Hey folks,

So in prep for a 2010 thru, I am searching for a good rain jacket/gear combo that does the trick. I currently have a SD Microlight Jacket and Pants combo, and a pack cover (I think sea to summit) but in a downpour, the jacket/pants don't do the trick. In light rain they are fine, however. I have been hiking/backpacking a lot and I have never encountered a downpour, but I got to imagine that 100 days on the trail you're bound to encounter a downpour eventually. What do y'all use? I am posting this here because I am an ultralight junkie. This is what I have now:

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Sierra-Designs-Microlight-Jacket-Mens/SDS0335M.html

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Sea-To-Summit-Ultra-light-Siliconized-Pack-Cover/STS0050M.html

Any and all suggestions are appreciated!:sun

- Greg

Rain gear is one of those areas where there isn't one single great solution. There are so many variables -- air temperature, wind, amount of rain, whether I am hiking uphill or just sitting around camp, etc. Sometimes I need a full w/b rain shell and pants (Montbell Peak jacket and Golite Reed pants, total weight under 16 ounces.) Sometimes a poncho works better (warm weather), and in mid-summer I just keep walking and get wet, giving my stinky clothes a chance to rinse out. Some people like an umbrella, others the Packa.

You'll get some downpours. For a March start, I would carry a full w/b rain suit. Then adjust as the seasons move on.

Try a Packa:

http://www.thepacka.com/

Whatever you buy, you are going to get wet. I did 9 weeks on the At this year, it was very very wet and I had the "perfect" raingear according to Winton Porter. yep, you guessed it, I still got wet. When you are hiking with a pack on and doing 10-20 miles a day you are going to have the rain soak or leak through and a lot of sweat won't evaporate.

For the first week or two the DWR coating is probably going to be good and then you'll notice that the water isn't beading anymore and then the material starts to let watter through. The waterproof coating (DWR) just wears off, no matter what you have. Of course, if it doesn't rain much it'll last longer.

P.S. I started the hike with Montbell Peakshell jacket and pants which is what Winton Porter said were "perfect". We had rain probably 60-70% of the time for the first 5-6 weeks. The Montbell stuff didn't work well. It's very lightweight but the fabric didn't bead after a week and started to wear quickly where it was in contact with my pack. I changed to Marmot Precips at Damascus and they worked better, although they were new and it rained a lot less after Damascus.

Basically I'm saying, you can buy the really expensive stuff or the cheap stuff, you'll be wet. The raingear will keep you warm though, that's probably it's main use.

Anyone try Frogg Toggs Dr-Ducks? Their ads claim it to be 10.4 ounces so I would think that's pretty light. I have their regular raingear and it's definately dry but it doesn't pack down very small. Weight isn't too bad.

Anyone try Frogg Toggs Dr-Ducks? Their ads claim it to be 10.4 ounces so I would think that's pretty light. I have their regular raingear and it's definately dry but it doesn't pack down very small. Weight isn't too bad.
That's Dri-Ducks http://www.froggtoggs.com/catalog/2009catalog/rainwear/page46-47.asp

dri-ducks are nice and light, but pretty fragile. they rip easily if you are not careful.

might look at the dri ducks poncho.

For colder weather when I'm not hiking in shorts I use a NF Diad jacket at 8.85 ounces (large) and Sierra Design Hurricane pants at 7 ounces (medium) for a total 15.85 oz.

If it's warm enough that I'm hiking in shorts I exchange the pants for a cuben fiber rain wrap which weighs 0.8 ounces giving me a total weight of 9.65 oz.

The Diad is the lightest jacket I could find that still had pit zips and adjustable wrist closures. I've tried some of the lighter options with no zips and elastic wrists but was not able to ventilate properly. (Heard good things about driducks though but never tried it.)

I really like the rain wrap (i.e. - skirt) system any time I'm hiking in shorts. It goes on and off fast, has awesome ventilation, and weighs practically nothing. I used to just hike in my shorts in the rain, but now I can just throw this skirt over my shorts and I can arrive in camp with dry shorts. That's nice because I usually throw on a thin pair of long undies at camp and pull my shorts on over them.

I use the Dri-Ducks top.

Tore a hole? Duct tape on both sides.

Wearing rain pants is silliness.

go with like a sil- poncho you dont need anything to crazy
except for in the smokies maybe , theres no way to stay totally dry
as soon as you except that you're better off .. just stay warm enough ....

What, you want a super lightweight, fully waterproof, highly breathable solution? As others have said, nothing is perfect. In fact, the best solution varies with the temperature, humidity and level of exertion.

If money were no object and I was contemplating a thru-hike, I'd seriously look at a custom Packa (http://www.thepacka.com) made of eVent, with Cuben fiber chaps that would "blouse" over the tops of my boots to keep water from wicking down my socks. [I see that Cedar Tree is no longer accepting custom orders though.] I estimate that such a solution would weigh less than a pound and that the greater range of breathability you get with eVent would be enhanced even further with the Packa's pit zips.

Better yet, in the spirit of dual-use I'd love to see what it would take to turn a Packa into a Gatewood-style tarp, or at least a bivy for under-tarp use.

