The Best Rain Pants

Jenni Gritters is a freelance journalist who’s been writing and editing product reviews for almost a decade, with bylines in Wirecutter, Slate, and beyond. Previously an editor on the Wirecutter outdoors team (where she edited the first version of this guide), she now covers parenting, baby/kid, outdoor, and travel gear. She lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband and two children.

For this guide:

• We spent 15 hours over the years combing through reviews of men’s and women’s rain pants, reading 11 other guides in all. We considered articles from The Adventure Junkies, Backpacker, GearLab, and Outside, in addition to many blog posts and forums. We also consulted REI’s handy rain-gear guide throughout our research and writing process.
• Wirecutter’s Anna Perling wrote the first version of this guide in 2019 and interviewed several rain-gear experts, including Susan Sokolowski, then the director of the sports product design program at the University of Oregon; Sean Michael, then the program director for the outdoor product design and development program at Utah State University; and Stephen Regenold, the founder of GearJunkie. She also spoke with Liz Thomas, an accomplished thru-hiker and a former writer on the outdoors team at Wirecutter.
• Avid hiker and photographer Kim Mock helped with testing plus-size rain pants for this guide in 2022. (We compensated her with a gift card.) She has lived in Colorado for nearly a decade.
• In the past, Jenni has worked with the REI Co-op Journal to create journalistic and gear-focused content; we put any REI item she tested through evaluations by a backup tester to ensure objectivity.
• Like all Wirecutter journalists, Jenni reviews and tests products with complete editorial independence. She’s never made aware of any business implications of her editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.

Rain pants are a just-in-case item that you’ll rarely need to take out of your bag—until you really, really do. If you’re hiking in a warmer climate, you probably don’t need rain pants. In fact, rain pants could actually make you too hot in milder climates, or they could cause chafing and discomfort while you’re sweating. Most rain pants are meant to keep water out, which also means that they don’t let sweat out, so if you’re hiking only a short distance in warmer weather and you won’t be wet for long periods of time, you should probably leave your rain pants behind.

The rain pants in this guide are instead meant for everyday hikers and backpackers—they’re not designed for full-submersion situations like angler fishing or kayaking. However, we can vouch for using our rain pants in non-hiking situations on occasion, too: We’ll layer them over long johns to go out in the rare Portland, Oregon, snowstorm, pop them on for a shoulder-season snowshoe, don them while biking, or put them on for a messy garden job. For a quick walk through the woods or muddy outdoor chores, any of our picks will work just fine.

Should I match my rain pants to my rain jacket?

All of our rain pant picks have matching jackets available. We’ve tried matching jackets from our picks from Marmot (men’s and women’s sizes) and Patagonia (men’s and women’s sizes) and liked them. We’re currently in the process of trying out the matching jacket to our new upgrade pick from Arc’teryx (men’s and women’s sizes) as well.

The major benefit of matching your pants to your jacket is that they fit together without gaps between them so you stay dry. They also tend to have similar fits, fabrics, and colors available, so you can match if you prefer. However, as long as your jacket is long enough to cover the waist of your pants, you can pair it with any rain jacket you want and still stay dry.

After reading many websites and reviews, we looked at the top-rated and best-selling rain pant models that were widely available. We took that list of top models and narrowed the group based on the following criteria:

• Layers: Rain gear is categorized by how many layers it’s made from. The industry generally divides such gear into 2-, 2.5-, and 3-layer categories.
  • 2-layer: A waterproof, breathable liner hangs inside a piece of protective outer fabric.  This type of construction is less expensive and quieter (no swishy trash-bag sounds) but can be less breathable.
  • 2.5-layer: Unlike a garment made with 2-layer construction, a 2.5-layer piece has no protective liner—instead, it has a laminate or coating. Despite the higher numeric value, 2.5-layer rain gear is less durable than 2-layer (or 3-layer) fabric. It is, however, still protective, while also being cheaper and lighter.
  • 3-layer: Geared toward more intense usage and rugged environments, 3-layer fabric consists of a waterproof membrane (the technology varies depending on the pants) sandwiched between an outer fabric (usually nylon or polyester) coated with durable water repellent (DWR) and an inner liner.
• Waterproofing: A good pair of rain pants should keep water out. However, your required level of waterproofing or water resistance depends on your planned activities. If you’re trekking through a cold, very wet environment or hiking in rain for extended periods of time, you should have completely waterproof pants. If you’re somewhere warmer or in a place with intermittent rain, a breathable pair of water-resistant pants might be enough. Though water-resistant pants are available, for this guide we reviewed only rain pants that were 100% waterproof.

