Skip to main content

This waterproof jacket just might solve your rainy hike woes

Jack Wolfskin's newest offering is the waterproof jacket you need

Like its American peers The North Face and Patagonia, the German outerwear maker Jack Wolfskin originated as an entrepreneurial response to a lack of gear available in the 1970s. Founder Ulrich Dausien began selling tents, jackets, and sleeping bags, after earning about $6,000 in profits from selling Palestinian keffiyeh scarves on Frankfurt’s Eisernen Steg footbridge (per HighsNobiety).

Five decades on and that innovative spirit still lives on with its sustainable, high-quality products that are much more common on the other side of the pond. This year, that creativity and dedication to conserving the outdoors are expressed in the Tapeless Jacket, now available in select stores and on Wolfskin’s website. Looking for a waterproof jacket? The Tapeless Jacket eliminates 60 feet of seam-sealing tape, introducing Zero Tape Technology, a more breathable alternative to seam tape that won’t leak or fail while hiking or commuting.

Related Videos
A hiker in a Jack Wolfskin jacket pointing a camera.
Jack Wolfskin

At its core, the Tapeless Jacket is a breathable, comfortable shell created with hikes and adventures that demand high-quality technical apparel in mind. With comfort and performance always at the forefront of its design, Jack Wolfskin integrated its proprietary Texapore Core Fuse Stretch Ripstop into the new jacket. This triple-layer fabric offers superior weather protection and comfort, according to Wolfskin. The fabric, however, doesn’t result in a bulky coat. Europe’s leading technical and sustainable outerwear manufacturer is dedicated to a sleek fit, which is also expressed in waterproof zippers, an adjustable hood, hem and cuff adjustments, and a chest pocket. The Tapeless Jacket’s distinct cut also features no shoulder or hip seams, which helps to eliminate irritating areas when worn with a backpack.

This is a far cry from when Jack Wolfskin was founded, a time when outdoor activities were still pretty niche affairs, and there was no mighty outdoors industry offering a suite of goods to thrive in the great outdoors. Still, even then Dausien envisioned a massive market who would embrace playing outside.

“We offer inexpensive equipment for the backpacker as well as expedition equipment for the Himalayan expert,” he wrote in a 1979 advertisement.

Hikers wearing Jack Wolfskin tapeless jackets.
Jack Wolfskin

Today the company leads sustainable efforts like rewilding Canada’s Yukon wolves (Jack Wolkskin is, after all, named after the wolf and Jack London, one of the pack’s greatest chroniclers.) The outdoors manufacturer’s sustainability goals are at the forefront of its outdoors mission, developing green and Earth-friendly materials — products made of organic and recycled materials. As to what the firm doesn’t use, there is a companywide ban on PFCs, and Wolfskin rejects using fur and Angora wool in its products. It sources down, leather, and Merino wool from ethical suppliers and looks to wield a significant influence over its supply chain.

“For us, ‘living to discover’ not only means enjoying the natural world, but doing everything in our power to preserve and protect it,” states the Jack Wolfskin website.

The Tapeless Jacket is available in two colors with a medium piece weighing in at 13.5 ounces. Purchase one of your own for $480.

Shop Now

Editors' Recommendations

Signature style: How to look your best no matter the occasion
You already know your Signature Style. Now here's how to bring it all together to look your best in every scenario
David Beckham

Whether you're James Bond, Indiana Jones, or Don Draper, the ultimate goal of men's fashion is to be the best version of yourself and deliver your unique personal image to the world. Sometimes, we believe that the best way to do that is to funnel ourselves into one uniform and strictly adhere to the style we see ourselves embodying.

The truth about men's style is that most guys box themselves into a specific look and don't allow themselves to grow or diversify. If that sounds like you, you can find yourself ready for any situation. Once you have experimented with the rest of the Signature Style archetypes, The Debonair Man is the highest level of style, the image we all should strive for.

Read more
Signature style: How to dress as sharp as the commander in chief
Ditch the flashy and stay classy with this Signature Style
signature mens fashion guide commander in chief obama

What you wear says a lot about who you are, how you feel, and the message you want to send. Depending on the situation, the image you present can tell everyone all they need to know about you. The Signature Style Venn Diagram shows you all the different ways you can use men's style to express yourself within your own personality, hobbies, and industry. One of those style archetypes has a very specific use in men’s fashion.

The "Commander in Chief" is the leader of the pack, the man at the front of the room. He stands on stage at the beginning of every meeting and gives the last word on every issue. He is the man who starts businesses, solves problems, and commands the trust and respect of everyone within his sphere of influence. Of course, his talents and drive are often why people follow them, but their appearance projects the first impression that hooks people in and inspires them to commit to the mission. While many of them wear ensembles that can feel a little bland, traditional, or even boring, there are reasons for everything they wear. Here are the three rules to follow to step up and be a leader as the Commander in Chief.

Read more
Nixon watches are a fine choice for a first quality timepiece
Here's why Nixon Watches are some of the best out there
Nixon watch

About 16 years ago, my then-girlfriend (now-wife) gave me the first decent-quality watch I'd ever owned. It was an analog Nixon with a broad leather band and a handsome, square black face framed by brushed steel. Before getting that Nixon, I'd worn Swatch and Casio wristwatches as a kid and a cheap, Soviet-made windup that worked terribly but looked interesting in a retro-cool "I'm in high school and alternative and look at me!" kind of way. I still have the watch my now-wife wife gave me back in 2002, and although it has since seen two different bands and has been relegated to hiking watch status due to all the scratches marring the face and case, it still works perfectly.

Nixon isn't an old company. The brand just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Nixon was launched to fill a niche. Its founders, action and snow sports enthusiasts Chad DiNenna and Andy Laats, needed decent watches with a youthful yet refined look that sells for an affordable price. Indeed, Nixon watches bridge the gap between the cheap, functional watches many people slap on without a thought and pricier, luxury chronometers worn primarily to impress and that only tangentially serve as reliable timepieces.

Read more