Mountain Warehouse Pakka Kids Waterproof Jacket Review: a light, packable rain layer that does its job (with a few quirks)

I’ve been using the Mountain Warehouse Pakka Kids Waterproof Jacket in dark blue (printed, size 5–6 years) with my kid for a few weeks now, mainly for school runs and weekend trips. I wasn’t looking for anything fancy, just something light that could live in the backpack for those random showers. On paper, this one ticked the boxes: waterproof, windproof, folds into a small bag, and doesn’t weigh much at all (around 160 g). So I gave it a go.

In day-to-day use, it’s basically a classic thin rain mac. No insulation, no padding, just a shell. That’s exactly what I wanted for spring and early autumn, and to throw over a hoodie. My kid doesn’t complain about wearing it, which is already a win. It’s not the kind of coat you put on to stay warm at the playground in winter; it’s a layer to stop them getting soaked on the way from A to B.

What pushed me toward this one compared to random cheap supermarket jackets is the brand and the features: taped seams, IsoDry waterproof fabric, and a hood that packs into the collar. The reflective bits are also handy for dark, rainy evenings. I wasn’t expecting miracles, but I did expect it to keep the rain out better than the really cheap plastic ponchos, and so far it does.

It’s not perfect though. The sizing is a bit on the small side, and the fabric feels quite thin and slightly flimsy, especially if you try to pull it over a thick school blazer. Also, the lack of zip on the pockets is annoying for small treasures and bus cards. Overall, it gets the job done as a lightweight emergency rain jacket, but it’s not some magic all-weather coat that replaces a proper winter jacket.

In terms of value, I think this jacket lands in a pretty reasonable spot. It’s not the cheapest kids’ raincoat you’ll find, but it’s also far from the pricey technical outdoor gear. For the money, you get a recognised brand, fully taped seams, a proper packaway design, reflective details, and a hood that actually fits. It’s clearly aimed at parents who want something more reliable than a supermarket poncho, without paying top dollar for a high-end hiking shell their kid will outgrow in a year.

Compared to ultra-cheap options I’ve tried in the past, the main difference is in the waterproofing and general feel. Those really cheap coats often feel like stiff plastic, and the seams leak quickly. This one feels more like a real, thin outdoor shell. My kid is actually willing to wear it, which is half the battle. Yes, the fabric is thin and a bit flimsy, but that’s also what makes it so packable and light. For a jacket that you can throw into a school bag or suitcase and forget about until it rains, that’s exactly what you want.

Where the value drops a bit is in the missing small details: no zip on the pockets, slightly small sizing if you want to layer over a blazer, and a general feeling that it might not last for several years of heavy use. If you’re planning to pass it down through multiple kids and expect it to survive everything, you might be disappointed. But if your goal is a reliable, lightweight rain layer for one child for a season or two, it’s pretty decent for the price.

Overall, I’d call the value good but not mind-blowing. You pay a fair price for a practical product that does its main job – keeping kids dry in the rain – without many extras. If you catch it on sale, it’s an easy yes. At full price, it’s still reasonable if you specifically need something packable and branded, but there are cheaper options if you’re okay sacrificing breathability and packability.

The design is very straightforward: long sleeves, band-style collar, and a classic rain-coat silhouette. No weird cuts, no tight fit. It’s meant to go over regular clothes. On my 5-year-old, size 5–6 fits fairly close but not tight, with enough room for a thin jumper. If you want to put it over a school blazer or a thick hoodie, I’d honestly size up. One of the Amazon reviewers mentioned it being a bit small over a blazer, and I’d agree with that. Length-wise, it sits just below the hips, so it covers most of the bum but not fully.

The hood is actually one of the better parts of the design. It’s big enough to cover the head properly without constantly falling back, and it doesn’t feel like it’s pulling at the neck. The fact that it rolls up into the collar is handy when it’s windy and not raining, or when the kid doesn’t want a flappy hood. It’s not a stiff, structured hood, but for a thin jacket it does the job. No wired peak, just a normal hood.

Where the design feels a bit cheap is the pockets and general thickness. The two welt pockets are fine for hands, but with no zips or velcro, anything like tissues, small toys, or a bus card can easily fall out when they run or climb. I’d have liked at least one secure pocket. The fabric is very thin, which is good for packing and weight, but it doesn’t give a feeling of toughness. It’s closer to a packable festival rain mac than a heavy-duty outdoor coat.

