View Full Version : Best hiking rain gear
Blue Collar
09-07-2014, 15:34
I went hiking in the rain yesterday and failed.
need advice on proper jacket, pants, gators, umbrella?
Odd Man Out
09-07-2014, 15:42
What did you have and how did it fail? What type of hiking will you need rain gear for (location, time of year, length, etc...)? Do you want to say UL? There's no such thing as one best piece of gear. It all depends on the person and the circumstances. I just have a nice, but otherwise rather ordinary North Face rain jacket with pit zips and a hood, plus a baseball cap. Sometimes I don't even wear the jacket. The objective isn't to stay dry. The objective is to stay warm. So for summer hiking, my needs are pretty minimal.
Have you looked at the packa (http://www.thepacka.com/)? Pack cover and rain jacket in one that can be worn several ways.
kayak karl
09-07-2014, 17:33
Have you looked at the packa (http://www.thepacka.com/)? Pack cover and rain jacket in one that can be worn several ways.
that would be my vote too.
I use Frogg Togg Dry ducks. Cheap and light enough at 11oz for the set. If it's hot I may just wear the jacket or get wet.
As stated already I wear them to keep warm not dry. Even at 75F you can get the chills in a rain.
12trysomething
09-07-2014, 18:07
Another vote for the Packa. You can see my initial opening here.
http://youtu.be/W9EcF-3uQFY
Good luck!
Having used several kinds of jackets, pit zips are really nice to have. My son loved my rain jacket, gave it to him, bought a Rab jacket on sale, really solid.............great gear.
A good shell does more than protect us from the rain. Critical layer in my view.
2015 Lady Thru-Hiker
09-07-2014, 18:21
I hiked in the rain for the first time yesterday but have hiked when rain was predicted so suited up with frogg toggs. Had the jacket on 5 minutes before I was ripping it off. Way too hot for me in warmer weather so yesterday I just covered my pack and got wet. With the temps at 90 degrees it felt great. Granted it was not an out and out downpour and don't know how I would have felt about it had been. Probably will wear the whole suit in colder weather though. Hopefully will get a chance to trial that scenario before next March.
My only thought about the packa is, if for some reason you have to stop and get into your pack, you have to take off the rain jacket part, right?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Cedar Tree
09-07-2014, 18:53
[QUOTE=2015 Lady Thru-Hiker;1906233 My only thought about the packa is, if for some reason you have to stop and get into your pack, you have to take off the rain jacket part, right? [/QUOTE]
Yes, that is pretty much true. I've been told you can slide your arms out of your pack's should straps, undo your waist belt, reach behind you and pull the bottom of the packcover backwards so that the pack can slip down along your back and out the bottom. However, in all my years and miles of hiking with the packa, I've never done this. It would have to be a real emergency for me to get into my pack while it is raining.
ct
Dri ducks are not bad for the money but realize that they are basically disposable rainwear. I only use the pants and find them too hot above 55 degrees or so when hiking but they add a lot of warmth around camp and shed water very well. But they are fragile and get ripped up easily. They can be effectively patched with duct tape. By the end of the Colorado Trail, my rain pants may have been more duct tape than whatever material the Dri Ducks are made of. I threw them away after the hike, but they did last a full JMT (with little use), a 260 mile section of the AT (with use on a few days) and the Colorado Trail with nearly daily use of some sort. So you can't beat the value for $20. But I'm going to look for something more durable as a replacement.
Feral Bill
09-07-2014, 19:15
Nothing works as well as you might want.
misterfloyd
09-07-2014, 22:21
Frogg toggs top in the summer only if it is an all day storm, otherwise if it just a nooner I prepare to get wet.
They will get chewed up pretty quickly by underbrush however. I never had a problem w/ them on the AT. Other places.....
Goretex boots........ forget about it.
