A waterproof jacket to go walking

[BadMoodBoard]

Hello. I have decided to join the local nordic walking group. It's chilly and wet now so I will need to buy an appropriate jacket so I can't use the rain as an excuse. I don't want anything too expensive though, I doubt I'll use it for anything else. Any recommendations? Cheers!

Generally, you get what you pay for. If you genuinely want to be out in all weathers, a decent coat will make a huge difference to your experience. I'm not suggesting a £300 all singing all dancing coat, but don't be tempted by a £20 Mountain Warehouse one either!

Cotswold Outdoors are generally good, and you can get get decent stuff in the sales. I have a three in one Berghaus jacket from there, which is good as I can wear it in most weathers and seasons. It was about £90 in the sale.

Country Walking and Trail magazines do gear reviews at various price points. Might be worth a look.

Paramo gear is wonderful, but not cheap. I recommend their Taiga, it's lasted me 15 years so far and not a single issue. www.paramo.co.uk

Mountain warehouse have some good ones, just not branded. Good place to start if you aren’t sure you’ll like it. Make sure it’s breathable.

I've got a good one from Trespass. There is forever a sale on in our local one, got one that was apparently reduced from £80 to £30. Ok not the nicest colour, but it's fairly light weight, don't get sticky sweaty in it, waterproof and folds up nice and small

Decathlon and Alpkit both do a good compromise between price and spec.

Thank you everyone, I am looking into all your suggestions. I have come across a couple of bargains in Amazon, the brand is Dare2Be. Any good?

Sorry it might help if I add the link:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B079RK4XS7/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21

Check the waterproof rating before you buy (& if it isn't rated it won't be any good). I'd be looking for something in the 5000mm to 10,000mm range.
I also personally prefer a hood than a hat if it rains, one that can be tightened up around your face. I also take a cap along and wear that under the hood as it helps keep the rain of my face (& glasses)

I got a nice one from trespass, like @thismeansnothing said they are usually well reduced I think mine was about £35 in the sale. It's a nice and fitted so doesn't look too frumpy.

@SimplySteve I've got a paramo jacket that was a present from DH-to-be in 1994!! I can still just about to do it up and whilst it would win no prizes for style/ looks it still comes out for dog walks in the rain!!
@BadMoodBoard the other thing you might want to consider is some waterproof trousers . You can get cheap over-trousers e.g. Mountain warehouse / regatta but if you are going to be walking a lot it's worth paying more for some in a comfortable material (Rohan do some but are ££).

Try visiting Go Outdoors which has a mix of cheaper and more expensive brands.

As spudlet says, Cotswold Outdoor has 'proper' stuff, and Trespass should be OK also. As *Ifailed' says, look for a label saying how waterproof the jacket is. And I agree with her about hoods, though you can get waterproof hats and caps.

In the sales, look for brands such as Berghaus, Mountain Equipment, Lowe Alpine, Rab (though they tend to specialise in warmth, not waterproofing) or (Rolls Royce level) Marmot.

Regatta is a fairly low price brand but perfectly OK and designed for 'proper' outdoor use. They have a 40% off online sale at the moment.

LandsEnd has a 50% off offer for coats at the moment - their 'squall' jackets are reckoned to be pretty good.

If you are regularly going for long walks in the rain, you'll probably also need waterproof trousers (breathable ones vastly preferable) and waterproof boots.

And remember, to keep waterproof clothing waterproof, you need to wash it in the right sort of detergent: Nikwax Tech Wash or similar - several brands are available.

Sorry Applepudding - cross-posted about trousers. But IMHO they are essential for comfort in the rain.

I have a Dare2Be jacket which I use for for cycling in winter as it's YELLOW (all caps representing the brightness, I resemble a dayglo rubber duck in it!). It's ok but not v breathable. I wouldn't want to wear it for a whole day.