Best winter waterproof jackets for 2024 | Tested and reviewed

The Mountain Equipment Lhotse jacket is a classic among hikers and mountaineers, praised for balancing rugged protection, comfort and weight.

Named after the world’s fourth-highest mountain, it has won multiple awards, including Trail's ‘Gear of the Year’ in 2021.

Made with Gore-Tex Pro, the Lhotse offers a dual-weight design – 80-denier fabric for durability in high-wear areas and 40-denier for flexibility.

Its 3-layer construction provides robust waterproofing (28,000mm hydrostatic head) and good breathability (<6 RET), making it ideal for challenging conditions.

Though slightly heavier than some Gore-Tex Pro jackets, it remains packable and versatile, weighing 463g (men’s small).

Features include underarm ventilation zips, a two-way front zipper and an Alpine fit that allows layering without restricting movement.

The consideration that goes into the hood can make or break a waterproof jacket. The Mountain HC Hood used here is comfortable and unrestrictive, even when worn with a helmet, and can be adjusted from the rear or via two frontal adjusters.

The laminated and wired visor protects your field of vision in high winds or when wearing goggles.  

The Lhotse includes three zippered pockets, adjustable Velcro cuffs and a drawcord hem.

While it uses fluorine-based DWR and lacks recycled materials, its durability ensures it will last through many adventures. Manufactured in Ukraine, it meets Fair Wear Foundation standards for ethical production practices.

See our full Mountain Equipment Lhotse review for more detail and see the women's version here.

The Latok Mountain Gore-Tex Pro by Rab is a premium jacket designed for hiking and winter adventures.

Made with 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro (the specific version of Gore-Tex Pro used is called the “most breathable” version), it offers excellent weather protection while maintaining breathability.

Its dual-weight construction uses 80-denier fabric in high-wear areas and 40-denier fabric in the core, resulting in a durable yet lightweight jacket at 496g (men’s medium).

Though it lacks a RECCO reflector and uses fluorocarbons for waterproofing, it remains highly functional.

With a hydrostatic head rating of 28,000mm+ and a breathability rating of <6 RET, the Latok performs well in harsh conditions.

The jacket features underarm ventilation zippers and a two-way main zipper for heat regulation during intense activity. Its design allows freedom of movement, with room for layers and a comfortable fit.

The Latok includes a helmet-compatible hood, fleece-lined chin guard and three zippered pockets, making it practical for various adventures.

Rab’s sustainability initiative highlights that 19% of the jacket’s materials are recycled, although some fluorocarbons are still used. Despite this, Rab is moving towards more environmentally friendly options.

Read or full Rab Latok Mountain Gore-Tex Pro review for more detail and find the women's version here.

The Arc'teryx Beta AR is a versatile, lightweight (431g, men’s small) Gore-Tex Pro jacket that’s built for a wide range of outdoor activities. It’s part of Arc’teryx’s Beta family, designed for all-round use.

Made with a combination of 80-denier and 40-denier fabrics, this jacket provides excellent durability and protection against harsh weather.

It uses Gore-Tex Pro, known for its rugged performance, and has a minimum 28,000mm hydrostatic head, ensuring top-tier waterproofing.

Key features include a helmet-compatible hood, a storm collar, RECCO reflector for emergency rescues and adjustable cuffs and hem. Meanwhile, the Beta AR’s long pit zips and front zipper allow for ventilation during intense activities.

Though not the most breathable or packable jacket compared to minimalist options, its durability and full winter protection make it a great investment.

Sustainability-wise, the Beta AR is Fair Trade Certified, bluesign approved and Arc’teryx is transitioning to PFAs-free materials by 2025. However, it still contains fluorocarbons and is not fully PFC-free yet.

The brand argues that the jacket’s long-lasting build makes it a sustainable choice in the long run.

With its high-performance features and commitment to environmental improvements, the Beta AR is a reliable choice for serious adventurers.

Find out more in our full Arc'teryx Beta AR review and find the women's version here.

The Odin Mountain Infinity 3L Shell Jacket is designed with input from mountain professionals for skiers, trekkers, and mountaineers, offering high durability and protection in tough conditions.

Its standout feature is Helly Hansen’s Lifa Infinity Pro technology, providing waterproofing and breathability without harmful chemicals, unlike most jackets that require DWR treatments.

Built with a 3-layer fabric, this jacket features a hydrophobic face fabric, a Lifa Infinity membrane and a protective inner layer.