On the plus side, the reflective details are well thought out. They’re not huge, but they’re there, and they do help in low light. The dark blue printed pattern looks nice and hides dirt reasonably well; mud splashes aren’t instantly obvious. Overall, the design is functional and kid-friendly, but with some compromises: light and packable, but slightly flimsy and not the best if your child is very rough with their clothes.

Comfort-wise, this is basically a windproof, waterproof layer with no insulation. On cool, breezy days with a t-shirt or light jumper underneath, my kid is comfortable. The fabric doesn’t stick too badly to bare arms, which is nice in slightly warmer weather. It’s very light on the shoulders; you almost forget it’s there, which is good for kids who hate feeling weighed down by clothes. There’s no stiffness in the material, so it doesn’t restrict movement when they’re running or climbing.

Where you need to be realistic is warmth. This jacket does not provide real warmth on its own. On a cold, windy day, if you only put this over a t-shirt, your kid will be cold. It’s meant to go over a jumper or hoodie in those conditions. One of the Amazon reviewers mentioned that it’s very light and offers no warmth, and that matches my experience. I use it as a rain shield, not as a proper coat. For autumn and spring with layers, it’s fine. For winter playground duty, no chance, you’ll need a thicker jacket.

The hood sits comfortably and doesn’t seem to dig into the neck. The collar isn’t scratchy, and the zip has a small cover at the top so it doesn’t rub the chin too much. My kid hasn’t complained about it itching or being annoying, which is usually the first feedback I get if something is uncomfortable. The sleeves are a decent length and don’t ride up too much when they lift their arms, at least in the 5–6 size on my child’s build.

One small downside is that in warmer, humid weather, if they’re very active, the inside can get a bit clammy. That’s normal for this type of jacket, but worth noting. Compared to a heavier lined coat, this one feels much less bulky, which my kid prefers. So overall, on the comfort front: great for lightness and freedom of movement, average when it comes to managing sweat during intense play, and zero insulation. Use it as intended and it’s fine; expect it to be a warm jacket and you’ll be disappointed.

The jacket is made from 100% polyester with a lightweight fabric weight. The inside is basically the same material, no separate soft lining, which is normal for this type of packable raincoat. The brand uses IsoDry and taped seams, which in everyday language means they’ve tried to seal all the stitch lines so water doesn’t sneak in. In practice, in moderate rain on the school run (15–20 minutes), my kid stayed dry underneath, including the shoulders and seams. So on the waterproof side, the material does what it’s supposed to.

The outer fabric has that typical slightly shiny raincoat feel, but it’s not stiff. It’s quite flexible and folds down easily into the little packaway bag. That’s great for packing, but it does feel thin. If your kid regularly scrapes along walls or climbs trees, I wouldn’t be shocked if it snagged or tore at some point. We haven’t had any rips yet, but I wouldn’t call it heavy-duty material. It’s more of a city/school jacket than a hardcore hiking shell for brambles and rocks.

One plus is the PFC-free water repellency. You don’t see or feel that directly, but if you care about the chemicals used in waterproof coatings, it’s a point in its favour. Water beads off nicely when the jacket is new. After a few wet days, it still beads reasonably well; I haven’t had to reproof it yet. I’ll see how that holds up over a full season, but so far the treatment is still doing its job.

Breathability is always a bit of a vague claim, especially with kids who run non-stop. Compared to a cheap plastic poncho, this polyester shell does breathe better: my kid isn’t coming out drenched in sweat after a short walk. But if they’re sprinting and climbing in mild weather, they still get warm inside; it’s still a plastic-based rain shell at the end of the day. Overall, the materials are light, waterproof enough for normal use, and easy to pack, but they don’t give the impression they’d survive really rough treatment for years.

On the durability side, I’d say this jacket is okay for everyday school and city use, but I wouldn’t rely on it for very rough outdoor play over several seasons. The fabric is thin and light, and you can feel that when you touch it. It doesn’t feel like those thick, rubbery raincoats that can take a beating. So far, after a few weeks of on-and-off use, the seams are holding, the zip works smoothly, and there are no tears. But I’m also not letting my kid drag themselves across concrete in it.

