Shopping for my first rain gear (first non military) and need some help

[StubbleJumper]

In the summer, I carry Frog Toggs with me when I backpack, and mostly I wear them for warmth on cold mornings when I am eating breakfast and breaking camp. I have also worn them at the laundromat when every other stitch of clothing was in the washer or dryer. As long as it's warmer than 60 degrees and not too windy, I find that I'm happier hiking in the rain without rain gear. If it gets crazy windy or if the temps drop to the high-40s or low-50s, then I think about whether I'd be happier wearing rain gear which will be hot and wet or not wearing rain gear being slightly cool and wet (sometimes I just want to flip a coin to decide on which is worse).

In October, I carry a proper Goretex anorak with me as there can be a real risk that there'll be 35-degree temperatures, rain and a bit of a breeze. That combination of conditions can be deadly, so I like to have a good jacket with me.

[Connie]

I wish there were a thumbs up for this thread: it describes the situations you encounter, and then, what works.

If you can anticipate the conditions, and have the best layers you can adjust for the anticipated conditions you might wonder why more people don't enjoy the outdoors. It is so great to be perfectly comfortable and really enjoying the weather. I know I love it.

I like side seam 2-way zips, almost impossible to find.

I want the shoulder straps and my back protected from rain and a rain cape like LightHeart Gear Rain Hoody will do that. If I have a rain jacket with side seam zips, that accessory is just right. If not, I like a UST Emergency Poncho and cut off sleeves and rain-proof mittens strung together under the poncho.

I always like a long bill baseball hat for rain, after wearing a So'Easter rain hat backward to keep the rain off my eyewear.

I have liked loose-fit rain chaps, and now I like a wrap rain shirt and gaiters because I get good coverage with a poncho and good ventilation. I tie a belt around the poncho, if needed, but usually I set up shelter before then.

I added this because I wanted you to see how these options work for me.

I find a rain jacket and rain pants too warm for me.

[nsherry61]

. . . waterproof and breathable really don't go together except under lab conditions, even with very expensive pieces.

I've gotta comment on this a little.

I gave up on waterproof/breathable about 15 years ago because I could carry a light wind shirt and a light waterproof jacket that combined weighed less than a waterproof breathable piece, was more breathable when I wanted breathable, and by just putting the waterproof jacket over the wind shirt I had more waterproof when I wanted waterproof. . . because, all my very expensive waterproof breathable jackets always lasted about 1-2 years of being truly waterproof before they began to fail significantly.

As I've stated ad nauseum in these forums, I have settled on a poncho as, by far, my favorite rain gear at this point in history.

BUT, I believe there actually is a place for waterproof/breathable (WPB) jackets. Because, at least with the current, higher-end fabrics, they do breath reasonably well when they are dry and thus work reasonably well as a wind shirt if you are not a heavy sweater and you are not working too hard. Also, with the latest in super-light WPB, you are not paying a substantial weight penalty for the WPB jackets (although you are still paying a little bit of weight penalty over the lightest alternatives). And finally, WPB jackets are waterproof, at least when they are new, even if they are not breathable in wet conditions, they work as well as my non-breathable waterproof pieces do.

So, if you are relatively rich, and you are not too aggressive in your hiking style, an ultra-light WPB shell piece is a very viable simplification of the alternatives because a single piece of gear can work as both a wind shell and a rain shell.

[llittle_llama]

Well decided to go with my old standby. I dropped $60 (exactly to the penny) and bought a set of Army wet weather gear. It's the newer version like I was last issued a few years back before I got out and it worked pretty well for me. Pit zippers, CHECK. Under $100, CHECK. Be here in a few days, CHECK. Now all I need to do is get some waterproofing spray and go over them and I'll be in business! Should I do my pack cover as well? I have the Osprey 65AG and have the pack cover that it came with. Would I be better off getting a poncho and wearing that over myself and the pack as well or just the wet weather gear and the pack cover?

[Leo L.]

Ponchos can be pretty cheap and heavy, or expensive and lightweight, or anything between. Most of them work.
I have two of them, one that has a simple rectangular shape and can be used as an emergency tarp as well, I use it for dayhikes and carrying a small backpack.
And then I have another poncho thats designed for use with big packs, it has kind of a camel hump to cover the pack properly.

The biggest problem I see with the poncho, as with most other raingear, is to find the perfect point in time to put it on.
Too many times I find myself walking on in a drizzle that increases into a real rain and finally when I decide to put on the poncho I'm already soaked and the poncho helps only to conserve the wetness.
To find the best point to take the poncho off is more easy: When the rain ceases, I can pull the front piece and the hood of the poncho over my head and back and store the stuff in the gap between shoulders and pack. This way I can easily pull on the poncho again if the rain resumes.

[Cheyou]

Ponchos can be pretty cheap and heavy, or expensive and lightweight, or anything between. Most of them work.
I have two of them, one that has a simple rectangular shape and can be used as an emergency tarp as well, I use it for dayhikes and carrying a small backpack.
And then I have another poncho thats designed for use with big packs, it has kind of a camel hump to cover the pack properly.

The biggest problem I see with the poncho, as with most other raingear, is to find the perfect point in time to put it on.
Too many times I find myself walking on in a drizzle that increases into a real rain and finally when I decide to put on the poncho I'm already soaked and the poncho helps only to conserve the wetness.
To find the best point to take the poncho off is more easy: When the rain ceases, I can pull the front piece and the hood of the poncho over my head and back and store the stuff in the gap between shoulders and pack. This way I can easily pull on the poncho again if the rain resumes.

i have the same problem. I am continuing my search for an ultralight rain system. Now I use a wind jacket , silnylon skirt and an umbrella for longer distances . Ordered a Luke's ultralight silpoly jacket with pit zips. To tide me over a just re applied a DWR to a OR Helium 2 . For day hikes.