It’s rated for extreme waterproofing with a 20,000mm+ hydrostatic head and offers excellent breathability with an MVTR of 20,000g/m²/24hr.

Ventilation is enhanced by pit zips, though it’s heavier at 556g (men’s small), making it more suited for winter use rather than summer activities.

Other features include a helmet-compatible hood, ski pass pocket, powder skirt and RECCO reflector for emergency rescues.

While not the most packable, its roomy fit accommodates layers and it provides good freedom of movement.

Sustainability is a key focus with no PFCs used and no need for re-proofing, though specific recycled content details are not provided.

Ideal for winter adventurers, it’s a durable, environmentally friendly option for challenging conditions.

Take a look at our full Helly Hansen Odin Mountain Infinity 3L Shell Jacket for more and find the women's version here.

We loved this classy mountain shell. It oozes quality and feels great to wear, thanks to a 60D ripstop stretch fabric that is quiet and supple. Being polyester-based, it’s softer than nylon normally favoured for high-end waterproofs, but was still tough enough to take considerable abuse.

Eco-Shell is Fjällräven’s own 3-layer waterproof construction, with lab stats of 30,000mm HH for waterproofing and 26k MVTR for breathability. Those figures put this near the top of the pile. Our real-world testing supported the stats – it kept us dry and comfy through a wet, cold and often snowy Snowdonia winter.

The Bergtagen Eco-Shell's fit is excellent, and a slightly longer hemline meant this jacket provided the best all-round coverage of the jackets we tested. There are two large Napoleon-style chest pockets, which ensured they were never blocked by a pack hip belt, though some might prefer hand pockets.

However, we did miss the lack of internal pockets. And while the jacket has no pit zips either, it employs two big torso vents which do eliminate bulk under the arms and are easy to use. They are a bit more susceptible to ingress from rain and snow though.

All the zippers have chunky toggles that are easy to grab when wearing gloves. But the hood adjusters the exterior drawcords can whip around in high winds.

Check out the women's version here

Reworked for 2023, the Makalu now uses Gore-Tex’s new and more sustainable ePE fabric, which is free from harmful PFCs. Skeptics will be relieved to know that if we hadn’t told you it used a new type of Gore-Tex, you wouldn’t have noticed.

During our testing, we found it’s just as durable, waterproof and breathable as standard Gore-Tex, while being lighter and more pliable, with no drop-off in performance.

The 3-layer jacket uses a 75D face fabric – plenty tough enough for winter use, yet comfy enough for all-day wear – but weighs in at creditable 520g (men’s L). However, it has no stretch, which some rivals can offer, and it would be nice to see recycled material used.

On test, it delivered excellent all-round protection, with long sleeves, contoured cuffs and a mid-sized hood, which can fit over a climbing helmet but cinches in superbly over a bare head. The stiffened peak deflects rain well, while the lower half covers the chin, with integrated cordlocks to reduce bulk around the face.

We liked the generous collection of pockets – you get two well placed hand pockets, a large external chest pocket with an internal key clip and a zipped inner security pocket. It also has two-way pit zips and a two-way main zip with a chinguard, an inner stormflap and a bottom press stud.

Check out the women's version here

Read our full Mountain Equipment Makalu Jacket review

Artilect is a relatively new US outdoor brand from Colorado. We’ve tested a few bits of its gear now, and it all seems intelligently designed and very forward-thinking, taking advantage of innovative fabrics or new and emerging tech.

This shell employs Artilect’s own impressive High & Dry membrane, which is rated at 30,000mm hydrostatic head (HH) for waterproofing and 30k MVTR for breathability. On test, it unquestionably matched the best rivals such as Gore-Tex Pro.

The fabric is also impregnated with Trizar thermoregulating material and finished with EMPEL, a permanent water-repellent treatment that shouldn’t need reproofing. See what we mean…innovative.

We loved how the tough 70D nylon material has four-way stretch to offer a combination of durability and comfort. Overall, the fit is excellent. It feels great to wear and is protective without being stiff or crinkly.

Although the Formation 3L is remarkably advanced, it’s not highly technical and therefore isn’t especially suited for the most demanding mountain expeditions. For example, it lacks two-way zippers, hand pockets are partly obstructed by a rucksack hipbelt and the hood doesn’t cinch in as well as some. It’s also one of the heaviest jackets we tested.

