patricia_gonzalez•1mo agoProlific Poster

Threw $160 at a fancy rain jacket that leaked worse than my $40 one

I threw down $160 on a fancy rain jacket from a shop in Portland last spring because I figured the higher price meant real protection for my bike rides. First heavy rain in April soaked my shoulders and my work bag was dripping before I even got downtown. The old $40 jacket I replaced had a busted zipper but at least kept my torso dry, this new one just wetted out everywhere. I emailed the company and they basically said it was normal, which made me feel like I wasted my cash for nothing. My neighbor rides in a cheap poncho from the grocery store and he stays dry every single time. I completely flipped on my thinking about outdoor brands, I only trust people who actually ride in the rain now instead of the store clerk. Anyone else get tricked by an expensive jacket or boot that let them down in the real weather?

2 comments

2 Comments

robin6281mo ago

Ha! Reminds me of a $60 umbrella that flipped inside out twice before I crossed the street.

the_claire1mo ago

Ugh, that's brutal! Honestly, I got roasted by a $200 pair of hiking boots last fall. They were all fancy waterproof leather and the store guy swore they'd last forever, but the first muddy trail I hit, my socks were soaked through in like twenty minutes. The cheap pair I had before were ugly and duct-taped together, but my feet stayed dry. I'm with you, I only trust the reviews from people who are actually out in the slop, not the folks who just work the register. It's wild how they sell this stuff as if it's magic, then say "working as intended" when it totally fails you.