Thom

[capehiker]

I am a big fan of the poncho and use the Sea To Summit Ultralight Sil Nano Poncho/tarp at 6.7oz. It's great to throw over my pack and myself, and during breaks in the rain, I can flip the front over my head. If needed, I pair it with a Zpacks rain kilt. This is my set-up for late spring through early fall.

In the colder months, I generally use a rain jacket. I have been through more high end jackets than I care to admit and I wish I would've followed the advice sooner of going with Frogg Toggs. I buy the Frogg Toggs Ultralite 2 off Amazon for $12.00 (jacket only). I'm on my second year of the same jacket. The sizes run unusually large. I bought an XL and it weighs 6.4 ounces - the same weight of most UL jackets in XL. A few caveats: this is a jacket for groomed trails such as the AT/PCT. Trails that require bushwhacking need a more robust fabric. Aside from that, small tears are fixed in a snap with duct tape.

[G-FOURce]

Marmot Precip rain pants are excellent, durable and reasonably priced. You are going to want at least ankle zips, so you can put the pants on while wearing boots. Don't forget to look for a 25 percent off coupon...

On the surface, I would agree but only assuming you're of whatever average inseam the manufacturer thinks you should be for a given waist size. I have a longer torso and shorter inseam, so ankle zips don't work for me because the bottoms of the legs drag, fray, and collect mud in the rain. I much prefer elastic leg cuffs over zips bc they make more sense for me. Also, I have never been in a situation where I have ever wanted to take off or put on long, wet pants over wet, dirty shoes/boots. No offense intended, but I personally don't see enough value in ankle zippers. To each their own, though, and I am envious of anyone who can wear pants right off the shelf.

[Leo L.]

We usually have rain pants that have a full-length zip for both legs, so you can put them on and off while wearing heavy/clumsy/dirty boots.
This comes from mountaineering and skiing.
I've tried several of them, and found them a bit heavy and the zip fails to be really waterproof, at least in the long run, and they are pretty expensive.

So I ended up using Chaps, cheap, lightweight, really waterproof while well ventilating, and I find myself wearing them the whole day if rain comes on and off without a urgent need to take them on and off according to the rain.

[Engine]

AnitGravityGear jacket and pants. Reasonably priced, around 8 ounces for the pair, huge pit zips (elbow down to almost my waist), decent hood, and a couple of pockets. One of the best purchases I've made for gear.

[swjohnsey]

You will get a lot of different opinions regarding rain gear, but for me Marmot precip serves the purpose well. Not the lightest or cheapest but keeps me dry and helps with warmth. And I agree with Scarebear that pit zips are a must with rain gear.

Yep, and I like the full zip pants. Shop around. Look on ebay. I just got another set of precip, full zip pants red top for $125.

[Traveler]

Yep, and I like the full zip pants. Shop around. Look on ebay. I just got another set of precip, full zip pants red top for $125.

Ditto on the full length rain pants. I absolutely recommend getting pants with full leg zippers and a slider (traveler?) at each end of the zipper so you can vent the pants exactly as you need them for conditions.

[swjohnsey]

Well decided to go with my old standby. I dropped $60 (exactly to the penny) and bought a set of Army wet weather gear. It's the newer version like I was last issued a few years back before I got out and it worked pretty well for me. Pit zippers, CHECK. Under $100, CHECK. Be here in a few days, CHECK. Now all I need to do is get some waterproofing spray and go over them and I'll be in business! Should I do my pack cover as well? I have the Osprey 65AG and have the pack cover that it came with. Would I be better off getting a poncho and wearing that over myself and the pack as well or just the wet weather gear and the pack cover?

Army Gortex only weighs about 10 lbs. If weight isn't an issue it is about as good as it gets.

[RangerZ]

Army Gortex only weighs about 10 lbs. If weight isn't an issue it is about as good as it gets.

I sold my Army woodland goretex to a guy who was still in and bought a black version, same MILSPEC. It's great, almost bulletproof, but like he said it's heavy. I carried it this weekend but dumped it at the car when I looped by and I was sure that it wasn't going to freezing rain. Like others have said, it's usually Frogg Toggs for me. Pit zips would be nice, I don't think that I ever close them on the goretex.

[Cheyou]

Army Gortex only weighs about 10 lbs. If weight isn't an issue it is about as good as it gets.

Ha ha very funny .

[poolskaterx]

Gotta say I have had my share of fancy rain jacket$ (gore, apex, nanoPro, etc...) and I find that when it actually rains I use my frogg togs poncho, it keeps me and my pack dry with plenty of vent options; the poncho relegates my rain jacket to either an expensive wind breaker or an in camp piece to wear when precipitation is a constant. Frogg togs poncho is a cheap way to try out and see if you like em... you probably will.

[Soggybottom]

I love my new M10 Anorak from Patagonia. I have tried the Patagonia torrentshell, Sierra Designs light weight rain jacket and found this anorak. Well in one word, awesome.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Flounder940]

Lightheartgear.com rain jacket and frogg togg pants.

[Deadeye]

I love my new M10 Anorak from Patagonia. I have tried the Patagonia torrentshell, Sierra Designs light weight rain jacket and found this anorak. Well in one word, awesome.

But... you have a soggy bottom...

[Another Kevin]

Frogg Toggs when the conditions won't destroy them. Marmot Precip when they will.