Patagonia Stretch Rainshadow

Our take Call it this year’s jacket-of-all-trades. Thanks to features that transition from hiking to biking to skiing, the Stretch Rainshadow was our constant companion, from summer paddles along Illinois’s Des Plaines River to winter hikes in Montana’s Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The superstretchy, 2.5-layer material let us reach, bend, and twist like we were wearing a softshell. The hood fits over climbing and ski helmets, but adjusts precisely enough to not flap around on a bare head. More multisport cred: The longer-than-average hem and sleeves provide solid coverage for cycling, too.

The details The Stretch Rainshadow’s 30-denier face fabric is made from 100 percent recycled nylon (including upcycled fishing nets), and shrugged off typical trail abuse. The two generously sized hand pockets can each fit a winter glove. It scrunches down to tennis shoe-size—on the bulkier side for a summer piece, but impressive for a shell that can slide into winter use. And the relaxed cut easily stretched over midlayers and puffies in cold weather.

Trail cred “I love the hook-and-lock system that secures the hood when you don’t need it,” one tester says. “During a hike along Rhode Island’s Cliff Walk, it kept the hood from flapping in the strong ocean gusts.”