Patagonia Rainshadow Jacket – New Recycled Fishnet Protection

The new Patagonia Rainshadow jacket $199 is fully featured and made from recycled fishnets. Fair trade sewn and suitable for urban or adventure use. This attractive 3 layer rain shell should be on your radar for under $200, high-performance protection.

From Fishnets to a jacket

I have been testing Patagonia rain shells and hard shells for several years now.  One of the many great things I appreciate about Patagonia is that they lead the charge with making clothing out of recycled materials.  In this case, the EcoNyl is made of nylon from recycled materials.  Most of those materials happen to be fishing nets.  This is great for a few reasons 1) it gets the nets out of the ocean 2) it turns the material into a useful fabric.

Fair Trade Sewn and bluesign approved

To add to the awesomeness of the above paragraph, the Rainshadow is bluesign approved as well as Fair Trade sewn.  So you can feel good about that. Neither one of these methods takes away from the design or performance of the jacket.  It is just a more ethical way of making it!

Review of Patagonia Rainshadow Jacket

The Rainshadow is a great rain shell for most users.  It is made of durable 30D materials and has the tried and true H2No waterproof breathable membrane.  This is sufficient for almost any outdoor activity I can think of.  This membrane has served me well in rain and snow for several years.  You also save a bit of money over a GoreTex membrane.

What I like about the Rainshadow is that it works well day to day in the city and performs on the trail or at camp.  It does not have that uber tight alpine fit, nor the higher hand pockets that technical hard shells have.  The hood is a nice size, not too big, not too small.  There are 3 adjustment points on the hood as well.  So you can easily dial it in for good coverage without it getting in the way.

The traditional 3 pocket design serves well and is just what you need for most activities.  The Napoleon pocket is big enough for a large smartphone.  The hand pockets are sizeable and easy to use zippers are appreciated.  The left pocket also serves as a storage sack for the jacket.  Yes, you can fold the jacket into that pocket!

Fully functional pit zips help dump heat on hikes and have 2 zippers, so you can adjust airflow. The fit and function are great.  I am testing a size large and I am 6’1″ 205lb 45″ chest 33″ waist and 36/37″ arms.  If you are on the fence about size or want to layer under it, I would size up.

There is a slight bit of mechanical stretch to it as well.  Not as much as last year’s Stretch Rainshadow, but this material is more durable and has 3L over 2.5L.  So, the tradeoff is worth it in my opinion.  Here is the review on the previous Rainshadow.

Patagonia Rainshadow vs Patagonia Torrentshell

Both jackets are great, especially for the price.  Both are made of recycled materials and have the same features – 3 pockets, adjustable hoods, etc.  The main difference that I can see and feel is the thickness of the materials and the additional zipper guard on the Torrentshell.


Rainshadow Jacket - Men's $199.00

If I had to pick one or the other, I would go with the Rainshadow for the more pliable and stretch materials. Other than that, you could easily save $50 and go with the Torrentshell.  I have reviews up on the Torrentshell as well, if that helps you!


Torrentshell 3L Jacket - Men's $149.00