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Cheers
11-01-2009, 09:14
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
11-01-2009, 09:40
Lots of opinions here about raingear but I've always been partial to Marmot Precip stuff.

Cheers
11-01-2009, 10:12
Jeezum Marmot! You're not kidding. There was a jacket that actually cost $500. I bought a truck for $500...

Del Q
11-01-2009, 15:28
North Face Triumph Anorak

Super light weight, great piece of gear

TwoForty
11-01-2009, 15:35
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
11-01-2009, 15:46
You can find the Marmot Precip on sale for about $70 at Campmor. It's regular price is $99.

winger
11-01-2009, 15:53
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
11-01-2009, 16:28
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
11-01-2009, 18:09
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
11-01-2009, 18:33
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
11-01-2009, 19:26
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
11-01-2009, 19:44
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
11-01-2009, 19:56
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
11-01-2009, 21:13
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
12-07-2009, 16:47
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
12-07-2009, 17:00
Anybody use one of these?

http://www.thepacka.com/

Fatman Running
12-07-2009, 17:18
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
12-07-2009, 18:14
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/showthread.php?t=11350

More info and reviews at:

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

Cedar Tree

Mocs123
12-07-2009, 18:17
I will update the fact that I found a Marmot Essence on sale and my size medium weighs in at 6.4oz.

Okie Dokie
12-07-2009, 18:41
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...

Mud__Bone
01-18-2010, 01:13
Okie Dokie, great post :)

stirling
03-01-2010, 20:16
I was thinking about taking a poncho with me for the at, one that has one side longer so it goes over my pack and buttons on the sides. Not perfectly rain proof but lightweight, very breathable, doubles as a tarp/groundcloth and also covers the pack.
Any opinions about ponchos?

WILLIAM HAYES
03-01-2010, 20:23
integral designs Event check it out breathes well and is light weight

Space Wrangler
03-03-2010, 01:29
I was thinking about taking a poncho with me for the at, one that has one side longer so it goes over my pack and buttons on the sides. Not perfectly rain proof but lightweight, very breathable, doubles as a tarp/groundcloth and also covers the pack.
Any opinions about ponchos?

Check out The Packa http://www,thepacka.com. Its a two in one rain racket/pack cover. Just got one and love it, might be what your looking for.

Cloudynesz
03-21-2010, 20:20
I wonder is that a Patagonia Rainshadow Jacket or Marmot Precip Jacket? Patagonia got several new rain jackets this season, great as casual wear, too!

scooterdogma
03-23-2010, 08:13
Check out the Packa. Eddie is a great guy, with a fantastic idea. I love mine, it is so versatile. Everyone in my hiking group has gone over to the Packa Side. It is lightweight, has 2 HUGE pit vents. It keeps your pack, including straps, dry and is always available to pull out and use, WITHOUT rummaging through your pack. With the vents, it gives the breath ability of a poncho, which keeps you drier in the long walk. It also has the warmth of a rain jacket.... and it doesn't cost $500 :eek:

STICK
03-23-2010, 21:11
Has anyone checked out the OR Helium jacket? 6.8 oz. It is looking pretty good.

Praha4
03-23-2010, 21:30
my 2 favorite rain jackets for hiking on the AT

1. Mountain Hardwear Typhoon,.... it's made of Goretex Paclite, I take it in winter and late fall when temps are closer to freezing

2. North Face Stretch Diad.... lighter weight than the Typhoon, has pitzips, great summer and 3 season rain jacket for hiking/backpacking

Driducks is a great cheap rain jacket too, but I don't know how durable for long term hiking on the trail

10-K
03-23-2010, 21:37
I've taken DriDucks most of the time but I've had various problems with them and don't trust them for being out for more than a weekend.

Here's what I'm taking for my 2 month hike coming up: http://www.rainshield.com/p_multi.html. Very light - maybe even lighter than DriDucks but definitely more durable.

Pants are Marmot precip full zip - I like to wear them when it's muddy and not even raining because they're easy to wash off - just splash some water on them and wipe them down and you're good.

