Rain Jacket

[Odd Man Out]

I've used an ordinary The North Face Rain jacket. When that one started to delaminated after several years of use I got a similar Eddie Bauer jacket. Both have big pit zips, nice hood. I use all year when not hikeing too. Not lightweight or expensive. Works fine.

[globetruck]

I’m cursed with long arms and the OR jackets just don’t fit me that well. They’re light but my observation is that many jackets marketed to be super lightweight end up sacrificing fit.


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[Dogwood]

..I've also learned "breathable" is truly fake news.

If you believe that on your next hike take along a truly non breathable non permeable rain suit like sold at HD or Lowes or a sauna fat burning suit like wrestlers wear to reach their fighting wt and a breathable hiking rain jacket/pants comparing the difference.

[Dogwood]

Being in the hot and humid southeast, and having tried many jackets, I've learned one important feature to me is pit zips.

What you did was make the distinction between ventilation/ability to ventilate and breathability. Far more important to thermoregulation is ventilation.

That is not to say breathability is not also a factor.

[iio]

Late to the party I guess, but on my PCT thru last year I used a lightheart gear silnylon rain jacket. Weights little, has pit zips, she customized it for my long arms and not very expensive!
Liked it a lot!

[Coffee]

I use the Frogg Toggs and find them unbeatable for the money and you just get a new $20 suit when the old one wears out. They do the job and are as "breathable" as other jackets I've had, meaning not very breathable. If it is a warmish rain (above 55F) you will prespire and wet out from the inside.

I had an OR Helium II and the original DWR failed on the pct rendering the jacket useless (replaced with Frogg Toggs). Despite numerous attempts to reestablish the DWR with products like McNetts, it never was the same. To OR's credit they took it back as a warranty item and gave me a store credit. The rep said that the jacket wasn't intended for extremely heavy constant rain which seemed bizzare to me but he took it back and I wasn't going to argue.

[scope]

A little different here... I don't like wearing a rain jacket, doesn't keep me that warm in camp, and doesn't keep me from getting wet (ifyouknowhatimean). I find that I like rain and getting wet from it while hiking, of course, as long as I have something dry to change into when I stop. This jacket has been perfect for me... actually I have the anorak version, but I'd probably recommend getting the full zip - for the few times I wear when hiking, I wish I did have the full zip.

[saltysack]

I use the Frogg Toggs and find them unbeatable for the money and you just get a new $20 suit when the old one wears out. They do the job and are as "breathable" as other jackets I've had, meaning not very breathable. If it is a warmish rain (above 55F) you will prespire and wet out from the inside.

I had an OR Helium II and the original DWR failed on the pct rendering the jacket useless (replaced with Frogg Toggs). Despite numerous attempts to reestablish the DWR with products like McNetts, it never was the same. To OR's credit they took it back as a warranty item and gave me a store credit. The rep said that the jacket wasn't intended for extremely heavy constant rain which seemed bizzare to me but he took it back and I wasn't going to argue.

I had same issue with first generation helium and warranty replaced with newer model seems much better....OR has great CS!


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[CalebJ]

Below 50* I'll carry a decent rain jacket. Marmot Precip or something similarly waterproof and light weight. Much warmer than that and I'd rather accept hiking while wet and just carry a Houdini or similar. I sweat enough that even a well vented and breathable jacket usually leaves me soaked from the inside anyway unless I'm just standing around in camp.

[Coffee]

I had same issue with first generation helium and warranty replaced with newer model seems much better....OR has great CS!


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I was ready to accept a replacement until the rep said the Helium wasn't meant for "heavy constant rain" which threw me for a loop. Here's the quote from his email. I mean, of course I expect a rain jacket to perform in a heavy rainfall ... so I just got a store credit and have used Frogg Toggs since then...

"Did you ever take the Helium II out in a heavy rainfall? The Helium II is made to withstand up to a moderate rainfall, but a very high volume of water will actually wash out the DWR coating and cause the jacket to fail. The Helium II is the meeting of lightweight and waterproofness, so you will be sacrificing some degree of waterproofness with the Helium II."

[Shrewd]

I was ready to accept a replacement until the rep said the Helium wasn't meant for "heavy constant rain" which threw me for a loop. Here's the quote from his email. I mean, of course I expect a rain jacket to perform in a heavy rainfall ... so I just got a store credit and have used Frogg Toggs since then...

"Did you ever take the Helium II out in a heavy rainfall? The Helium II is made to withstand up to a moderate rainfall, but a very high volume of water will actually wash out the DWR coating and cause the jacket to fail. The Helium II is the meeting of lightweight and waterproofness, so you will be sacrificing some degree of waterproofness with the Helium II."

I never knew that.

Makes sense I suppose, but...damn.

It certainly wets out quickly in any real storm, that’s for sure

[HikerHarry]

What I'm finding frustrating is finding a rain jacket long enough to completely cover my down jacket. Don't hike in the down jacket covered with the rain coat, but for in camp. I'm tall and wear XL and have a down jacket with 30" back length, but a lot of rain jackets are only 28" or 29". Tried the Sierra Designs Cagoule and also Ultralight Trench. Length I want, but material sucked. Wetted out after a very short time in the rain. Thinking of trying Precip Tall or a Packa.

[BuckeyeBill]

What I'm finding frustrating is finding a rain jacket long enough to completely cover my down jacket. Don't hike in the down jacket covered with the rain coat, but for in camp. I'm tall and wear XL and have a down jacket with 30" back length, but a lot of rain jackets are only 28" or 29". Tried the Sierra Designs Cagoule and also Ultralight Trench. Length I want, but material sucked. Wetted out after a very short time in the rain. Thinking of trying Precip Tall or a Packa.

Have you check out the Packa. I have one and it works great. YMMV

[HikerHarry]

Have you check out the Packa. I have one and it works great. YMMV

That is one of the options I am considering. Thanks for the input!

[BuckeyeBill]

That is one of the options I am considering. Thanks for the input!

No problem. I won't go into how I store my tarp and suspension system other than to say the tarp is in the same area as where the rain jacket is stored.

[Deacon]

That is one of the options I am considering. Thanks for the input!

I’ve tried several different rain jackets and IMHO, the Packa has the most coverage and is the most ventilated of all.


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[HeartFire]

https://sectionhiker.com/the-north-f...jacket-review/

[Runner2017]

REI got TNF HyperAir 50% off plus additional 20% off the MSRP a few weeks ago. So basically it's $100 a pop.

https://sectionhiker.com/the-north-f...jacket-review/

[Runner2017]

Checkout Outdoor Research Interstellar jacket.