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Three tips when buying a shell jacket
Water column: Water column shows how water resistant a garment is. A high water column means that the garment will even keep your child dry in torrential rain. Traditional rainwear usually has a water column of 5,000–8,000mm, whereas shell clothes often have a significantly higher water column of between 10,000 and 20,000mm. Remember that in order to maintain water repellency, it’s important to treat the garments correctly and not wash them unnecessarily.
Breathability: Garments made of densely woven material can become unpleasantly warm, which is why it’s important to also look at breathability. Breathability is measured in grams/m2/day and a higher figure means that the garment releases more moisture, so that your child doesn’t get damp from sweat and then chilled. A good number is at least 5,000g/m2, but with up to 8,000g/m2 or more your child will be able to run around happily without getting sweaty.
Every body is different and some brands tend to fit certain body types better. But many garments have good adjustment options, such as an adjustable waist for a tighter fit, a drawstring hem to avoid gaps and sleeves with velcro straps. Choose a shell jacket that can be adapted to your child’s needs. On smaller children, it’s also practical to be able to tighten the jacket sleeves around mittens to keep them in place.
There are also garments with extendable sleeves, where you unpick a seam in the lining to extend the sleeves when they start to get a bit short.
Always choose a shell jacket with a detachable hood, as this reduces the risk of accidents where clothing gets caught and your child’s unable to get free. There’s currently no EU requirement that the hood must be removable, so double-check that the hood is detachable. Read more at Textile Blog about childrenswear and safety.
It may also be a good idea to choose a jacket with reflectors to make your child more visible in traffic.
When it comes to safety in kids clothing there are a few things that are good to know about, read more about it here.