WILLIAM HAYES
03-23-2010, 22:22
check out O2 rainwear inexpensive notmade for bushwacking really lightweight- integral designs event expensive but breathes better than paclite/goretex
marmot oracle precip good for the money doent breathe as well as paclite
I have all three and like the integral designs event best in terms of breathability and durability

Tinker
03-23-2010, 22:33
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.

I returned one of those to REI after a two day trip in 50 degree weather with rain and fog - not because it was bad, but because it wasn't much better than the Precip I'd been using for years.
I finally decided to bite the bullet and get the new REI eVent Shuksan Jacket - not much better, if at all.
Bottom line is: If it's waterproof, it can't be appreciably breathable.
Get something with good ventilation options - the fabric, coating, and/or laminates are a distant second to the design.

Tinker
03-23-2010, 22:39
Gatewood Cape. It's light and dual use, plus it's easy to unzip and throw behind you when it gets hot from hiking.

Nice design, though it would probably be too hot to hike in warmer weather and too much of a condensation trap when used in cooler weather.
I've found that even an open-sided poncho is too hot (for me) in temperatures above 50 degrees.
Yes, sure, you can sleep under the Gatewood (or a poncho), but most thruhikers aren't crazy ultralighters like I used to be. Now I hammock, use a good sized tarp, and carry a rain jacket (cold weather), a non-waterproof windbreaker (warm weather - I can wear a layer under it to stay warm), nothing waterproof (really warm weather), or a poncho (when I try to recapture those UL gram-weenie days) :D.

retread
03-30-2010, 23:45
gotta agree with okie dokie. Goretex type fabrics work great in low humidity environment but if there is as much humidity outside the jacket as there is inside, it will not work as advertised; might as well be wearing a lighter, cheaper wal-mart coated nylon jacket. I still like my frogg toggs but I only use the top. you don't need the pants, they're too hot to hike in although they are warm to sleep in. in winter I just kept moving to keep warm stopping only long enough to eat snacks; in summer I didn't use rain gear at all, again read okie dokie; hiking in the rain in summer is a way to simultaneously wash your clothes and have a shower.

300winmag
09-12-2010, 15:38
Cabela's
Rainy River PacLite parka (& pants for the same price) is a great buy at $100. Full of nice features and easily the equal in quality of any "brand name" PacLite GTX parka. PLUS they come in many more sizes than the big name parkas. I'm 5'10" but got a Tall size to better cover my butt and also wrists when I reach for something.

I've had both the parka and pants for 4 years and love them. Of course I seldom pack the pants but they have knee-high leg zips and stow in their own hip pocket.

Eric

JAK
09-12-2010, 17:23
I like simple cheap light waterproof nylon. Even as it starts to lose some of its waterproofness it still works great over a light or medium wool sweater. What advantages it loses over time it gains in breathability, and with wool anything reasonable in between the two extremes works just fine.

Below freezing it gets especially interesting. The colder it gets, the breathability becomes more important. So I don't bother re-waterprrofing my rain shells, because they work better in winter if they leak a little because they breath better. When it is extremely cold, even breathable nylon gets a bit sketchy, but I think it still works ok if you take it off and shake it off now and then. Same with wool and fleece layers. You can take them off and beat the ice crytals out of them now and then.

Reid
09-12-2010, 19:39
I've got the montbell torrent flier xcr

4eyedbuzzard
09-12-2010, 21:29
Gotta agree with Okie Dokie and others. Unless you're cold and hypothermia is a possibility, you're going to get soaked either way. The only choice is what you're going to smell like later, and rain smells better than sweat.

