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  1. #1
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    Default Comparing rain jackets.

    http://www.switchbacktravel.com/best-rain-jackets

    after the wet out and rain through experience I had with some very pretty rain jackets from Costco I was curious about jackets that would work for days of rain like I hiked in a year ago in Virginia where I used ponchos and a heavy hard shell.

    Which rain jackets other than Frogg Togs have you used that worked after several days of steady rain?

    I have found myself just not a poncho guy though I've made an effort and im not interested in something that will fail me after an hour or two (so I'd appreciate heads up about jackets that have worked or not worked for people).

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    It depends on a lot of factors - temp/humidity, sweat, etc. below about 55-60 degrees I have good luck with my ArcTeryx hardshell. Great fit, articulated elbows/shoulders, big pit zips when needed. Downside is that it's not ultralight. My Beta SL is about 13 oz which is respectable but about twice as heavy as an OR Helium. But for me (tall guy with stupidly long arms), the OR just isn't long enough in the sleeves or waist.

    Above about 70 degrees, I'll eventually get sweaty though.

  3. #3

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    Theres a sayin..

    Rain jackets dont keep you dry
    They keep you warm

    True in my experience, for any significant extended activity

    Some may be better than others, but I always end up wet, soooo....

    Some spend thousands of $ in search of that which do not exist
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 06-06-2017 at 20:36.

  4. #4

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    I meet a woman at a shelter in Vermont who had hiked all day in a hard rain. She was dressed in a Cuben Fiber rain suit and effectively dry under it. I was soaked to the bone with a flimsy poncho that day. I need to get me one of those rain suits, damn the cost
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  5. #5
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    I really like my Packa though I haven't used it all that much, but when I have it has kept me dry.

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    OR helium 2 has lasted several years but last trip few months ago in Va it wet thru after solid day of heavy rain ....honestly as muddy said it wasn't cold enough to not wet out as I was pushing my mpd....OR actually replaced it after speaking with them....great company....any rain jacket will wet out but some may vent better allowing for a wider temp range (inside and out) before wetting out..


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  7. #7
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    There is no perfect rain jacket. It all depends. I have Outdoor Research Realm which the link article highly praises but I dislike some of its features out of my own experience. For example, it's designed for ice climbing and mountaineering, so you need to wear a big helm ideally; otherwise, the hood is too big and rain can pour directly into neck. I also have Outlook Research Maximus Gortex Pro hard shell that I believe it's the best rain jacket for certain conditions but not for thru-hike. If you want a rain jacket for thru-hike purpose, a cuben fiber jacket or poncho is more ideal.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Runner2017 View Post
    There is no perfect rain jacket. It all depends. I have Outdoor Research Realm which the link article highly praises but I dislike some of its features out of my own experience. For example, it's designed for ice climbing and mountaineering, so you need to wear a big helm ideally; otherwise, the hood is too big and rain can pour directly into neck. I also have Outlook Research Maximus Gortex Pro hard shell that I believe it's the best rain jacket for certain conditions but not for thru-hike. If you want a rain jacket for thru-hike purpose, a cuben fiber jacket or poncho is more ideal.
    Cuben doesn't breath.....curious as to it being ideal?


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  9. #9
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    I'd also have reservations about a cuben jacket.

    However, I really like my cuben Zpacks poncho... lots of ventilation, covers the pack, easy on and off, stays put even in strong wind. I keep mine in a side pack pocket on days when rain is likely and it can be removed from the pocket and deployed in a matter of seconds without taking off the pack, then removed just as easily when/if(?) the rain lets up.

    That's with a UL pack with zero dangly s#!t on the outside, not a mondo heavy-hauler setup with a bunch of stuff hanging outside—that would make it a somewhat more tedious process.

  10. #10

    Default Comparing rain jackets.

    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    I meet a woman at a shelter in Vermont who had hiked all day in a hard rain. She was dressed in a Cuben Fiber rain suit and effectively dry under it. I was soaked to the bone with a flimsy poncho that day. I need to get me one of those rain suits, damn the cost
    True, my ZPacks rain jacket never leaked rainwater, but unless temps were very cool, say mid sixty or lower, I did sweat to the point of being very wet.

  11. #11
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    I have a bit of a specific fetish when it comes to gear addictions - RAINCOATS! I get teased regularly by my wife and friends because I seem to have a new one each month! what can I say, I like to test out gear especially water resistance vs weight. I did a video of my 4 most used raincoats... if you can stand my ugly mug, check out my leetle video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsglPzxLh40&t=1s
    Doin' the trail one section at a time
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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rmcpeak View Post
    I really like my Packa though I haven't used it all that much, but when I have it has kept me dry.
    How do you keep your arms dry?

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ethesis View Post
    How do you keep your arms dry?
    It has sleeves. It's not a poncho.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by linus72 View Post
    I have a bit of a specific fetish when it comes to gear addictions - RAINCOATS! I get teased regularly by my wife and friends because I seem to have a new one each month! what can I say, I like to test out gear especially water resistance vs weight. I did a video of my 4 most used raincoats... if you can stand my ugly mug, check out my leetle video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsglPzxLh40&t=1s
    Watched your video, have you used the PreCip and the Helium in steady rain? They both look good.

    I'm looking for something that works in steady rain, having spent a week in it a while back and getting tired with my poncho and wet arms, and the heavy hard shell rain coat I picked up on the trail (ok, not that heavy, but heavier than UL) was ok, just heavy.

    Anyway, enjoyed the video.

  15. #15

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    Recently I spent two days in a row hiking with a rain jacket and rain kilt. The rain kilt worked great. Plenty of ventilation and it kept my shorts dry. Sweating under the rain jacket was a big problem, but it did provide warmth.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by FreeGoldRush View Post
    Recently I spent two days in a row hiking with a rain jacket and rain kilt. The rain kilt worked great. Plenty of ventilation and it kept my shorts dry. Sweating under the rain jacket was a big problem, but it did provide warmth.
    I'm getting more and more partial to rain kilts as time goes on.

  17. #17

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    I use the Frogg Togs as my main rain gear and will carry a poncho on a regular basis. The poncho serves as shelter as well as rain gear. Between the middle of fall to the middle of spring I use a military poncho or mattress covers with liner. The rest of the time I use a nylon poncho with a liner.

    Any equipment I haul must serve many purposes, be cost effective, and hopefully lightweight.

  18. #18
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    Section Hiker did a review of the Lightheart gear rain jacket, a silnylon non breathable jacket. He basically claims that waterproof breathable jackets don't really breath and that because they wet out you also end up wet. I kind of agree with him. All the Goretex jackets I've had wetted out.
    Here's the review :
    http://sectionhiker.com/lightheart-g...jacket-review/

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  19. #19
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    With any rain jacket it's nice to have big pit zips to vent moisture, and it helps if it is somewhat oversized as well due to 1) increased surface area that promotes evaporation and 2) increased "bellows effect" which moves air around somewhat.

    I have used a Packa in some prolonged and wet conditions and it does indeed work very well, although I find the pack cover integrated with the rain shell just doesn't work for me from a practicality standpoint.

  20. #20
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    I know there is a lot of debate about the claims made...but my Stoic Vaporshell has never let me down. When everyone dives into their shelter I pop on my rain suit (yes I have the pants also) and go enjoy mother nature! They also breath amazingly well, making them just fine for hiking as needed. Could be a bit lighter, but based on performance I can not see swapping to anything else. Dreading the day I have to replace them.

    https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/47329/

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