Berghaus Rain Motion Jacket
Review by Erin Trail
The Berghaus Rain Motion Jacket is one of the nicer – maybe the nicest rain jacket that I’ve tested to date.
Details
- 3L Pertex Shield fabric
- PFC-free durable water repellent (DWR) finish
- Water-resistant front zipper
- Internal storm flap with snap closure behind center front zip provides easy to use extra venting option
- Slim fit
- Internal zipped pocket for securely storing valuables that doubles as a stuff sac with carry loop
- Cap style hood enhances protection from the elements and ensures a good field of vision when moving at pace
- Pre-tensioned stretch bound hood, cuffs and hem
- Two raised zipped pack compatible hand pockets
- Breathability: 20,000g/M2/24hrs
- Fabric: 100% Polyamide Pocket Lining: 86% Polyester / 14% Elastane
- Weight: XX
Fit and Function
I am a women’s size 12 on the Berghaus size guide (UK sizing). I found the Rain Motion Jacket to fit true to size. The fit is athletic, but I also have plenty of room to add a warmer layer beneath the jacket. The bottom hem of the jacket has nice coverage, hitting me just below the widest part of my hips. Similarly, the arm length is great, hitting just below my wrist. The bottom and arm hem cuffs have elastic to aid in keeping the elements out.
The hood of the Berghaus Rain Motion Jacket is definitely designed for climates that get a lot of blustery rain. The face opening is probably the smallest, but best fitting, of the rain jackets that I’ve tested. There’s just enough room for your nose and eyes, but the rest of your face and head are covered. The hood brim is a nice feature – allowing water to shed away from my face instead of onto my face. The neckline is lined with a soft fleecy fabric and the top of the zipper is covered, so you won’t have any irritation when the jacket is fully zipped up. The hood also offers nice peripheral vision and moves around well as I moved.
The front zipper mechanism opens and closes well, with no issues in anchoring the bottom of the zipper and initiating closure. My singular complaint about the Berghaus Rain Motion Jacket is that the zipper pulls are small and slippery. The pulls are narrow cordage that’s coated with what I assume is silicone or some sort of flexible plastic-y coating. This coating gets slippery and between the small size of the pull and the coating, I had a hard time getting a good grip on the pull to open and close the zipper.
The pockets on the Berghaus Rain Motion Jacket are placed well. The side hand pockets are spacious and felt natural, while also giving enough room for pack belts. The interior pocket is large enough to fit a phone or a pair of sunglasses.
Testing a rain jacket in Colorado has been a challenge this summer. We have finally had some monsoon downpours with whipping sheets of rain. As I stood in the middle of my street in the rain, I enjoyed watching the water bead and shed off of the Pertex fabric. I stood outside in the storm for a good while, wearing only a t-shirt beneath the jacket. I didn’t experience any wind or water breakthrough. The hood never felt claustrophobic or annoying. And the hood brim did a great job of keeping the rain out of my eyes.
Finally, coming in at XX ounces and with the ability to pack up neatly into it’s on interior pocket, the Berghaus Rain Motion Jacket is an easy choice to toss into a backpack or hydration bag when you’re out exploring.
Closing Thoughts
The Berghaus Rain Motion Jacket is available for both men and women. Men’s sizes ranges from XS to 3XL and comes in four colorways. Women’s sizes range from 8 to 12 (UK sizing) and comes in three colorways.
Erin Trail
Trail Boss of Stoke
Erin is a former Montana park ranger with a degree in environmental engineering. She loves getting into technical details while putting her gear (and herself) through the paces. She shares her home in Colorado with her husband, Will, and her 3 cats (Zipper, Brewtus, and Simcoe).
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