need a good rain jacket (fall in Ireland)
 

Hi, I'm looking for a good rain coat/jacket/windbreaker that I can take to Ireland this fall. I don't want to carry an umbrella, so I need something that will be light and easy to carry (one that really scrunches up small to store would be great) and is very water-resistant. I'm having a hard time finding one that isn't a bulky zip-up kind. Any ideas?

We used mac-in-a-sacs. They fold up and fit into their own pocket. They are lightweight but we layered with a long sleeve shirt and a sweater on most days.

I bought a really good wtaerproof windbreaker from Lands' End that folds up into a square pocket located on the back of the jacket. However, it has almost no warmth to it, so buy a size big enough to put over a warm fleece or very heavy sweater if you are talking about fall weather in Ireland.

For a hiking trip to Scotland, I carried something that sounnds like a mac-in-a-sac which I purchased at a camping gear store. It was a lightweight plastic, had a hood and went all the way past my knees. When I wasn't wearing it, it folded into its own pocket to about the size of a fanny pack, and it had a webby belt that turned into a strap so I could tote like a shoulder bag. (It weighed nothing.) It too had no warmth, but since it was summer, it didn't matter. I'd just whip it on and off depending on the passing clouds.

It was royal blue and I looked like some kind of mad Druid wearing it. but I was able to hike in the remote Highlands in the lousiest dowpours and stay dry head to knees.

Marmot has a great rain jacket that packs easily and doesn't take up much room.

Ditto L.L. Bean and those are made with Gore-Tex guaranteed to keep you dry and some of the fold into their own pouch.

Lands End has a thin hooded number that is extrelely light and small; LL Bean has a Goretex one that doesn't flatten quite as well but should keep one drier--I haven't used it in Ireland yet.

On previous trips to Ireland, though, the $30 Lands End model kept me quite comfortable.

Some of the most beautiful rainjackets I've seen come from the Winnie Magee company in Ireland. They are wonderfully made, very stylish, fully waterproof and will take you anywhere from a country walk to a chic cafe.
http://www.winniemagee.com/

I bought one for my 5 yo niece and one for myself--we're both satisfied customers.