<p>My almost-80 year old Dad will be joining us for a cruise out of Seattle in July. Can anyone recommend a warm, rain-resistant jacket that won’t be uncomfortable? I plan to get him one for Father’s Day. We have several outlet malls around or I can mail order, but would love recommendations on type/comfort!</p>
<p>He’s slim if that matters.</p>
<p>If he doesn’t mosey over here, PM interesteddad. He’s the guru on all weather related gear ;)</p>
<p>Blocks wind, micro fleece lined.
They may have this at REI.
Patagonia stuff lasts for decades.
<a href=“http://m.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-adze-wind-jacket?p=83390-0”>http://m.patagonia.com/us/product/mens-adze-wind-jacket?p=83390-0</a></p>
<p>Both Lands End and L.L. Bean have some nice water-resistant, fleece lined jackets which should work well. When we went to Alaska a few years ago, our family all had fleece jackets that we supplemented with rain shells when we needed to–that also worked quite well.</p>
<p>1) How warm? I assume an Alaskan cruise could be in the 40s or 50s and windy, but I’m not sure.</p>
<p>2) How waterproof? Jackets sold as water-resistant will keep you dry in a drizzle or long enough to run from the car to the grocery store in a heavy rain. But, they will quickly soak through if you are out in a heavy rain. For that you need water-proof. The downside? Waterproof is never has comfortable for the times you don’t need it. If I’m out on deck in driving ocean spray like the Gorton fisherman, I want water proof, but that may not be the reality of an Alaskan cruise?</p>
<p>3) Will he wear a separate rain hat? Or are you thinking an all-in-one solution with a hoody?</p>
<p>4) What size and shape is he? If he’s trim and athletic, then the sports/outdoor brands like Patagonia or Marmot will be fine. But, if he’s typically portly or even “not thin”, then the more generous cuts of LLBean or Lands End stuff will be more comfortable.</p>
<p>Give a little more detail and I’ll recommend some options.</p>
<p>I 100% agree with emerald kity - That neoprene type fabric is amazing and in black, it also looks sharp! REI also has a store brand. I might also get him a smartwool top to use as a base layer for chilly nights. </p>
<p>Agree a soft shell ought to do the trick. Also agree a smartwool top to layer in would be perfect if Alaska is cool. </p>
<p>Thanks all! He’s almost 80, but he walks 2 miles most days and has a slight/medium build. Average temps say 45-65, but I’m told it’s generally damp/rainy in some areas. Hoods would be preferred over carrying a separate hat. We have an REI, but I’ve never been there. I’ll check it out!</p>
<p>Will NOT be traipsing around in any pouring rain with Dad, so water resistant would be good enough!</p>
<p>Evo is another Seattle based outdoor store with great customer service and free shipping. I would definitely go with something rainproof and a separate micro-fleece. In our house, we have Patagonia, Marmot, Helly Hansen and a few others, including my 25 year old Campmor store-brand jacket.</p>
<p>Link to Evo: <a href=“Men's Rain Jackets | evo”>http://www.evo.com/shop/clothing/outerwear/jackets/rain/mens.aspx</a></p>
<p>Columbia is also available in the NW. They sell some nice and reasonably-priced garments. Lots depends on how cold he gets. If he is like me and gets cold easily, Omni-Heat that Columbia makes is a nice product–it reflects the heat back to you, so you are warmer with less bulk. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.columbia.com/Omni-Heat-Reflective/Technology_Omni-Heat_Reflective,default,pg.html?mid=paidsearch&nid=Search|Branded|Collections|Omni|US&oid=Omni_Reflective&did=Columbia%20reflective&eid=Microsoft+Bing+Ads+US&s_kwcid=AL!3937!10!4213213143!26547322223&ef_id=Uxi7NQAAAIwnsMbj:20140426005053:s”>http://www.columbia.com/Omni-Heat-Reflective/Technology_Omni-Heat_Reflective,default,pg.html?mid=paidsearch&nid=Search|Branded|Collections|Omni|US&oid=Omni_Reflective&did=Columbia%20reflective&eid=Microsoft+Bing+Ads+US&s_kwcid=AL!3937!10!4213213143!26547322223&ef_id=Uxi7NQAAAIwnsMbj:20140426005053:s</a></p>
<p>I have a jacket that has this and it keeps me comfortable now matter how cold everyone else is. Icebreakers makes a nice line of washable thermal wool underwear that can also be worn as outerwear. I like it and have used it a lot. REI and other stores carry it.</p>
