The garment's waterproofing
This garment was validated in a shower test using 60 L/m²/h of water for 1 h. This test reproduces the average conditions of a rain shower. This jacket's fabric is water repellent, which means water runs off the surface without seeping in. This prevents the fabric from becoming waterlogged, staying lightweight and breathable. A fabric is made water repellent by applying a treatment to its outer surface. We also taped the main seams that are most exposed to the rain.
How to ensure your jacket stays waterproof over time
In order to maintain good waterproofing over time, the fabric's water repellency must be regularly reactivated. We recommend doing this every three washes or after a dozen uses in the rain. The waterproofing can be easily restored by heating the fabric: using your clothes dryer or a hair dryer, for example, over a relatively short period. If you wash the garment, it must be thoroughly rinsed.
Waterproof rating expressed in mm or Schmerber
A fabric's resistance is measured using water pressure expressed in terms of the height of a water column in mm (test based on ISO 811). The higher the pressure, the more waterproof the fabric. A fabric with a waterproof rating of 2000 mm is resistant to the pressure exerted by a 2000 mm column of water.
Component breathability
To find out whether a fabric is breathable, we test its total evaporative resistance (RET) based on the ISO 11092 standard. The lower the fabric's resistance, the more water vapour generated by physical activity evaporates, and the higher the fabric's breathability.
- RET < 9 = extremely breathable fabric
9 < RET < 12 = very breathable fabric
12 < RET < 20 = breathable fabric
RET > 20 = little or no breathability
Choosing your waterproof jacket based on your outings and level of exertion
When you're active, you perspire to varying degrees, depending on the intensity or length of the effort. If the fabric's breathability is not suited to the type of activity/exercise, your perspiration will condense inside the garment. This makes you feel damp: this isn't rain getting through, but condensation from sweat. So you need to choose a rain jacket based on the type of physical activity. This jacket is designed for 2 h hikes at no more than 5 km/h.
A score for comparing products' environmental impacts
On a scale from A to E, this garment scored a B.
Our products' environmental impacts are calculated over their entire life cycle. A rating from A to E helps you easily identify products with the best environmental performance by comparing and contrasting products of the same type (T-shirts, pants, backpacks).
Decathlon actively promotes this environmental rating initiative.
Learn more at: https://youtu.be/8t63KkRwn_8
Making dyes more eco-friendly
Our teams work to find innovative processes that reduce water consumption and pollution during the production process. The dope-dying (bulk dying) process uses as much as 60% less water and significantly reduces CO2 emissions. This also reduces colour fading in the garment over time.
For this jacket, we're starting the process on the main navy-coloured fabric and the turquoise and khaki lining, until we're able to master the technique on other colours.
Making materials more eco-friendly
We take care of our planet to preserve our natural playground for hiking.
For this jacket, since we've only mastered the new dyeing process for some of the colours, we chose a material made entirely of recycled polyester fibres for the other colours (main fabric in turquoise and red and the lining in navy and red). As a result, we reduced our environmental impact on all the model colours.
Additional product recommendations
We recommend the NH500 Waterproof Top-Layer Pants to protect your legs too. This way, you'll have a complete protective outfit that's very effective against the wind and rain.
And, most importantly: since 2019, we've also been using this more eco-friendly dyeing process on these top-layer pants.
Warranty
Our hiking jackets and rain jackets are guaranteed for 2 years.
Our commitment? To offer you long-lasting products that you can use on all your country hikes and walks. Because the products we love the most are those that have a story behind them... and plenty of life in them yet!
