Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket

Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket – Affordable rain jacket.

Where I live we have been bombarded with thunderstorms for the last week or so, not to mention tornado warnings every few hours. Perhaps it is the recent change in weather that has inspired me to do some research on affordable rain jackets. When I say affordable, I don’t mean cheap and uncomfortable. Those crappy rain jackets you buy in the hunting and fishing section of Wal-Mart are far from a good rain jacket. I am talking about high quality rain jackets made for active outdoor exploration that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Many of the better rain jackets made for backpacking carry a pretty hefty price tag. This isn’t the case with the Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket.

For starters, the Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket features two important things every good backpacking rain jacket should have; full weather protection and be lightweight. The Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket has both of these features and then some. The outside of the Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket is designed to protect you from just about everything short of hurricane force winds. This is thanks to the Pertex Shield that makes up the outer area of the jacket. It is this fabric that not all helps protect you from the elements, but also helps keep the jacket as light as possible.

One thing I find to be essential in a good backpacking rain jacket is pit zippers. No matter how good the rain jacket, it is easy to build up a sweat under it if wearing it while hiking or performing some other activity. This is where the pit zippers come in handy. They can easily help bring your body temperature back down to a comfortable level. Some times though, the pit zippers aren’t enough. The Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket takes care this by offering hem to pit zippers. This allows you ample ventilation and also allows you to wear the jacket poncho style if you want.

The quick & dirty:

Where you can get one:
Amazon.com: $119

Why they rock:

• Pertex Shield 2.5-layer stretch ripstop balances waterproofness, breathability and wind resistance with flexible, lightweight construction
• Seams are fully taped for total protection
• TorsoFlo double-sliding side zippers open fully from hem to armpits for unparalleled ventilation with poncho-style coverage
• Dual-pull adjustable hood folds into collar when not needed
• Two-way front zipper features an external storm flap
• Elastic cuffs with rip-and-stick tabs and dual drawcord hem adjustments hold in warmth
• Two zippered hand pockets; internal zippered pocket with media port doubles as a stuff sack

Seat-of-the-pants rating: 8 out of 10

For the price, it is hard to go wrong with the Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket. It isn’t the most hardcore backpacking rain jacket out there, but it gets the job done well. If you just do a lot of day hiking and need a rain jacket to carry or if you do a lot of backpacking in dry areas, but still want a decent rain jacket to carry, the Outdoor Research Revel Rain Jacket is perfect for you.

Looking to Buy? Check out these sites:
Amazon.com: $119