View Full Version : Quality Rain Jacket Reccomendations
MrMiner2
08-14-2013, 13:56
Thanks! I've never really owned a great rain jacket for hiking and such.
My absolute favorite is http://www.thepacka.com/. There are plenty of other options, but I will take that over the expensive goretex I have owned over the years.
My absolute favorite is http://www.thepacka.com/. There are plenty of other options, but I will take that over the expensive goretex I have owned over the years.
Thanks for the link. Definitely something to look into.
David
My absolute favorite is http://www.thepacka.com/. There are plenty of other options, but I will take that over the expensive goretex I have owned over the years.
I used a packa poncho/cover for the first time ever this year. It certainly has some advantages in that it completely covers your pack and allows you to pull out the sleeves/body/hood (the poncho part) while you are hiking without removing the pack. Personally, I wasn't super fast at doing this in a sudden downpour, but it is a heck of a lot better than removing the pack and digging out a poncho...and then fiddling with a pack cover and putting the thing back on over your poncho. Also, you generally won't ever get wet between your back and the back of the pack (that contacts your body). The part that is not so good, is folding the wet sleeves/hood and body back into the cover. Since they will still be likely damp, some of that dampness will transfer to the pack fabric. I still used a garbage compactor bag inside my pack to insure everything stayed dry.
Unfortunately, I got some small tears in my packa simply from removing the pack and setting it on rocks. Apparently I must have dragged the pack a few times while grabbing it to put it back on. I did slip and fall a couple of times in the Whites, so that may have added to the wear and tear. My new packa has some duct tape covering the torn places. I suggest any potential buyers buy the gray color to match gray duct tape. :).
Seriously though, the pack is well made, and the material is really pretty tough. I'd still recommend it inspite of the expense.
MrMiner2
08-14-2013, 14:55
So packa recommended? :)
So packa recommended? :)
Yes, but talk with the seller (Claude?) first about how you are setup. When you find the webpage his number will be there. The biggest problem he mentioned was with folks that use a roll-up pad stored on the top of their pack. The top of the poncho is not designed for a wide pad on the top.
MrMiner2
08-14-2013, 15:29
This is my pack: http://www.granitegearstore.com/Crown-VC-60-P313C7.aspx
This is my pack: http://www.granitegearstore.com/Crown-VC-60-P313C7.aspx
That is similar to mine so the packa (med) should work fine.
This is my pack: http://www.granitegearstore.com/Crown-VC-60-P313C7.aspx
Unless you are strapping lots of gear to the outside of it, that will easily fit in a regular Packa.
MrMiner2
08-14-2013, 16:27
A medium? I'm between 5' 11" and 6'
160-170lbs
A medium? I'm between 5' 11" and 6'
160-170lbs
Yes, medium.
A medium? I'm between 5' 11" and 6'
160-170lbs
I'm roughly the same size. I think the med is his standard size for most people and has more to do with the pack size than your body size.
Shoot Eddie an email if you have any questions. He provides outstanding service, IME.
The Cleaner
08-14-2013, 20:31
IMO staying dry in a downpour in the warmer weather just isn't going to happen. I sweat gallons,it seems like, and the top of the line waterproof/breathable fabrics still leave you wet from either your sweat if nothing else.The main function for rain gear is to keep you from becoming chilled from cool breezes which come with rain. The colder months some raingear does work but it requires special care.Backpacker magazine recommends the Marmot Precip jacket.It doesn't cost too much but some folks think that spending more than 40-50$ is too much. Hardcore winter campers must stay dry and it can be done.Still it's a good idea to somehow keep your sleeping bag and a set of camp clothes dry at any cost. It's like any other activity trying to get by on the cheap could leave you cold,wet and possibly hypothermic.Seems like every year someone dies on the AT from poor planning or decisions.It's too easy to get yourself in a tough spot which may cost you your life.Plan ahead, then have an emergency plan. It's all about HYOH and WB does have good info, you just gotta use it...
Wise Old Owl
08-14-2013, 21:01
Nice post cleaner...
I have two main go to rain jackets for 3 season thru-hiking. They are the Marmot Mica and GoLite Malpais. My BEST fully featured bomber rain jackets are two different ones made by ArcTeryx. However the ArcTeryx ones are stratospheric in price but I feel I need them in S America, Europe, Cascades, Glacier, Roosevelt, etc at times.
