View Full Version : Full rain gear vs umbrella and windshell?
Been reading alot about how umbrellas are so great for many reasons but I have no experience with them on the trail. I am contemplating using a windshirt and windpants with an umbrella on my thru versus a regular rain jacket and rain pants. Looking for any advice from people that may have used this system on a thru hike.
My main concern would be wind. I've been in rainstorms with wind driven rain. I'm not sure how well an umbrella would hold up. And even if it held up, you're going to get wet from wind driven rain anyway. I'm thinking about an umbrella for the PCT for sun protection more than for rain but I'm having trouble justifying the weight.
Weight wouldnt really be an issue considering the umbrella is around 5 oz and the windsuit would be around 5 also. So about close to or under what a lightweight rain suit would be. Just dont know if the seldom wind driven rain would outweigh the benefits it would give a majority of the time.
Traveler
01-10-2015, 14:36
The idea of an umbrella is good, however it won't keep you warm. Rain gear will help keep you warm, which can be a serious problem if you don't have that ability. If it's a choice, I will go with the rain gear vs umbrella and wind shell but thats just me. Of all the things that concern me, hypothermia is high on the list.
Sirsnappy09
01-10-2015, 14:48
Attraveler is right. Your rain jacket and pants doubles as a wind proof insulating layer. I personally use it as my outer layer and never take pants. I wear my capilene with shorts over that and if I need more warmth I will use my rain pants. They provide an Incredible amount of warmth by trapping your body heat. Breatheable or not. Pants were always bounced for town stops only.
Attraveler is right. Your rain jacket and pants doubles as a wind proof insulating layer. I personally use it as my outer layer and never take pants. I wear my capilene with shorts over that and if I need more warmth I will use my rain pants. They provide an Incredible amount of warmth by trapping your body heat. Breatheable or not. Pants were always bounced for town stops only. Thats right. Really neither will keep you dry but as stated rain gear will keep the wind from blowing through you
He's talking about substituting a wind shirt/pants for rain gear. That would address warmth if he stays dry. But with wind driven rain, I doubt that staying dry with an umbrella is likely. It seems like a risky way to go to me.
MuddyWaters
01-10-2015, 15:28
Umbrellas are great. If you have to hike in a lot of rain, they make a huge difference in comfort in rain. You dont need to zip jacket, or wear hood. You stay much cooler, so drier. Downside is more weight to carry. On AT, id still have rain jacket and pants anyway. Umbrella helps for setting up, taking down, and around camp in rain too.
dangerdave
01-10-2015, 15:52
After much discussion with a wonderful past thru-hiker, I decided to try an umbrella on the AT. It was only about $25 and very light. I'm still carrying rain gear simply because the umbrella will not be effective under all conditions. It attaches hands free to my pack shoulder strap and sits snug on the side of my pack when not in use. As long as the rain is coming mostly straight down, I can eat, take photos, write, txt, talk on the phone, etc and keep everything dry---including my head. I think that will be a big psychological boost if I have to walk in the rain for a week (or more), you never know.
I'm anxious to see how effective it is for reducing sun exposure as well (said the very white guy).
My GF and I just finished a SOBO thru using GoLite ChromeDome umbrellas and Patagonia Houdini wind jackets and loved it. Umbrellas are a very polarizing subject on forums; people either love them or hate them, and I suspect most haters haven't even given them a go out in the wilds. I love them and prefer them to a "waterproof" shell for three main reasons. No rain jacket can compare to the coverage, breathability, and multi function of a good, lightweight umbrella.
f your pack rises high above your shoulders, a umbrella might not work for you. If you can't hike 20 miles without the support of two trekking poles, umbrellas might not work for you. I have a very small pack and hike with one (or zero) poles, and can snug the umbrella down over the pack and myself (tucked under my sternum strap, hands free) very well, keeping everything under that 3 foot circle dry, mostly. Breathability is amazing, allowing me to hike at a quick pace without sweating out from the inside. We weathered many a downpour wearing nothing but tshirts and stayed perfectly dry. A bit windy and we'd throw on the Houdini. Wind and a little chilly? A merino wool hoody under the Houdini and we were good. The umbrella really shines on those days where it rains on and off every 10 minutes. Heavy downpour, bam, you're covered. Rain stopped and the suns out, bam, collapse the brella. Midnight pee runs, rainy morning poop sessions, all dry dry dry. Plus it acts as a "door" to my tarp. It also came in very handy outside Hiawassee last month in 15 degree weather with 20 mph winds. Just deployed the umbrella and pointed it into the wind.
You will hear several downsides of umbrellas repeated on the internet over and over. Let me give you my experience with these claims.
1. It will snag on everything. Unless you're bushwacking, or climbing through the Notch, this is a non issue. If you can sqeeze through it, so can the umbrella, simply collapse it partially, step through, reopen. Also, it helps to not carry the umbrella high up over your head like a real estate agent or a banker. Keep it low and tight.
2. It takes up the use of one hand. There once was a time where people could function in the woods without a stick in each hand. You can too. A huge pack requires extra support (poles). Lighten your load, reduce the need for assistance. I did the last 1200 miles of my thru with no poles and felt stronger, faster, and more balanced. Still need help, try using just one pole.
