I have to start this post by saying that I’ve never owned an item of clothing that has gotten so many compliments as this raincoat. Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s totally different to any other raincoat I’ve seen. Maybe it’s because of the assumption that raincoats are either boring black or bold yellow or red. Either way, this jacket has gotten me a lot of compliments, and more importantly I feel absolutely amazing wearing it!
Scribbler is a New Zealand brand, brought to life by Camila Dixon. Her love of flora and fauna was inspired by her early life in the countries of Colombia and South Africa, and now her new home of New Zealand. After not being able to find a rain jacket that met her own needs (and still felt colourful and fun), she made her own, and Scribbler was brought to life.
Scribbler offer a range of products including lightweight and fleecy raincoats, puffer vests, and the cutest doggie raincoats (you can even match with your pooch!). When it comes to the rain jackets, there are two options – a lighter shell type jacket for the warmer seasons, and a fleece lined raincoat for when it’s a bit cooler.
What I love about these jackets is they are not only beautiful, they are technical too; each coat is Waterproof now to 10000mm (high) and treated with a Durable Water Repellent. The water literally rolls off them, meaning you don’t get wet at all. The hood is also a stand out and it is adjustable, meaning that you can fully customise how you wear it, depending on how heavy the rain is and what you are up to. As well as all this, there are also a lot of very clever and well thought out features including:
- A two way easy to use YKK zip
- A chin guard to stop you from zipping your chin (hands up if you’ve ever caught your chin/neck in the zip 🙋♀️ )
- Fleecy lined pockets to keep your fingers warm
- Zippered pockets that are easy to get in to
- Reflective strips on the jacket for when you are out at night
- Internal pockets that fit a phone
- Cuffed sleeves for extra warmth
- Longer scooped back to keep the rain off your bum (I hate a short raincoat!)
I have the Military Peony Fleece Bonded Raincoat – the most beautiful khaki coloured raincoat, complete with pink roses and Monarch butterflies. When I showed this to my family they instantly agreed it was “me in a raincoat”. I love how full of life and colour this jacket is – it’s not just another boring black rain jacket. I opted for the fleece lined version because I am definitely someone who feels the cold. I have to say, this jacket is really really warm and the fleecy lining in the pockets is such a nice touch. This jacket doesn’t feel heavy or sweaty which is a bonus too.
So far I’ve worn this jacket A LOT. I’ve worn it around town on rainy days running errands. I wore it in a torrential downpour on my trip to Wellington (and it folded up to fit easy peasy into my carry on). And I’ve worn it on more bush walks than I can count (including hiking 10km through the Hooker Valley in the hail and wind!). I can hand on heart say this is the only rain jacket you’ll ever need. It looks the part of being stylish and fun, and it meets all the technical needs you could want when hiking out in the elements (plus it will look super cute in all your adventure photos! 😉).
Most importantly, the hood actually stays up even in the crazy whipping wind, and the zip goes right up to cover your chin to keep you extra warm. Wearing this jacket is literally like being wrapped up in a little cocoon protected from the elements.
The fleecy lining keeps you warm on a cold day, yet the breathable aspect to this jacket ensures you don’t sweat. Another cool aspect to this brand is that each print run is extremely limited, so if you see something you like…. act fast! This means that you won’t have the same jacket as absolutely everyone else, because let’s be honest, being unique rocks!
Overall, I can’t rate these jackets more highly. They are well made and do what they say they will, while also looking the part too. If you are looking for a well designed raincoat that will actually keep you dry, you honestly can’t go past a Scribbler. Like I say, it’s the only coat you’ll ever need (and the only one I’ve reached for since I’ve owned it!)
Fit tips: I’ve found these jackets really true to size and the size chart on the website is great. I wear a size 6/XS and I usually fit a size 6. I’m also 163cm or 5’3 for length reference. These jackets range in size from 6-22 (XS-5XL)