Here's Mark Verber's site. I think his reviews/comments are very well done and a GREAT place to start(or stop) when comparing gear.
http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/clothing.html#rainshell
Turk6177
08-14-2013, 22:47
http://www.froggtoggsraingear.com/DriDucks.shtm These are light weight. You will get wet from sweat no matter what rain jacket you wear. I believe for the weight savings and cost savings, these are the way to go. They are not super durable, so I wouldn't recommend sliding down mountains with them. I just don't think you can beat the cost/light weight factor.
IMO staying dry in a downpour in the warmer weather just isn't going to happen. I sweat gallons,it seems like, and the top of the line waterproof/breathable fabrics still leave you wet from either your sweat if nothing else.The main function for rain gear is to keep you from becoming chilled from cool breezes which come with rain. The colder months some raingear does work but it requires special care.Backpacker magazine recommends the Marmot Precip jacket.It doesn't cost too much but some folks think that spending more than 40-50$ is too much. Hardcore winter campers must stay dry and it can be done.Still it's a good idea to somehow keep your sleeping bag and a set of camp clothes dry at any cost. It's like any other activity trying to get by on the cheap could leave you cold,wet and possibly hypothermic.Seems like every year someone dies on the AT from poor planning or decisions.It's too easy to get yourself in a tough spot which may cost you your life.Plan ahead, then have an emergency plan. It's all about HYOH and WB does have good info, you just gotta use it...
I agree 100%. In warm weather, I will wet out an expensive "breathable" jacket about as quickly as one that doesn't breathe, so I stopped buying them except for winter use. I won't put one on unless I get cold, which means somewhere below 40F if I am moving. I have found that I can stay cooler with the ventilation and the fit of the packa (over the pack rather than under it), relative to some very high-end jackets. But as you said, the key is having rain gear that will keep you warm. High winds and sleet in the Whites when the temperature is hovering around freezing is much less pleasant (and presents more risk of hypothermia) than 30F with light snow.
Double Wide
08-15-2013, 08:47
I have the Marmot Precip, which I got solely because I had one of their expensive rain hats, which all hyperbole aside, is easily the greatest rain hat on the market. It's a boonie-style hat with a mesh liner, so it doesn't ride flat (important on my bald head), and it's got magnets built into the side so I can flip up the edges Australian-style if I need to. The chin/neck strap is adjustable in case of a serious blow, and it also has a clip so you can undo it completely. I think I paid almost $40 at REI for that dang hat but it was so good that I figured all of the gear Marmot made was excellent quality.
So far, I've not been disappointed. The jacket is pretty much waterproof except in the longest of downpours. It's light and very compact when stuffed in my pack, and I really love the pit zips that help to ventilate and keep me somewhat cooler.
Also, I thought it would make an excellent cover in my pack for my down sleeping bag, which it did, right up until it started raining, and I had to take it out of the pack and put it on...:eek:
Whoops. Rookie mistake.
Otherwise, it's a great rain jacket. As a sleeping bag cover, not so much...;)
Marmot Mica--7 oz.//////////GoLite Tumalo M--12 Oz.
JustaTouron
08-15-2013, 11:31
IMO staying dry in a downpour in the warmer weather just isn't going to happen. I sweat gallons,it seems like, and the top of the line waterproof/breathable fabrics still leave you wet from either your sweat if nothing else.The main function for rain gear is to keep you from becoming chilled from cool breezes which come with rain. The colder months some raingear does work but it requires special care.Backpacker magazine recommends the Marmot Precip jacket.It doesn't cost too much but some folks think that spending more than 40-50$ is too much. Hardcore winter campers must stay dry and it can be done.Still it's a good idea to somehow keep your sleeping bag and a set of camp clothes dry at any cost. It's like any other activity trying to get by on the cheap could leave you cold,wet and possibly hypothermic.Seems like every year someone dies on the AT from poor planning or decisions.It's too easy to get yourself in a tough spot which may cost you your life.Plan ahead, then have an emergency plan. It's all about HYOH and WB does have good info, you just gotta use it...
My approach has evolved into: "just be willing to get wet"
If it is HOT. The rain feels good just hike in tee shirt.
