Are Down Jackets Waterproof? | Rab Lab
Are down jackets waterproof?
Our range includes a number of fully waterproof down jackets that use Pertex® Shield to provide complete weather protection. Check out our men’s and women’s waterproof down jackets.
However, not all down jackets are waterproof and it’s important you select the right jacket for your activity and the environment you’ll be using it in. Our guide to choosing a down jacket is here to help you pick the best down jacket for your adventure.
Down’s natural strength is its ability to keep you warm at impressively low weights. We tend to pair it with lightweight, compressible fabrics that help make the most of the material’s unrivalled packability.
By adding a waterproof layer to a down jacket, you increase its weight and bulk, counteracting many of the reasons for choosing down in the first place.
When operating in wet, cold conditions, it’s often most efficient to layer a shell over your down jacket to keep you warm and your insulation dry. However, you’ll need to ensure there’s enough room for the down to loft under your shell, as compressed down isn’t able to trap warmth as effectively.
We finish all our down (with 900 fill power or below) with a hydrophobic treatment that enables it to retain its loft in damp conditions. This doesn’t make your down jacket waterproof, but it does help it to dry faster and stay warmer if it gets wet.
We also apply a DWR (durable water repellent) treatment to the outer fabric that will shed light rain, sleet, and snow.
The short answer is no, you can't.
Waterproof jackets use a membrane (or PU coating) that makes them waterproof. We use GORE-TEX, Pertex® and Proflex™ membranes in our range. To be fully waterproof, the seams also need to be taped.
Spraying your down jacket with a waterproofing agent will only apply another layer of DWR (durable water repellent) coating to the fabric.
