Meet the reviewer
Jack Wolfskin Rainy Day Pants 2.5L: first impressions
In many climates, you'd be mad to hit the trail without a pair of rain pants in your bag, but often they can be bulky in your backpack and sweaty on your legs. The Rainy Day pants from Jack Wolfskin, however, are practically as light as can be and roll up into a tiny package not much bigger than an apple.
Made using 100% recycled polyester ripstop, there's nothing fragile about these rain pants, even though they are feather-light, and they're well-built for straightforward day hikes if not technical terrain.
If you're on a hike and the sky starts to look ominous, full-length zippers make it easy to haul these on over your hiking boots then you can just cinch them tight with a drawcord waistband, and two-way zips add a little ventilation on mild days.
• List price: £75 / €79.95
• Gender specification: Men's
• Sizes: S - XXL
• Weight: 8.8oz / 250 g
• Materials: 100% recycled polyester face fabric, Texapore Ecosphere Pro Light Ripstop
• Colors: Black
• Best use: Hiking, camping
We've found these to be really breathable for steep slopes on chilly hikes, even though when it warms up a bit any totally waterproof piece of kit is going lack at least some breathability. We are pleased to say the waterproofing is watertight thanks to Jack Wolfskin's PFC-free Texapore fabric.
If you tend to hike with gear in your pants pockets, you might find rain pants annoying as you can't reach your gear, but you'll love that these trousers have two zips right where your pockets would be so you can access your gear.
Right now, they only come in black in men's sizing and they do run a little large but we can't argue with their performance on the trail, especially as there's very little swishing when we walk.
Jack Wolfskin Rainy Day Pants 2.5L: in the field
For 11 years I lived in the Rocky Mountains, where I never dreamed of needing a waterproof jacket, never mind rain pants, but all that changed four years ago when I returned home to Scotland. Now, I never leave home without them.
I have a couple of pairs that I'm pretty happy with, one which is more technical and a little bulkier, and another that is super soft and casual, but not easy to pull on over boots, so I was excited to try a lighter pair that has all the bells and whistles.
Here’s how they perform:
Sizing and fit
I received a small to test, which is my usual size, and I was surprised at how baggy they were on me. Wearable, but loose. When I checked the website, I noticed that they do recommend you size down, but it was only later I realized these are men's, which is why are so big on me.
All that said, I can't really comment too much on the fit, but I can say that they are totally wearable for men, women, and everyone in between. It would probably just be good to size down as they say unless you like them super flappy.
Waterproofing and breathability
With the Texapore fabric – that's Jack Wolfskin's PFC-free hardshell outer fabric plus waterproof membrane – and taped seams, these pants have been great at keeping me dry on my rainy Scottish jaunts. They're also good at blocking the wind, which meant I wore them on a dry day recently up a mountain named Ben Vrackie where there was a cold wind blowing at the summit and I just wanted to stay warm while I ate my lunch.
For that particular hike, it was mostly sunny but cold for the ascent, which is quite steep, and I didn't have any issues with clamminess while I climbed. On the descent, once I got out of the wind I was surprised at how warm I got quite quickly. Because I didn't get sweaty when I was climbing, I don't take this as a sign of substandard breathability but just that they're great at blocking the wind.
The fabric is so light and for milder, wet days the two-way zips on the legs mean I could cool off if I ever needed. It also makes hardly any swishing noise when I walk, which can be a little annoying.
Functionality and other features
The main thing I want from rain pants, besides breathable protection from the rain, is that they need to be easy to get on when it's suddenly bucketing down. With full-length zips, that's no issue even in my biggest boots, and in fact, mine are a little big and I actually don't even have to unzip them if I want to get them on over hiking shoes like my Columbia Konos TRS.
They have a simple drawcord waist and snap fastenings at the ankles, to help cinch them in against the wind that's all easy to operate and gets the job done.
The other feature that I love is the two zips where you'd usually find your hand-warming pockets. These allow you to access any gear or your phone that you might have stashed in the pockets of your hiking pants. However, I do caution you not to get confused and think these are actual pockets or you might find yourself accidentally dropping your phone down the gap between your rain pants and hiking pants, like I did.
Jack Wolfskin Rainy Day Pants 2.5L: the bottom line
As a pair of daily rain pants, these are nearly perfect: super light, breathable, not swishy and easy to pull on with access to pockets. They do run large and they only come in men's sizing, but we can't see why that should stop anyone from buying them and they're great for day hikes and even longer adventures.
They're not the most rugged pants for extreme environments, but if you're in the market for protection for more casual day hikes, you'll be happy with these. Compare them to the Columbia Hazy Trail trousers which weigh and cost just a little more and have added pockets.
