Buying raincoats, especially for your kids, can be challenging. A good raincoat can cost up to a few hundred dollars, only for your children to grow out of them. Here we will look at how to choose a good raincoat which is a good value of money. 

1. Fabric / Material
2. Design
3. Construction & Stitching

1. Fabric / Material

A good raincoat must be made of quality, 100% waterproof fabric that is able to slightly stretch. Most raincoats have fabrics such as cotton or wool that is coated with a waterproof material like rubber or another specially formulated membrane.  On the cheaper end, Vinyl or some plastics are used in making inexpensive raincoats.

2. Construction & Design

The raincoat design is a very crucial factor in waterproofing. This includes storm flaps over zippers and pockets. Ventilation for air flow so that the raincoat does not swell up like a balloon in high winds. Drawstrings or other mechanisms like snap buttons or velcro tighten the raincoat at hood, hem, and sleeve to avoid this.

A raincoat with front zipper and storm flap over it will provide more protection than just a snap button closure.

Reflective tape or print is also a good idea on a raincoat as it increases your child's visibility in cloudy or grey weather.

3. Stitching

When the components of the raincoat are attached together the seams need to be waterproof as well. If you are buying a plastic or Vinyl raincoat the components are attached through heat sealing, therefore, make sure there are no gaps in the joints. If the raincoat is made of coated fabrics then the seams need to seal. This is a special process in which all seams are made waterproof so that water does not seep in from joints. There are various ways in which seams can be sealed, hot air seam sealing in one of the very common ways.

 

 School Depot offers a variety of quality raincoats for kids. CLICK HERE to view the range.