared. Keeping a waterproof jacket in the truck for the unforgiving rain will give you a great sense of relief when the clouds roll in.

While looking for a jacket, I’m sure you’ve seen “Waterproof”, “Water-Resistant”, and maybe even “Water Repellent”. With all the different types of waterproofing and different systems between brands, how do you know which one is going to keep you dry?

We break down all the mumbo jumbo and try to make everything as simple as possible, along with a few suggestions

Waterproof vs Water-Resistant

There are many different materials that jackets are made out of, some are waterproof and some are water resistant. 

So here’s the difference, waterproof means that water cannot penetrate the material. A great example of a waterproof material is PVC (polyvinyl chloride). 

While a water-resistant product helps keep water out, it can only keep out so much water. Typically a water-resistant material is woven tightly, and treated with some type of waterproofing spray. Some water-resistant materials may be nylon or polyester.

Here’s the trade-off, typically, waterproof materials aren’t great at allowing the air to pass through. Meaning it can become hot when wearing these jackets and working. Although, water-resistant jackets are great at breathing, so they keep you dry and keep you from sweating.

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Different Waterproof Materials

Polyethylene

This material is made explicitly to keep you dry. Whether you’re in a heavy downpour, or standing in waist-high water, you will not get wet. In order to keep the jacket waterproof, companies will heat seal the seams together to ensure that there is no way for water to get in.

Gore-Tex

The Gore-Tex membrane is a man-made material that has billions of pores in one square inch (yes, you read that correctly) and each pore is about 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet, making it absolutely impossible for water to penetrate. Another great feature of Gore-Tex is that it breathes pretty well for being waterproof.

Rubber

Rubber is a waterproof material, not typically found in jackets, but is very popular for boots. 

Different Water Repellent Materials

Nylon

When nylon is woven tightly, it is water-resistant and a great material for water-resistant garments. Most garments that are nylon, are also treated with DWR (Durable Water Repellent) to help create a highly water-resistant jacket.

Polyester

Polyester is similar to nylon in that it can be water-resistant when tightly woven together. Similar to nylon, it also is breathable and allows air flow to pass through, keeping you cooler. A polyester garment will also need to be treated with a water-repellent in addition to being tightly woven.