Here in the Pacific Northwest, where I live and do most of my hiking and climbing and riding, we cherish summer for one salient reason: It's pretty dry. Even though we still are wringing out from the wettest winter in 40 years, I can probably count on the fact that once the calendar swings past June 15 it'll be October before we see much serious precipitation. This is a secret. Don't tell anyone.

Not that it entirely stops raining. We get showers, and drizzly days, and thunderstorms, just like the rest of the country (of course, here our thunderstorms aren't life threatening). So even in mid-July I always pack rain gear. About the last thing I need, however, is a full-bore all-conditions parka. What's best is something that's light, packable and adequate for the occasional hour when I'm apt to need it to shed water, or for cool mountain evenings when I want something to cut the breeze a little. It would also be nice if it didn't cost too much.

And there is plenty of stuff out there that meets these tests. For this review I've looked at five jackets that are just right for summer outerwear. They're all capable of keeping you dry for at least an hour or two - sometimes all day. They're light and packable. And they're all under $200.

One thing you won't find in my quiver is anything made of Gore-Tex. I think Gore-Tex works just fine, but its cost (typically $250 and up) and the relative bulk of most Gore-Tex jackets makes them less than ideal for summer. Same for four-season jackets from makers such as Patagonia and Lowe Alpine, who use proprietary rainwear technology in most of their outerwear.

Soon, however, Gore-Tex will enter a new, lightweight era. This past spring the W.L. Gore people introduced a fabric called PacLite. It has the same Gore-Tex membrane millions hikers have come to know and, well, like if not love. But instead of the usual mesh or fabric lining, which protects the delicate membrane but adds weight and complexity, PacLite is covered with tiny dots. These help hold it away from abrasion points, eliminating the need for a protective lining. PacLite won't be nearly as durable as a three-ply Gore-Tex parka - a construction type that puts the waterproof membrane in a fabric sandwich - but it should be a fine lightweight fabric for three-season use where light weight and breathability are more important than ruggedness. Look for several makers to introduce PacLite garments this fall.

Basically, the jackets here are of three fabric types. One is nylon that is coated with polyurethane. This results in a jacket that is light, totally waterproof and very inexpensive. The downside is that polyurethane-coated fabric can't breathe. If you don't anticipate a lot of aerobic work in such a jacket, however, it works wonderfully.

Two others use Activent, a product of the same folks who make Gore-Tex. Think of Activent as a "light" version of Gore-Tex - more breathable, but apt to let some water through after a few hours. Activent has been a tough sell; it's relatively expensive, and many folks can't see the point to spending near-Gore-Tex prices for a jacket that is not seam-taped (Gore won't allow it, to protect the higher end of the market) and that is avowedly not water-"proof." However, I think Activent is a wonderful fabric. I find that it easily withstands showers of an hour or two in duration, and breathes beautifully.

The third material is a pair of proprietary fabrics - that is, fabrics used by a single company. One, called Triplepoint, is from Lowe Alpine. It's a lightweight version of its Triplepoint Ceramic coating, which uses tiny ceramic particles to help create microscopic holes in the fabric coating. These holes allow water vapor to seep out but don't let water droplets in, creating a waterproof/breathable fabric. Triplepoint does without the ceramic particles, so is a slightly less durable and less-breathable version of the coating that Lowe Alpine uses in its mountaineering jackets.

The other proprietary material is from Patagonia. It's also a waterproof/breathable coated fabric, enhanced by a new, super-repellent DWR (durable water-repellent) coating to greatly reduce the "wetting out" that effects many jackets when they are subjected to prolonged rainfall.

Now, on to the jackets:

Sierra Designs Backpacker's Rainwear Parka: For simplicity and affordability, the Backpacker's Rainwear Parka ($69) is hard to beat. It's a polyurethane-coated jacket, meaning it's totally waterproof but not very breathable. In fact, this jacket can get downright steamy when you're working hard. But for keeping you dry during short showers or for a stroll on a rainy beach, it's great. Big chest vents help keep you reasonably non-sweaty; a hood keeps the rain off your head. And because it's a single-layer piece, the Backpacker's Rainwear Parka is very light and packable; stuffing easily into a fanny pack or the side pocket of a daypack for easy access.
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Lowe Alpine Adrenaline Jacket: People who complain that waterproof/breathable rainwear costs too much haven't tried the Lowe Alpine Adrenaline Jacket. New for this year, it's a mere $99 - mate it to a pair of Adrenaline Side-Zip Pants ($99 as well) for a competent rain suit that costs less than most jackets alone. Made of light ripstop nylon, the Adrenaline Jacket stuffs into its own pocket when not in use. Other useful features include a hood that zips out of the way, a soft fabric-lined collar for comfort, and reflective piping. Lowe cuts a few corners to keep the price down; no pit zips, for instance. But in most conditions the Triplepoint fabric performs as billed, keeping the rain out while letting the sweat escape.
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Marmot Chinook Windshirt: It's called a windshirt, but think of the Chinook ($149) as a super-light raincoat. Made of Activent that's bonded to a light, tough layer of ripstop nylon, the Chinook is just the thing for a misty hike or a wet bike ride. Activent is the most breathable fabric here, and I've found it to be nearly as waterproof as the Lowe Alpine material. Like all Activent garments, the Chinook's seams are not taped, but it has only a few. The cut is snug, befitting a shirt, and while it lacks a hood the collar snugs around the neck to keep out the damp. Mesh panels at the armpits and a back vent let off steam when you're really chugging along, and its two chest-level pockets are easily reached when wearing a pack. Finally, the Chinook has Marmot's usual impeccable finish. A little pricey, but a solid investment.
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Pearl Izumi Activent Max Jacket: I've been using the Activent Max Jacket ($169) all this past winter for foul-weather rides with my bicycling club. Those are tough conditions for any jacket - working hard for ten minutes, then coasting and getting cooled off for five, pushing rain into the fabric at 20 to 25 miles per hour. But the Activent Max performs wonderfully - I return home comfortably dry even after 90 minutes or more of hard work. It's a good all-around light jacket; cut trimly, with a stowable hood and two front pockets. It also has pit zips for maximum ventilation, a feature I find handy. Pearl Izumi stuff is always beautifully made, and this jacket is no exception. Given all its features, it's really something of a bargain. The Activent Max is my favorite of the jackets here.
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Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket: Real rainwear from Patagonia - for under $200? As Elaine Bennis might have said: "Get OUT!!!" But it's true. Patagonia, a purveyor of superbly made but often wildly expensive clothing, has put together the most serious jacket in the lineup. The Torrentshell ($189) employs a new waterproof-breathable laminate and a new DWR treatment the company calls "Deluge," which is said to bead up water far longer than other treatments, and last through many more washings. I can't vouch for the durability, but it beads ferociously and seems like a good breather. Overall the Torrentshell is a fine light rain jacket, made of durable ripstop lining that's heftier than the Lowe Alpine Adrenaline but still plenty light (the size medium weighs just 15 ounces). It has a full hood, twin cargo pockets, and fully taped seams. The lining is mesh, which tends to bunch up a little when layering. And the lack of pit zips means the Torrentshell can get pretty toasty when you're working hard. But these are small quibbles. Overall, the Torrentshell is a jacket that's suitable for walking the dogs or a week hiking Vancouver Island's soggy coast. In fact, all five of these jackets will meet the needs of both of those journeys and of several in between.
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