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Put to the test: the Rainfoil® Ridge Jacket by Eddie Bauer

My current role as a film producer has me spending a lot of time on sets outdoors, which raises my need for something durable, weatherproof and comfortable.

By: Abdul Kassamali + Save to a List

Growing up an Eddie Bauer fan, I was excited at the opportunity to review their new Rainfoil® Ridge Jacket. Commuting by bus back and forth from different parts of town growing up, I am well aware of the need of a good rain jacket to survive Seattle’s wet season. 

Style

I’ll start the review by saying I am a big fan of the style of the jacket. I personally got the all black, tall, large jacket, and am glad to say this complements a lot of the clothing I currently own. Of course, this is a personal preference to my wardrobe choices, but I am very pleased with the look of the jacket.

Photo: Shiffite Awel

Fit/Comfort

As a 6’2, 165lb skinny man, finding the right fit is quite difficult. Finding the right chest size to sleeve length combo is almost impossible without having something tailored, and I usually have to sacrifice one for the other. While the Rainfoil® Ridge Jacket doesn’t completely solve this problem, it definitely fits better than most of the rain jackets I have worn in the past. I am able to comfortably put on a hoodie underneath the jacket and still have some breathing room while wearing a large. The adjustable hem and cuffs help with the fit.

Photo: Wyatt Olson

Features

The jacket has 3 main pockets. One 7 inch zip up pocket on the inside of the left part of the jacket, and two large 15” zippers on the outside of both sides of the jacket. The inner pocket is the perfect size to protect your iPhone and your wallet from the rain. The side pockets are extremely large. I was able to transport an iPad, water bottle, and couple miscellaneous items around set in the side pockets without much of an issue. All their pockets protected my equipment from the rain extremely well in trying weather. I was comfortable testing my own personal equipment in the rain with this jacket thanks to the guide built process that Eddie Bauer employees, where each item is workshopped, tested, and approved by professional guides, pushing the gear to the limits. If it ’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.

Photo: Wyatt Olson

Room for improvement

The placement of the zippers on the side pockets. The pockets zip from the bottom to the top, meaning in order to access the items in the pocket you need to fully open the 14 inch zipper, which can become cumbersome if you need to repeatedly access items from your pocket. It also makes it harder to use the pockets to warm up your hands, as you need to zip the pockets all the way down to do so, leaving the items in the pocket vulnerable to rain damage/allowing all the heat to escape.

The jacket didn’t keep me warm in temperatures below 55 degrees fahrenheit. Anything below that, I had to pair the jacket with a sweater or a hoodie to keep me warm.

Overall impression

I am a huge fan of the jacket, especially for the price. Even with the large pockets and the lack of insulation, there is definitely a time and place for the jacket, and you would be hard pressed to find anything much better on the market.

Cover photo by Shiffite Awel

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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