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Thread: Rain jackets

  1. #1
    Registered User FooFooCuddlyPoops's Avatar
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    Default Rain jackets

    Hey guys. What rain jacket would you recommend? On a budget. I'm between a poncho and a frog togs rain jacket. Pros and cons of both?

    i also considers a rain jacket that has a pack cover attached. But figured I would just do a reg pack cover, or a trash bag.

    what pack cover would fit the six moons 60?

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    A poncho is relatively inexpensive and works as both rain gear and pack cover.
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    It depends on the time of year. Summer time when you just have to deal with the afternoon thunderstorms, poncho is good enough, so long as your not in the open as they act like a sail in the wind.

    Personally, I much prefer a rain jacket over a poncho in most situations. There are two problems with Frogg Troggs. 1) they tear pretty easily and 2) their bulky. Expect to throw it away after the first trip.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    . . . poncho is good enough, so long as your not in the open as they act like a sail in the wind.
    Is it really so unusual for people to figure out that you can tie a cord around your waist when wearing a poncho and manage it quite nicely in all but the most extreme windy conditions?

    The only time I use an actual jacket as rain-gear in preference to a poncho is when I am mountaineering and need the extra agility and/or expecting extreme winds and rain. I can imagine wanting a jacket if you were hiking in the White Mountains, along the ridges, during a storm, with high winds, in poring down rain, but I would suggest it would be wiser to take a zero day or two if the weather is really that bad.
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    Quote Originally Posted by FooFooCuddlyPoops View Post
    Hey guys. What rain jacket would you recommend? On a budget. I'm between a poncho and a frog togs rain jacket. Pros and cons of both?

    i also considers a rain jacket that has a pack cover attached. But figured I would just do a reg pack cover, or a trash bag.

    what pack cover would fit the six moons 60?
    When and where are you hiking? A bit of context would help get you better perspective.

  6. #6
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    Don't expect a rain jacket to keep you dry - it's to keep you warm in a rain - either you will sweat like crazy inside the jacket - and be wet, or you will be wet from the rain - either way - it will keep you war - wearing a plastic bag.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by HeartFire View Post
    Don't expect a rain jacket to keep you dry - it's to keep you warm in a rain - either you will sweat like crazy inside the jacket - and be wet, or you will be wet from the rain - either way - it will keep you warm - wearing a plastic bag.
    Ponchos aren't much better in that respect either. Plus they do very little to protect your arms. Ever try to tie a rope around your waist while wearing a poncho over a pack? Easier said then done. Ever try to cross a North Carolina bald in a windy rain storm wearing a poncho? I'll never do that again, I'll tell ya.

    I'll carry a light poncho to hunker under and wait out the summer thunderstorms, but I also have a proper rain jacket for the rest of the time.
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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    Is it really so unusual for people to figure out that you can tie a cord around your waist when wearing a poncho and manage it quite nicely in all but the most extreme windy conditions?

    The only time I use an actual jacket as rain-gear in preference to a poncho is when I am mountaineering and need the extra agility and/or expecting extreme winds and rain. I can imagine wanting a jacket if you were hiking in the White Mountains, along the ridges, during a storm, with high winds, in poring down rain, but I would suggest it would be wiser to take a zero day or two if the weather is really that bad.
    Thank you. I was beginning to think that I might be insane for using a poncho. The Internet will do that to you. Make you think that what you know to be true is really false.

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    Like someone said, a little clarity on time of year and where . I prefer a poncho in warmer months and a rain jacket for cooler months where I hike here in VA.
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  10. #10

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    If on a budget go with poncho, my buddy uses one and loves it. I use a OR Helium HD and a Sea to summit Syl cover. Coupled with a sea to summit dry bag as a liner. I never have problems other then some condensation in the jacket. I wore it the entirety of the northern Smokies without problems with the vents open, it was so darn windy I guess it just kept drying my sweat
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    I have both - a Dri-Ducks poncho and a Frogg Toggs rain jacket. I don't like the poncho as much because it still leaves your sides "less-than-protected" from blowing rain (and WHERE in the mountains does it NOT blow when it rains). I am one of those folks who sweat profusely in the wintertime (!), but I've found that if you keep the rain gear ON for about an hour or so after you reach camp and have stopped exerting yourself, the moisture WILL pass through the rain gear and after that, you can take it off and be relatively dry. Besides, a rain suit can act as a windbreaker, and that can be a lifesaver under the right conditions!
    Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass - it's about learning how to dance in the rain!

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    Unless you're hiking thru brambles, Frogg Toggs should get you buy for now. All you need is a little duct-tape in case you do manage to tear it... but even 'fragile' hiking gear can last if you are careful and take care of it.

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    Cheapest, best bang for buck with weight/protection is Marmot Precip imo.

    I'm using something that is more of a poncho now though that covers me and my pack. I forget where I got it though... maybe ULA? Hmm..

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    Love my poncho

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