“[The term] waterproof [means it’s] a complete barrier to water, and water resistant means that some water will get through,” said the University of Oregon’s Susan Sokolowski. “Usually it’s a cost decision, so if you get pants that are fully waterproof, they’re more expensive. They’re also typically less breathable, so you have to consider your conditions.”

• Materials: Most of the pants in this guide are coated with a DWR film and made from materials ranging from nylon to polyurethane to polyester. We also tested Gore-Tex options; however, we found that a basic DWR coating did just about as good of a job of keeping most people dry in most normal hiking situations for around half the price (except for the materials used in our upgrade pick, which contains Gore-Tex Pro and proved to be the most waterproof and breathable option in the mix). “I think Gore-Tex is a great solution,” said Sokolowski. “[But] there are other membranes that are out there that do the same thing…. It’s not the end-all and be-all.”
• Mobility: You’ll probably be moving around a lot in your rain pants, so it’s important that the pants move with your body. Some rain pants are made from stretchy fabrics that allow for greater mobility; these may be more expensive, but spending more can be worth it for the comfort. Designers also add gussets—pieces of fabric shaped like a triangle or diamond—to the crotches of rain pants to reduce the stress on the seams. But our experts noted that some pants are stretchy enough not to need gussets.

“The fabrics have gotten [stretchy enough] that a gusset isn’t as imperative as in the past,” said Utah State University’s Sean Michael. “With a quality cut and the relative stretch of the fabric, the gusset starts to become secondary unless someone is really doing bouldering or face climbing.”

• Ease of use: Ankle zippers are important because they let you easily don and shed your rain pants as you hike. “Maybe you’re hot or it stops raining,” said Sokolowski. “You want to make sure the leg opening is easy for a shoe to get underneath and out so you don’t have to take your shoes off.”
• Has a zipper: Almost all of the pants we tested for this guide are half-zip, though we did include a few pairs of full-zip pants, such as our upgrade pick. Half-zip pants, which have zippers running from about knee height to the pants’ cuffs, allow you to pull your pants off over hiking boots more easily. Full-zip pants unzip from the ground all the way to the waistband. Full-zip pants are easier than half-zip pants to get on and off, and they unzip to keep your legs cool, but our experts were concerned about the added weight of full zip pants and the risk of zipper failure. That is, if your zippers break or get stuck on a pair of half-zip pants, you’re still mostly covered. But if zippers break on a pair of full-zip rain pants, your entire leg is exposed, defeating the point of the rain pants altogether. You’re also likely to get water on your base layers when you remove full-zip rain pants. Plus, full-zip pants are often more expensive than half-zip options. Most of the half-zip pants we considered also come in full-zip versions if you’re set on having extra venting.
• Fit: Most rain pants are made in both men’s and women’s sizes; choosing the right fit for your body helps with your mobility. Excess, bunchy fabric can get in the way, and pants that are too big are uncomfortable and noisy. We also looked for pants that offered petite, plus size, and multiple inseam-length options. Because rain pants often have ankle zippers or snap cuffs that would make alterations difficult, it’s important to find a pair with the right size and cut for you. You’ll be able to get a more customized fit if you opt for pants with an adjustable waist, too, whether the pants use a drawstring, elastic cord, or belt.
• Weight: Even if you consider yourself more of a weekend warrior than an ultralight hiker, rain pants shouldn’t take up a lot of weight in your pack, because they’ll probably be in there most of the time. For this reason, we eliminated any pants that weighed more than a pound. We also decided to look at a few highly reviewed rain kilts as ultralight options. Rain kilts shed water off of your body—they’re like an umbrella, in skirt form—but they don’t provide as much coverage as rain pants because they don’t encapsulate your whole leg. Some ultralight hikers prefer kilts for their versatility (you can also use them as ground cloths, because they unfold into squares) and their lighter weights.
• Features: We looked for pants with pockets because they’ll be a top layer and you may want to keep some items readily accessible there. Good rain pants should have taped or sealed zippers and seams, too, to keep water out.