The main potential weak points I see are the sleeves and lower edges, where kids tend to scrape against walls, fences, and playground equipment. Because the polyester is so lightweight, a sharp branch or a rough corner could probably rip it. This isn’t a criticism as such; it’s just the trade-off you get with a 0.16 kg packable jacket. If you want something that feels indestructible, you’re usually looking at heavier materials and a bulkier coat.

Washing-wise, it handles a gentle machine wash fine. I’ve washed it on a cool cycle and let it air dry. No obvious damage, no peeling of the coating so far. The print hasn’t faded noticeably after a few washes. I wouldn’t tumble dry it; with this kind of fabric, you’re just asking for trouble in the long run. Drying time is quick – it’s so thin that it’s ready to go again in a few hours on a rack.

If your child is fairly careful, or if this is mainly a backup jacket that lives in a bag and only comes out for rain, I think the durability is acceptable. If your kid is very rough on clothes, climbs trees, and slides on their knees, you might want something tougher. So I’d rate durability as average: good enough for light to moderate use, but not built for heavy abuse. Given the price point and how light it is, that’s kind of what I expected.

In real use, the jacket performs pretty solidly for what it is. For rain, we’ve had a few proper showers on the school run and during a weekend walk. For trips of 20–30 minutes in steady rain, my kid came home dry under the jacket, including shoulders, arms, and chest. The taped seams do their job; I didn’t notice any damp patches along the stitching. The hood stays on reasonably well, though in strong wind I still pull it a bit tighter with the zip and sometimes add a cap underneath to keep it in place.

Wind protection is good for such a thin layer. On gusty days, you can feel that the wind doesn’t cut straight through, especially when layered over a jumper. It blocks the chill better than a normal cotton hoodie. That said, because there’s no insulation, if the temperature drops and the wind is strong, you really feel it unless there’s a thick layer underneath. So as a windproof shell, it does the job, but it doesn’t magically make cold days comfortable on its own.

As for breathability, I’d call it decent but not special. Walking or light cycling to school: no major sweat build-up, my kid stays comfortable. Running around the playground for 30 minutes in mild weather: they come back a bit sweaty inside, but nothing crazy. It’s still better than cheap, non-breathable plastic coats, but don’t expect it to feel like wearing cotton. The inside can feel slightly damp after intense play, which is normal for a basic polyester shell.

The packaway feature is actually used a lot in our case. The little bag is attached, so we just stuff the jacket into it and throw it in the backpack. It takes maybe 30 seconds. It’s not the neatest pack every time (kids don’t fold things nicely), but even when it’s roughly shoved in, it still fits. That’s probably the main performance win: it’s always there when you need it because it’s small and light enough that you don’t think twice about carrying it. For surprise showers and changeable weather, that’s really handy.

Out of the package, the Pakka Kids Jacket is exactly what the name suggests: a very lightweight rain coat that stuffs into a small packaway bag. Mine came folded inside its little pouch, roughly the size of a big orange. That’s practical for school bags or throwing into a suitcase without thinking about it. No fancy extras in the box, just the jacket and its attached bag. For a basic kids’ raincoat, that’s fine.

The model I tested is the dark blue printed version, which has a cartoon-style pattern. My kid liked the print straight away; it’s not babyish but still clearly a kids’ design. The colour is bright enough that I can spot them easily in a crowd or at the park. Some versions have plainer colours, but this one is more on the fun side. It’s officially listed for girls, but honestly, the dark blue print is totally unisex in real life.

Function-wise, the jacket has a full front zip, two welt pockets, and a hood that can be rolled up and tucked into the collar. The pockets are open (no zips, no flaps), which is one of the first things I noticed. Good for shoving hands in quickly, not so good for keeping small items safe. The reflective details are placed on the front and back, so car lights catch them pretty well. It’s not like a high-vis vest, but it’s better than a plain dark jacket.

The label and specs mention IsoDry, taped seams, and PFC-free water repellency. In plain terms, that means it’s meant to be fully waterproof, breathable, and made without the more dodgy waterproofing chemicals. From a parent point of view, what matters is: does the kid stay dry, do they complain it’s sweaty inside, and does it survive the school week. That’s the mindset I had going in, and the presentation of the product matches that: this is a practical, no-frills shell, not a fashion piece.