<p>This is a actually a tough scenario to shop for. Those temperatures are not too cold, so most of us would want a fairly light jacket – not some sub-zero winter garment. Also, have to consider what an 80 year old man will wear. Some guys will wear a sporty/outdoorsy jacket. Others would put something non-traditional like that in the back of the closet and NEVER wear it…</p>
<p>Two traditional options that any 80 year old would wear all the time:</p>
<p><a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>L.L.Bean: Page Not Available;
<p>This one is a flannel lined microfiber remake of the classic Polo jacket. Perfect for temps around 60. Not too heavy. Great windbreaker styling, with a little warmth, and good rain resistance.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/32937?feat=82353-ppxs&dds=y”>http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/32937?feat=82353-ppxs&dds=y</a></p>
<p>This is an awesome jacket. LLBeans version of the old Members-Only jacket. Water resistant microfiber outer shell, lined with 300-wt fleece. Probably a little too warm. This actually a good winter jacket for temps in the 30s and 40s. But, in a strong wind shipboard in Alaska, might be fine. I guarantee he’d wear this one a lot. Bean just introduced the same jacket with a flannel lining instead of fleece. This would be halfway between the two jackets above in warmth:</p>
<p><a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/78987?feat=32937-ppxs&dds=y</a></p>
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<p>From there, you really go into more outdoorsy stuff.</p>
<p>The softshell jackets mentioned above would be a good choice. I prefer the unlined versions. The insulated lined versions are only good in seriously cold weather. For everyday use, I tend to prefer the ones without the wind-proof membrane. That blocks wind, but makes the jacket less comfortable for every day use. Stop by the REI store and look at some softshell jackets. They are very popular, but the style may not be for everyone. I can see an older guy never wearing one. You could look and judge.</p>
<p>Here’s a Columbia version as I’m describing, for a good price at REI:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.rei.com/product/863638/columbia-sweet-as-ii-softshell-hoodie-jacket-mens”>http://www.rei.com/product/863638/columbia-sweet-as-ii-softshell-hoodie-jacket-mens</a></p>
<p>Marmot and Patagonia make a ton of these in all kinds of flavors.</p>
<p>If you want to spend some serious money, the Marmot Nabu is the nicest softshell I’ve ever seen. It’s got Polartec’s new waterproof NeoShell membrane (like GoreTex waterproof). 100% waterproof, but soft and stretchy. The lining is a very light ssofts tretchy fabric, like Patagonia’s baselayer underwear tops. Awesome jacket that could be worn in the 50s and 60’s, or as a winter jacket over a sweater or fleece. The downside is that it’s (ridiculously) expensive:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.backcountry.com/marmot-nabu-softshell-jacket-mens?ti=U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM6bWFybW90IG5hYnU6MToxOm1hcm1vdCBuYWJ1”>http://www.backcountry.com/marmot-nabu-softshell-jacket-mens?ti=U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM6bWFybW90IG5hYnU6MToxOm1hcm1vdCBuYWJ1</a></p>
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<p>An excellent alternative for fairly mild summer travel is a “wind breaker” style hoodie. This is probably the jacket that I use more often than any other. Not a lot of warmth, so on a 50 degree day you’d wear it over a sweater or fleece for standing around (or over a t-shirt on a brisk walk). But, they block 100% of the wind and are fairly water resistant (for a drizzle). The fantastic thing is they weigh under 5 ounces and stuff into their own pocket, to the size of a eyeglass case. So, they are perfect for sightseeing when you might need a jacket later or if it starts to rain or the wind kicks up. I wear this all the the time in temps of 50 degrees or above. I usually have a light fleece or sweater on inside and don’t need a heavy jacket on top of that on a 50 degree day. So throw one of these on to block the wind and a little drizzle. A walker would get a lot of use out of these.</p>
