I bought this jacket for walking the dogs in the rainy Northeast this summer. I'm in Phoenix now so I haven't had a chance to try it in the rain, but it came very highly recommended by an outdoor person I trust. I use a waist belt with two dog leashes attached, so the zippered sides should come in handy. The belt can go underneath and the jacket can still protect me when the side zips are unzipped
This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.