rain gear

[jeremesh]

What is the preferred rain gear that every body uses?

[4eyedbuzzard]

Lots of options. Everything from a poncho (in everything from plastic $ to silnylon $$$ and probably even cuben $$$$$) to expensive Goretex stuff.

Dry Ducks and Frogg Toggs are often recommended as a cheaper option. Many like the Marmot Precip and similar mid price options as they are more durable and can serve double duty as a wind shell. Stuff made with Event material gets good reviews lately. Ultralight umbrellas are gaining in popularity. Many opt to not use the rain pants and just bring a jacket / top. Multi-use stuff like the Gateway tarp / poncho get mentioned as well.

Rainwear is a mixed blessing. Even with pit zips and such it's hard not to get wet from your own sweat unless you're just hanging around camp. When it's really warm, and hypothermia isn't a concern, many feel being wet from rain is preferable to being wet (and stinky) from sweat.

But you do need something.

Do a search here on WB and you'll find all sorts of recommendations and "plus and minus" info relating to all the offerings.

[BrianLe]

Have a care as I think there are some unconscious regional biases that can creep in when talking about, among other things, rain gear. Walking on the AT was an interesting experience for me this year; it's definitely not normal for me in the Pacific NW to walk in (more than a very light) rain without raingear. On much of the AT when it rained it was so warm out that I was better off just getting wet from the rain than getting wet from sweat under the raingear and being too hot. That's quite a rare condition where I live.

Rain can also fall in relatively short, intense waves (definitely got that on the AT), or more common where I live in western WA it can sort of settle in to a continuous low rain/drizzle that lasts ... way too long.

Some gear choices can be shifted as a result. For example, when it's too warm to wear a rain jacket, it's nevertheless nice to have a pack cover, whereas at home I tend to prefer a poncho to cover both me and pack at the same time. Lately I've been using a Packa, which works well in both places.

I think the mental model, your expectations if you will, are also significant. My own approach is that if I'm walking three blocks to buy a newspaper at home, I can expect to stay dry under my rain gear, but if I'm walking all day in the woods, then I'm going to be at least somewhat wet on a rainy day regardless of what I wear. In that context, raingear in the backcountry for me is primarily about temperature control, and not the chimera of staying dry.

Sorry to ramble on here, but without recognizing differing background issues I think that folks can come to different conclusions about what's "best" because of factors like these.

[RevLee]

A sil-nylon rain skirt works well for keeping your shorts dry while allowing for plenty of ventilation. ULA sells one (http://www.ula-equipment.com/rainwrap.asp), but it's pretty easy to make your own.

[Mountain Wildman]

A sil-nylon rain skirt works well for keeping your shorts dry while allowing for plenty of ventilation. ULA sells one (http://www.ula-equipment.com/rainwrap.asp), but it's pretty easy to make your own.


ZPacks has one now as well, It's Cuben and weighs under 2 oz.
http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/cloudkilt.shtml

[Blissful]

I used Marmot precip. Did ok. Really only good for camp or unless it is very cold, rainy and windy out. I was damp inside and out with it. My hubby used dry ducks and loved it.

[Mountain Wildman]

I have a Marmot Precip, Mountain Hardwear Cohesion Rain Pants and The Packa.
May leave the Precip home and just use The Packa as my Rain jacket/Pack cover/Wind jacket.

[swjohnsey]

Goretex can be multipurpose. You can carry Goretex top bottoms such as the LLBean stashaway. It serves as rain gear, outer windproof layer for layering. Pants are town pants. With a light pile pants and top under it you can be comfortable to freezing while stationary. Pile pants and top will bring a 40 degree bag to 30 degree. Add the Gortex and you are at 20 degrees.

If it is warm you are gonna be wet if it rains if you are working hard . . . either from the rain or from sweat. Gortex is better than something that doesn't breathe but not much.

[Luddite]

I really like the Dri Ducks I just got. I've never worn rain wear that breaths so well and theyre really cheap and ultralight.

[Two Tents]

I use a Packa. I have silnylon chaps but I usually don't use them unless its cold. The Packa is great. I can deploy it without stopping. Works for me.

[garlic08]

Have a care as I think there are some unconscious regional biases that can creep in when talking about, among other things, rain gear.... I think that folks can come to different conclusions about what's "best" because of factors like these.

This pretty much my observation as well, as a Western hiker who also hiked the AT. When I came home from my AT hike and starting hiking in CO with old friends, I wondered why they always hurried up to put on rain gear for the briefest showers.

