Rain gear choice discussion

[MuddyWaters]

I usually have complete rainsuit in all but warmest weather. Doesnt matter if forecast is 0% chance of precip. Its an important piece of gear if somehow you are wet and its its windy. You can slip and fall in a puddle, it doesnt have to rain. Cover up and walk your clothes dry..ier.

[Lyle]

Brawny Gear silnylon rain jacket, ULA silnylon pack cover (modified to add two drain holes in the bottom), ULA silnylon rain skirt. Very light (about 8 oz for the three), packs extremely tiny, very versatile, effective, can keep pack covered at the same time I'm protected while getting water or setting up camp.

Been there, done that with ponchos: have to choose whether to protect you or the pack when you take the pack off, wind plays havoc with the poncho, difficult to get on by yourself.

Never used the Packa, I understand it addresses some of these issues, but you still must choose whether to protect you or the pack when you take the pack off - deal breaker for me.

[mksapp]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone! Sweat and having a dry back/dry pack straps is one of the main reasons I am leaning towards the Packa. As for Frogg Toggs I hate them with a passion. I can not even stand to hunt in Frogg Toggs for 3 hours let alone hike in them for days. I'd much rather have wet trail shoes than hike all day in bricks. I already have experience with wet feet as every spring I camp and trout fish in north Georgia on the Chatooga and spend the better part of 5 to 6 hours a day working my way up and down the river with wet trail shoes on. The only difference is i have dry SHOES to put on rather than just dry socks to squish back in wet shoes. I'm worried about the prolonged wet feet rubbing the skin of my feet.

[Cedar Tree]

I use rain pants with the Packa. Mine are some I got from Bass Pro Shop.... about $30 as I remember.

To Lyle: Never used the Packa, I understand it addresses some of these issues, but you still must choose whether to protect you or the pack when you take the pack off - deal breaker for me.

In all my years of hiking with a Packa, I can only remember one time I needed to be separated from my pack while it was raining. Then, I used my ground cloth from my tent to cover up my pack while I wore the packa. Now I carry my tarp in my pack's side pocket which I can reach through the Packa's pit zip without removing the packa. I can put it up and remove the packa from my pack and myself without getting wet.

Cedar Tree

[redseal]

Here is the Patagonia Storm Racer I just reviewed. I like it! http://www.backpackingengineer.com/g...-racer-jacket/

[Connie]

The only rain jacket I ever liked is the almost clear plastic type, that has mesh ventilation panels in place of the sideseams, made for bicyclists.

I would rather wear a belt around the outside of a poncho.

The way you use the Packa sounds good, to me.

I have admired ZPacks rain jacket. I just can't spend that because I have never before liked a rain jacket.

I really like the looks of the LightHeart Gear Rain Hoodie.

I am going over to look at ZPacks gaiters and rain kilt combination. I hadn't seen the gaiters and I have liked having gaiters for wet brush overgrowing the trail. If that cuben he has, I could shake off the excess water before stuffing in the mesh panel or hanging off the back of my backpack.

[Christoph]

On my attempt, I only used a frog toggs top. It is very light. I didn't go with rain pants or any type of gators. I found most of the time, my feet were wet anyway, either from rain out just plain sweat. What I did was swap socks every so often and let the others hang and dry (or wash in the rain). That's what worked for me so in my next attempt, I'll stick with that setup. Not much on having my legs covered unless I'm sitting around not doing anything.

[Dogwood]

... I'm worried about the prolonged wet feet rubbing the skin of my feet.

It's a concern but check out the discussion on Andrew Skurka's site on possible approaches to addressing the possible consequences of this.
http://andrewskurka.com/2012/minimiz...h-of-wet-feet/

[hikerhobs]

Campmor poncho, pack cover, and gaiters, I find I sweat with any rain gear I wear, but with the poncho I get some air up underneath.