Frogg Trogg Rain Wear
I am thinking of buying the Frogg Trogg rain wear to take on my thru hike. I am looking for feedback on how well they work.
I bought them also....lightweight, affordable they should be fine. Good luck!
I bought the $20 or $25 Dri-Ducks suit and it is probably the best bang for the buck gear I have. 11.2 ounces total and is totally waterproof and breathable. Can't go wrong in my opinion, if something happens to it buy another one!
Thats what I plan to send myself when I hit Washington on the PCT this year. I'v read alot of good things about them for the $. Doubt I'll use the pants though.
the driducks, made by frog toggs, lighter cheaper version with a plastic-y feel, work pretty well. a basic jacket and pants rainsuit. carried them 820 miles last year and they did their duty. Just be cautious not to put a trekking pole through the pants like I did. surprisingly easy to do.
http://www.froggtoggsraingear.com/DriDucks.shtm
I've seen more spine in jellyfish
I ruined my good rain gear on the AT, I figure might as well use those. Cheap and light, that's what I'm going to use on the PCT. From what I've heard, don't be surprised if they tear up on you, bring duct tape.
There are several different weights of fabric in this type of clothing--generally speaking the thicker it is the more durable and the more expensive. Some are almost as costly as nylon. All of them are hard to pack small. Mostly, they are rather more breathable than coated nylon and can be washed and sprayed with campdry. Buy the pants on the big side and bring duct tape. I find mine comfortable now that they are soft from washing. I would trust them in warm weather when I am out for a short trip and a failure is probably not going to be a disaster. If I expect the weather to be really bad, then my rain jacket is in the category of survival gear and no compromise is acceptable. YMMV I bought mine a size larger than needed and cut off the cuffs at wrist and bottom of pant legs--they pack and breathe better and if I need to seal them up tight a thin wrap of tape will do it. Tape also works to tailor the garments to your body shape--the hood for instance. Don't be afraid to use a pair of scissors on them after thinking about what changes you need.
I'm thinking about using a hole punch and creating a bunch of holes under the armpit area (think pit zips) of my dri-ducks. It may help with the venting.
They're inexpensive and easy to find since they're now sold at Walmart, so that's good. You'll need to treat it delicately, and even then, the pants probably won't last long. Unfortunately the pants aren't sold separately. You probably won't want to buy a full suit just for the pants, so I recommend buying tyvek pants from the US Plastics website for $3 a pair. They weigh less too.
I think these suits would be a bad idea with relatively heavy packs. That's because you'll want to take your pack off carefully to avoid damaging the jacket, and that's not always easy to do with a heavy pack. With my lightest pack, I can remove one arm and use that arm to grab the haul loop and gingerly pull the pack off of my other arm. With my heavier loads (60-90 lbs), it's more of quick powerlifting/gymnastic event, and has caused me to rip the straps off a few watches, so it probably wouldn't be good for a delicate jacket.
I used Frogg Toggs during my hike. I loved changing into them at the end of a day so I could cool down and dry off. After a few weeks of wearing the set around camp as camp clothes they started to break down. They worked great for rain gear and camp clothes....for a short time. I am buying another set for this spring.
Go Everywhere, Study Everything, Fear Nothing
The 2 problems with every rain gear option, except for one, is putting a pack on over it and the exposed barrier between the 2. Get a Packa.Originally Posted by Jcmyers78
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
YEah I've noticed they aren't very tough at all.
-Jason
Not super durable & not breathable, but I use the DriDucks and love them. I have duct tape to cover and rips or holes happened. They are cheap, and I really like how the hood has a drawstring; pants use elastic at the waste, nothing at the ankles. I went to Dicks Sporting Goods and picked up a set.
You get what you pay for. They can tear easily in briars, etc. They were good for me in the summer, not so sure on durability for a thru.
met a fella on my thru in Erwin and his had ripped beyond still being useful...
Not worth it in my opinion. They make real rain gear.
But it trades that problem for another one -- getting wet when taking your pack off in the rain. Either you get wet, or your pack does. I looked at the Packa, and it just seemed less convenient than a separate pack cover and rain jacket.
Felt like a sauna suit to me,but I do seem to sweat more than most folks....
Great rain gear. If u are are gonna use, I suggest buying three pairs of dri ducks, they are cheap and have them available to be mailed to you when u need to replace. They are cheap. They rip easily. Take up minimal pack space. Feather lite .
The light smooth plasticy dry ducks work great.
Sometimes seams are poorly sewn /finished and rip apart right from time you take it out of package.
Worth buying in person so you can inspect carefully, as opposed to mail ordering. Especially zipper seams.
Can be repaired with duct tape. Huge ++
Be gentle with them, very very gentle and they will serve you fine.
Be abusive to them, and they will split right open and let you down.
In summer, I would have a cuben rain skirt , much lighter @ 1.4oz.
The dri ducks pants are good for cooler conditions.
A medium jacket is 5.5 oz, and med pants is 4.5 oz. Hard to beat.
Jacket is great to hike in when windy and cool.
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