Long black Stutterheim 'Opal' raincoat review

[mason]

My shiny black Stutterheim Opal raincoat, which I ordered a couple of weeks ago, finally arrived today. I wasn't over-impressed with the speed of delivery, which took two weeks (FarmerRain does it in 5 days), or the packaging. To prevent my my expensive purchase from developing creases whilst folded for transport, they'd folded my rainwear twice and sent it in a very large & awkwardly shaped FLAT package. One end was actually sticking out upon arrival, but thankfully it was quite undamaged.

Shipping issues aside, I must say that I love my new raincoat. It was even more shiny and slippery smooth than I thought it would be. The material has a very nice 'Opalo' feel to it as well. The quality of manufacture was also very obvious as well; and so it should be for a $400 raincoat (I had an introductory discount to $320 for me). Every seam is strongly welded and it won't come apart easily, if at all.

I ordered an XL size and it was a perfect fit. Stutterheim uses press studs like most manufacturers, and they pop into place with a nice firmness. There's 3 of them at the collar and another 5 poppers below. Eight in all. The one thing which surprised me the most was the length. It's a LONG raincoat. I'm 5'7" tall and the bottom hem sat only 5 or so inches above the ground. The pockets are somewhat ovoid in shape and the inside is unlined PVC. Putting my hands inside them is heaven!

Although it's nominally a woman's coat, it's got a nice unisex look. It does flare outwards in a 'swing' style, but it's not that noticeable once done up. I wore it out on a very cold early evening and the few other pedestrians whom I encountered outside paid me no attention at all. I think I could get away with wearing this anywhere, as long as it's obviously cold & cloudy and/or rainy.

The sixty-four-dollar question: what's it like in the rain? I havent tested it in the wet stuff yet, but I have no doubt that it'll do the job in anything short of a cloudburst or typhoon. The slightly retro hood doesn't have a peak, like the FarmerRain ones do, but it fastens tightly with a pair of long laces and that's a Good Thing.

All in all, I'm very happy with it so far. I would have liked it to come with an attached belt, but it's the only niggle I have with it. If you haven't got one yet, I thoroughly recommend buying one or even two of these awesome numbers for yourself and/or your partner.

[spitfire617]

Is that the one with the big logo on the back of it?

[mason]

Is that the one with the big logo on the back of it?

Yup, thats the one. It actually doesn't look as big as it does in the adverts. I can't see the logo whilst wearing it.

[spitfire617]

Is that the one with the big logo on the back of it?

Yup, thats the one. It actually doesn't look as big as it does in the adverts. I can't see the logo whilst wearing it.

Lol lol! True!
Yes the logo did look big in the photos.

[Bill_P]

Well I do have the short black Opal already, and I was really interested in a long one, in some of the new colors they are offering, but alas, they are not currently offering them in my size (XXL)