Tinker
09-12-2010, 22:48
check out O2 rainwear inexpensive notmade for bushwacking really lightweight- integral designs event expensive but breathes better than paclite/goretex
marmot oracle precip good for the money doent breathe as well as paclite
I have all three and like the integral designs event best in terms of breathability and durability

I bought an O2 jacket for bicycling. I've worn it to work a few times and the waterproof coating wore off under the forearm area where I rest it on the side of the Walker riding mower I use. Not very abrasion resistant.
The fabric is very light, and the slight stiffness probably keeps it from sticking to your skin like silnylon would (my poncho does). The interior is a brushed texture which is very comfortable, but, as I stated, (unless the hiking version is tougher) it isn't very abrasion resistant. One slip on a rock ledge would do in the coating.

10-K
09-13-2010, 06:18
I bought an O2 jacket for bicycling. I've worn it to work a few times and the waterproof coating wore off under the forearm area where I rest it on the side of the Walker riding mower I use. Not very abrasion resistant.
The fabric is very light, and the slight stiffness probably keeps it from sticking to your skin like silnylon would (my poncho does). The interior is a brushed texture which is very comfortable, but, as I stated, (unless the hiking version is tougher) it isn't very abrasion resistant. One slip on a rock ledge would do in the coating.

I carried the O2 jacket for 800 miles and wore it almost all day every day for a week at one point it rained so much.

I didn't have any problems with the coating but I did tear it in several places walking getting snagged on limbs and rocks. I had a roll on tenacioius tape with me and it repaired it good as new.

it worked better than Dri Ducks have for me in the past - I know some people swear by them but I've never had a pair last more than a few days before something went wrong.

However, my favorite piece of raingear is the ULA rain skirt. Weighs 2 ozs and doesn't interfer with your stride or make you sweat. Great for summer and warm weather.

Debbie
04-04-2013, 10:45
Anyone have experience with the Sierra Designs Hurricane Jacket? REI Outlet is running a pretty tempting sale right now, but I'll only save money if the product is good.

turtle fast
04-04-2013, 11:06
Another Marmot Precip vote...the model has remained popular for years for a reason. At around $100, (can get much, much cheaper) it wont break the bank. A single walled jacket for November, just remember to layer up. I have used in rain and snow the jacket and it does well. The pit zips are great for venting when warm.

levibarry
04-04-2013, 14:26
Another Marmot Precip vote, I really, I like the pit zips for venting. I got the 2012 model
at a real good price.

Gimme5Minutes
04-22-2013, 00:56
Surplus military poncho!

redseal
04-22-2013, 20:36
Anybody use one of these?

http://www.thepacka.com/

Sure have. It is fantastic and is part of my gear list: http://www.backpackingengineer.com/gear/mygear.html

Nytro
05-05-2013, 12:30
I bought a discontinued Patagonia M10 jacket last year. I love it! I also read alot of good things about Outdoor Research rain jackets.

Dogwood
05-05-2013, 15:39
Uh, with what features, durability and exactly in what price range?

TRUE Rain jackets: GoLite Malpais, Marmot Mica, Marmot Essence(no hand pockets though), Montane Minmus, Outdoor Research Helium II, Dri Ducks/Frogg Toggs, RAB Pulse, etc

Here are a few things to think about when opting for a rain jacket(notice I DID NOT specifically say wind jacket!)
http://www.hiking-gear-and-equipment-used-for-camping.com/hiking-jackets.html

mxracer33x
05-13-2013, 16:32
Just to add it to the list, I have used a GoLite Tumalo Pertex 2.5 for the last year with good results. 10.7 oz for an XL and it works as it should. Priced under $100 its hard to beat. The 2012/13 models are Trinity instead of pertex, but they made some nice changes to the sleeves and cuffs. I will still replace it with an arcteryx Theta SL, mainly due to fitment. Im tall and the arcteryx sleeve lengths are longer and they fit perfect (36-37") and the theta is a hip length shell. But the cost is prohibitive unless bought on ebay.

hikerboy57
05-13-2013, 20:47
my marmot mica was absolutely my most valuable piece of gear for my section hike from springer to damascus. so breathable, but still windproof, dried in minutes, even after getting wetted out, great wind jacket as well, id wear it over my t shirt on chilly mornings. slim enough w/high armholes, so that i could wear it under my puffy rather than over it, and made it warmer.