In 2019 and 2022, we first tried on all the rain pants to observe how easy they were to move around in, how comfortable they were, how loud and swishy the fabric was, how easy they were to get on and off, and how well they fit.

Then we tested for water resistance. We conducted an eyedropper and spray test (per Sokolowski’s advice) to see whether the water soaked through or beaded on pants. Water didn’t soak through any of the pants, so they were all baseline waterproof. Even so, this test illustrated that some pants were more effective at repelling water than others: Water droplets practically jumped off several pairs of pants while clinging to the fabric of other pairs.

We also conducted a wash test to mimic long-term wear and tear on DWR coatings. While researching how outdoor-clothing brands test their rainwear, we came across Patagonia’s Killer Wash tests and reached out to Matt Dwyer, Patagonia’s director of materials and development, to learn more; Dwyer told us that Patagonia’s initial wash tests involve running rain gear through continuous five-, 12-, or 24-hour cycles. After reading the labels on all of the pants and kilts in our test group to make sure we followed the manufacturer’s instructions, we used powder detergent, washed the pants in cold water for five hours, and air-dried them. Then, we repeated the eyedropper and spray test to observe any differences (there weren’t any).

Anna Perling tested rain pants in Portland, Oregon, a city notorious for its rain. When the rain turned out to be sparse in Portland, Anna also took the finalists to the Hoh Rain Forest in Washington’s Olympic National Park, which receives 12 to 14 feet of rain per year. Jenni Gritters tested rain pants in Bend, Oregon, during the late winter and early spring seasons. Kim Mock took rain pants out into the Colorado wilds during the spring months, as well.

We wore all of our picks for at least an hour’s worth of hiking to test for mobility and breathability and to see how easy the pants were to get on and off. We lunged, jumped, rolled around in wet grass, splashed ourselves with river water, knelt in puddles, and rubbed our butts against mossy trees and gravel.

Ultimately, because all of our candidates proved to be waterproof enough, we made our picks based on sizing options, price, fit, and features. We combed through reviews on multiple retail sites to look for reports on long-term wear, too.

Top pick

Marmot Men’s PreCip Eco Pants

The best rain pants in men’s sizes

These lightweight, comfortable pants will keep you dry through rainy hikes. They are available in regular, short, and long versions to accommodate multiple heights.

Buying Options

$80 from Amazon

$70 from Backcountry

Marmot Women’s PreCip Eco Pants

The best rain pants in women’s sizes

These lightweight, comfortable pants will keep you dry through rainy hikes. They also come in three inseam lengths.

Buying Options

$70 from Amazon

$70 from Backcountry

Marmot’s PreCip Eco Pants (available in men’s and women’s versions) will keep you dry just as well as the competition for a lower price, and they’re available in a wider array of inseam lengths. These 2.5-layer, ripstop-nylon pants are made with 100% recycled fabric and have ankle zips to help you get them over your boots. They also have zippered side pockets.

Where the PreCip pants stand out is in their cut: They ranked among the best-fitting pants we tried, and they come in short, regular, and long inseam lengths. More of our testers found that this cut, of all the pants we tested, fit them the best.

Marmot’s pants kept us dry while we walked for several miles in heavier-than-usual rain and wind in Portland, Oregon. During our eyedropper and spray tests, we saw no signs of wetting through—both before and after putting the pants through five hours of continuous washing. Water didn’t bead up and jump off the PreCip pants quite as well as it did off the Arc’Teryx Beta pants, but neither did the water cling to the Marmot pairs’ fabric.

On our Hoh Rain Forest hike, the PreCip pants felt breathable. (The temperature was around 48 degrees Fahrenheit in the rain forest.) We felt noticeably sweaty and clammy after only an hour of hiking in the Columbia Storm Surge pants in the rain forest—but that wasn’t the case in the PreCip pants.

Tripping over pants isn’t fun, and neither is feeling like you’re wearing a couple of trash bags. We experienced that feeling while wearing many of the rain pants in our test group—but not when we wore the PreCip pairs. Instead, the PreCip pants fit well and were easy to move in; we also found their legs roomy enough to pull on over layers and then walk in. The PreCip pairs still look and feel like rain pants, of course, so they don’t get many style points. Their fabric isn’t as soft and stretchy as that of the sleeker Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic pants. However, these pants feel sturdier than the others we tested because of their gusseted crotch, which, according to our experts, can help reinforce an easy-to-rip area.