Just resolve yourself that you will get wet.
daddytwosticks
09-08-2014, 07:17
Down here on the southern end of the AT: sil-nylon MLD Pro poncho in warmer weather, Drop Stoppers (lightweight Frogg Toggs?) jacket during other times of the year. I really like the versatility of the poncho during the summer months. It also acts as my pack cover/shelter at times. :)
Down here on the southern end of the AT: sil-nylon MLD Pro poncho in warmer weather, Drop Stoppers (lightweight Frogg Toggs?) jacket during other times of the year. I really like the versatility of the poncho during the summer months. It also acts as my pack cover/shelter at times. :)
I use the MLD poncho also, and can't express enough just what agreat piece of gear it has been. In a heavy, chilly downpour, keeps the pack dry, me warm, with plenty ventilation... Always in my pack.
theoilman
09-08-2014, 11:07
For section hiking (1 week max), AT, I've been thinking about the super light dollar store disposable ponchos. Carry 1 or 2, single use hopefully to last a day if needed that long.
Has anyone tried these?
Drybones
09-08-2014, 21:40
Bring dry clothes for camp and don't worry about it...you're going to get wet regardless of what rain gear you bring.
jjozgrunt
09-09-2014, 09:55
Bring dry clothes for camp and don't worry about it...you're going to get wet regardless of what rain gear you bring.
Sage advice in the tropics, not very for a march start. Getting wet in cold weather has hypothermia victim written all over it.
Odd Man Out
09-09-2014, 10:12
I have a question for you Packa users. I've seen the video where you can pull the jacket out of the pack cover without taking off your pack. But that presumes you have the pack cover on before it starts raining. For you Packa users, do you always hike with the pack cover in place, or do you just use it on days you think it might rain. If the latter, I presume there must be days when you still have to take off your pack to put on your Packa when you didn't have the rain cover on. It's on my list for potential gear upgrades. Just trying to get a feel for how people use it on the trail. TIA
There is no best rain gear. It is all a matter of preference. I started with frogg toggs. I did not like the ventilation and started leaving my pants at home and just wearing the tops. I transitioned to a full size poncho that covers both myself and pack. I personally am much happier due to ease of install/removal and ventilation. There are drawbacks like once I take the thing off it seems to always get wet on both sides. Not a big deal as body heat soon dries it out and the moisture escapes. I also like the fact that it keeps my pack dry in addition to the cost. The packa looks great but sticker shock is too much for what you get imo.
As far as rain gear goes, I have yet to develop a system where I stay dry during days of rain. Eating, crapping, camping, etc all set up moments where you and your pack are going to get wet. The ventilation of a poncho does a great job of drying you out to some extent. Granted during rain you arent going to get totally dry and after a day or two smell like an old gym bag. My favorite part of the day during a rain soaked hike is drying off with a camp towel and putting on those dry clothes inside my tent. Without this, I would lose my sanity haha.
I say try some cheap frogg toggs and then a poncho. Most all gear use these two basic designs (minus umbrella) and for a small amount of money you can get the experience to decide on which costly gear is best suited for you.
Gambit McCrae
09-09-2014, 10:41
Rain gear is a never ending problem on the trail. I have found that for those days when temps are high(Summer), and it is a down pour all day I just take off my pants and put them away dry. walk in my compression shorts and possible shirtless. Once I get to shelter or tent is up, I dry off and put my clothes back on. If there is a chance of rain I do carry an Arceryx rain jacket late september thru mid may.
We still use an umbrella as first option (Raines skinny mini, 5 oz). If it gets worse we pull out Frogg Toggs jacket. Worse yet, we add pants. Wearing any kind of rain gear will cause condensation inside if you are hiking. We have the best results with umbrellas because it avoids the condensation problem. Yes, we have survived violent downpours standing under umbrellas, with no other rain gear on. We've tried everything else, and always got more soaked by condensation than by rain.
Kerosene
09-09-2014, 11:00
Bring dry clothes for camp and don't worry about it...you're going to get wet regardless of what rain gear you bring.As jjozgrunt (post #17) notes, you may still need something to shield you from cold rain. I once endured an all-day deluge in southern Vermont in August that froze me to the bone in my poncho (this was 1979); I would have been in bad shape without some sort of rain protection. For my upcoming Fall hike in Maine I need to be prepared for rain and 40 degrees and will rely on an e-Vent parka and pants to do so (over my typical Packa) as it provides more layering options. For this hike, I will also be bringing wind pants and shell to handle mist and/or wind and cold temps as I hike.
Another Kevin
09-09-2014, 14:39
For my forthcoming trip in the Adirondacks, I plan on Dri-Ducks over fleeces for the inevitable day of 34 degree rain. I might wet out the fleeces from the inside, but at least I'll be warm and wet. I don't think there is a way to stay dry in that kind of weather.
