REI Co-op  Flash Stretch Rain Jacket - Men's

PROs: Water resistant, generous pockets, armpit vents, velcro and drawstring secure the fit. CONs: Oversized, boxy look and feel; pockets oddly high; sleeve tab design wasn’t desirable; seems heavy at 17 oz. This XL jacket was provided to me for review. As such, I had no information about the design intentions, and no information came with it. Which I like, because I could assess the item solely based on initial impressions. I haven’t had to buy a rain jacket in two decades. When I compared this to similar products at REI, I found it to be similar, but sensed it would not be my first choice for the price point and features. I didn’t care for the boxy fit, and the sizing is generous. I would have tried on one size smaller if shopping in-store. The material feels stiff, but is VERY waterproof. I hiked a drizzly uphill mile in it, and appreciated the weather-resistant design that includes velcro strips to seal the zipper flap. But I also got hot fast with the zipped armpit vents closed. The wrist openings are large to the point of feeling clumsy. When I fastened the velcro straps to a desirable fit, the tab stuck out profusely. A reasonable fit was attainable, but was looser than any other jacket I own. Unsecured, the sleeves almost cover my hands, which I learned later was intentional. The jacket has three pockets. The interior is accessed via a vertical zipper adjacent to the main zipper. The outer two are very large, and sit high. My hands entered just below my pects. The hood fits well and has a drawstring, but doesn’t have a storage pouch. I wound up sticking it down my back to keep it from irritating me. Conclusion: It would not be my first choice for a rain jacket. The cut and contours weren’t much to my liking, and the wrist areas and high pockets felt awkward. The upside is it feels like it would be a trusted friend in inclement weather.

I've been wearing this jacket on my daily dog walks and it's performed really well. It has definitely kept me dry and warm during the rain and wind this winter. The breathable fabric with easy-access pit zips prevent overheating and the stretchy material is a major plus - it feels comfortable and moves freely, unlike a stiff rain slicker. I normally wear all black, but the olive green color is surprisingly versatile and stylish. The small fit well in the shoulders and torso but felt narrow at the waist, while the medium offered more layering room but has slightly long sleeves (about an inch) and a looser fit. I opted for the medium for its layering potential - the extra length provides more coverage in the rain and will be a great during spring skiing.

This jacket is great! I’m 6’4” and I usually have a terrible time finding jackets with long enough sleeves and torso to fit me well without being overly baggy. This jacket is a nice length that lets me stay covered even with my hands over my head. The drawstring around the hips is not elastic which takes a little getting used to. The fabric is stretchy and breathable and repels water well. Very comfortable over layers or by itself as a wind barrier while biking.

First look at the REI Flash Stretch rain jacket is very nice. The quality of the jacket is well made. It uses Hydrowall for its shell and it really works. Water just beads right off the jacket. I wore it under high wind conditions (about 30mph) and I didn’t feel the wind at all. Best of all, with this material, it’s very breathable. After hours of wearing it, I didn’t feel stuffed at all. For added ventilation, there are two large pit zips. SIZE: Now let’s talk about the sizing. I normally wear Large for clothes. So naturally, I ordered the Large. When I tried it on, it was huge. Much larger than a normal large jacket. I then went to a local REI store to try on other sizes. The Medium was only slightly smaller. And the Small was too tight around the arms. But keep in mind, this is a rain jacket. A rain jacket should be a bit loose and a little oversized. This will then keep your regular clothes dry. The Flash Stretch is a nice looking jacket. Because it looks nice, I forgot it’s a rain jacket. For a rain jacket, it absolutely does its job. The Hydrowall protects you from water and wind. The added benefit of the material is that it keeps the jacket wrinkle free. All in all, I really like the jacket.

I've used this coat several times over the last few weeks in rainy Feb/March conditions in the PNW. It's been a solid raincoat overall and has a lot of nice features. Pros: Stretch. I like the stretchy fabric. It has a good amount of flexibility to it, and doesn't bind like many other raincoats. Fit. When I first got it, my initial impression was that it was too loose. After using it though, I found I really liked the fit, and allowed for a thick fleece to be worn underneath if needed. The sleeves also have a little extra length to them, which is nice in the rain. Breathability. It has tons of breathability, and in warmer weather the underarm zippers provide a lot of extra ventilation. Pockets. The two standard pockets are nice, but I really like the chest pocket. It's in a great location to stash a phone, and it stays dry. Cons: Velcro closures on wrist. The velcro wasn't sewn to the ends, so the tabs stick out a lot. The catch on things and open up the sleeves occasionally. It's not frequent, but was a minor annoyance. DWR coating. The DWR coating disappeared quickly on the sleeves. It likely just needs a refresh, but it happened much quicker than I'm used to. Overall, a solid rain coat. It keeps the rain off, and has some nice features to it. I think it works better in cold environments where it can be worn over another layer.

After testing this jacket for a few weeks, I think it is a solid choice for a shell layer when keeping dry is paramount. I took it hiking in the mountains on a sleeting day, as well as around the neighborhood on a few rainy or drizzly days, and I found that it performed admirably. The oversized, boxy fit - while not the most attractive design - ensures that the jacket provides complete coverage, even when acting as a shell layer over a down jacket. The stretch fabric allowed my body to move naturally while hiking, and I didn’t find that I was constricted in any way. I also appreciated the generous pockets and large pit zips for dumping heat. Note that the hood is not helmet compatible - it fit snuggly around my bare head, but the bill did a good job of keeping water out of my eyes. I think I will reach for a different piece when I want to move fast and light, for example when running, as this jacket feels a bit overkill. But for days when the threat of weather is truly serious, this will be my choice.

Fails miserably as a rain jacket. Not waterproof in the slightest. 1 minute in the rain and the arms and shoulders were soaked.

This rain coat is definitely light weight and offers great range of movement. The water repellency is excellent, at least at the start. I like that it is not as loud as other rain coats and the new materials make movement more natural. What I dont love is the sizing. This thing is BIG. I am 6'2 with 35" arms in dress shirts, and I am !swimming! in the large tall. I would think a medium tall might still be too big given how large this thing is. Not sure what happened with sizing, but I am hoping to still use this as a snow coat/layer and be able to easily layer underneath with no restrictions to movement. The cuffs are nice and bind tightly, so I am not too concerned with the bunching as result. The chest pocket is smartly designed, with the zipper being underneath the main zipper layer, which I would presume will help prevent water infiltration.

I had a previous version of this jacket and liked it a lot. So, after the pocket seams fell apart (after a decade), I bought the newer version. Quality has greatly diminished. It rained yesterday for the first time since I bought the jacket. I went outside to walk my dogs in light to medium rain and was soaked within ~2 minutes. The jacket was a total failure, unable to stop rain from breeching the fabric. Hours later, needing to walk them again, I noticed that it was STILL wet. The previous version of the jacket was dry within minutes...this had absorbed completely.

I must have tried on a dozen raincoats before finding this and it's the perfect choice. I was sold on how soft it is, and not noisy or crunchy like so many of even the most expensive brands. It also has some key features that I consider non-negotiable like cuffed wrists, an interior chest pocket, soft high neck, sizable underarm vents, and a right-sized brimmed hood. I wore it all over the Grand Canyon and Sedona in April when the temperature can fluctuate wildly from morning to afternoon to evening... and was always comfortable. It's kept me dry during long walks in persistent, heavy rain. Perfect everyday/trail rain jacket for multiple seasons and weather conditions.