The PreCip Eco Pants come in three inseam lengths (short, regular, and long) in both men’s and women’s versions, and they were among the few pants in our pile that proved to be true to size. The men’s pants come in S to XXL (30- to 42-inch waist, 36- to 48-inch hip, 30- to 35-inch inseam), and the women’s pants come in sizes XS to XL (24.5- to 36.5-inch waist, 35- to 47-inch hip, 29- to 33-inch inseam). Both the men’s and women’s models come only in black.

The two zippered mesh side pockets let you stash whatever you need to keep accessible. These pockets have a protective fabric shelf, and Marmot’s most recent update to the PreCip design added fully taped seams, which means you can trust that your phone will stay dry during a true downpour. Ankle zippers at the cuffs made pulling the pants over our boots easy, and if you prefer pants that fully unzip (from the waist to the ankle), both the men’s and women’s versions offer that option. Unlike other rain pants, however, the PreCip pairs have an effective ankle cinch (an elastic drawstring) to help you taper and shorten them after you put them on.

As for the price, the PreCip Eco Pants are at the lower end of the high-end rain pants we tested and at the higher end of the cheaper options. At this writing, they’re $30 less than our runner-up, the almost identical Patagonia Torrentshell pants. For the cost, these pants offer the best value of all the pants we tested.

You need to wash the PreCip pants with liquid detergent, not powder; you can dry them on low. If your pants do wear out, you can file a warranty claim with Marmot. The company offers a limited lifetime warranty.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Because the PreCip Eco Pants are made from ripstop nylon, they still feel somewhat like trash bags. They aren’t the quietest pants, either. However, that complaint extended to most of the pants we tested. And although the zippers on the PreCip pants are plenty long, they’re not as long as the zippers on Patagonia’s Torrentshell pants.

Runner-up

Patagonia Men’s Torrentshell 3L Pants

Similar pants, but fewer sizing options, in men’s sizes

These pants are just as dry and comfortable in the rain. They come in only one two lengths, but they have vented ankle zippers.

Buying Options

$129 from Backcountry

$119 from Patagonia

Patagonia Women’s Torrentshell 3L Pants

Similar pants, but fewer sizing options, in women’s sizes

These pants are just as dry and comfortable in the rain. They have vented ankle zippers but come in only two lengths.

Buying Options

$129 from REI

$129 from Patagonia

If Marmot’s PreCip Eco Pants are unavailable, Patagonia’s Torrentshell 3L Pants (available in men’s and women’s versions) are nearly identical to our top pick. They’re basic, waterproof pants with a few standout features: They have long ankle zippers that make them easier to get on and off than the PreCip pairs, as well as articulated knees, and they’re more breathable than many of the other options we tested. But the Torrentshell pants offer any only two inseam lengths (they come in 30-inch and 32.5-inch inseams), so if you’re tall, these pants may not fit you quite as well as our top pick. They are also more expensive than our top pick, depending on the retailer.

The fabric looks and feels identical to that of the PreCip pants. Both are made from ripstop nylon, although Patagonia recently updated its design to be 3-layer, in contrast to Marmot’s 2.5-layer design. Because of that extra layer, these pants are slightly heavier than the PreCip pants.

The Torrentshell pairs did just as good a job as the PreCip pants when it came to keeping us dry in Portland, Oregon, rain and staying breathable on our hike in a rain forest. The ankle zippers on the Torrentshell pants come up higher on the leg than on most of the other rain pants we tested, which makes getting them on and off over boots even easier than with our top pick. The Torrentshell pants have two zippered side pockets covered with a fabric shelf, and the pants fold and zip into one of the mesh pockets once you’ve taken them off, in case you’re looking for an option that you can easily stuff into a backpack. Articulated knees on the pants help with mobility.

The biggest drawback with these pants is their fit: If you’re taller than their inseams accommodate, you may find that they don’t cover you adequately. The men’s versions spans XXS to XXL (26- to 42-inch waist, 32- to 48-inch hip), and the women’s versions span XXS to XXL (24.5- to 41.5-inch waist, 34- to 51-inch hip). Currently, the only color available is black.

