The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket is a reliable and packable rain jacket.

The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket

Details

• Regular fit
• Internal hem cinch-cord with a cord lock for adjustabilityFabric: 15D 67 g/m² DRYVENT™ 2.5L—100% recycled nylon with fluorine-free durable water-repellent (DWR) finish
• Attached, adjustable, three-piece hood with a cinch-cord with a cord lock in back
• Exposed, reverse-coil YKK® AquaGuard® center front zip
• Secure-zip hand pockets with reverse-coil, #3 zips
• Underarm gussets for increased mobility
• Encased-elastic cuffs
• Stows in right hand pocket
• Reflective bar on lower back
• Weight 6.6 oz (women’s size medium)

The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket

Fit

I’m a women’s size medium on The North Face’s size guide. I found the Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket to fit true to size. The hemline sits below the widest part of my hips, providing ample coverage. There’s an internal cinch cord at the bottom hem, allowing the wearer to lock out drafts.

The arms have an angled opening at the wrist, allowing for more coverage on top of your hands. The wrist cuffs have elastic but also allow for you to pull the hem back to look at your watch.

The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket

I have larger shoulders, thanks to a lifetime of swimming and lifting, and I found the fit of the jacket across the chest and shoulders to work well. I also had plenty of room to move my arms around, thanks to the underarm gussets.

The neckline and hood also fit me well. The top of the jacket, when fully zipped, hits across my jawline. The hood fits well, thanks to the cinch cord, and has a decent sized brim to keep the rain out of your eyes.

Function

I’ve been wearing the The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket this fall, mostly during evening walks and mountain bike rides. Colorado is unreliable with it’s precipitation, so I only managed one rain event, despite 2 months of being “at the ready” with this jacket.

Most of my jacket testing has been mountain biking. I was especially glad that I brought it with me for closing weekend at Trestle Bike Park. While dry, it was cloudy, windy and cold. The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket provided just the right amount of wind protection to keep me warm on the lifts. I would have frozen if I didn’t have this jacket.

Except for the lack of rain, this ended up being a good test of the other functionality of The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket.

The center zipper is a decent size for a lighter style rain jacket. The zipper pulls are also nicely sized and I was able to use them while keeping my MTB gloves on.

The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket

I was able to move my upper body easily, even when in an aggressive stance on my bike. I had plenty of room in the arms to accommodate a long sleeve shirt and elbow pads while still being able to have complete range of motion.

The hand pockets are well placed, so you can access the pockets while wearing a pack with a hip belt (or waist pack).

I was also impressed with the wind protection and how the jacket breathed as I worked up a sweat while I tackled the technical MTB terrain.

And since the jacket packs up into a hand pocket and weighs around 6 oz, it was easy to stash into a hydration pack when things warmed up.

The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket

During my only rain event in The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket, I was impressed with how the water beaded and ran off the jacket. I didn’t experience any breakthroughs or noticed any soggy spots. More testing is needed and this review will get updated as I have more time in rain with this jacket. But early rain testing is promising.

The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket

Closing Thoughts

The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket is a well made, easy to wear active jacket. The jacket itself packs up to about the size of your hand, making it a good choice to stash in your pack, in case the weather turns. Coverage and movement are excellent as well.

The North Face Ridgelite Waterproof Jacket is available for men and women. Women’s sizing ranges from XS to XXL. Men’s sizing ranges from S to XXL.