Plenty of good choices out there聴a lot will depend on how much you want to spend. You could, of course, spend a ton for a high-end Gore-Tex jacket like Marmot’s Liquid Steel ($375; www.marmot.com). This is a really nice, light jacket that uses three-ply XCR Gore-Tex and welded seams for greater breathability and lighter weight. It even comes in sort of postal blue. I’d also suggest Patagonia’s Lightning Jacket ($199; www.patagonia.com), a non-Gore-Tex waterproof/breathable jacket that would be a little more packable than the Liquid Steel.
That said, I see no reason to spend a lot here when some cheaper options will give you more or less the same result. Maybe the best alternative is the L.L. Bean Stowaway Parka (www.llbean.com). It’s made of two-ply Gore-Tex, which is a little softer than the three-ply material used in the Liquid Steel. The knee-length design will keep the rain off no matter how hard it pours, and there’s also a hood for your head. Very nice, and only $175. Land’s End even makes a shorter-cut Gore-Tex jacket, with a hood, for only $98聴it’s simply called the Men’s Gore-Tex Jacket (www.landsend.com). It’ll keep you dry, comfortable, and won’t take a bite from your wallet.