If it is too warm for a rain jacket, but too cool for a tee shirt a wool shirt works well at keeping you warm while hiking. Just change into something dry when you stop.
If a wool shirt isn't warm enough, it is cool enough to wear the rain jacket.
My approach has evolved into: "just be willing to get wet"
If it is HOT. The rain feels good just hike in tee shirt.
If it is too warm for a rain jacket, but too cool for a tee shirt a wool shirt works well at keeping you warm while hiking. Just change into something dry when you stop.
If a wool shirt isn't warm enough, it is cool enough to wear the rain jacket.
I sometimes hike in rain without wearing a rain jacket but I find it can be a fine line I'm trying to walk. It can lead to problems such as when I'm totally soaked(shirt, shorts, shoes etc), it's cooling off(I''m getting cold), I'm not yet in camp, it's still raining, I have a ways to hike until I camp, and I have only one other dry shirt to change into. If I wasn't also carrying a rain jacket in such situations I might be forced to stop and set up camp or get increasingly colder or wet out both tops which IMO is a dangerous situation. Remember, just because this is WB where the AT is focused upon those conditions of the AT(shelters, nearness to escape routes, nearness to assistance, green tunnel type overhead, lower elevations, well defined most often easily distinguishable tread, etc) DOES NOT exist everywhere on all trails. And, getting cool/cold, as in body temperature, doesn't just happen in winter or when the outside temps start to plummet. For the 7 oz of a WP Marmot Mica, 8 oz GoLite Malpais, 5 oz Zpacks cuben jacket, 7 oz Outdoor Research Helium 2, 5 oz Sierra Designs Isotope(newest version!), or a 6-9 oz poncho offers a lot of upside in such situations with little downside. And, if I'm going to carry a rain jacket/wind jacket I prolly would be inclined to use it at some pt in that situation. So, I'm inclined to just carry a rain jacket even if I don't always plan on employing it in all rain situations. Just my 2 cts.
JustaTouron
08-15-2013, 19:17
I sometimes hike in rain without wearing a rain jacket but I find it can be a fine line I'm trying to walk. It can lead to problems such as when I'm totally soaked(shirt, shorts, shoes etc), it's cooling off(I''m getting cold), I'm not yet in camp, it's still raining, I have a ways to hike until I camp, and I have only one other dry shirt to change into. If I wasn't also carrying a rain jacket in such situations I might be forced to stop and set up camp or get increasingly colder or wet out both tops which IMO is a dangerous situation. Remember, just because this is WB where the AT is focused upon those conditions of the AT(shelters, nearness to escape routes, nearness to assistance, green tunnel type overhead, lower elevations, well defined most often easily distinguishable tread, etc) DOES NOT exist everywhere on all trails. And, getting cool/cold, as in body temperature, doesn't just happen in winter or when the outside temps start to plummet. For the 7 oz of a WP Marmot Mica, 8 oz GoLite Malpais, 5 oz Zpacks cuben jacket, 7 oz Outdoor Research Helium 2, 5 oz Sierra Designs Isotope(newest version!), or a 6-9 oz poncho offers a lot of upside in such situations with little downside. And, if I'm going to carry a rain jacket/wind jacket I prolly would be inclined to use it at some pt in that situation. So, I'm inclined to just carry a rain jacket even if I don't always plan on employing it in all rain situations. Just my 2 cts.
I am in no way suggesting that one not carry a rain jacket. Nor should the wool shirt you are allowing to get soaked be your only insulation. Just that in warmer temps sometimes it is just better forgo wearing the rain jacket. Of course if you are starting to chill put it on.
THX for the clarification justaTouron.
I got an REI brand jacket for $85. It has worked well in all day pouring rain. I got the XXL. I normally wear an XL, but I like the extra length and room, so it covers part of my shorts too. My pack has its own cover so I don't really worry about it.
