Fleece-lined rain pants are rain pants with soft fleece inside: waterproof outside, warm inside. On a cold, wet day they do the job of warm pants and rain pants at once. Your child wears them instead of warm pants, over light pants, leggings or tights, with the cuffs over the boots.
They are made for cold, damp days around 4–11°C (39–52°F), when a child sits, kneels or crawls on the ground: the playground in autumn, wet sand, a morning outside at daycare. Babies wear them from about 6 months, once they crawl at the playground. On a mild day they get too warm, and unlined rain pants over the usual pants are better. Below 4°C (39°F), a padded pram suit or snow pants take over.
- For ages6+months
- You'll need1per size
- Wear them at4–11°C39–52°F
Lined rain pants, or unlined over warm pants?
On a cold, wet day you can buy the warmth built in, or pull unlined rain pants over warm pants.
Fleece-lined rain pants
Fleece sewn inside the waterproof shell, so the warmth goes on in one step. Best for cold daycare mornings and long play on cold, wet ground.
- Good: One layer, on in one go
- Good: Warm on cold, wet sand
- Not good: Too warm on mild days
- Not good: Fleece dries slowly
Unlined, over warm pants
Thin rain pants pulled over warm pants on a cold day, and over leggings on a mild one. Best if you want one pair to last the whole year.
- Good: Works in every season
- Good: Thin pair dries fast
- Not good: Two layers to pull on
Types of lined rain pants
Fleece-lined bib pants
The usual kind for babies and toddlers: a waterproof shell with fleece inside, straps over the shoulders and a strap under each boot.
Fleece-lined puddle suit
Jacket and pants in one, lined with fleece. On cold, wet days it replaces the coat too, so a long-sleeve top and leggings go underneath.
Softshell pants
A stretchy, wind-resistant fabric with a thin fleece back. They breathe better and suit dry, cold days and light drizzle. They are water-repellent, not waterproof, so a puddle or wet sand soaks through.
How to choose fleece-lined rain pants
Check what you would check on any rain pants: the word waterproof on the label, sealed seams, and a strap under each boot.
Then look inside. Fleece grips cotton, so lined pants are harder to pull over other clothes. Pairs with fleece down to the knee and a smooth, thin lining below it slide on more easily over pants and boots.
Questions parents ask
Fleece-lined rain pants or snow pants?
Lined rain pants for wet days above freezing, because snow pants are thicker and get hot on a child who runs around. For snow and deep cold, snow pants are warmer, with padding inside a waterproof shell. For a short game in wet snow, lined rain pants are fine.
How do I dry them overnight?
Turn them inside out and hang them in a warm room, away from the radiator. The waterproof shell keeps the damp in, so a pair hung the right way out is often still wet inside by morning. More in drying a lined raincoat.
