evolving gear

The Shift from 2.5- to 3-Layer Rain Jackets

We’ve tracked the waterproof jacket market closely over the last decade and noticed an interesting change in the past few years: Big players like Arc’teryx and Patagonia have discontinued all of their 2.5-layer rain shells, replacing them exclusively with 3-layer jackets. When major brands all move in the same direction, our interest is piqued. What’s going on with this shift from 2.5- to 3-layer rain jackets?