Rossignol SKPR 2.5L Rain Jacket Review

In my mind, the perfect rain jacket is like a unicorn: it doesn’t exist. A breathable jacket that also keeps you dry  is just too hard to find. The Rossignol SKPR 2.5 L Rain Jacket does a great job of balancing both. Look no further for a well-featured, lightweight rain jacket to take on your next backpacking trip or day hike. It’s a 2.5L jacket with a DWR finish weighing under 10 ounces.

Rossignol SKPR 2.5L Rain Jacket At a Glancehiker on trail in misty autumn forest wearing blue Rossignol SKPR 2.5L rain jacket with hood up

MSRP: $195
Weight: 9.9oz Men’s M; 7.8oz Women’s XL
Fabric: 2,5 layers 20K/20K Ripstop with DWR Finish
Waterproofing/Breathability: 20,000/20,000

Men’s Rossignol SKPR 2.5L rain jacket found here.

Circumstances of Review and Intended Use

This shell is ideal for hiking, backpacking, or traveling (really anytime you’re packing lightand want to stay dry). I’ve taken this jacket on multiple overnight trips where it barely weighed down my pack and on countless damp and windy day hikes in the Pacific Northwest this fall and winter. It even saw 30 mph winds with 50+ mph gusts in the Columbia River Gorge.

SKPR 2.5L Rain Jacket Featuressmiling hiker leans over wooden guardrail wearing blue Rossignol SKPR 2.5L rain jacket with hood up and triangular white Rossignol badge visible on sleeve

Collar and Hood: This jacket features an easily adjustable hood with a visor to keep the rain off your face. There’s also a high collar  to keep your neck dry and warm.

Pockets: Includes two hand zippered pockets.

Seam-Taped: Includes seam taping to keep you dry

Packable: Stuffs right into a storage pocket for great packability

Fit

I chose to size up for this jacket to be able to layer under it, and I was glad I did because I found it to run slightly small. Usually, I wear a womens L. In the SKPR, I sized up to the XL, and it fit perfectly. I can still layer underneath it comfortably, but there’s not as much extra room as I expected.

The jacket could use a bit more length; it does sit fine on my hips, but some extra coverage on the butt really helps to keep me warm and keep the jacket in place beneath a backpack. 

Waterproofing and Breathability

I’ve had ultralight rain jackets so thin they were more like wind jackets, and I’ve had heavier rain jackets that caused me to sweat up a storm. The SKPR jacket hits a sweet spot between breathability and waterproofness.

The waterproofing rating is 20,000 mm, while the breathability rating 20000 g/m²—both are considered suitable for backpacking with a heavy load in all conditions. You can read here for more information on what those numbers mean.

The jacket is lightweight and thin, but the material and waterproofing are enough to cut the wind and keep water beading. You’ll sweat in it if you’re really working, but I’ve found it breathable enough to hike in if it’s cold or windy.

It did a great job keeping me warm on an extremely windy day with 50+mph gusts in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon. It holds up in the rain too. I’ve taken it out in many shorter showers and a few long, steady rainstorms, and it’s kept me dry each time. I can actively see the water beading, and it has yet to wet out thanks to the DWR  finish.

Weight

The SKPR rain jacket is just as great when it comes to weight savings as it is when it comes to performance. At 7.8oz for the Women’s XL or 9.9 for a Men’s M, it’s competitive with most backpacking rain jackets even if it’s not the lightest rain jacket out there. By going much lighter than this, you start to sacrifice performance and durability.

READ NEXT – The Best Rain Jackets for Thru-Hiking

Durability

I haven’t been easy on this jacket; I’ve taken it traveling and backpacking. It’s spent long periods of time stuffed in my pack and countless other places. It’s seen plenty of trail time, too, including some bushwacking, and has yet to show any signs of wear. Being a 2.5L jacket, I was worried about the inner layer peeling over time. It has yet to do that over months of use and has held up well.

close-up of red, white, and blue Rossignol badge with chicken logo on sleeve of Rossignol SKPR 2.5L rain jacket

SKPR 2.5L Rain Jacket Pros

  • Lightweight: You’ll barely notice this in the bottom of your pack. 
  • Great Waterproofness to Breathability Ratio: This jacket does the unthinkable by breathing and keeping me dry. 
  • Packable: It’ll stuff into itself and take up very little room.
  • Durable: This jacket has held up through months of use with no signs of damage. I’d expect it to last the length of a thru-hike, if not more.

SKPR 2.5L Rain Jacket Cons

  • Runs a bit small: I found it plenty comfortable, but if you’re on the fence of sizing or trying to layer, I recommend going up a size.
  • Expensive (at full price): The SKPR costs a lofty $195 normally—a lot more than the $20 Frogg Toggs favored my many thru-hikers. In fairness, it’s on sale for $78 as of this writing, which is a great deal for a rain jacket of this quality.
  • Doesn’t have manual ventilation (i.e., pit zips): Pit zips are a favorite rain jacket feature for me, but the fact that this jacket doesn’t have any isn’t an end-all-be-all. Despite its breathability, you might sweat a little more in this than in a comparable jacket that has pit zips.

Overall Value

The Rossignol SKPR rain jacket gives a lot of bang for your buck. It is extremely lightweight and keeps you dry in the rain—what more could you ask for when backpacking? I’ve seen it on sale several times (including now); if you can time your purchase for a sale, it is a screaming deal. At full price, it’s a great jacket and is worth the cost.

It’s a simple jacket that could have a couple more features, but it gets the job done. And the simplicity is nice in some ways. The SKPR will be my new staple rain jacket when I go hiking, backpacking, or even just around town in the rainy PNW I call home. I recommend it to anyone else trying to go light.

Shop the Women’s Rossignol SKPR 2.5L Rain Jacket

Shop the Men’s Rossignol SKPR 2.5L Rain Jacket

Comparable Rain Jackets

Outdoor Research Helium

MSRP: $170
Weight: 6.3oz

Lightheart Gear Rain Jacket

MSRP: $125
Weight: 5oz

Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite² Rain Jacket

MSRP: $25
Weight: 5.8 oz for men’s small

The Rossignol SKPR 2.5L Rain Jacket was donated for the purpose of review.

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