Upgrade pick

Arc’teryx Beta AR Pant Men’s

An even tougher, cold-weather option in men’s sizes

Five times the cost of our top pick, these pants are a splurge. But they perform in rain, snow, and mountaineering conditions, plus they’re the most durable option we tested.

Buying Options

Buy from REI

May be out of stock

Arc’teryx Beta AR Pant Women's

An even tougher, cold-weather option in women’s sizes

The women’s sizes are also a splurge. But they perform in rain, snow, and mountaineering conditions, plus they promise to be the most durable option.

Buying Options

$250 from REI

$500 from Arc'teryx

The Arc’teryx Beta AR rain pants (men’s and women’s) are five times as expensive as our top pick, but they’re tough enough to keep you dry during mountaineering adventures or in heavy rain, snow, or sleet. Compared with the other pants we tested, the Beta AR pants don’t just cause water to bead off—they repel water with force. The key lies in their Gore-Tex Pro materials, which breathe well but keep you dry, and in reinforced instep patches along the calves, which prevent you from catching and ripping your pants with crampons or snowshoes.

There are two versions of this pant available: the regular Beta pant (men’s and women’s) and the upgraded Beta AR. At various times, Arc’teryx has stocked both the Beta and the Beta AR in only men’s or only women’s sizes. (As of late August 2024, both the women’s and the men’s Beta AR pants were in stock.) We’ve tested and like both versions of these pants; they are similar in fit and performance. The AR is more expensive, but it has some additional features that are handy in the snow, including higher-denier Gore-Tex, draw cuffs, and a stronger water-repellent treatment. For these reasons, we prefer the AR if you’re going to be using them mainly in the snow. However, if you don’t intend to use these pants in the snow or ice—and still want a similar fit and performance in the rain—then we think you’ll be happy with the less-expensive Beta as well.

During our water and wash tests, the Beta AR pants felt hardier than competitors. And although you’d be wise to layer long johns underneath them in a snowstorm for additional warmth, they should offer more water and wind protection than our other picks. They’re also heavier than our top pick. Like many of the other rain pants we tested, the Arc’teryx Beta pairs have zippers on the sides, but their zippers fully extend from hip to ankle, allowing for the easiest on-and-off we experienced, as well as the best ventilation.

You can find the Beta and Beta AR pants, in men’s and women’s versions, three inseam lengths: short, regular, and tall. For men, the inseams range from 29 to 36 inches, depending on the size of the pants. For women, the inseams range from 28.5 to 35 inches. Men’s sizes run from XS to XXL (waists range from 29 to 44.5 inches, and hips from 34.5 to 50 inches). Women’s run from size 00 to 16 (waists range from 24 to 37 inches, and hips from 33.5 to 46.5 inches). Most Arc’teryx items run narrow, so you should try on both your usual size and one size up to see which one you prefer. To tailor the fit of your pants around your hips, use the belt and cinch strap. You can also adjust the ankle portion, which has a cinch and buttons at the ankles, plus lace hooks for hiking or alpine boots. The women’s Beta AR come in black only; the men’s version comes in black and a muted green.

If you’re looking for extended sizes in rain pants: Consider the Outdoor Research Helium Rain Pants (currently available only in women’s sizes XXS to XXXL). Our plus-size tester reported no chafing and loved the drawstring waist, which allowed her to tailor the fit to her shape. These pants caused water to bead off well enough, and our tester said that she didn’t feel wet even after a long slog in the rain. Most of all, she preferred the style of the Helium pants; many plus-size pants are boxy, but these allowed enough room for layering without looking baggy. They also have zippers at the ankles that allow for breathability, and they weigh just 5.5 ounces.

The standard-size Helium pants were less well-loved among our testers, simply because they did not measure up to the comfort and durability of our top pick and runner-up pick. If you are looking for extended-size options, the Helium pants are the best of those.

If you want extended sizes in short or tall lengths: Consider the Eddie Bauer Cloud Cap Rain Pants (men’s and women’s stretch). The Cloud Cap pants come in sizes XS to 3X for women in regular inseams, plus a smaller range of sizes in petite and tall inseams, and that variety makes them worth considering. However, they don’t have some of the features we like on other pants, such as ankle zippers or elastic cinches. Our plus-size and petite women’s testers both found the waist a bit snug, and our legs got cold during rainy hikes because the fabric was fairly thin. Overall, the women’s version felt more like hiking pants than rain pants, and the men’s option (which comes in regular or tall, S to XXL, non-stretch) was boxy.

