We tested seven coastal jackets. The Gill Key West, pictured here, gives you plenty of freedom of movement. The hood includes a Velcro adjustment at the back to raise or lower the bill and customize fit.

If there’s anything worse than being caught in howler, it’s being caught in a howler with foul-weather gear that leaks. Or if it does manage to keep the seas and rain out, there’s that clammy, wrapped-in-Saran feeling that makes you soggy, saps your strength and leaves you feeling downright miserable.

The good news: Thanks to new waterproof breathable coatings, you don’t have to take it anymore. And—better news—you don’t have to pay the price for protection you did, say, 10 years ago. …