Gatewood Cape for me.... doubles as my favorite tent.
Gatewood Cape for me.... doubles as my favorite tent.
Alan offers several possibilities.
The fully featured MB Versatile should still be available. I bought a new one, my third, at the end of last yr at the Portland MB store for $139.
I also like the breathability of an older version ZP Challenger rain jacket and the now fully featured ZP Vertices rain jacket.
Love my Outdoor Research Helium II!
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wanted so much to love my helium II. but all it took was one real all day deluge in the appalachians and it wet through within the first hour of heavy rain on the trail. and it was 40 degrees and i had 8 miles to go until shelter with that rain intensity the whole time. bad news, made me want my 13 oz REI coat a lot more... ill carry that extra 7 oz from now on. at least i got it as a gift. if i need a water-repellent wind shirt, my houdini does the trick till i need the real rain coat and at 3oz, can also come along for the ride.
Doin' the trail one section at a time
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your mileage may vary but we met and hiked with a thru hiker last summer when doing a section in Massachusetts and he had the same coat and had the same experience I eventually did and was thinking of getting a different coat. At that point I hadn't really had that kind of severe weather experience yet and was still loving my coat... till I was out over Labor Day in the great flood and the jacket just didn't cut it for water resistance. That being said I'm following a few thrus on TJ and one does have it and didn't complain about the coat in last week's epic rains in Georgia... But I find my REI coat and the Marmot Precip to be much more waterproof and wind proof and pit zips are everything. I think my REI coat is discontinued but the Precip is almost identical and you can find online for about $60 if you don't find the OR Helium to be doing the job. Some extra ounces are worth it and rain protection is one of those areas... Checked out your signature link, good luck on your thru! I'm jealous as I'm stuck as a sectioner until retirement but I'm following several class of 2018 hikers already and I will add you to my list. Maybe I'll run into you up north as we are finishing MA and NJ this summer and I am part of the CT maintaining chapter and am out there in CT all season.
Doin' the trail one section at a time
You can read about my adventures at http://happyonthetrails.wordpress.com/
Ive been using a silnylon waterproof non breathable jacket the past few weeks.
I really like it so far
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For a thru I like the helium because it’s small and light.
For day to day or shorter Treks I’d like something beefier - ideally a 3 layered rain jacket. Much better “breathability.” The helium wears like a fancy trash bag.
That said, on a thru having to put on a rain jacket generally means your going to be miserable one way or another so go with what’s light and most affordable
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FWIW my helium lasted the whole AT but had tears in the armpits by the end. One was fairly large but I figured hey free pit zips!
When I got home I emailed Outdoor Research about it. Told them I knew this was beyond what anyone would consider regular wear and tear and I totally got my money’s worth.
They sent me a new one anyway.
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Not a fan of the OR helium.
Thom
Frogg Toggs + umbrella can't be beat.
Marmot Mica for the Summer on the AT. I don't believe they still make it, but you can find it on the internet still (like REI Garage Sale).
Marmot Precip for Fall/Winter hiking and everyday. It is a little heavier than the Mica (11 to 7 oz), but mine is Orange which can't hurt when hiking during hunting season.
The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
Richard Ewell, CSA General
not saying the helium is a bad product, just relating my personal experience and those of some i met on the trail with the same experience. i know they're good on replacing when appropriate. but for me i found it to underperform to my expectations. i can't return it or get a replacement because it was a gift, but i am happy to use my other coat that weighs more in prolonged heavy rain forecasts. and i will keep the helium II around cause its not a bad product after all. i will just use it in weather i feel it will handle to my expectations.
Doin' the trail one section at a time
You can read about my adventures at http://happyonthetrails.wordpress.com/
Follow me on the trail: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQX...j3ZnMPuHDlvhaA
I'm gonna use either Frogg Toggs with a pack cover or an inexpensive poncho that covers everything. I'm leaning towards the poncho for starters.