Sensory friendly rain jacket/ coat

[MochaShots]

Hi, my son has sensory issues and I'm yet to find a rain jacket or winter coat that doesn't make 'that scratchy sound'

He is a young teen, and needs a relatively plain navy or black jacket/coat.

Any ideas? I'm lost!

Thank you.

[IkaBaar]

Would some of the Didriksons ones work? My dd is much younger, but her Waterman one is not scratchy at all. It’s so difficult to tell just looking online!

[MochaShots]

So that's the Asda George jacket off the list of possibilities. Had high hopes, but still too scratchy for him 😫

Somebody has suggested a hunter jacket. I've ordered that now. How can I be so stressed over a bloody kids coat! :-D

[EamesBird]

OP I can relate and struggle with being squashed or itched by clothes or rustled at.

comfy quiet raincoat

I buy random cheap clothes stuff from Amazon and got this coat in yellow with fluffy insides a year ago for about £4. It is shipped from china so takes a while to arrive and is always worth buying a much bigger size than required. It comes in loads of colours, is square cut rather than shaped on so would work for either sex and has become my favourite gardening coat. Mine is square across the back not split and tied at the bum like some of the available options. Quiet even with the hood up, cosy but big enough for extra layers, massive pockets and easily washed/tumble dried for next day use. It is shower proof rather than full waterproof but the layer of fluffy inside keeps you dry.

My favourite bit is the sleeves which are slightly long so I fold up a bit to keep the sleeves in place (looks like a design feature) or fold down round my hands to keep them cosy (comfort habit). Normal sleeves on coats give me cold wrists and need gloves.

My future proof tip for managing tactile sensory issues with outdoor clothes is buy BIG so you can always add a well loved comfy layer between skin and clothing and get a scarf of any much loved fabric to help create a comfort boundary. I recently ruined a cashmere/silk mix pashmina type scarf that was expensive initially but I loved the feel of it and had it for nearly twenty years and used it most of the year to ease seat belt contact/coats/seats/cover my ears/wrap my hands in etc etc etc.

[AntlerRose]

For the cold my son finds base layers better than coats and then the normal hoodie over the top.

Rain is a bit trickier. He will wear waterproof hats.

[TopFlatTroubles]

Decathlon do hunting clothes that are supposed to be a silent fabric so they don't make that crunching noise. They're probably all camo colours though.

[Chouetted]

Maybe you should try it on a hoody that isn't his favourite first, just in case it ruins it?

[RedeeeOrNot]

Another 👍 for @Pashazade great idea.

[Pashazade]

You obvs caught me on a good day, hope it works!

[toodizzyizzy]

@Pashazade That's the best advice that I've had in a long time, thanks 👍

[Pashazade]

@toodizzyizzy would he notice if you washed his favourite hoody in waterproofing stuff. You can buy it from Mountain Warehouse etc and usually bung it in with coats to improve the waterproofing, might help a bit....or sneaky thermal T-shirts.....

[Chouetted]

@toodizzyizzy

Following, I cannot get my 14 year son with ADHD to try any kind of coat. I've bought all the suggestions on here over the years. My ASD older daughter has told me to give up and it's cruel to try and force him! He's planning to get through the winter by just wearing a hoody🙄

To be honest, at 14, unless he actually comes down with hypothermia, I don't think you can do much. Some teenagers just don't feel the cold. I didn't at his age.

[toodizzyizzy]

Following, I cannot get my 14 year son with ADHD to try any kind of coat. I've bought all the suggestions on here over the years. My ASD older daughter has told me to give up and it's cruel to try and force him! He's planning to get through the winter by just wearing a hoody🙄

[HorseInTheHouse]

Maybe the rubbery kind of raincoat? They don't make the crackly scrunchy noise but they might bother him in other ways. They are very waterproofand windproof and warm with a fleece under, but the downside is they are not at all breathable.

www.didriksons.com/en/youth/jackets/raincoats/avon-youth-unisex-s-jacket-504221-999

[holidaynightmare]

@MochaShots

My friends son has autism she buys joules "right as rain ones" as they are more a coated texture than crackly - a bit more money but there is lots of Joules things on eBay

[BuenoSucia]

In our case even when we find a coat he can tolerate the outside of - these manufacturers seem to insist on lining them with awful scratchy nylon. My solution is to find a coat he can tolerate the outside of , cut out the lining and line it myself with jersey.

[EmeraldShamrock1]

Next have really nice rain jackets that don't scrunch.

Go for a bigger size.

[Sprig1]

@ducktape

A softshell jacket is what you need I think, my daughter is the same (she wears a padded hiking jacket from decathlon as she also can't bear the feel of a proper waterproof). I have a trespass softshell.
You do sacrifice some waterproofing for the non-rustle, it's OK for a shower but won't withstand a downpour

Yes, soft shell is good as it isn't scratchy but really poor from a water proofing point of view. A wool coat is actually a good call, if you can find one he likes.

[Sprig1]

You need flexothane, it is rubbery, not scratchy. Available in farmy type shops. Do you have Mole Valley near you? Or another country store? Fishing shops might do similar.

[ducktape]

A softshell jacket is what you need I think, my daughter is the same (she wears a padded hiking jacket from decathlon as she also can't bear the feel of a proper waterproof). I have a trespass softshell.
You do sacrifice some waterproofing for the non-rustle, it's OK for a shower but won't withstand a downpour

[MochaShots]

Thank you so much for all your help. I think the Asda jacket or a soft shell type is the most likely winner. I'm about to do a big order so he can try a few on, and I'll send back the rest.

The power of mumsnet:-) was so stressed looking online yesterday. Really helps to hear from people who have been through the same with their children. Now he walks to school by himself, a jacket is non negotiable!

[RedeeeOrNot]

material feel and noise is so subjective. We tend to go for scuba material or thin not padded waterproof outer in 3 sizes up with favourite long term trusted hoodie underneath for warmth. Maybe a thin outer layer will widen your search if you ignore warmth and get that from under layers. Maybe not. Scuba material is sculpted and kind of sits away from the body. Water runs off scuba easier.

or just the hoodie and get soaked through is preferable to padding and noise in our house (not helpful).

Good luck and if you find it let us know.

[Peachyscream]

OP, my ds is 12 and has autism. Every. Single. Year. I have the same problem! He doesn't like anything puffy, padded and it mustn't make a sound either. I have tried sooo many coats and jackets.
Bought this on a whim last year and finally have a coat he doesn't moan about!

direct.asda.com/george/kids/coats-jackets/black-hooded-zip-up-sports-jacket/GEM926249,default,pd.html?cgid=D25M1G1C4&placement_id=item_page.pdp2&strategy=sim_txt&config_id=item_page.pdp2&parent_item_id=GEM926237&product_id=GEM926249&slotClicked=2&shareProduct=true

[BrownStripePJ]

These guys have a "soft" shell which doesn't make a noise.

Also their fleeces are waterproof to 3,000mm which is more than a lot of actual waterproof coats,

Free returns

hope that helps

www.polarnopyret.co.uk/collections/all-jackets-coats

[Thelnebriati]

I have a quilted jacket and I use waterproofing spray on it, its very effective. I buy 6 cans in a pack on ebay for about £10-£12.

[user1496262496]

Paramo waterprooofs work differently to goretex type fabric. They are soft and don’t make a noise.