The garment's waterproofing
This jacket was tested in a shower trial using 60 L/m2/hr of water for 1 hour. This test reproduces the average conditions of a rain shower. The fabric of this jacket is water repellent, i.e. it sheds water without absorbing it. This keeps the fabric from soaking up water, so it stays lightweight and breathable. Water repellency is achieved by treating the fabric’s exterior. Plus, the main seams most exposed to the rain are taped.
How to maintain waterproofness long term
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 waterproof property is easily reactivated by warming the fabric: using your clothes dryer or a hair dryer, for example, over a relatively short period. Rinse thoroughly after washing.
Waterproof rating expressed in mm or Schmerber
We measure a fabric's resistance to water pressure, expressed in terms of the height of a water column in mm (based on the ISO 811 standard).
The higher the water pressure, the more waterproof the fabric. Waterproof material with a rating of 2,000 mm withstands the pressure exerted by a 2,000 mm column of water, roughly equivalent to a two-hour shower.
Component breathability
To determine a fabric’s breathability, we measure its thermal evaporative resistance coefficient (RET) based on the ISO 11092 standard. The lower the fabric's resistance, the more water vapour generated by physical activity can escape, 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
How to choose a waterproof jacket based on activity and physical effort
When physically active, the extent to which you sweat depends on the intensity and duration of the effort. If the fabric's breathability is not right for your type of physical activity, sweat condenses inside the jacket. You will feel damp inside: this is sweat condensing, not rain seeping in. So you need to choose a rain jacket based on the type of physical activity. This jacket is designed for 2-hour hikes at a max speed of 5 km/h.
Our products' environmental impact
On a scale from A to E, this product earned a B rating.
The environmental impacts of our products are calculated over their entire life cycle. A rating given to each product helps you easily identify the more eco-friendly products within a particular family (t-shirts, trousers, backpacks).
Decathlon is a voluntary supporter of this environmentally-friendly labelling approach.
Working toward more environmentally-friendly dyes
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
Wear NH500 waterproof over-pants to protect your lower body as well. Then you’ll have complete and very effective protection against the wind and rain.
And, first and foremost: since 2019, we've also been using this more eco-friendly dyeing process on these top-layer pants.
Warranty
Our hiking and waterproof jackets are guaranteed for 2 years.
Our commitment? To offer long-lasting products that you can use on all your nature walks. Because the products we love the most are those that have a story behind them... and plenty of life in them yet!
