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uncontainable
08-12-2008, 18:07
i have been looking at a few windshells, particularly the go lite ones, and was wondering what folks had to say about them. useful? nice to have, but not that important?

Marta
08-12-2008, 18:16
A windshell can be very useful in keeping you warm, while not weighing very much. They can be used alone, instead of a rain jacket, to cut the wind while not trapping in your sweat the way a waterproof layer does. In extremely cold weather, a windshell can be one of several layers to trap warmth. If I'm expecting temperatures below 20F, I often bring a windshell and a rain shell. Wearing both (over a microfleece base, and maybe a thicker fleece layer) keeps me reasonably warm without having to carry the weight and bulk of heavier clothing.

I have Montane shell jacket and pants. Haven't tried the GoLite versions.

yappy
08-12-2008, 18:47
I used to mt hrdwe for the Ct and LOVED it. ... better then I thought I would. Go lite has not been good for me. i tried thier shoes .. they STUNK... they fell apart at about 165 miles and the 2nd pair did as well. i won't be buying thier stuff again. gimicky !

uncontainable
08-12-2008, 19:03
what about montbell?

kayak karl
08-12-2008, 19:10
i have been looking at a few windshells, particularly the go lite ones, and was wondering what folks had to say about them. useful? nice to have, but not that important?

i finally decided on this one http://www.backcountry.com/store/MHW...cket-Mens.html (http://www.backcountry.com/store/MHW0378/Mountain-Hardwear-Epic-Jacket-Mens.html) because i read in reviews it is cut long and they were right. even with layers under it and arms straight out sleeves are inch past wrist joint. and its got pit zips.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39571

Blissful
08-12-2008, 19:11
Loved my Marmot windshirt. Very useful in wind and light rain while hiking.

slow
08-12-2008, 19:35
i have been looking at a few windshells, particularly the go lite ones, and was wondering what folks had to say about them. useful? nice to have, but not that important?

Have a golite,and would buy again.:)

uncontainable
08-12-2008, 19:37
which one, slow, and how much use (or abuse) has it had?

Johnny Swank
08-12-2008, 19:57
Loved my Marmot windshirt. Very useful in wind and light rain while hiking.

The single most used piece of gear I own is a Marmot Driclime windshirt. That, and a long sleeve polyester shirt cover 95% of the stuff I get into.

Marmot Driclime Review (http://sourcetosea.net/marmot-driclime-windshirt-review/)

slow
08-12-2008, 20:54
which one, slow, and how much use (or abuse) has it had?

Ether,has kept me warm at 28 with MB INNER.

Abuse 600 mi in 2 yr. and still good ...but no rain jacket.

Gray Blazer
08-12-2008, 22:31
Got a sierra designs cheap from dick's. It has really helped me from getting hypothermia.

John B
08-13-2008, 07:45
I don't have one but I've always been curious about them. Like many of the posts above, it seems that they get a lot of great reviews.

But before I add another piece of gear, I try to think about what it will replace. If I'm hiking in the fall, I'll bring a long sleeve shirt, a fleece, and rain jacket. So which of these items, if any, would a wind shirt replace? Not the rain jacket because I've been out enough times to have been caught in some real downpours. The fleece? Or would I keep all three and just add a windshirt?

slowandlow
08-13-2008, 11:19
The single most used piece of gear I own is a Marmot Driclime windshirt. That, and a long sleeve polyester shirt cover 95% of the stuff I get into.

Marmot Driclime Review (http://sourcetosea.net/marmot-driclime-windshirt-review/)

Same here.

slowandlow
08-13-2008, 11:20
I don't have one but I've always been curious about them. Like many of the posts above, it seems that they get a lot of great reviews.

But before I add another piece of gear, I try to think about what it will replace. If I'm hiking in the fall, I'll bring a long sleeve shirt, a fleece, and rain jacket. So which of these items, if any, would a wind shirt replace? Not the rain jacket because I've been out enough times to have been caught in some real downpours. The fleece? Or would I keep all three and just add a windshirt?

Windshirt replaces fleece for me.

dessertrat
08-13-2008, 12:33
I like my golite windshirt. It is surprisingly warm for the weight.

JAK
08-13-2008, 13:32
I picked up a couple of cheap light nylon ones at L.L.Bean Factory Outlet. An XXL that was out of stock for $12, and a Large for $20. They weigh in at about 4oz, and are breathable enough for hiking in cold wind, or sitting around in plain old col, but also useful for light rain. Love them. I'm confinced anything will work as long as it is as light as possible. What's worth paying extra for is having the right pockets and zippers in the right places, which is largely a matter of preference, but I will fall in love with anything that's 4oz and $12.