Check out the women's version here

Employing zoned 3-layer Gore-Tex Pro Most Breathable fabrics in tough 40D and 70D weights, the Spitz is a top-end, technical waterproof. We found its rugged construction balances fairly low weight with high-grade weather protection, while also ensuring good lifetime durability.

We liked the fully adjustable hood complete with a stiff brim. It protects the face very well and still offers good field-of-vision. Unusually, the Spitz features dual underarm and torso vents, but we appreciated the boost to ventilation it provides.

There are plenty of practical pockets: two Napoleon-style chest pockets, a zipped lower sleeve pocket, and a stretch mesh inner dump pocket with a smaller secondary zipped pocket. Happily, zips and big cuff tabs are easy to use with gloves too.

The cut is slightly shorter in the body than its rivals on test, but the sleeves are very long. The trim fit really only suits slimmer builds, though it still leaves adequate room for layering. And while the fabric is stiff and crinkly, clever patterning means there is very little excess bulk or bunching.

Check out the women's version here

The Keela Pinnacle jacket is a tough, winter-ready hard shell, ideal for hikers seeking durability at an affordable price.

Priced at just £194.95 ($217), it features Keela's in-house Aquaflex Extreme membrane with a 3-layer construction, offering a strong balance of weather protection and breathability.

While it may feel heavy and bulky to some, others will appreciate its robust design, ideal for extreme conditions.

During testing in the Lake District, the Pinnacle proved to be adequately protective against rain, though it felt a bit clunky and less streamlined than other higher-end models.

The jacket's features include a helmet-compatible hood, underarm vents, adjustable waist, and Velcro cuffs.

Notably, the Aquaflex Extreme fabric boasts a 20,000mm hydrostatic head rating, which provides solid waterproofing, though it may not offer the same longevity as premium options like Gore-Tex Pro.

At 637g (men’s medium), it’s heavier than many other jackets, though still lighter than some, like the Páramo Alta III.

Breathability is decent, with a 17,000g/m²/24hr rating, and the underarm vents help manage excess heat.

Overall, the Pinnacle offers an excellent balance of performance and affordability for those who prioritize price over ultra-lightweight designs.

You can see our full Keela Pinnacle review for more and you can find the women's version here.

Yes, that price is eye-watering, but this might be the toughest shell on the market. But still, is it worth it?

We found the Draupner certainly delivers on durability, performance and sustainability. The outer fabric has a laminated abrasion resistant coating at shoulders, sleeves and hips. The collar, cuffs, and hem are lined with mesh and microfibre to boost protection too.

This jacket has some very unique details, most of which we found worked but all told makes the Draupner a bit unusual, and quite heavy.

For example, the high storm collar has a huge throat flap and a funnel-like hood which cinches in well to block out wind and spindrift. An aluminium toggle and D-ring at the chest act as a secondary closure for the two-way main zip, which also has a full-length Velcro stormflap with double press studs at the bottom.

Cuff closures are webbing straps with metal buckles, so they can't get clogged with snow. One cuff even has a built-in survival compass. And there are two voluminous chest pockets plus extended pit-to-torso vents. The chunky zipper pull is also an emergency whistle.

Yet despite its heft and bulk, we think the jacket is surprisingly soft and comfy, with in-built stretch. Not to mention we think it’ll outlast the other jackets here. It's also reasonably eco-friendly, being bluesign-approved and PFC-free.

Check out the women's version here

Gore-Tex Pro is often seen as the pinnacle waterproof fabric. But it’s also stiff, heavy, expensive and rustles like a crisp packet.

To combat its much-criticised crinkle, Gore-Tex has now introduced a stretch version of Pro fabric, improving freedom of movement and flexibility. Not all brands are using it yet, but the Hornstrandir is one of the few shells that does.

It certainly makes a big difference to overall comfort, without adversely affecting protection or durability. On test, this jacket dealt admirably with snow, heavy rain and strong winds. It is also less crackly than non-stretch Gore-Tex Pro shells, though not quite as soft or supple as rival fabrics.

This jacket’s fit is a little broader than some. It bags out a bit at the waist, especially if worn with a harness or hipbelt. The jacket has quite a short hem too, and occasionally rides up a bit when bending over or crouching down.

Otherwise, we think the Hornstrandir has some really nice features, such as dual hem adjustment and contoured cuffs with chunky and secure Velcro tabs; four decent sized outer pockets all fitted with durable metal zippers; and an inner security pocket. It lacks pit zips, but breathability is very good.

