Every square centimeter of the outer surface of a rain jacket should be water proof or water resistant. Every rain jacket I've ever owned or seen is like this with the exception of the SP Elite. I call that defective design, you can call it what you want.

Closing the cuffs would not make any difference because the problem is that the OUTSIDE of the cuff is absorbent. I want a jacket I can still wear around camp after riding through a short shower. I never mentioned riding in the rain for hours or anything about dinner parties.