Rain Defender® Relaxed Fit Jacket

Zipper broke :-(

Carhartt Rain Defender - Relaxed Fit (Rugged Flex - Made in Vietnam) Hooded Jacket (Model 0J6782-M) in Deep Ocean blue color. I really liked the look and feel of the jacket and felt the Warmth Level 1 would be very good most of the time in the South Carolina coastal area. I ordered a Large since according to the size chart that would be right since I have worn a 44 Regular all my adult life. I was very pleased with the fit (at 5'11" & 195 lb. (180cm & 88.5kg)) as it was not at all baggy, but still left room that I was able to wear it layered over a fleece vest very comfortably (in case I ever needed the extra warmth). I also found that the hood laid flat on my back and shoulders. I did find the sleeves to be slightly longer than I would like (normally a 33" (84cm) sleeve length), but that may be by design to allow it to be layered over something with bulkier long sleeves. The hook & loop adjustment on the wrist openings of the sleeves worked well, and seemed to be properly placed for easy access. The inner surface of the sleeves is a smooth material and did not pull at the long sleeve cotton shirt as some had noted for other styles of rain jackets. The 3 outer zippered pockets and very large hook & loop closure inner pocket provide all the storage room I would ever need. Overall it was a very comfortable, light-weight jacket. Some have remarked this material is a little noisy - I would agree you will know when you are moving, sort of like the sound of a nylon windbreaker, but a little quieter. I tested the rain repellency and dryness by wearing it over a shirt in the shower turned full-on (about like a good steady rain, but less than a heavy downpour). As others have said, I was amazed at how well the fabric beaded and shed the water, and I did not feel any moisture coming through the jacket in general through about a 5 minute period. When I took it off there had been NO leakage at all through the front zipper, which has a storm flap behind its entire length. Also there was no detectable leaking into any of the pockets either through the fabric or the zippers. It did feel to me somewhat heavier after having been "in the rain" for 5 minutes or so, but I had not weighed it prior to the test, so I cannot objectively state it absorbed any water - just an impression. However I did return the jacket because it definitely had some leaking through the seams on the back shoulder areas, enough there were water lines on the cotton shirt that matched exactly where those seams are. And I could feel the water on my skin. This was disappointing to me as it is about exactly the same leaking I have had with a much more expensive rain jacket from another maker which I had planned for this jacket to replace. In fairness, Carhartt does not describe this as "waterproof", only water repellant. But other reviewers describing other jackets of the same materials had found them to be much closer to waterproof. Carhartt was very easy to deal with in making a return - all done through a well designed web-based process that is simple, quick, and straight-forward. And the return shipping was easy and free, and the refund was almost immediate.