The helmet-compatible hood cinches in well without a lid, with low-profile adjusters and internal drawcords that don’t flail around. But if we were to nitpick, the peak could be stiffer.

Check out the women's version here

Páramo takes an unconventional approach to waterproofs with its Nikwax Analogy system. Unlike traditional Gore-Tex jackets, Páramo uses ‘directionality’ technology where the outer layer deflects rain and the inner ‘pump liner’ moves moisture away from the body.

This keeps the user dry, prevents condensation, and enhances breathability. While not for everyone, the Alta III is ideal for hikers seeking warmth, comfort and reliability.

While some view Páramo jackets as bulky and overly warm, fans appreciate the jacket's reliable waterproofing and sweat-wicking properties.

Despite not publishing a hydrostatic head (HH) rating, Páramo’s system is designed to move liquid water outward, keeping the user comfortable even in heavy rain.

The Alta III jacket is heavy (834g for a men’s medium) and not very packable, but its warmth means it can be worn without a mid-layer.

The fit is true to size, offering comfort and decent movement, though it’s not for fast, minimalist hikers. The jacket features a well-designed hood, adjustable wrist cuffs, and ample pocket space.

Páramo’s sustainability credentials are strong, using Nikwax’s eco-friendly treatments and participating in a recycling scheme. Made by the Miquelina Foundation in Colombia, the jacket also supports vulnerable women.

See our full Páramo Alta III review for more and find the women's version here.

As an all-round general hiking jacket, there's little to fault with the Rab Arc Eco.

It's not the most technical jacket around, but for many, that's not important. What we like so much about it is that it has the important stuff: a high 20,000mm HH waterproof rating, 3-layer construction, a few important add-ons like pit zips, and good eco credentials.

On test, it served us well in almost all circumstances, even in wintery hill conditions. This is thanks not only to a high waterproof rating, but important weatherproofing features like a wire peaked hood, Velcro cuffs, and adjustable hood.

We found the relaxed fit, while not particularly flattering, is very easy to layer with. The main zip is a one-way, water-repellent with a stormflap behind it. In terms of pockets, there are a brace of large external side pockets that can accommodate a map but we think a smaller chest pocket would be useful also.

The Arc Eco's main fabrics are fully recycled and designed to be recyclable by using a single polymer fabric. It’s also PFC-free and Rab is a Fair Wear Foundation member with ‘Leader’ status with an in-house repair service also available.

Check out the women's version here

Read our full Rab Arc Eco Waterproof Jacket review

Gore-Tex waterproof jackets are desirable (with good reason) but are often pricey. A way to skirt this is to consider Gore-Tex Paclite, which is a good option for many hillwalkers because it's less expensive than other Gore-Tex products, still has the same waterproof rating (28,000mm HH), but is lighter and not quite as tough.

For those who frequent winter mountains we maintain you invest in a proper winter hardshell (such as one using Gore-Tex Pro). But for those who want a more affordable, comfortable and reliable Gore-Tex option for year-round hillwalking, we suggest this model from Adidas.

On test, we liked how the 2.5-layer construction felt far less burdensome than a heavyweight winter hardshell. Its level of waterproofing was typical Gore-Tex - excellent. We also liked the chucky Velcro tabs and main zip. They're easy to use with gloves and although the main zip is a bit stiff, it's durable.

We think a proper rear hood toggle adjustment for windy conditions should be included. Also, the external side pockets aren't very big and can get obscured by a backpack hipbelt. But we are pleased to see the use of a PFC-free DWR and a partially recycled construction

Check out the women's version here

Bluesign approved and PFC-free, this water-based fabric cleaning is ideal for any technical or waterproof fabric, including Gore-Tex. It's highly concentrated too, so a little goes a long way.

Like Grangers, this is water-based and PFC-free. It too is a very effective cleaner of outdoor and technical garments. Really, there's nothing separating the effectiveness of Grangers and Nikwax.

This kit supplies a big one litre volume of Tech Wash and the 300ml bottle of reproofing TX.Direct. With TX.Direct, add it to the washing machine and run a second cycle after cleaning with Tech Wash.

This combo is perfect for cleaning outdoor garments and then adding durable water repellency to waterproof fabrics. The Performance Wash is used like a laundry detergent, while the Repel Plus is a simple spray.