looking for rainjacket suggestions
the lining on my 5 yr old marmot precip is breaking down at the seam at the neck and in the hood, so i'm looking to replace it. what's your go to raingear and why?
Sea to Summit silnylon poncho/tarp because it is light, it breaths really well, it covers my backpack keeping it and my contents dry, it doubles as either a shelter or a ground cloth for most summer and otherwise decent expected weather hikes, I don't overheat in it, it doubles as backup shelter and place to throw gear in nasty weather and/or snow strips, it's easy to put on and take off while moving I can eat food and operate my cell phone out of the rain by tucking my head inside while doing things like a little, super-portable tent.
In high winds it is necessary to tie the poncho with some kind of line or belt around your waist, and then it works well even in pretty windy conditions. It doesn't keep you completely dry since your lower arms and lower legs are still exposed, so I just let those get wet most of the time while wearing clothing that manages and moisture well and dries quickly. If you are wet averse, you can also wear rain chaps (or pants in you really want to) and/or rain sleeves on your arms.
I own a bunch of high tech rain-gear and only ever use it for mountaineering because it is more hassle to use and I overheat in it in most situations, including winter backcountry skiing. And, when it is raining, especially endlessly like the northwest US where I have spent most of my life, having a "little tent" to work under while walking or sitting or standing is really nice.
I'm not lost. I'm exploring.
I just bought a new Frogg Toggs outfit. I hope it serves me as well as the first one did.
I'm also moving from an expensive, heavy Mountain Hardwear jacket to the Frogg Toggs. Plan on carrying for the PCT.Originally Posted by rafe
Packa
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I highly recommend considering O2 gear that looks and feels a lot like the Frogg Toggs but seems to be quite a bit more durable and breathable and waterproof, if slightly more expensive. I does only come in yellow (for the cheep papery raingear), but, for my son, it appears to perform better for breathability and waterproofness than his Marmot Precip jacket and has proven itself on several occasions while doing some pretty serious bushwhacking with no apparent damage.
I'm not lost. I'm exploring.
Right now I'm using a Mountain Hardwear Capacitor which I believe is discontinued but a pretty basic 2.5 layer eVent shell. I'm not thrilled that it's starting to delaminate around the neck already despite washing it to try to prevent this. So, my next one will probably be a 3 layer design.
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Ok everyones gonna think Im crazy but I prefer a yellow pvc work rain coat. Not the heaviest duty, but not the lightest. And heres why. Any gore-tex/e-vent/whatever membrane technology has always kept me dry from sweat, but wet from the rain over long periods of time. PVC is the opposite, granted, since it has no breathability, but I'll just hike in no shirt or a t-shirt w/ the rain jacket on, preserving all my other layers for camp/not moving. But when I'm moving, I'd rather be kept dry from the cold rain, and blocked entirely from the wind, than to have the breathability minus the total waterproof/windproofness.
Took cheap jackets before then switched over to frog toggs.
I bank on getting wet when it rains...(either from sweat or from rain) so now I carry raingear to stay warm when wet.(basically same rational as gregpphoto) Frog Toggs are like a portable sauna. They are lightweight, super cheap/replaceable, function even when soaked, and fiery warm.
Breathable will start to fail over prolonged exposure to rain AND it lets air thru which makes it LESS protection from the cold.
Last edited by Cobble; 09-12-2015 at 00:56.
AT (LASH) '04-'14
2nd vote for a lightweight poncho Sea to Summit or better.
I own a Precip jacket but use it for work... I like being ultra dry, I understand a poncho may be unpopular, but it works in down pours and breathes.
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Woo
I use frogg toggs. I ditched the bag it comes in and then to save weight and sweat, i cut the pants into shorts, cut out the crotch and sewed it back up into a skirt. I usually hike with one of my kids and they all beg me not to put on the skirt.
The stuff is pretty easy to sew with a wide zig-zag stitch.
I'm still rocking my first generation Zpacks rain jacket (the white color and oh-so-soft). I hear the newer version is even better.
Frogg Toggs and an umbrella. The umbrella is an exact copy of the discounted Go-Lite umbrella.
And it is also 20% off right now at Campmor if you use the code: save20
https://www.campmor.com/c/euroschirm...kking-umbrella
Another vote for Frogg Toggs. They're dirt cheap, and light. They last a little while.
I need a better solution for bushwhacks. Frogg Toggs turn to trail confetti. But I suspect that a better solution would have to involve Kevlar because the spruce around here is mean! Usually I just get wet.
One of these years I might bite the bullet and buy a Packa. Thing is, most of my gear fund comes from little "thank you" bonuses at work, and they come as gift certificates from a list of merchants. REI and Amazon are on the list, so I can get almost anything from a major manufacturer, but cottage industry stuff is more problematic.
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Marmot warranty came through and sent me a replacement. Just in time, as we're expecting lots of rain. I saw that Torrentshell is currently half price on the Patagonia site.
Outdoor Research Helium jacket, and EuroSCHIRM Swing liteflex Umbrella.
Not crazy at all.
Being cold and wet is BAD.
My next rain jacket will be from Lightheart Gear. Not breathable but waterproof.
Light, priced well and US made.
I have also just started hiking with a Patagonia Houdini and an umbrella.
I was skeptical of the combo at first but works better than I thought.
The problem I have with Frogg Toggs is that their too bulky. They take up too much space in the pack.
I have a Cabela's "Dry-Plus" (in camo) rain jacket. It's light and packs small. In theory it breaths, but it also bleeds through after a while in steady rain. Just enough to get damp. I do need to think about replacing it though. Got a few little holes in it from camp fire embers and a couple of tares from getting it caught on something.
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So glad Marmot came through with a replacement. I was going to ask, if you didn't have any other problems with the pre cip (other than the durability wear), why not buy a new one. I purchase a Pre cip on sale under $55 and am so happy with the pit zips, the slight breathability of it, the way it repels rain and the way it works with cap 4 or other shirts to keep me warm while hiking. I would never pay full price for one and if I decided to spend that much money; I support those backing the Packa. Thanks for updating us, even though the discussion, as alway's, is a great one to lay out options. I also looked at the O2 series... was impressed with those and bicycler's swear by them.
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Another vote for the OR Helium II, though it is not a full-fledged rain jacket. So far, I've not had an issue with it wetting out. I used it during a full day of rain, but it wasn't a driving rain, it was the kind of all day drizzle that you get in Washington state.
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