Frogg Toggs are da bomb.:D Love mine!

Whatever you buy, you are going to get wet.
Basically I'm saying, you can buy the really expensive stuff or the cheap stuff, you'll be wet. .
I disagree. My biggest fear is getting wet and cold, and I can tell you that I and my gear haven't been wet. I'm old school and wear a poncho. My pack is lined with a garbage bag. Everything I own is in a ziplock bag or wrapped in a garbage bag. My first poncho covered my pack as well. Lately, I have let the outside get wet but I'm thinking that's not a good idea due to water weight. The key for me is that I wear a t shirt and shorts under the poncho. If my arms and legs happen to get wet, they dry quickly. Wet pants and long sleeved shirts are useless.

I disagree. My biggest fear is getting wet and cold, and I can tell you that I and my gear haven't been wet. I'm old school and wear a poncho. My pack is lined with a garbage bag. Everything I own is in a ziplock bag or wrapped in a garbage bag. My first poncho covered my pack as well. Lately, I have let the outside get wet but I'm thinking that's not a good idea due to water weight. The key for me is that I wear a t shirt and shorts under the poncho. If my arms and legs happen to get wet, they dry quickly. Wet pants and long sleeved shirts are useless.

I was mainly talking about trditional rain jackets/pants. I seriously considered a poncho and think that you're right, they would (I think) be one of the only ways to stay truly dry (ish) !

Wearing rain pants is silliness.

It all depends on the temperature.

Great replies and advice... much appreciated all. It sounds like I'll just have to play around with it, but some of these products are pretty good suggestions. Thanks again.

A pack poncho in the summer is pretty hard to beat, you can put the hem in your hands and self ventilate while you stride w poles if it slacks up. add rain pants in the winter and you'll do away with how much you need to wear to keep warm. Frog Toggs rip eat zippers and don't vent but for the dollar are hard to beat... for a day hike.

go with like a sil- poncho you dont need anything to crazy
except for in the smokies maybe , theres no way to stay totally dry
as soon as you except that you're better off .. just stay warm enough ....

Except that "except" should be "accept", I agree completely. Dry hiking is something that you give up on if you've been out for a week or more in the mountains of the east. Keep your sleeping bag and sleep clothing dry. Just about everything else ends up damp - at the least.
I use Gore-tex over fleece and poly or wool in extremely cold weather and a poncho over poly spring through fall (even a poncho makes me sweat if it's more than 60 degrees, though it allows some ventilation). Poncho detractors haven't tried the various methods of securing them in the wind. The easiest is taking the back corners and tucking them into your pack's hipbelt around front. Quite wind resistant.

might look at the dri ducks poncho.

Has anyone used this? Do you like it? Will it fit over a pack and still close shut?

A pack poncho in the summer is pretty hard to beat, you can put the hem in your hands and self ventilate while you stride w poles if it slacks up. add rain pants in the winter and you'll do away with how much you need to wear to keep warm. Frog Toggs rip eat zippers and don't vent but for the dollar are hard to beat... for a day hike.

When you say pack poncho, are you referring to any specific pack poncho or the 'packa'? This is something I am considering, but was curious what pack poncho you'd recommend. Thanks.

Hey folks,

So in prep for a 2010 thru, I am searching for a good rain jacket/gear combo that does the trick. I currently have a SD Microlight Jacket and Pants combo, and a pack cover (I think sea to summit) but in a downpour, the jacket/pants don't do the trick. In light rain they are fine, however. I have been hiking/backpacking a lot and I have never encountered a downpour, but I got to imagine that 100 days on the trail you're bound to encounter a downpour eventually. What do y'all use? I am posting this here because I am an ultralight junkie. This is what I have now:

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Sierra-Designs-Microlight-Jacket-Mens/SDS0335M.html

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Sea-To-Summit-Ultra-light-Siliconized-Pack-Cover/STS0050M.html

Any and all suggestions are appreciated!:sun

- Greg


poncho, drape over backpack, can take pack off and still stay dry.

Has anyone used this? Do you like it? Will it fit over a pack and still close shut?

fits fine over my gossamer gear miniposa.

fits fine over my gossamer gear miniposa.

the dri-ducks poncho that is.

Last several years I've used FroggTogg - type generic that have worked really well and held up fine. Won't go wrong with FroggToggs. Add considerable warmth in cold, windy conditions - most crucial time to have rain gear.

I've recently tried a very simple Brawny Gear silnylon rain jacket on a two-week trip in the Boundry Waters. Plenty of rain, cold and even blowing snow. Worked very well. I will be carrying this more often. Only 4 oz. I added to that a ULA rainwrap which didn't get much use yet, so the jury is still out on that, but it's only 3 oz, so it will get carried again.

Brawny Gear is no longer available, but there are other comperable products out there. Don't be too afraid of non-breathable rain gear. Mostly you will only use it when it's cold, wet and windy, which means you probably won't be sweating much anyway. Just wear a wicking base layer under it and you can stay quite comfortable. Give it a try.