Product Review: Ruffwear Sun Shower Jacket

The Ruffwear Sun Shower jacket is a rain slicker. This jacket is not insulated, so it still works on warm rainy days for dogs that live in Hawaii.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love Ruffwear because pretty much all of their products seem like they were designed by people who actually tested them and now use them on a regular basis. I'm pretty sure the Sun Shower jacket was designed by someone with a really hairy dog, maybe an Australian shepherd or an Old English sheepdog. The underside features a big panel that goes between the front legs and holds all the belly floof off the ground. Brisbane is lacking in the belly floof department, but I still appreciate that this jacket keeps his undercarriage dry.

Photo by Erin Koski

Putting the Sun Shower jacket on is simple. Brisbane's head goes through the neck hole, and then the belly flap clips to the top on either side. The plastic clips are hidden inside the jacket, so they aren't against the dog or exposed to the weather. The clips are also on an elastic strap, so there is some stretch to allow the coat to move with the dog.

Brisbane's Sun Shower is a size Medium, which fits him well from neck to tail. The belly clips adjust small enough to provide a good fit, Brisbane's chest measurement is actually in the range for the Small size, so I have to decide which is more important depending on the product. Briz wears a small Ruffwear life jacket, for example.

Pros: A rain slicker that won't overheat the dog in warm weather. Adjustable for a good fit even on my strange dog. Comes in five sizes to fit dogs 13"-46" around the chest. A XXSmall will fit Ru. The Sun Shower is good for layering over a warm jacket. Very waterproof, also comes with a detachable hood that Brisbane hates. Easy to put on the dog, does not require lifting feet and stuffing them through sleeves. Light and packable. This coat also stays put and doesn't slide to the side.

Cons: Getting the buckles buckled can be kind of annoying since they are hiding way inside some little pockets. Brisbane's jacket is not the current model so they may have already improved this. Otherwise there's really nothing bad to say except that we don't get to use this much because it's pretty much always cold when it rains here and it hasn't really rained in the last couple of years anyway.

Bottom Line: If Brisbane liked to walk in the rain we would use this more often. I fully expect it to last through multiple dogs, along with the rest of our Ruffwear gear.