If you’re looking for an ultralight option: Consider the Montbell Versalite Pants (men’s and women’s). These pants weigh 3.2 ounces, and though they feel likely to blow away in the wind because they’re seriously as light as a feather, they kept out the rain surprisingly well in our tests. “If these were truly waterproof, they’re all I would pack,” said one tester upon trying the Montbell pants for the first time. And his request was granted: During our eyedropper and spray tests, and our hikes in the rain, these pants repelled water just as well as our other picks did, and they’re available for a similar price. They feel like crepe paper and can’t keep you warm or protected from the wind, but they do the job well during a rainstorm.

If you want a rain kilt for warmer weather: If you’re traveling somewhere warm or going to a place with lighter rain, a rain kilt may work for you, but we don’t think a rain kilt is the best rainproofing option for most people. If you do want to buy a kilt, we like the Zpacks DCF Rain Kilt. Made of ultra-durable and lightweight Dyneema fabric, the kilt has a zipper to seal it and a cinch waist. In contrast, the other kilt we tested, the ULA Rain Kilt, uses three pieces of Velcro as closures, which leave several slits where rain can get through. Though the Zpacks kilt is more rigid than the ULA kilt, you can still move around in it.

Mountain Hardwear Stretch Ozonic Pant (men’s and women’s): Light, soft, and stretchy, the fabric on the Stretch Ozonic pants makes them feel and look more like hiking pants than a traditional rain layer. During our spray tests, water practically jumped off this fabric. But when we took these pants out on a windy, rainy night, they started to wet through after just an hour. These pants have thigh-high zippers, which make them easy to get on and off. They also have a more tailored cut than many rain pants we tested; the men’s version has a cinching buckle, and the women’s version has Velcro tabs at the sides. We tested them both in 2019 and 2022, and although we know they’re popular, we don’t think they offer the guaranteed waterproofing that most people need.

Columbia Men’s Rebel Roamer Rain Pants: Though the Rebel Roamer pants have two snaps at the ankles to help taper the legs, they lack ankle zippers, which makes them difficult to get on and off. They come in 30- and 32-inch inseams.

Columbia Women’s Storm Surge Rain Pants: The Storm Surge pants come in plus sizes in the women’s version. But during our testing, they weren’t breathable (likely due to their shell and their mesh lining). These pants also lack ankle zippers and are difficult to get on and off over shoes.

ULA Rain Kilt: You close this rain kilt with three Velcro pieces, a design that creates gaps. This kilt is less structured than the Zpacks kilt we tested, and it’s easier to move around in, but during our tests the fabric swished around our legs—when Anna walked, the kilt kept getting stuck between her legs. Also, it’s loud.

We also tested and dismissed rain pants from The North Face and REI Co-op that have since been discontinued.

Care and maintenance instructions depend on each pair of pants, according to our experts. And we found that to be true during our testing. “Every product will have a sewn-on care label…. The company that’s made them has probably wash-tested them,” said the University of Oregon’s Susan Sokolowski. “Usually, [you should] follow the suggested manufacturer’s care [instructions].” For our wash test, we looked at the care label on each pair of pants. When the DWR membrane starts to visibly flake off, that’s a sign that your rain gear is failing. “A membrane like a Gore-Tex membrane is actually laminated to the outside fabric. If you wash or put these products in the dryer, the membrane will start to fall off,” said Sokolowski.

You can re-treat your pants to maintain them. Utah State University’s Sean Michael recommended looking into company-specific washes or treatments. (He likes Nikwax, which adds DWR to rain gear through a spray or wash, and said that the brand’s Tech Wash and TX.Direct “are coupled together as a one-two punch for cleaning and re-treating.”) Dirt, sweat, and grime on pants all impede the effectiveness of DWR, so washing or rinsing your rain pants between uses can help extend their longevity. Drying your pants on low for a short time can help reactivate the DWR, too. You’ll know whether a DWR coating is intact if water beads on the pants (this is a good sign). If water soaks through the fabric, you’re out of luck, and you need to reapply the coating.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.