Australian Hiker

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Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket Review

I have only recently bought my second Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket and like my STOWaway unisex Overpants the seals on my first jacket finally gave up the ghost and failed on me (more on this later). This unisex jacket is not going to win any fashion awards nor does it have all the bells and whistles like a storm hood or armpit zips that make my other jacket, the Marmot Precip Jacket, my first choice.

This jacket is heavier than my Marmot jacket and the length, while coming down to my backside, could be longer. The vents in this jacket are on the back just below the shoulder blades which really are no use for letting excess heat vent if you have a back pack on, and on the front which do allow a lot of air movement. So given all these negatives why would you bother?

There are a number of very good reasons to choose this jacket with the most obvious one being the price. Even at full price, around AUD$99.99 RRP, this jacket is much than most brand name high quality jackets on the market. Sure it doesn’t have all the features available of dearer jackets but at that price, and often quite a bit less when on sale, this tends to be the jacket I choose when I think I’m likely to rip my good jacket when bushbashing.  Given the relatively inexpensive price , my first jacket managed to survive 12 years and kept me dry up right up until it failed. It kept me dry through South America on the Salkantay Trek, and through Bhutan, in conditions where the word rain just does not do justice for what falls from the sky. The name STOWaway means that they pack down into their own pocket.

So whether you don’t want to spend a lot on a rain jacket or you just want a spare to use in conditions where you are likely to pick up rips and tears and want to protect your expensive upmarket version, the Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket is a very good option.  Look at matching this up with the STOWaway unisex Overpants for a complete set.

Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket as purchased. As this jacket folds into one of its own pockets you can use the small bag it comes in for other items

 

Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket. The elastic in the wrist allows a good fit as well as flexibility

Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket unzipped. I am also wearing STOWaway unisex Overpants

 

Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket with open zip guard. The zip guard helps to protect the zip and to increase the waterproof qualities of this jacket

Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket with zip guard and neck closed. The neck on this jacket will fit wearers of all sizes, even those with large necks. The neck also comes up nice and high without being a nuisance and minimises water from entering the jacket. You can just see the horizontal vents just below the chest on the front of the jacket

Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket side view

Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket rear view. You can just see a horizontal line at about the midpoint of the back which are not so useful if wearing a pack that tends to block these vents. There are vents on the front of the jacket. There is also a small velcro adjustment tab on the back of the hood to keep it in the right position to suit you

Rainbird jacket showing hood. There is an elastic adjustment cord on the hood to keep it snug when its windy

We Like

• Seam sealed keeping you dry. The seams on my first jacket lasted me 12 years before failure
• The elasticised cuffs minimise water from splashing up your arm in heavy rain
• The hood folds out of the way if you choose not to use it
• Two good sized pockets which means you can keep all your bits handy
• Packs into its own pocket for compact storage
• This jacket is available in sizes up to 5XL but you may need to do a special order for anything over 3XL
• Excellent range of colours

We Don't Like

• The hood needs a stiffer peak to keep heavy rains out. My hack on this is to wear a peaked cap underneath the hood to provide support and to keep water from running down your face
• If the jacket gets damp inside, it can take a while for the moisture to dissipate
• No armpit zips to vent excess heat
• Average weight for a jacket in this category; higher quality jackets are usually lighter in weight

Best Uses

• Moderate to heavy rain. If you are expecting torrential downpours over a period of days then you should look at a heavier grade jacket

Buy One

You can purchase the Rainbird STOWaway Waterproof Jacket online from Snowys or from Wild Earth

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $99.99 RRP

Other Versions

Rainbird also produce a kids version of this rain jacket which will also suit smaller adults as well as unisex rain pants

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

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