Getting your approach to workwear just right can be a surprisingly difficult process. Finding clothing that’s affordable, durable, keeps you warm and is professionally suitable can take a lot of research, and it’s likely something that you’ll keep on perfecting throughout your career.
There are certain parts of that process that are particularly important to get right, with waterproof gear being near the top in terms of priority. This insider’s guide should make it easier to choose the right option, no matter your industry.
Different fabric types
The first thing to be aware of when choosing waterproof workwear nowadays is just how many different fabric types you have to choose between. You’ve got everything from hyperdurable PVC options which won’t breathe at all, to GoreTex jackets that cost an arm and a leg but will function to a very high standard. Do research on the different options available, checking with industry blogs and journals that you trust to see what your peers tend to go with.
The importance of mobility
If you’re going to be working in these garments, you need to be sure that you can move sufficiently to do your job. This will obviously depend to a large degree on what it is that you do. If you’re walking around taking environmental measurements, or doing something more stationary like a security role, you might not need to be so mobile. If, however, you need to be really moving about, you’ll need to be extra sure that your jacket doesn’t restrict your arm movement too much.
Breathability
While it’s obviously important that your wet weather clothing is waterproof, if it’s not breathable, you’ll end up cold and wet either way. Of course, this will depend to a certain level on how active you’ll be while working, and how warm the weather is.
If you know that you’ll be active and that you sweat a lot, then it’s important that you choose a breathable waterproof fabric. A good option might be pretty expensive, but it’s essentially unavoidable if you want to make sure you stay warm and dry while out on the job.
Layering
Lastly, it’s important to note that your waterproof layer will often just form a single part of a far more complex clothing system. In most cases, you’ll want to adopt some sort of layering-based approach, so that you can adapt what you’re wearing depending on a variety of weather and activity variables.
That could include a thermal layer worn next to the skin, fleece layers on top of that, thicker forms of insulation, and then a waterproof shell on top. How you organize this will obviously depend on a range of factors including the kind of work you’re doing, how active you are, and how much you feel the cold.
If you end up with a waterproof workwear solution that doesn’t quite work for you, don’t stick with it – keep on evolving your approach until you find something that’s comfortable, durable, and can keep you dry in the harshest of conditions.