There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing, goes the saying. You would think that as Irish people we'd have absorbed that lesson eons ago, and yet it rolls off us like water off a duck's back.
If you've been sludging around in the same parka or puffer jacket for years, now's the perfect time to invest in a one-and-done raincoat to see you through the wet, wintery season.
Matthew McConnell, Editor of Outsider.ie, joined Brendan O'Connor to share his tips for buying an effective raincoat - and maintaining its waterproofing.
Having reviewed and tested countless waterproof jackets in his time, there are some fundamental non-negotiables when seeking a raincoat, McConnell said. But before that, he talks about where we're going wrong.
"I think it just comes down to a lack of maybe education, and I don't necessarily mean that in a really snobby way or anything. I think people just don't know the facts about their jackets being waterproof", he explained.
"Just because a jacket sort of keeps you dry just because it itself is thick and it soaks up the water and the water doesn't get to you doesn't mean that the jacket itself is actually waterproof."
Insulated jackets will keep you warm and somewhat covered from the rain, but to be properly waterproof - and keep you dry as opposed to covered up - you need a membrane in the jacket to block the water from penetrating close to your body.
McConnell recommends going to an "outdoor-specific" shop when buying your raincoat. "For a jacket to be able to be branded or labelled as waterproof, it only needs to meet a very, very low threshold of the measurement of waterproofing", he said.
This measurement is called hydrostatic head, which measures how waterproof a fabric is and is measured in millimetres. A very high quality jacket, such as a Goretex one, would be about 20,000mm of waterproof-ness, whereas a high street version that says 'waterproof' might only be 1,500mm.
As for fit, McConnell recommended considering what you'll use the jacket for. If you want to cycle to work or routinely go on long walks with your dog, he suggested a slightly larger fit that covers the tops of your legs, slightly longer sleeves and an adjustable hood.
Nailing the hood is crucial, as anyone caught in a windy rainstorm can attest to. Making sure it's as adjustable as possible is a key requirement, McConnell said.
"A lot of jackets from more reputable outdoor brands would have adjustability at various points throughout the hood so that you can customise it, you can wear it over a cycling helmet for example and it still being form-fit, so if you're looking from left to right you don't have those blind spots that you might be accustomed to with just a normal hood."
A wire peak or brim on the hood will prevent rain falling onto your face, too.
Elasticated cuffs are "sometimes the best port of call", he added, but velcro or clasp cuffs are as good as long as you can cinch them around your wrists on a really wet day to block out the rain.
Finally, when it comes to what terms to look out when shopping for a raincoat, McConnell demystified the various phrases used in the market.
'Water resistant', he said, is not a protected term and can be added onto any product, whereas 'waterproof' is a protected term with different thresholds. His "baseline" threshold for an actually waterproof jacket is 10,000mm, he said.
To listen back to the full interview, click above.
