Take a Walk

By Ellie Hodder

Ellie Hodder is the
founder of Women Walk
the Marathon® in
Portland, OR and
creator of the website
www.everything4walkers.com

I am Not a Weather Weenie

One of the great things about living in the Pacific Northwest is that there’s hardly a day in the year when it’s not possible to get out for a walk. Granted, there are days when sideways rain ladened with ice crystals can put a damper on your good mood and valiant efforts, but those are pretty rare.

This is the time of year when you will find the greatest selection of rain gear in sports stores. Granted, the biggest sales will come after the holiday season, but waiting puts you at the mercy of what’s left in sizes and design.

If you are in the market for fall and winter outerwear, here are some considerations to help you make the best choices for your dollar.

When you were a kid, if you wanted to stay dry your mom bought you a rubber rain coat — remember the rubber yellow hoodie that made you look like a duckling? Yes, it kept you dry on the outside, but it was like wearing a sauna and on a mild misty day, you sweat more on the inside and were wetter than if you’d have stood outside in your shirtsleeves!

Since your childhood, an entire industry has grown up around technical fabrics. Very specialized fabrics have come into the mainstream. They help you stay dry and, very importantly, comfortable.

Breathability
This is by far the single most important characteristic in a rain jacket. Breathability means that the fabric is capable of preventing moisture (rain) from seeping through the fabric while at the same time allowing molecules of sweat to be released.

There are many fabrics available today that say they are breathable. Read the label! A good rain jacket will talk at length on the tag about its breathability properties. If it actually tells you the laboratory values, look for rating of 10,000g/24hr/m2. This would be a highly breathable fabric. Look for jackets without top-shoulder seams or ones where all the seams are sealed to lock out moisture.

Hood or No Hood?
Lots of running jackets are made without a hood. In my neighborhood, the rain comes from above my head and in a downpour, my head is what gets wet first.

“Yes” to a hood: Look for a hood with a bill to protect your face. Check the adjustments on the back of the hood. Does it have both a vertical adjustment to pull the bill back so you can see out from under the hood? What about a lateral adjustment to pull the sides of the hood back so you can have good peripheral vision and the ability to talk to your walking buddy? Love the jacket, but the hood doesn’t have all those features? You can always supplement with a baseball cap under the hood.

“No” to a hood: What will you do to keep the rain from soaking your head and running down your neck getting you wet, thus defeating the purpose of wearing a rain jacket in the first place? A baseball cap will keep your nose drier in a mild drizzle but won’t really do the job. Look for a waterproof hat that is breathable like your jacket. Get one with a brim and also a chin strap for those days when it’s rainy and windy.

Length
A waisted jacket will keep your torso dry but your tush is going to be sopping if you don’t wear rain pants, too. These are available in the same waterproof fabrics as are jackets. Stay away from rubber — you’ll die of the heat.

Women, if you want a longer jacket, check out what’s available in the men’s department. Typically men’s rain jackets are longer. Unless you are very petite, you can cross over to the men’s department, find gear that’s longer and often more durable and, best of all, sometimes cheaper.

Zip Out Linings
If you love both the balmy lowlands and the mountain snows, it’s tempting to buy an all-in-one coat with a special zip out shell. Before you do, consider this: will you ever really wear the zip out shell by itself? Or, would you be best served by getting a micro-fiber fleece jacket that you really love and forgo the weight and bulkiness of a double set of zippers?

Keep It Clean
Rainproof fabrics will begin to fail if the pores are clogged with dirt. Read the washing instructions carefully. Most admonish you to use a “residue free detergent” (RFD) and, happily, most of the less expensive brands are RFDs.

Be prepared. Walk dry. Walk happy. Most of all, walk all year!