Raincoat

For the 2004 Hindi film, see Raincoat (film).

Child wearing yellow raincoat with hood

A raincoat is a waterproof or water-resistant coat worn to protect the body from rain. The term rain jacket is sometimes used to refer to raincoats that are waist length. A rain jacket may be combined with a pair of rain pants to make a rain suit.

Modern raincoats are often constructed of breathable, waterproof fabrics such as Gore-Tex and coated nylons. These fabrics allow some air to pass through, allowing the garment to 'breathe' so that sweat vapour can escape. The amount of pouring rain a raincoat can handle is sometimes meassured in the unit millimeters, water gauge.

Important styles of raincoat include:

• Mackintosh, rubberised cloth
• Gannex
• Waxed jacket
• Anorak, derived from traditional Inuit designs
• Cagoule, also Cagoul, Kagoule, Kagool
• Poncho
• Sou'wester
• Trench coat
• Driza-Bone, Australian oiled cotton

References