What to Consider when Selecting Rain Jackets and Rain Bibs for the Towing Industry

You’ll no doubt encounter more than your fair share of rain and other liquids while on the job. Making sure you pick the right hi-vis rain jacket and/or rain bibs will help you stay dry and comfortable in extreme weather conditions which will make answering the call easier, faster and safer - all day and night.
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When it comes to rainwear, the exterior of most rain jackets will be made of a polyester material, and be treated with a polyurethane or PVC coating to make the garment 100% waterproof. The combination of polyester material with a polyurethane coating makes the coat light-weight and ideal for warm weather.
The PVC coating will be more durable, abrasion and cut resistant, and better repel chemicals. Though these items will be a little heavier and trap more heat.
What you need to be aware of for the interior of the jacket are the coatings - many of the jacket interiors that don’t include a liner will have the same coating as the exterior. Those that have liners are typically made of polly cotton, mesh or half polly cotton/mesh. The liners add an extra layer for additional warmth.
You’ll also want to look for sealed seams that help make the jackets 100% waterproof.
For fastening your jacket, you have two options, zipper and snaps. Some jackets that use a zipper also come with a storm flap that covers the zipper and adds another layer of rain protection.
The other feature of a jacket that will keep rain and other liquids out are the wrist cuffs. The two most common type of cuffs are straight and knit. Most jackets then have either a hook and loop or snap adjustment on the cuff.
Pockets are another key consideration when looking at rainwear.
The number of pockets…
The size - to hold a cell phone or radio, big enough to fit your hand in…
The location of the pockets - on the chest, abdomen, arm…
Another feature to consider is ventilation - in the form of capes and under arm vents - these will help release heat from the interior of the jacket and keep you comfortable.
And as safety is always paramount, there are jackets that have an opening on the back to thread the eyelet for a safety harness.
For a complete rain suit, you have two styles of rain pants to choose from - rain bibs and elastic-waist rain pants. The bibs style have an adjustable strap that goes over your shoulder and attach to the front of the pant.
The elastic-waist pants have an elastic band that fit around the wearer’s body. There are no hooks, snaps or other adjustments to hold the pants up.
Other items of the pants worth noting are…the enclosure of the fly - button, snap or zipper…
If the pant cuffs are adjustable and if the closure is a snap, or hook and loop…
And if the pants have pockets…
There are a lot of options when it comes to rainwear. I hope this information will help you select the pieces that are going help make you comfortable and allow you to your job easier, faster and safer.
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