Patagonia Men's Torrentshell 3L It's ridiculously waterproof and will keep you bone-dry in the worst rain, not to mention it's extremely breathable, durable and backed up by Patagonia's lifetime Ironclad Guarantee.

The first Killer Wash tests are performed at 20,000mm of water and then again to ensure the fabric maintains a 10,000mm water rating.

That can leave you feeling wet and chilled or wet and clammy—and lead you to erroneously conclude that your jacket's waterproof/breathable membrane is failing. What many people fail to realize is that DWRs diminish in performance for a number of reasons—the buildup of dirt and body oils or because of abrasion.

Though companies disagree on test standards, you can trust that any gear that a major brand designates as "waterproof" can stand up to a serious squall. Waterproof/breathable: This type of performance rainwear keeps rain from getting through to your skin, while also moving sweat back through to the outside world.