Rain jacket recommendations

[Cheers]

Hey,
I used to own a Patagonia precip jacket that after many years of use has given up on me. The zip broke a few years ago and it started taking on water way before that. I used to buy new rain jackets and test them by riding to work on my motorbike in a heavy downpour. Even though the Patagonia was a single layer it worked great on the bike, and on subsequent LD hikes. I'm after a rain jacket/rain pant combo, not to pricey, nice and light, but not too light that waterproofing is compromised. Any ideas? I see from a few other threads that people aren't really into the Patagonia jackets, although most other gear they sell is top notch. Thanks for any feedback. I'll be heading out for a few week section hike down south on the AT, so anything you think would suit a november hike through the smokies and beyond would be great.

Cheers

[Spokes]

Lots of opinions here about raingear but I've always been partial to Marmot Precip stuff.

[Cheers]

Jeezum Marmot! You're not kidding. There was a jacket that actually cost $500. I bought a truck for $500...

[Del Q]

North Face Triumph Anorak

Super light weight, great piece of gear

[TwoForty]

A $500 rain jacket can be a wise investment (if it fits your needs) if you are in a rainy place. You could literally wear for hundreds of miles a year out here in Washington.

A $500 truck might not last so long.

Anyways, I've always been happy with Frogg Toggs for emergency rain gear but I pack a RAB Drillium ($300) when I know it's gonna rain or snow. I'm sure if you added up all the hours I spent wearing it, it would be equivalent of a few months. Money well spent.

[Red Hat]

You can find the Marmot Precip on sale for about $70 at Campmor. It's regular price is $99.

[winger]

Patagonia Storm Jacket is a heavy duty rain coat, which I use this time of year as the heavy cold rains begin to fall.
A light weight option would be the Mountain Hardwear Quark.

[nox]

I like my EMS thunderhead jacket, $80 for the jacket $80 for the pants. they work great pack into their own pockets, weigh little and the jacket has pit zips for the warmer days or when you need to air out.

[Spokes]

Jeezum Marmot! You're not kidding. There was a jacket that actually cost $500. I bought a truck for $500...

Dude, $500 for a rain jacket? I'd have to be drunk and in an eBay bidding frenzy to spend that kind of money! Campmor prices are more what I was talking about.

[babbage]

LLBean has a good one onesale - it is a Goretex performance material that would cost out the ying yang at an outfitters. And if LLBean ever fails for any reason just send it back.

[Egads]

A $500 rain jacket can be a wise investment (if it fits your needs) if you are in a rainy place. You could literally wear for hundreds of miles a year out here in Washington.

A $500 truck might not last so long.

Anyways, I've always been happy with Frogg Toggs for emergency rain gear but I pack a RAB Drillium ($300) when I know it's gonna rain or snow. I'm sure if you added up all the hours I spent wearing it, it would be equivalent of a few months. Money well spent.

Dude, $500 for a rain jacket? I'd have to be drunk and in an eBay bidding frenzy to spend that kind of money! Campmor prices are more what I was talking about.

$500 for a life saver is a good price if the conditions warrant it. Not too likely on the AT

I use Dri-ducts on the trail, but have a Marmot Oracle that hangs in the work truck

[Mocs123]

I am currently using a Dri Ducks Jacket, but if I were looking for a heavier duty lightweight jacket at a good price I might look at the 7oz Marmot Essence.

[Hikes with a stick]

I like the goretex paclite stuff... I have a Mountain Hardwear jacket version of it, and I really like it. Forget the exact name of it, but I believe it costs a little under $200.

[Long feet]

Gatewood Cape. It's light and dual use, plus it's easy to unzip and throw behind you when it gets hot from hiking.

[Treefingers]

the ARC'Teryx Alpha SL pullover weighs 11 oz; it is made from 2 layer gore-tex paclite and has a "joey" pouch pocket alond with a hood that adjust perfectly with 3 planes of adjustment and pit zips with one side completely separating so the jacket can be added and removed easier....Best jacket i have ever owned by far...I would also look into Event jackets as well; from what i hear they are by far the most breathable jackets other than Frogg Toggs

[Red Beard]

Anybody use one of these?

http://www.thepacka.com/

[Fatman Running]

Cheers.....You're just up the road from Beans. Good deals on raingear always abound at the outlet store. You can even get a good White Sierra rain jacket at Renys for around $40. I hike all year 'round and value a polypro base layer with a good wind resistant, water-repellant out shell. I sweat to beat the band and as long as I'm moving, I stay warm. You're going to get wet no matter what you wear. The only time I wear Gore-trash is in the dead of winter to cut down on the wind above treeline.

[Cedar Tree]

Anybody use one of these?

http://www.thepacka.com/

Here are a couple threads on the Packa:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1382

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=11350

More info and reviews at:

http://www.thepacka.com/index_files/Page679.html

Cedar Tree

[Mocs123]

I will update the fact that I found a Marmot Essence on sale and my size medium weighs in at 6.4oz.

[Okie Dokie]

Rain gear is largely a matter of personal preference...the irony of a rain jacket on the AT is that you're much much much more likely to wear one when it isn't raining...you'll end up wearing it at camp, after hiking in a drizzle all day, for warmth, or in town while the rest of your clothes are in the washing machine, or early in the morning for warmth while breaking camp, or on a lunch break, again for warmth, etc...I'd guess I wore mine less than 5 days while hiking in the rain on my thru and all of those were in Maine where I needed it for warmth and knew I would be staying in a shelter each night and could shake it out and hang it to dry...it just wasn't cold enough anywhere else on the trail to justify wearing it even when it rained all day...and, as has been said before above, it's not going to keep you dry while hiking anyway...you'll be sweating inside that rain jacket and no "breathable" jacket on the market is going to breathe fast enough to keep the interior (you) dry when the outer layer of the jacket is covered with water...I'd just pick the lightest one you can find that you think will hold up for 5 months outdoors...you can even pick one of the heavier ones that have nylon liners inside and just cut the liner out to pare away weight...in short, rain jackets for backpackers are really useful only for retaining body heat (as a windbreaker in cool conditions when hypothermia is a possibility) and you won't get better results simply by paying more money...save a little on your rain jacket by buying smart and apply those savings toward an excellent pack cover that will keep your gear dry...when I get to camp I'd rather be wet than have any of my gear wet...