Best waterproof gardening jackets under £100
LET’S face it, when you’re eight hours into a gardening shift and it hasn’t stopped raining, there are very few jackets that will stand up to their ‘waterproof’ claims.
Like slugs in a greenhouse, rain has a way of getting in. And it doesn’t care how expensive your jacket is.
But who has money to spend on pricey macs right now? And can there be just one to see you right in the garden through this ridiculous winter – where it’s frozen one moment, ‘warmer than Spain’ the next and floods soon after.
Here at Sun Selects we’ve spent the Winter testing a range of reasonably priced jackets suitable for gardening – all under £100.
And thanks to a helpful team of professional @Sprout.Up gardeners, we’ve put them through their paces, in sun, rain and even some Christmas snow.
Whether you’re a fairweather gardener who wants to look good on a budget, or need something to help you face down some of the strangest Winter weather on record – we’ve got you covered – literally.
Best waterproof gardening jackets at a glance
- Best all-rounder: Peter Storm Lakeside 3-in-1 jacket
- Best three-in-one jacket: Decathlon
- Best lightweight: Mountain Warehouse Vancouver Ultra-Lightweight
- Best budget: Women’s waterproof winter hiking jacket
- Best high-end: Berghaus Women’s Deluge Pro Jacket
- Best mid-range: Jack Wolfskin
Peter Storm Lakeside 3-in-1 jacket
- Peter Storm Women’s Lakeside jacket, £62.86 at Amazon – buy here
This traditional fleece-lined double jacket is really impressive and is currently on sale for £72, down from £150.
In our testing, it came through on its waterproof claims and kept impressively cosy through torrential rain and the odd bit of snow.
The peaked hood is a nice touch – perfect for keeping raindrops off your specs. The adjustable cuffs were great for reaching up to prune, ensuring no water came in.
And it’s a respectable length when you’re bending over, so there are no pesky drips on the small of your back.
As with most 3-in-1s, you’re slightly let down by the fussiness of removing the inner fleece. But, as an all-season rain jacket, it really hits the spot.
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Decathlon’s Women’s travel trekking waterproof
- Travel trekking jacket, £89.99 at Decathlon – buy here
All too often, a three-in-one jacket has a removable fleece lining, but Decathlon has hit the jackpot with this one.
The inside jacket is a slinky Uniqlo-style puffa – which frankly I’d be happy to wear out – let alone slaving away in a muddy garden.
The only problem is, once you’re above single-digit temperatures, it gets very warm very quickly.
And, like most 3-in-1s, it can be a bit of a faff to take off thanks to all the attachment snaps.
The Travel Trekking jacket is as good as any other jacket when reaching up high and despite the two substantial layers, it doesn’t pull too much on the shoulders.
For low-down planting and hand-weeding, it’s a decent length that doesn’t ride up too much when you’re bending over, which is always nice.
And the two layers bring with them a level of choice for changeable weather.
Mountain Warehouse Vancouver jacket
- Vancouver Ultra-Lightweight jacket, £34.99 – buy here
We give this jacket a full 10/10 for waterproofing.
It was tested thoroughly while gardening and dog walking in those unbelievable deluges over New Year.
And having a simple jacket (as opposed to a 3-in-1) definitely has its advantages; you’re the boss of when and what to layer under.
It is easy for reaching up and bending over and the jacket was a tactical size up from normal so there was plenty of room to manoeuvre.
If you could get the hood to roll away into the collar, and added a breast pocket for a phone, then this would be absolutely perfect.
Women’s waterproof winter hiking jacket
- Women’s waterproof winter hiking jacket, £39.99 – buy here
Tested while gardening and on Exmoor in snow and continual rain, this £39,99 jacket came up trumps.
Its full-fleece lining is soft and warm, but best of all, the pockets are lined as well, a lovely touch and great for colder climes.
You can wear multiple layers underneath, although you’ll be removing them pretty quickly once you start digging. If you go for the dirt-disguising black, you’ll have a bright white fleece lining to contend with, so perhaps not one for transporting bags of mulch. But there are five other colours to choose from.
Berghaus Women’s Deluge Pro Jacket
- Berghaus Women’s Deluge Pro Jacket, £60 – buy here
This jacket is great value from Berghaus. It’s an incredibly versatile, waterproof raincoat, where you’d be equally at home gardening or dog walking to a nice country pub.
It’s definitely worth going up a size if you’re using it in winter so you can layer underneath; its arms are thoughtfully wide enough to accommodate a chunky hoodie.
It also felt good to wear – its slightly fitted shape with a flared bottom helped you feel a bit more feminine while grubbing around in the dirt. And it’s got a decent drawstring hood that will have space for a hat in winter.
Jack Wolfskin Stormy Point Jacket
- Stormy Point Jacket, £54 – buy here
Like Berghaus, this German outdoor clothing company is a well-respected, well-known brand.
It comes in an incredible 21 different colours and we scored it highly for breathability, comfort and fit, so you can feel nice while you’re kneeling in nettles.