3. It won't keep you warm. No, it won't. But it will keep you dry, which will keep you warm. Ever hiked in freezing rain? I would take an umbrella over a rainjacket any day of the week during freezing rain. A waterproof shell will keep you warm, in fact it will keep you hot, if you're out there hiking. Next thing you know you're drenched from your own sweat. The windjacket protects you from the wind and doesn't wet you out. Theres a good story somewhere out there about a guy who almost succombed to hypothermia on the PCT, with his rainjacket on, and how he would have traded his college diploma for the umbrella that he just sent home.
Either way you go, you must accept this fact: There is no perfect solution and YOU WILL GET WET, a lot. The most important thing is being able to travel efficiently, comfortably and safely through foul weather. During the summer, you'll welcome a heavy rain to cool you down.
To make this work for me, I did carry a merino wool hoody that would go on if the temps were getting chilly. Warm when wet.
You could also carry something like the OR Helium II for a little more protection. Or even a DriDucks jacket could work. Even when I do carry a rain jacket (winter), I still carry the brella for all reasons mentioned above.
It doesn't work for everybody, and it doesn't have to. Find what works well for your comfort level, and use it. For me, the brella's in the pack every time.
I have used an umbrella on the PCT and AT for a few hundred miles. I love it in the desert for sun protection, but on the AT I'm not convinced that it is better than a rain jacket. Poedog's post does a great job explaining the use of an umbrella, and in the end it is a matter of personal preference. I would add that the umbrella can give you a mental boost because getting rained on can be pretty demoralizing. Also you can strap an umbrella to your backpack to keep your hands free, but this is less convenient in a brushy area.
For me, an umbrella on the AT is more hassle than it is worth, especially if you also have a rain jacket. But the UL umbrellas are in the $30 range, so it's not a huge investment. Give it a try and you can always send it home. There are rain jackets in the 6oz range (check out the O2 jacket for $30) so you will still have rain protection if you decide you don't like the umbrella
Slo-go'en
01-10-2015, 19:01
Just be ready for the inevitable trail name of "Poppins".
I think they make more sense out west, but I've known a few AT thru hikers to carry one the distance. Fine for a light rain in the woods, not so good when crossing an exposed bald or ridge with gale force wind blowing the rain sideways.
handlebar
01-10-2015, 19:59
I have an Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket (9.5oz) that I combine with a Mountain Laurel Designs Rain Wrap (3.375oz). The Rain Wrap works well for me as I hike in a kilt. If I'm hiking in an area or season with lots of rain expected or where I'll need sun protection I also carry a Golite Chrome Dome (8oz). I find the Rain Wrap allows good ventilation preventing a lot of sweat buildup and like having the umbrella which I velcro to my pack strap to allow me to keep the rain jacket mostly open, or off in summer season. The umbrella tends to make hiking in all day rain much more tolerable. The umbrella worked well in all but very high winds both as a sun shield on the AZT and for rain on the AT-Tuscarora Trail Loop where I encountered a couple all day rains including one with a protracted downpour.
bigcranky
01-10-2015, 20:07
I tried one on a couple of AT sections, and I'm still not convinced. Got totally, thoroughly soaked in a frog-strangler thunderstorm in central Virginia in early June once, and about froze. Would have been a lot happier in rain gear. But for light to moderate rain, it's nice to be able to leave my hood down and open up my jacket. Also useful for quick bathroom trips at night in moderate rain.
Thanks so much for everyone's input. I can see everyone's angles on how it may or may not be beneficial. I am not attempting my thru until 2016 but want to get my pack list down and use it for awhile before i start. I will probably pick one up soon, possibly a montbell one which weighs less than 5 oz to test out in the coming warmer months. Pair it with a 2-3 oz windshirt to see if it can handle various conditions. If im not feeling confident about that setup like some have warned i may just end up going with my original plan for a jacket which was a marmot supermica which is still relatively light. This way when it is not possible to have the umbrella on exposed ridges or balds i can still be dry. I think i can justify >5 oz for a very versatile peice of gear.
Also don't forget .... Exposed areas are pretty rare on the AT. You will be in the trees like 95% of the time.
PS, here is a good page for info on how to attach your umbrella to your pack
http://ramblinghemlock.blogspot.de/2014/03/umbrella-rigging.html
Poedog has a great write up on the use and advantages of umbrellas. I love using one, have been for 20 years. Never looked back. .. And as far as the high wind and sideways rain on balds, I've been in that before. Umbrella didn't work and I got wet. So did everyone who was wearing rain gear too.
give it a try, you might like it.
On the AT - no way in my book. Put on rain pants and a good jacket, rock & roll! (NOTE: When not too chilly I hike with no tee shirt, just my jacket, works GREAT!), on the PCT / CDT, maybe a different story. One more thing to carry + you still need rain pants and a jacket serves more purpose than just rain.
I only use head umbrellas if they are equipped with little motorized propellers and come in all three primary colors.
Seriously, I have used smaller diam. umbrellas and windshirts on two short non green tunnel hikes. Worked great one time in moderate drizzly non harshly windblown rain and got completely drenched like I wasn't using any rain protection the other time. Got quite chilled on that one failed occasion too. Not hardline for or against. I like keeping my options open seeing applicabilty of umbrellas depending on conditions and usabilty with the rest of my kit.
Sandy of PA
01-13-2015, 21:58
I use an umbrella attached to shoulder strap, rain jacket, and skirt. Light rain: umbrella and skirt. Heavy rain: umbrella, rain jacket unzipped put on backwards over packstraps, rainskirt. Rain on a bald: Jacket frontwards zipped up under packstraps, skirt, no umbrella.