It rains, you get wet, no matter what. In a heavy rain with the sweat released when walking, it all wets out and fails. Rain gear will keep you warm until you gt to camp and change. Ten years, 1,500 mi, seven rain jackets four rain pants. It all fails, so I just keep walking.....
It rains, you get wet, no matter what. In a heavy rain with the sweat released when walking, it all wets out and fails. Rain gear will keep you warm until you gt to camp and change. Ten years, 1,500 mi, seven rain jackets four rain pants. It all fails, so I just keep walking.....
Good advice for three-season backpacking in thick woods during moderate temps.
Maybe not so much otherwise.
The OP still has not said where they are hiking and when. Note what Kevin is using for 34 degrees..conditions that can be found easily in March in the Smokies during a fairly typical thru-hike window.
rocketsocks
09-09-2014, 16:27
One rain outfit I'm toying with in Spring and Fall is a combination of a rain kilt and half poncho that comes a bit below the waist.
HeartFire
09-09-2014, 16:55
28295Hoodie pack cover by LightHeart Gear. http://lightheartgear.com/index.php/rain-gear/hp-cover Great for summer time when you don't mind being a little wet, gives great ventilation and keeps the water from going down your back. Just the perfect amount of coverage.
rocketsocks
09-09-2014, 16:58
28295Hoodie pack cover by LightHeart Gear. http://lightheartgear.com/index.php/rain-gear/hp-cover Great for summer time when you don't mind being a little wet, gives great ventilation and keeps the water from going down your back. Just the perfect amount of coverage.
really like that design feature, in warm weather I don't mind takin' a shower.
Cedar Tree
09-09-2014, 17:57
I have a question for you Packa users. I've seen the video where you can pull the jacket out of the pack cover without taking off your pack. But that presumes you have the pack cover on before it starts raining. For you Packa users, do you always hike with the pack cover in place, or do you just use it on days you think it might rain. If the latter, I presume there must be days when you still have to take off your pack to put on your Packa when you didn't have the rain cover on. It's on my list for potential gear upgrades. Just trying to get a feel for how people use it on the trail. TIA
Since no one has answered you, I will tell you how I use the Packa. However, my use may be different from many as I do almost all of my hiking in cold to very cold weather. I would say most every morning I start off wearing the Packa because I am cold and need to warm up. Doesn't matter if it is raining or not, the Packa is great for cold weather, especially the eVent. Now to address what you asked "do you always hike with the pack cover in place?". For me, no-- if there is no chance of rain, and it is warm enough not to need it for hiking, then I do not put it in packcover mode only. No sense risking abrasion or puncture damage if the packcover is not needed. Hence, there are times when you must take your pack off to put the Packa on. If your pack is not too big, it is possible to throw the Packa up and over your pack to put it on (like a poncho), but I just take my pack off.
Thanks for the discussion.
Cedar Tree
Drybones
09-09-2014, 21:14
I like ponchos in warmer weather and a jacket when it's colder, mainly for breaking wind (come on guys I know I'm setting someone up). The poncho is pretty versatile, throw it back to be cooler or wrap it around you to be warmer, I've had situations where there was no wind on one side of the mountain and I got soaked with sweat and when I went to the other side I had a 30 MPH wind that froze my a** off, kept switching back and forth, you'd never get anywhere if you kept taking a jacket on and off.
Drybones
09-09-2014, 21:17
Sage advice in the tropics, not very for a march start. Getting wet in cold weather has hypothermia victim written all over it.
If there's anyone who started in March and didn't get wet, either from sweat or rain, please speak up.
kayak karl
09-09-2014, 21:18
and it's a pillow for a hammock :)
you'd never get anywhere if you kept taking a jacket on and off.
I agree, been there done that. Really appreciate the versatility of my poncho. Winter time different story.
The OP still has not said where they are hiking and when.
We would be wise to consider these factors rather than making the blanket suggestion to just accept getting soaked! Getting soaked is not the best idea at all times nor does rain always involve long heavy downpours. IMHO, there's plenty of room and something to be said for staying warm and dry more often. Rain in all areas isn't always an all day heavy downpour.