Rain Pants or Rain Skirt or Nothing.
I currently have rain pants, but am debating if I should switch to a skirt or just screw it and go without any rain protection for my lower half. What should I do?
if it's mid summer forget the rain pants. Skin dries faster than anything else. If you expect to hike in cool damp conditions (say 50 F or less) than good rain pants are useful. You'll stay drier and warmer.. for a while. If you are hiking in a prolonged, all day downpour.. than nothing will keep you dry. Accept the fact you'll get wet.
Right, but in an all day cold rain, being warm and wet is better than being very cold and wet.
For me, rain pants in winter, rain skirt the rest of the time except maybe in midsummer. I dislike having my hiking shorts soaking wet.
Im debating if I want to take my rain pants with me on my SOBO. Leaving June 4th..do I want them for Maine and New Hampshire?
Have been considering the same thing actually. What about something like the Dynamo wind pants from Montbell? It would offer wind protection, keep you warm wet when windy and wet, and still offer bug protection. At 2.6oz, this is what I've been leaning towards. It seems like it would be a much lighter option vs a full rain pant.
Yea I agree. I have zip offs and long underwear for the cold. I toyed with the idea of making a tyvek skirt.Originally Posted by l84toff
I have a pair of Columbia zip offs too and really like them. I'm toying with the idea of not even bringing them and going with thin running shorts and the Dynamo pants. For additional warmth I have my long johns. I've been doing a significant amount of day hiking and I the only time I have ever been cold is when hiking with others that do not hike as fast as I do. Solo, when cold, I simply pick up the pace and find I am perfectly comfortable.
I'm not doing my thru till 14 so I still have some time to sort all this out. In fact I'll probably pick up the Dynamo pants and experiment this year. The zip offs have worked very well for me (in fact this is what I have worn on several overnight trips with daytime temps in the 30's and wet/muddy). Only reason why I'm thinking about not bringing them is the weight (IIRC they are about 13oz). I don't think they offer much more protection or warmth compared to just wind pants.
I always hike with a pair of light-weight rain pants because of the extra protection and warmth they can add. Seems like a ta-bogon hat is the only piece of clothing I have that offers a better weight to warmth ratio. Even in summer, rain can feel cold (the upper atmosphere where the clouds live is WAY much colder than surface temperatures).
Rain pants are to protect mainly from wind when you are wet
Summer, a rain skirt will work if slightly below knee. Zpacks new long one with the zipper is interesting.
Rest of time, or when at elevations high enough to see temps below about 60F, full pants for me.
Rain skirt is a great piece of kit and can be worn to keep the wind/cold off the legs as well.
In shorts weather, it's nice to have a rain wrap on. You will still be wet but not soaked to the bone. The Zpacks wrap, for example, is 1.4 oz. and can fit in the palm of your hand folded up.
One of the reasons pants are not a good idea is they're such a hassle to put on. When it starts to rain, are you really going to stick you muddy shoes in the pant legs? If not, are you really going to take the time to find a place to sit, take your shoes off so you can put on the pants? You decide.
On mt Washington, in July, down below can be 80 degrees. On top 35. For me Marmot precip pant works great for wet or wind.
Rain skirt also protects your rear if you sit down to take a break. I use it when it is not raining for that purpose. Yucky picnic table benches, etc. The airflow prevents the wetter on the inside effect, and is just right when walking thru wet bushes after rain or heavy fog. Love mine.
Rain pants, good for bugs.
Yep. I only like rain pants on:
1) Days below freezing regardless of precipitation
2) Days below about 50 with steady rain and/or wind
3) Days below about 90 if the bugs are hellish and you don't have other long pants. I, and everyone else in my group, wore them in the Sierra all day for two days in a row, 85 degrees and sunny, on a trip I took in high school. Worth it, considering the alternative was to load one's skin up with DEET. The OP might consider them as black-fly defense if you're SOBOing starting June 4.
Last edited by SCRUB HIKER; 04-26-2013 at 02:45. Reason: punctuation
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I've never used any kind of rain pant or skirt. Just a pack cover/rain jacket combo.
You absolutely need something to keep your lower body warm, as you can run into winter-like conditions at the higher altitudes. Cold rain and high winds are not only possible, but likely.
If its cold, a late hike, and looks like its going to rain, wear rain pants. If its going to be hot and early on then leave the rain pants at home. Also a good suggestion are convertible pants that can be shorts, I have a pair of Prana that dry very quickly so that might also be a good option in warmer weather.
Whether or not it looks like it's going to rain is irrelevant in the Northern Presidentials.
I bought a yard of sil-nylon on ebay and made my own rain skirt. It works wonderfully. Cost: $4.50
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