The Cleaner
08-15-2013, 23:14
In July several years ago a cold front had moved through and dropped the temps in the valley to the upper 70s, it had been near 90* a few days earlier. So I decided to hike up to the AT via Horsecreek jeep road, about 4 miles.Starting out it was cool, low 70s at the bottom of the mountain. After only a few hours hiking I reached an overlook just below the AT. I thought it was cool but my thermometer read 58*. Well as usual I was totally soaked with sweat shirt and shorts. At the overlook it was patchy sun and a little breeze. I wanted to eat lunch here.In just a few minutes I became chilled and had to get out my camp clothes because I was getting cold and it was JULY. Well the first mistake was wearing a poly/cotton shirt which became useless. I was starting to shiver and had to put on dry clothes so I could enjoy lunch with a view. I now wear a merino tee shirt in warmer weather because it still offers warmth when wet. IMO it doesn't really matter what rain protection you wear it's your baselayer that will make or break your enjoyment level. I've gone to LS merino and a windshirt for the cooler months and could probably wear this in a light rain if camp/shelter wasn't too many miles away.Then when you get to camp you still have a dry rain jacket to protect your camp clothes for camp chores(setting up tent,going for water). This is one reason I find so much used clothing at shelters because once something gets wet it's not going to dry until you build a fire and try to dry it,as the idea of letting something dry on the back of your pack could take days.. PS MrMiner2 I responded to your PM but your mailbox is full and would not accept it.
JustaTouron
08-16-2013, 10:11
Well the first mistake was wearing a poly/cotton shirt which became useless.
I will hike in a cotton tee shirt in the summer when it is hot cause I find cotton the most comfortable in really really hot weather. But I don't consider it my base layer if it gets cool. I never put anything on over the cotton tee shirt. If I am getting cool the tee shirt comes off before something warm goes on.
Wool offers warmth when wet. When it is 97 degrees out I want a shirt that if I dunk in the a stream and put back on offers cool, not warmth when wet.
I find cotton has a use when hiking, but it is a very narrow one and you can't ask it to do more than it can do. Of course, if you have a cotton hiking tee shirt, it means you need two hiking tee shirts. One cotton, and one that isn't. So this is not a good choice for the hardcore UL.
re: Polycotton shirt
I'm actually a big fan of this shirt (http://www.pmags.com/gear-review-thrift-store-dress-shirt) and have done the majority of my backpacking miles (thru-hike or otherwise) while wearing one. This includes eastern hikng where I wore 65/35 blend hospital scrub shirts, too
Precip jacket. Seriously... it's a rain jacket. Don't over think it. If you need a rainjacket that is .2 ounces lighter and made of the best wicking material, then you probably need to rethink your hike.
MrMiner2
08-16-2013, 21:38
I'm
Just curious dude. Chill out. I don't have lots of money (college student) so yeah it's important for me to use my money wisely on something good
Drybones
08-16-2013, 21:49
. IMO it doesn't really matter what rain protection you wear it's your baselayer that will make or break your enjoyment level..
I agree, I'm going to get wet one way or another, be it rain or sweat, doesn't matter what time of year, so I want something that will dry quick and warm me when I get to camp. I can soak a merino wool tee in winter and normally by the time I get camp set up it's dry.....and doesn't smell.
I'm rethinking the merino tee in all conditions though. On my recent VERY rainy VERY humid 500 mile AT/BMT Loop my light and micro wt merino wool tees(Go Lite MAPP and Icebreaker GT 1/4 zip, both almost 100 % merino) simply would not dry for me. I think it was because of all the CONSTANT humidity, OFTEN lack of a breeze, and almost constant shade of the green tunnel/forest type hiking, Since I usually carry two shirts(two tees or one tee and one long sleeved 1/4 zip) I might try under the same conditions next time a merino/synthetic blend with one of the tops or substitute a synthetic faster drying piece FOR ONE of the pieces. I'd still have a merino piece for warmth if it got wet from rain/soaked with sweat. I'd combine it with my rain/wind jacket over the top to reduce convective heat loss if needed.
Kerosene
08-17-2013, 12:34
I'm rethinking the merino tee in all conditions though. On my recent VERY rainy VERY humid 500 mile AT/BMT Loop my light and micro wt merino wool tees(Go Lite MAPP and Icebreaker GT 1/4 zip, both almost 100 % merino) simply would not dry for me.That was my conclusion also: My SmartWool T-shirts never seem to dry out, and frankly I think they smell almost as bad as an old synthetic shirt when they're wet. I went back to a very lightweight semi-mesh zip-T for backpacking that works down to the mid-40's if the wind isn't blowing too hard. I use an Arcteryx long-sleeve with a brushed face around camp that seems to do a great job in keeping me warm. Of course, I layer fleece and a hardshell as needed.