A water resistant hoodie can be that critical first line of defense when the weather starts to turn nasty. And although there are a lot of hooded sweatshirts on the market, there aren’t a lot of water resistant options.
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If you are shopping for a rain repellent hoodie for work, these are my favorites:
- Carhartt Men’s Rain-Defender Paxton Heavyweight Hoodie (click here to view)
- Charles River Apparel Pack-N-Go Wind & Water Resistant Pullover (click here to view)
- 1620 Workwear Made in USA Pullover Work Hoodie (click here to view)
- Carhartt Rain Defender Rutland Thermal Lined Zip Hoodie (click here to view)
- Caterpillar Men’s H20 Hoodie (click here to view)
- Frogg Toggs Pilot Technical Water-Resistant Rain Hoodie (click here to view)
- L.L. Bean Men’s Stormfleece Pro Hoodie (click here to view)
- Frogg Toggs Dead Silence Brushed Camo Rain Hoodie (click here to view)
- *Women’s* The North Face Women’s Shelbe Raschel Hoodie (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Charles River Apparel Water Resistant Pullover (click here to view)
- *Women’s* HUK Performance Water Resistant Hoodie (click here to view)
This list contains a wide variety of water and rain repellent hoodies. In general, most workers are just looking for something simple and reliable that they can slip-on when the weather turns bad.
To be clear, a water resistant hoodie (also commonly called water repellent hoodie) is not completely waterproof. No, it won’t keep you bone dry in a monsoon.
A water resistant work hoodie will repel light precipitation. If you need something for extreme rain, you will want to buy waterproof, seam-sealed rain gear (what is 5000mm waterproof?).
You’ll also need to decide if you want a heavyweight hoodie for colder weather, or a light to mid-weight hoodie for more mild conditions.
I actually own both a heavyweight and a mid-weight hoodie and just rotate them to match the weather. And, of course, you’ll need to decide if you want a pullover hoodie or a zip-front hoodie.
If you don’t like your options, wool is a naturally water-resistant fabric. Using a wool shirt jacket might be a nice substitute to a hoodie for some situations. To read more, visit our article about the best wool shirt jackets. You can also consider a hooded flannel shirt jacket or a softshell work jacket as a first line of defense when the weather turns.
Best Water Resistant Hoodies to Repel Rain
Carhartt Men’s Rain-Defender Paxton Heavyweight Hoodie
Carhartt is a trusted name in workwear, and they make several types of hoodies. I own both the Carhartt Midweight Hoodie, and this Carhartt Rain-Defender Heavyweight Hoodie.
Here’s what the Carhartt Men’s Rain-Defender Paxton Heavyweight Hoodie looks like:
This is the current price of this Carhartt heavyweight water repellent hoodie available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this hoodie:
- Material – Heavyweight 13-ounce cotton/poly blend fabric.
- Water Repellent – Yes, this is a water repellent hoodie. It has a DWR finish applied to the fabric.
- Pockets – Traditional kangaroo style hand-warming pouch with an hidden inner security pocket to store small essentials.
- Details – Drawstring attached hood. Cuffed waist which pairs easily with a tool belt.
- Fit – True to size, in my experience not too tight or too baggy. Read more here: Carhartt Hoodie Sizing.
Here’s a look at mine:
So how warm is this hoodie?
Well, first of all, Carhartt does not put a temperature rating on this hoodie, so this is just strictly my personal opinion from wearing the hoodie.
This is the hoodie I turn to when the temperature is in the 35-45ish degree F range. Anything warmer than that, I personally sweat out of this hoodie and instead use the Carhartt midweight work hoodie that I own.
Everyone is different, but that is just the personal comfort level I have found for this hoodie. This is not a thin, flimsy hoodie. It is quite warm compared to other hoodies. To read more, visit my article about Carhartt Defender Hoodies.
Because this is a water repellent hoodie, I also like to use it as a base layer under my work jacket when the weather gets really nasty during the brutal winter months. To read more, visit my article about Carhartt insulated hoodies.
Click here to buy this Carhartt heavyweight hoodie available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Again, in my experience, these fit true-to-size. To read more, visit our article about Carhartt hoodies.
