<p>I am trying to figure out rain gear. My son is going to a school that requires formal wear most of the time. Coming from the public schools, where he wore a sweatshirt or fleece in place of a raincoat or winter coat (and we live in Boston!), I'm not sure what boys usually wear on rainy days. Do boys carry umbrellas (we are not an umbrella family, so I can't picture it)? Do they wear those Northface type pullover rain jackets? I don't mind investing in one of those, if that is what people do. Where it's our first time, I know I am over thinking certain things, but I also don't want to spend a lot of money that I find out is really not worn by most of the kids (as I said - my son would wear a sweatshirt and just go to school wet...no longer an option). </p>
<p>I sent a small umbrella and he never used it. He had a Northface shell that he could wear separately or zip together with his fleece and he never used that either. He cut through a lot of buildings, used a lot of side entrances and ran, even to the athletic center which was quite a hike. </p>
<p>Once, he bought an Under Armour (water repellant) school logo hoodie at the athletic center when he realized how cold and wet it was outside but that popular (and expensive) item disappeared quickly. He is sure that he won’t need any winter gear after last year’s mild winter. I’m sure he will freeze and be wet all year. I think I’ll go buy him a water repellant under armour hoodie that will be less likely to turn up missing. Thanks for the reminder!</p>
<p>An L.L. Bean [or similar brand] raincoat should do just fine. It seems that not many boys at my school have rain boots [though most girls do, me included].</p>
<p>I have a raincoat… but no one at my school ever uses umbrellas or jackets unless its raining when you leave your dorm. I’m also on a pretty compact campus, so we just slip in and out of buildings.</p>
<p>If you’re feeling crazy (in terms of spending money), buy him a barbour oilcloth jacket with one of the removable linings. It’s a bit more dressy than a rain shell (like the Northface ones mentioned above), and with a lining will take him into all but the coldest days. Timeless too. Kids who know will be like “wow, that’s pretty cool”.</p>
<p>For rainshells, I’d invest in a lighter weight membrane jacket (Gore-Tex is just one example) and not just a DWR (durable water repellent) coating…my Patagonia (not cheap) DWR jacket no longer keeps me that dry, even after proper care and using the special washes/sprays.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I think any teen guy would look sharp in a balmacaan like this one (also not cheap, sorry):</p>
<p>Seven: I’m just back from a canoe trip and noticed(in the inevitable rainstorm in the middle of the lake) that my DWR Marmot jacket is also no longer water repellent. My friend on the trip was telling me about those washes and I was thinking about ordering one. Are they all pretty much ineffective? Sigh…at least the jacket dries quickly…</p>
<p>Nervous mom: At Goodwill this summer, we found a Lands End barn coat, an Adidas lightweight jacket and a leather jacket that son will be taking to school with him. I’m guessing he won’t wear any of them at best and will lose them all at worst, but at least I haven’t invested more than $20 in the lot. We told him that we’d buy him something at the Kittery outlets when we’re there for Parents Week-end if he figures out something that he really wants to wear by then.</p>
<p>@classical: From what I gather, all the DWR products eventually lose their effectiveness and need to be retreated…both with one of those washes, and (according to a very outdoorsy friend) the special (Nikwax is one brand) post-wash sprays. My take on it, is “I just spent $200 on a rain coat, and after 3 seasons it is no longer water proof? Yikes!”. That said, I think the membrane-type fabrics also eventually “go” as well…though perhaps not as quickly.</p>
<p>A caveat to families who don’t own a lot of technical outerwear (backpacking/camping stuff like Marmot, Patagonia, Cloudveil, etc.): Just because it says “North Face” on the garment is no real guarantee of absolute quality. NF has several lines of gear, and most of the stuff you can find at normal retail outlets should be considered fashion wear…not anything that has actually been used by mountaineers.</p>
<p>A key factor is breathability. Sure, a lot will keep you dry, but if it doesn’t breathe, the wearer will feel cold/damp/clammy and/or overheat.</p>
<p>We bought our daughter the following this summer after she had grown out of a Cabela’s Gore-Tex rain shell…</p>
<p>My S attends BS in CT where he claims that it rains nearly everyday of the school year! Despite the near constant downpour he never once wore anything that would be remotely considered a rain coat. Nor did he ever use an umbrella.</p>
<p>I would recommend waiting until your child is at school and has complained that he needs such an item and then get what seems to be the popular thing at his school.</p>