I've been looking for a raincoat for a few years now and this looked like it would fit the bill. It did NOT disappoint! The zip-out lining is perfect for 3 season comfort. I was also thrilled that it had a hood! I know it sounds silly, but the vast majority of "rain" coats don't have hoods. The fit is great and I have plenty of room to move in it and I can wrangle my 2 year-old while I've got it on. I think this piece is a great wardrobe investment and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a great 3 season coat.
Reading all the reviews, made me want to put in my two cents. I bought mine in early 2005 and it's been my year-round coat ever since. In 2005 it wasn't made with the snap-front storm flap. It's great in the spring and fall without the lining, but I LOVE how warm the "thin" wool lining keeps me in the bitter cold of northeastern Ohio winters. The liner does NOT need to be heavy, because the outer coat's microfiber is actually an insulator as well, so the combination of the exterior and the zip-out lining make this a very warm coat. I love being able to go out in snow, sleet, frozen rain or just rain and always stay dry and toasty warm. One LITTLE problem I have with the coat -- the hood is so large that when I put it up it covers my eyes. In the winter when I'm snowblowing, I use earmuff-style hearing protection on the OUTSIDE of the hood to keep it in place and away from my eyes. This coat has been washed several times, and STILL looks as good as the day I bought it. You can't go wrong with this coat, and it's good for all four seasons. I have two wool winter coats that I hardly ever use now that I have this wonderful H2Off coat.
Love the coat! 4.5 stars! It's light weight enough to wear (without the lining) in cooler summer temps. Fabric is cottony and comfortable against the skin. Unlike other raincoats, this one hasn't made me feel clammy or sweaty. The hood design and construction is brilliant- an interior drawstring secures the hood around one's face without changing the shape of exterior of the hood, so in a windy storm you're warm and the hood still shields your face fully. Really well done! Why not 5 stars? The "wool lining" is much lighter than anticipated, and woolen only from waist down- I'm a little disappointed by this, but it does help to insulate by minimizing drafts on cooler days. With a layer underneath, if you are being moderately active, this coat could easily be used in cold temperatures. I hope LL Bean comes out with a belted version in the future, not only to give it some additional shape, but also to allow the wearer to reduce drafts on cold days. Even an internally adjustable drawstring would help in that regard. Anyway, can't wait to get another one in a spring color. Thanks!
I was so excited to get this raincoat and got my usual medium. But when it finally came in, I was very disappointed in how big my raincoat was. I guess all raincoats run big. This was my second raincoat, since my mom bought me one when I was a kid. So I didn't know that. I just wanted to warn others before they spend their money, then wait for their item to come...to order one size down. Or maybe L.L. Bean's clothes just run big and everyone knew of this except me.
I gave this raincoat 3 stars because the quality was awesome....but the coat was just unbelievably big for my normal size that I buy everywhere else. It was swimming on me. I hope I helped someone else get their dream coat in the right size b/c, otherwise, it's beautiful. The size was just shocking.
