Deciding on Best Hiking Jacket Suitable For Your Needs

Protection from the elements is crucial whilst hiking, because unless you're very experienced you never know exactly when you'll become lost, or caught in a storm of some kind. Having the best hiking jacket, therefore, should be one of your main priorities when planning an expedition with your friends and/or family.

The right jacket will provide significant shelter against Mother Nature’s wrath whilst fitting comfortably and possibly even having a few nifty features to make your hiking experience a little easier.

Buying a jacket for hiking is probably not something you should be doing with a tight-fisted attitude. Whilst I understand fully the need to save money in these difficult times, cheap jackets are notoriously easily damaged by the kind of routine wear and tear that a higher-end jacket would bear easily. This means you'll only end up forking out again in the near future when your new coat rips or the waterproof seals are compromised. In the end, strangely, you'll end up paying more for a cheaper jacket.

Your requirements from any given jacket will be different, depending on the type of hiking you want to do. If your hiking will be done in predominantly dry conditions then paying for a top notch Gore-Tex jacket might be a waste of money as your waterproofing requirements will be less significant.

However, if you're in more changeable conditions (such as those found here in the UK) waterproofing will be much higher on your list. Similarly, pocket space and placement will not be very important if you are planning mainly short hikes. On the other hand, pocket placement is vitally important on longer navigational hikes where constant access to a map and compass is vital whilst simultaneously carrying a backpack!

Like sleeping bags, most jackets have a “seasons” rating, from 1-4. This refers to the number of seasons (starting from spring) that the jacket will give enough shelter from the cold. For example, a one season jacket will only be usable in the hottest months of the year. However, a four season jacket should keep you comfortably warm all year round.

I find that in most conditions I'm faced with a three season jacket is sufficient (in combination with other sensible layers of clothing) to keep me warm. However, in comparison with some locations the UK climate is generally mild, and so your own discretion must be used when you're picking the best hiking jacket for you!