***If you want a quick understanding of Carhartt hoodies, then watch my video below. If you like the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking the button below. Thanks!
Charles River Apparel Pack-N-Go Wind & Water Resistant Pullover
Not everyone looking for rain protection wants a heavyweight hoodie. If you need something a little more lightweight, and/or a bit more packable, this Charles River water resistant hoodie might be a nice option (best lightweight hoodies).
Here’s what this water resistant hoodie looks like:
This is the current price of this Charles River water resistant hoodie available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this hoodie:
- Material – This lightweight, breathable pullover, is made with 100% Softex™ polyester. It is wind- and water-resistant, ideal to keep on hand for those days when the weather can turn on a dime.
- Hood – A hood with an adjustable shockcord drawstring keeps you shielded from the elements.
- Pockets – A kangaroo-style pocket on the front of the jacket also has a zippered front pouch so you can store essentials.
- Notable Features – This pullover packs away into its own front pouch so it’s easy to keep it anywhere. Also great for travel as it takes up little suitcase space! It also features underarm grommets for added ventilation as well as elastic cuffs and an adjustable hem, allowing you to customize the fit.
Click here to buy this Charles River water resistant hoodie available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This is built for more mild, rainy conditions.
Carhartt Rain Defender Rutland Thermal Lined Zip Hoodie
As I mentioned earlier in the article, Carhartt has a wide variety of work hoodies available, including several zip-front hoodies. This Carhartt Rain Defender Rutland Thermal Hoodie is water-repellent and has a thermal lining so that it can take on colder weather.
Here’s what it looks like (multiple colors available):
This is the current price of this Carhartt zip-front water repellent hoodie available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this hoodie:
- Material – Heavyweight 12-ounce cotton/poly blend fabric.
- Lining – This hoodie has a polyester thermal lining for extra warmth.
- Water Repellent – Yes, this is a water repellent hoodie. It has a DWR finish applied to the fabric.
- Pockets – Traditional hand-warmer pockets on the outside, and this hoodie also has an internal zip pocket for storing essentials.
- Details – Drawstring attached hood. Cuffed waist which pairs easily with a tool belt.
Click here to buy this Carhartt Rutland zip-front water repellent hoodie available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This functions as a nice layering piece for those brutally cold days.
Other Rain Repellent & Water Resistant Hoodies to Consider
- Caterpillar Men’s H20 Hoodie – Caterpillar is another well-known workwear brand, and their men’s H20 Hoodie is made with a water resistant finish. The logo is a reflective print and the hoodie comes with a hidden cell phone pocket. Click here to view this Caterpillar water resistant hoodie at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- 1620 USA Pullover Work Hoodie – 1620 is a workwear company that specializes in making USA-made work clothing using premium materials and construction so that their products hold up longer in comparison to the imported competition. They make a popular water repellent hoodie for work. It is made with a cotton/poly blend and has a helmet compatible hood. Click here to view this hoodie.
- Frogg Toggs Pilot Technical Water Resistant Hoodie – Frogg Toggs is a well-known name in rainwear, and they have several different types of rain repellent hoodies. This hoodie is made of 100% polyester and is available in multiple colors, including camo. It is a half-zip front and has a fleece lined handwarmer pouch. Click here to view this hoodie at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- L.L. Bean Men’s Stormfleece Pro Hoodie – L.L. Bean is a trusted name in outdoor performance and casual wear. They have a wide selection of clothing built for cold and rainy environments, including a water repellent hoodie. This is a zip-front hoodie with two zip hand pockets. This might be your best option if you prefer zip-close pockets to store essentials. Click here to view this hoodie.
Best Women’s Water Resistant Hoodie
Carhartt Rain Defender Rockland Quilt Lined Zip Hooded Sweatshirt
Carhartt also makes a water repellent hoodie for women that is quilt lined and can take on winter weather. Here’s what this hoodie looks like:
This is the current price of this Carhartt’s women’s water repellent hoodie available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This hoodie is a full-zip front made with a cotton/poly fabric blend.
Not only is this a water repellent hoodie, but it is also quilt lined so that it can stand up to some of the colder, wet weather that winter throws your way.