My strategy is to try and wear one layer of wool all the time, something that the wind can blow through, then add a 4-5oz skin layer under and a 4-5oz wind layer over if it gets cold or windy or cold and drizzly or cold and sitting around. That way what I pack is very packable and the wool never has a chance to get waterlogged. What I do for pants is similar but different, and more of a work in progress. In late Spring, Summer, early Fall if I wear just shorts I can get away with a medium wool sweater without overheating on the nice days. For pants that time of the year its usually just a skin layer in the pack, and short on, and I don't really need rain pants and wind pants would be nice but hard to find and don't really hold up to thorns if I have to go bushwacking. So pants are a bit of a dilemna. Hiking pants make wind pants and rain pants redundant, but shorts are still neccessary, especially if I want to keep my sweater on. Running shorts work, but I really like the pockets that come with hiking shorts. The right pant system in summer is tricky when you consider bushwacking. Bugs also.

Wags
08-13-2008, 17:30
i also am quite interested in the windshirts, but i fail to see the purpose of them when a rain jacket blocks the wind just as well and also stops the rain...

gravityman
08-13-2008, 17:41
I have a windjacket, and I take it with me a lot (and carried it on my Thru), but I never seem to wear it (except when I tried to use it as my only raingear in PA - BIG MISTAKE!). Rainjacket seems to get all the use.

On the other hand, my wife wears hers all the time. Guess it really comes down to personal preference.

Gravity

Egads
11-20-2008, 20:36
Considering a new wind shell. What do you think of these items?

http://marmot.com/spring_2008/mens/o...t/info/details (http://marmot.com/spring_2008/mens/outerwear/wind/original_driclime_windshirt/info/details)

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp...1&p_id=2303179 (http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=61&p_id=2303179)

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/pr...Id=2808526&cp= (http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2808526&cp=)

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?top=1426&cat=1434&prod=1740

TwoForty
11-20-2008, 21:55
Considering a new wind shell. What do you think of these items?

http://marmot.com/spring_2008/mens/o...t/info/details (http://marmot.com/spring_2008/mens/outerwear/wind/original_driclime_windshirt/info/details)

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp...1&p_id=2303179 (http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=61&p_id=2303179)

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/pr...Id=2808526&cp= (http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2808526&cp=)

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?top=1426&cat=1434&prod=1740

1. Great choice, but a bit heavy, lightly lined with a fuzzy fabric, so it is slightly warm
2. No breathability at all, like a sauna
3. No experience, but UA gear is pretty much garbage unless you want their heat gear/loose gear for warm weather
4. Good product, but it's a light fleece item so it's warm, overkill for just stopping wind

If you want a light shirt that is breathable and highly wind resistant (cuts it down so you don't feel much of it) try the marmot ion for $55. You can often get it for less than $40.

Erin
11-20-2008, 22:05
I have a North Face gortex Velo windsuit I got at at a second hand store in Aspen, Colorado for $58. It is made for cyclists. yellow with reflective tape on it. Gosh, it is warm and a great outer layer in the cold. I have used it for cold weather cycling. I did not take it on our AT section because the temps were warm, but I used it two weeks ago in Arkansas when it was cold. This thing is probably old, but it is toasty warm and pretty good in the rain.

JAK
11-20-2008, 22:14
I bought a nylon wind jacket at L.L.Bean outlet. I got a Large for $20, and a XXL for $12 because it was an odd size. They both work excellent, and weigh about 4oz each. I use the XXL for winter. They are light enough that I might carry both in winter and use the smaller on between layers for extreme conditions. I am convinced that simple cheap light nylon is the way to go, but its hard to find. It's definitely not a rain layer, but I've worn it in cold rain over a wool sweater and it was good enough for a day hike that I didn't bother breaking out the poncho tarp and might not bring it on my next day-hike.

Feral Bill
11-20-2008, 22:24
I often use one to keep off bugs in camp.

Slo-go'en
11-20-2008, 22:38
I've given up on rain jackets. My nylon wind shell with half a can of water repelent sprayed on it works just as well and is a lot lighter and more compact - and less expensive.

SloHiker
11-21-2008, 14:42
I have several Golite wind pieces (Wisp Shirts & Whim Pants) and use them in all temperature ranges. I find them invaluable as a wind blocking layer by themselves, or in combination with base and insulation layers. They're some of my most used casual/daily wear pieces,also.

Blissful
11-21-2008, 14:55
I've given up on rain jackets. My nylon wind shell with half a can of water repelent sprayed on it works just as well and is a lot lighter and more compact - and less expensive.


I used my Marmot windshirt in summer rains, esp in New England like VT.

But I would still have rain gear for the spring and fall months. Hypothermia is a bigger issue then in chilly, wind driven rain.