Free Country Deluge Jacket: in review
A lightweight layer for unpredictable weather
When it comes to spring- and summertime (and sometimes early fall) weather in the midwest, a good, lighweight jacket to help you stay dry is a handy thing indeed. We’ve reviewed a number, and as of late, I’ve had ones that have more of a lining to them, which is helpful for temps below 60 F. But what about when it’s warmer? You don’t need that heavy, insulated lining. That’s where the Free Country Deluge Jacket comes in.
Free Country Deluge Jacket: what it is
The Free Country Deluge Jacket is a 100% nylon (with a mesh polyester lining) water-resistant jacket. So, no, this is not the coat you throw on when you’re going to be spending all day outside in a downpour. But if you’re thinking there might be some rain when you’re out camping, on your daily commute, or just out for a walk? That’s where this comes in.
With the mesh lining, the jacket has some space away from your body to let some airflow (the mid-body detail are just flaps, not vents), which keeps you from feeling to damp (which can happen with a fully waterproof jacket). Being water-resistant, this will keep you dry, though you will eventually see water starting to soak into the fabric. Even if it does that, the lining should help keep that from you.
Even on my oversized head, the hood of the Free Country Deluge Jacket is generously sized, giving some drape over the forehead, and a high zipper. Combined with the drawstrings, you can cinch things tight to keep the rain out.
You’ve also got a dropped hem at the back, to help keep water from running down your backside should you lean over; up front you’ve got two slash pockets at the hips. For the sleeves, you’ve got elasticized cuffs that allow your hand to get through, while allowing the sleeves to also be pushed up if you want.
Putting it to the test
I put the Free Country Deluge Jacket to work right away, as it was a handy layer to grab for the office commute. If there was some light rain, I was covered. Sometimes, though, you’ve just got some cooler temps in the mornings that you need something light - and this got the job done.
I have used it a number of times in the rain, including one fast-moving storm that caught us while we were camping. In all of those cases, I stayed dry, and didn’t feel like I was getting over-heated or like I was creating my own humid micro-climate inside of the jacket. In other words, this jacket did the job it was designed to do, and did it well.
Wrapping things up
As with any sort of outdoors gear, you need to assess what your needs truly are. If you need something that will keep you fully dry for hours on end out in the rain, the Free Country Deluge Jacket is not the jacket for you. However, if you want a light layer to keep you dry while you go about your day, in and out, running errands, getting to the office, and the like, this is great for that. Especially for warmer weather.
While our reviewer came in their vine color (which feels like a khaki color), there is also a grey shade. Oh, and while the jacket shell is 100% nylon, it has a very soft feel to it. You do get a little bit of that nylon noise when the sleeves rub on the body of the jacket, but it’s not what we’d call a noisy jacket at all.
If you want to get yours, they’re on sale right now. While they’re normally $94.50, the code SUMMER40 drops it to $56.70. Check it out - and the rest of the Free Country lineup (and yes, we’ve got some other reviews in the works) directly over at freecountry.com
Details
Shell: 100% nylon; machine washable
Full polyester mesh lining
Water-resistant
Wind-resistant
Lightweight
Attached hood with adjustable drawcord
Full zip fron with inner storm placket
Mid body flange detail
Elastic back cuffs
Drop back tail with inner adjustable elastic