What is of utmost importance is keeping your insulation dry. If you put on a rain jacket, you're best advised to remove as much insulation as possible and put it in a plastic bag in your pack. If your insulation gets wet, and it will even under the best rain jacket, you could be in a world of hurt. As mentioned several times above, hiking in rain gear gets you hot and sweaty. Sweat can kill in the wrong circumstances.

Also important when hiking in cold soaking rain, with minimal insulation, is keeping feed and hydrated. It's hard to stop to eat and drink, so I've learned to do it "on the fly"--dip and run at clean springs and streams (especially those swollen with rainwater), keep a handful of nuts or cheese in my pocket, etc. If I start getting cold even when hiking, it's time to stop and get under shelter and in dry insulation.

And I'm sorry to add to Gadget's rambling. Simple question with a complex answer.

[Cookerhiker]

Here's a recent thread (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=65756)on Marmot precips.

[jeremesh]

Thanks for all the information. I have frog togs but they dont compress down very small. I also have a poncho but it isnt big enough to wear over a pack. I like the looks of the packa but thats a bit more than I was looking to spend. I'm thinking maybe a poncho that covers the pack as well would be good for me.

[pyroman53]

Also important when hiking in cold soaking rain, with minimal insulation, is keeping feed and hydrated. It's hard to stop to eat and drink, so I've learned to do it "on the fly"--

I agree. Since I can't easily access my water bottle with the pack rain cover on, I went with a platy with tube. Hiking all day, always moving to stay warm, gotta remember to stay hydrated!! Too cold to stop for lunch, gotta double up on those snacks.


If I start getting cold even when hiking, it's time to stop and get under shelter and in dry insulation".

Stopping could be a life saving decision. On AT, nice to have those shelters. If not, set up camp early. Whatever it takes.

[Joshuatree]

I've got a gander mountain guide series rain jacket that works really well as a rain jacket and a windproof layer. Its fairly breathable and is really light. the jacket and pants pack down to about the size of a soda can. Its designed for fishing so the jacket is a little longer and hangs well past my waist so I normally don't have to wear the pants unless its really bad or I'm in camp. Its been really duriable for as light weight as the material is I wear it for work and fun and have for about 6 years its still waterproof and no holes or tears. I genrally buy equipment that can serve multiply roles I have to many addictions to buy sport specific gear anymore.

[Cookerhiker]

Just returned from Dick's with a pair of Field & Stream hydroProof Ultra waterproof breathable rain pants. Don't recall seeing mention of these on this thread or the other recent thread re Marmot Precips. Perhaps they were discussed in another WB thread; I didn't look.

Anyway at $24.95, I figured what do I have to lose? Sure beats the old decrepit pair of GoLites I currently use.

[wrongway_08]

For my rain jacket, I have a REI ultralight jacket that I cut the back out of and sewed on a pack cover in place of the big hole. I also threw away the hood that zips to the jacket, in its place I use a big water proof hat. This keeps everything 100% dry and allows the sweat that builds up to escape out the top - not just puddle under the pack, like a non-modified jacket does. Just remember to seam seal the pack cover where it was sewed onto the jacket - test it out in the shower! I made the jacket 3.5 years ago and it has never leaked or torn or showed any signs of falling apart.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q60/wrongway_02/th_jacketmod002.jpg?t=1291748995 (http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q60/wrongway_02/?action=view&current=jacketmod002.jpg)

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q60/wrongway_02/th_jacketmod004.jpg?t=1291748995 (http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q60/wrongway_02/?action=view&current=jacketmod004.jpg)

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q60/wrongway_02/th_jacketmod001.jpg?t=1291748995 (http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q60/wrongway_02/?action=view&current=jacketmod001.jpg)

Usually I just wear shorts and let everything get wet, shorts and shoes dry out fast enough that it is not worth the extra weight and hassle of rain pants.
In the case of winter hiking i just toss on light weight rain pants and call it a day.

[Bags4266]

Thanks for all the information. I have frog togs but they dont compress down very small. I also have a poncho but it isnt big enough to wear over a pack. I like the looks of the packa but thats a bit more than I was looking to spend. I'm thinking maybe a poncho that covers the pack as well would be good for me.

If your looking for a Poncho, try the one at Campmor, made by equinox. It's about $40. It's very large and designed to fit over your pack. Also could be used for a tarp while in camp.