<p>Patagonia makes an awesome version, the Houdini that REI carries. Marmot makes a really nice one, too, the Trail Wind Hoody or Ion Wind Hoody. These are slim cut, so maybe upsize if you want to wear it over a heavy sweater.</p>
<p><a href=“Patagonia Men's Houdini® Jacket - Windbreaker Jacket”>Patagonia Men's Houdini® Jacket - Windbreaker Jacket;
<a href=“http://marmot.com/products/details/trail-wind-hoody”>http://marmot.com/products/details/trail-wind-hoody</a>
<a href=“http://www.sierratradingpost.com/marmot-ion-wind-jacket-for-men~p~3969g/”>http://www.sierratradingpost.com/marmot-ion-wind-jacket-for-men~p~3969g/</a></p>
<p>Or, for the same thing, but with a little warmth, Marmot makes a version with a superthin microfleece lining. Also stuffs into it’s own pocket. Same wind and weather resistance, but with the warmth of a light fleece. This is terrific option for cooler days when you want some warmth. If I were grabbing a jacket for a summer Alaskan cruise, this might very well be the one I grab. I never leave home without some flavor of these light small jackets that are easy to wear or carry depending on the changing weather. Don’t know if you’ll need a jacket later? Stuff one of these in its pocket and carry it.</p>
<p><a href=“http://marmot.com/products/details/ether-driclime”>http://marmot.com/products/details/ether-driclime</a></p>
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<p>Safest bet? One of the LLBean jackets and one of these two styles of waterproof hats:</p>
<p><a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>L.L.Bean: Page Not Available;
<a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>L.L.Bean: Page Not Available;
<p>BTW, I agree with suggestion to go with a fleece jacket and a separate unlined rain jacket, like the Marmot Precip. If yuo need 100% waterproof and a lot of flexiblity to wear one, the other or both, this is a hard combination to beat. I even wear this kind of combo for snow shovelling.</p>
<p>Speaking of the omniheat, super feet makes insoles with something similar to reflect back warmth.
Keep his extremities comfortable and he should be more comfortable.</p>
<p>I have that Marmot jacket with the driclime. I found it for $15 at TJ Maxx. It’s really nice. Warmer than just a rain shell, lighter than a fleece and rain shell. </p>
<p>Did anyone yet mention TJ Maxx. I can find some really nice outdoor/exercise gear there fairly regularly. </p>
<p>It gets cold where I live in the summer with some regularity. I wear a fleece shell with a rain jacket on top. The fleece is warm, the rain jacket blocks the wind. I have a soft shell jacket with wind stopper fabric also but I wear than in the fall and spring. Tend to layer in the summer. </p>
<p>I would go with a very light shell like jacket but also buy one of the very light vests/jackets for your G to wear when he’s feeling the chill. My nearly 90 year old mother is very thin, wears one of those light Under jackets a lot around our house as we cannot heat it up to her level of comfort without sacrificing all of ours. It works very well. It can be chilly on an Alaskan cruise ship. The shell he can slip on when goes on deck or out Both would be light enough to roll and stick into a bag if it’s too warm for either or both.</p>
<p>We were on an Alaskan cruise in August. The only caveat I have is that going through the glacier areas, you will tend to want to be forward on the outside decks, which get very windy. We wore our fleece-lined ski jackets & heavy gloves while forward in the wind, and by the afternoon, were sitting in the outdoor pool (70’s) watching the glaciers go by.</p>
<p>Moral of the story: I’d buy one of those combo jackets which have a removable fleece inner section and a water resistant shell. That way, you have all the permutations and combinations. Something like this: <a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>L.L.Bean: Page Not Available;
Also gloves and a hat.</p>
<p>Remember that southeastern Alaska is a rain forest. (Ketchikan measures its “liquid sunshine” in the center of town.) We brought rain pants with us, too, just in case, but didn’t need them.</p>
<p>Where does grandpa live? Can he shop his own closet? Bring a fleece lined or other light weight fall/winter jacket. Bring a windbreaker. Bring a sweater. Layers should work. </p>
<p>Vests are also wonderful, keeping torso warm while not restricting arms. </p>
<p>Can’t beat the deals at the Columbia Outlet stores…talk to the staff!</p>