Best Fishing Jackets

An outdoor shell rather than a fishing one, the Berghaus Kielder Gore-Tex InterActive Jacket suits any angler after top-end rain protection. It pairs two-layer Gore-Tex with a 28,000mm hydrostatic head and taped seams, and breathability is a RET of 13, where lower means more breathable.

Its InterActive front zip connects with a compatible Berghaus midlayer, so the Prism Guide fleece further down can zip straight in for winter. You also get a fixed peaked hood with single-cord adjustment, a two-point bungee hem, articulated sleeves and three zipped pockets on a robust 70D face.

It's built for anglers who want serious waterproofing on the move and a jacket that works away from the water too. The Drennan 25K below it has a 25,000mm head, but the Kielder is the dearer jacket and adds Gore-Tex, which makes it the best waterproof jacket in this line-up.

To be fair, it's one of the dearer shells and relies on your layers for warmth. For anglers who want one premium waterproof for every season, though, I think it's superb.

Heavy rain is exactly what the Drennan 25K Waterproof Jacket is made for. Its tough nylon-lined rip-stop fabric has a 25,000mm hydrostatic head, and breathability is 10,000 grams per square metre, so it's a proper all-day waterproof for coarse and match anglers.

Up front, a full-length YKK zip sits behind a rain baffle, with a high collar and a peaked adjustable hood above it. Lined neoprene cuffs, an elasticated adjustable hem, two waterproof handwarmer pockets and a zipped internal security pocket finish it off, in seven sizes from Small to 4XL.

Coarse and match anglers who sit on a box through long, wet sessions will get the most from it. The Berghaus Kielder above it is dearer and adds Gore-Tex, while the Preston DF Ultra 25K below shares the 25,000mm figure but has half the Drennan's breathability.

To be fair, it's a shell, so you'll need warm layers under it in winter. For anglers who want a proper 25,000mm waterproof at a mid-level spend, though, I think it's excellent.

Premium detail sets the Preston Innovations DF Ultra 25K Jacket apart. Its three-layer fabric has a 25,000mm waterproof figure, taped seams throughout and a Teflon EcoElite DWR finish, so it's made for match anglers who fish on in extreme conditions.

Storm flaps cover the YKK Vislon zips, the high neck collar keeps wind off, and the waterproof hood has a stiffened peak with Velcro adjustment. Neoprene cuffs with Velcro fasteners seal the wrists, and it comes in seven sizes from S to 4XL.

It's built for match and coarse anglers who spend long sessions on the box. Next to the Drennan 25K, it shares the 25,000mm figure but is dearer and half as breathable, so you're paying for the three-layer fabric and front detail, while the Navitas Aquaguard 20K below it is the budget alternative.

To be fair, 5,000 grams per square metre of breathability is modest if you walk far to your peg. For static match fishing in the worst weather, though, I think it's a superb shell.

Light and packable, the Navitas Aquaguard 20K Waterproof Jacket is a carp shell with a 20,000mm hydrostatic head. Fully taped seams and a DWR finish for lasting water repellence back that figure up, so it's built for sudden downpours on the bank.

On top of that, breathability reaches 10,000 grams per square metre, the zips are waterproof, and both the cuffs and the elasticated hood adjust to keep rain out. It comes in M to 3XL and stows in a rucksack or carryall until the weather turns.

Anyone keeping the cost down, or after a spare shell for the car, should start with this one, as it's the best value pick in this line-up. Next to the Preston DF Ultra 25K it's a simpler, packable shell, while the Fortis Tundra Jacket after it adds Primaloft insulation for winter.

To be fair, it's a simple shell, so warmth comes from your layers. For carp anglers who want proper waterproofing without a big spend, though, I think it's a very smart buy.

For static anglers facing serious cold, whether that's carp, coarse or sea, the Fortis Tundra Jacket Olive is the warm one. It pairs a waterproof, windproof two-layer Triflex outer with 300 grams per square metre of recycled-content Primaloft, built for warmth down to -20°C.

The shell has a waterproof figure over 25,000mm, breathability above 25,000 grams per square metre and fully taped seams. A two-way YKK Vislon zip sits under a storm flap, with a brushed Tricot chin guard, a stiffened hood, cuff gaiters and a zipped pocket for a phone or bite alarm receiver.

Compared with the Navitas Aquaguard 20K, it's a full winter coat as well as a waterproof, and against the Trakker Techpro Thermal it adds Primaloft fill and a far higher waterproof figure. That makes it the best insulated jacket in this line-up.

To be fair, it's one of the dearer jackets and too warm for mild days. For long, static winter sessions, though, I think it's outstanding.

Reflective silver lines the body of the Trakker Techpro Thermal Jacket, a winter carp jacket designed to hold your body heat in without piling on weight. A Sherpa-lined hood adds warmth up top, and the camo shell has a 10,000mm hydrostatic head with fully taped seams.

An EcoElite DWR finish, waterproof zips and adjustable cuffs and hem help keep water out, and breathability is 5,000 MVP. Storage covers a water-resistant zipped chest pocket, two hand pockets and a large rear pocket, in sizes S to XXXL.

Frosty, static carp sessions behind the rods are where it makes most sense. The Fortis Tundra Jacket above it is dearer and goes much further on waterproofing, while the Fox Sherpa-Tec Jacket below, which also has a 10,000mm shell, takes the Sherpa fleece route.

