▁early ▁sou ' west ers ▁and ▁rain ▁cap es ▁were ▁hand made ▁of ▁sail cl oth ▁water proof ed ▁with ▁a ▁thin ▁layer ▁of ▁tar , ▁while ▁other ▁methods ▁involved ▁ ▁canvas ▁du ck ▁co ated ▁with ▁multiple ▁applications ▁of ▁lin seed ▁oil ▁and ▁paint . ▁ ▁While ▁dur able , ▁these ▁methods ▁of ▁water proof ing ▁did ▁not ▁possess ▁the ▁breath able ▁qual ities ▁of ▁Le ▁Roy ' s ▁process . ▁ ▁Modern ▁oil sk ins ▁may ▁be ▁made ▁of ▁flexible ▁P VC - co ated ▁synth etic ▁fabric , ▁while ▁advanced ▁materials ▁for ▁extreme ▁conditions ▁such ▁as ▁y acht ▁racing ▁may ▁be ▁used . ▁ ▁Also ▁known ▁as ▁" f oul ▁weather ▁g ear ", ▁contemporary ▁oil sk ins ▁include ▁such ▁innov ations ▁as ▁D WR - co ated ▁n yl on ▁on ▁their ▁low ▁end ▁and ▁G ore - Tex ▁and ▁other ▁propriet ary ▁water proof ▁memb ran es ▁on ▁the ▁high . ▁ ▁A ▁Sou ' w ester , ▁a ▁traditional ▁form ▁of ▁col laps ible ▁oil sk in ▁rain - hat , ▁is ▁longer ▁in ▁the ▁back ▁than ▁the ▁front ▁to ▁fully ▁protect ▁the ▁neck . ▁ ▁Sou ' west ers ▁sometimes ▁feature ▁a ▁g utter ▁front - br im . ▁ ▁Design ▁▁ ▁Today ' s ▁oil sk ins ▁( or ▁oil ies ) ▁typically ▁come ▁in ▁two ▁parts , ▁jack ets ▁and ▁tr ous ers . ▁O il sk in ▁jack ets ▁are ▁generally ▁similar ▁to ▁common ▁rub ber ized ▁water proof s . ▁The ▁chief