To be fair, 10,000mm suits showers more than all-day rain. For carp anglers who want a warm, light winter jacket for static sessions, though, I think it's a smart choice.

Built for warmth first, the Fox Sherpa-Tec Jacket is a winter carp jacket with a thermal Sherpa fleece lining. That lining sits inside a windproof shell with a 10,000mm hydrostatic head and fully taped seams, and it comes in S to 4XL.

The detail is well judged. You get a removable wire-peaked hood, a waterproof main zip with an internal storm baffle, two-way pit zips, side zips for easier entry and snug cuffs with thumb holes, and even the zipped hand pockets are Sherpa-lined.

Against the Trakker Techpro Thermal Jacket, it swaps a reflective silver lining for a softer Sherpa one and costs less. The Nash ZT Lite Dry Pack Jacket, by contrast, is a packable shower shell, so the two do very different jobs on the bank.

To be fair, breathability is low at 3,000 grams per square metre, and 10,000mm suits showers more than all-day downpours. For carp anglers sitting out long winter sessions, though, I think it's a warm, sensible buy that covers the essentials.

The Nash ZT Lite Dry Pack Jacket is the best lightweight jacket in this line-up. It's an ultralight, fully taped two-ply shell with a 15,000mm hydrostatic head, and it folds into its own pocket so it can live in your carryall.

Breathability is the headline figure, at 20,000 grams per square metre over 24 hours, so it shouldn't turn into a sauna on the walk to your swim. Inner shoulder straps let you carry it on your back, and a mosquito face panel hides in the hood.

Carp anglers who want a shower jacket for every session will get the most from it. Next to the Fox Sherpa-Tec, it trades warmth for weight and breathability, while the Fortis Thermal Trail Jacket is the warm packable layer you'd wear underneath it.

To be fair, it's a shell rather than a winter coat, so you'll need layers when it's cold. For summer sessions, boat work and sudden rain, though, I think it's the jacket to keep in your bag.

PrimaLoft insulation is the heart of the Fortis Thermal Trail Jacket, with 170g of it inside a windproof polyester ripstop shell, and that insulation stays breathable and fast-drying in the damp.

An insulated hood holds heat when it drops below freezing, and there are zipped hip and chest pockets plus an internal one. It's soft and quiet on the bank, it compresses easily into a bag, and sizes run from S to 3XL.

Static winter anglers of any kind, from carp and coarse to sea, will get plenty from it. Where the Nash ZT Lite Dry Pack and the Berghaus Deluge Pro 3.0 are shells, this is the warm layer you'd wear under either of them.

To be fair, it's an insulated layer with a windproof shell, so you'll want a waterproof over it in proper rain. For cold, dry sessions and layering, though, I think it's a warm, versatile buy.

Featherweight is the word for the Berghaus Deluge Pro 3.0, an outdoor waterproof that weighs just 340g and is made from two-layer Hydroshell fabric. It has a 12,000mm hydrostatic head and lets 21,000 grams of moisture per square metre escape over 24 hours.

A storm flap guards the zip, the fixed hood has single-point adjustment, and the half-elasticated cuffs and drawcord hem seal the edges. Two zipped hand pockets keep the essentials safe, and sizes run from XS to 3XL, with a back length of 79cm in size L.

Anyone who fishes on the move should get on well with it, and it doubles as an everyday jacket off the bank. Next to the Fortis Thermal Trail Jacket, it's the waterproof layer to wear over insulation, while the Fox Rage Sherpa Wind Blocker is warmer but only water-resistant.

To be fair, 12,000mm has less in reserve than the Kielder's 28,000mm Gore-Tex in prolonged heavy rain. For mobile anglers who hate overheating, though, I think it's a smart, light buy.

The Fox Rage Sherpa Wind Blocker Jacket is the best softshell jacket in this line-up. Its wind- and water-resistant fabric has a soft fleece backing, so you get warmth and wind protection in one comfortable layer.

Enlarged scuba-grade neoprene cuffs cut down on wind at the wrists, and an elasticated drawstring hem stops draughts from below. The structured hood comes off, there are two zipped side pockets plus a chest phone pocket, and sizes run from S to 4XL.

Predator anglers roving for pike, perch and zander on cold, breezy days will get the most from it. The Berghaus Deluge Pro 3.0 is the better choice when it pours, while the Berghaus Prism fleece is a warm midlayer that needs a shell over it.

To be fair, it's water-resistant rather than waterproof, so steady rain calls for a shell on top. For lure anglers on windy days, though, I think it's a warm, comfortable jacket that's easy to live with.

Think of the Berghaus Prism Guide InterActive Polartec Fleece Jacket as the warm half of a two-piece system. It's an outdoor midlayer whose InterActive zip and connection points let it fasten inside a compatible Berghaus waterproof, including the Kielder Gore-Tex InterActive Jacket.

The warm Polartec fleece comes with overlay panels across the chest for durability, four zipped pockets, a stand-up collar and an adjustable hem drawcord. It works on its own on dry days and as a warm inner layer when it rains, and sizes run from XS to 3XL.

Anglers who already own an InterActive shell, or plan to buy the Kielder, will get the most from it. Next to the Fox Rage Sherpa Wind Blocker, which is built to face the wind on its own, the Prism is more of a layering piece that teams up with a shell.

To be fair, a fleece won't keep out rain, so you'll need a shell over it on wet days. For anglers building a layering system around a Berghaus waterproof, though, I think it's a smart, versatile fleece.