Rain Gear - What really works

[mahony]

Coated nylon rain pants stink. Even under a poncho and PVC rain coat my legs were soaked (way more than just sweat). PVC raincoat also seems to leak in places. What really works?

eVent pants are $200, which is fine if they work, but my Gore-Tex hat gets just as wet as cheap rain pants so I'm skeptical of "fancy pants" for $200. Does an eVent jacket work? Durable plastic ponchos are heavy so I'd like something lighter...breathability for a poncho does not seem as critical.

I'm looking for stuff that works in real soaking rain (like last weekend 10/24) and I'm willing to pay if it actually works. I have a few pieces of gear that seem to hold up to heavy rain, but "waterproofness" does not seem to be related to cost or manufacturer claims of waterproof (the classic case is boots - haven't found any truly waterproof boots).

Any recommendations for hats, pants, ponchos, coats are appreciated.

 

[hikingmaineac]

Here are some related info on SummitPost:

lightweight waterproof breathable jackets

gore-tex or event?

Hyvent vs. Gore-tex

... and here are the jacket reviews and pant reviews .

 

[Tom Rankin]

For me that bottom line is 'nothing works', as long as I am exerting myself to the point of breaking a sweat, and that usually happens pretty readily when I'm hiking!

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

I'm looking for stuff that works in real soaking rain (like last weekend 10/24) ...

For that kind of rain nothing works better than a good roof over your head. The mountains will be there next week (and the week after, and the week after ...).

 

[MadRiver]

I’ve found that rain gear has never kept me dry, just warm. I hate cold clammy rain pants so I turned a pair of extra large Wal-Mart rain pants into a rain kilt and that works fine for me.

 

[Little Rickie]

I hate cold clammy rain pants so I turned a pair of extra large Wal-Mart rain pants into a rain kilt and that works fine for me.

Got a picture?

Kilts and a rain cape/poncho. Interesting idea. They would flap and circulate air around your body when you move. I wonder how practical the woud be to hike in or in strong wind?

 

[David Metsky]

IMO, the goal of raingear is to keep you warm, not necessarily dry. In light rain, in moderate temps, with mild exertion it is possible to stay dry. Change any of those variables and you increase the likelihood of getting wet (mostly from sweat).

 

[MadRiver]

Got a picture?

Kilts and a rain cape/poncho. Interesting idea. They would flap and circulate air around your body when you move. I wonder how practical the woud be to hike in or in strong wind?

Since the rain kilt has no opening like my regular kilt, it doesn’t get blown open. I find that the rain just runs down the kilt and over my gaiters leaving my legs relatively dry. Also my legs above my gaiters do not sweat with the air being able to circulate. It’s a tad white trash looking, but it works for me.

http://hikeramiga.phanfare.com/1637478#imageID=-18062962

 

[RoySwkr]

(the classic case is boots - haven't found any truly waterproof boots).

You can get waterproof rubber boots (at least until you punch a hole in them), but unless you're wading a cool lake or stream your feet may sweat

My mother used to wear a rain cape which was a shorty poncho, good for bushwhacking in snowy trees as it kept snow from getting down your neck and between you and pack - are you listening, CM?

 

[--M.]

eVent & Precip -- to a point

I've had Precip gear (pants & jacket) for several years and like it very much. In the right conditions, they have actually dried out my pants and tee shirt while I hiked in the rain. But that was one time in one circumstance (a windy rain atop the Washington lawn, if I recall).

I got an eVent shell from REI about 14 months ago to replace/augment my aging Precip jacket. It's much heavier (leading to assignment to cooler-weather duty while the Precip gets the warmer) and I LOVED it last winter. It's a hard shell; good pockets; large enough to fit the puffy coat under (for camp-time); mostly just wore a wicking layer while exerting on the trail.

The key for me has been to dress as coolly as possible to minimize sweating out the garment from the inside. At a certain temp (say, high fifties), I just give in and wear only shorts & a tee and focus on not getting hypothermic (a la Mr. Metsky's advice). In the winter, this has not been an issue.

Yes, I've been happy with eVent (even with the expense) and Precip, and have gotten comfortable with hiking wet in warmer months. (People have laughed at how I break out just the pack-cover while they're breaking out their rain gear.)

Good luck & let us know how you make out!

--M.

 

[DougPaul]

Since the rain kilt has no opening like my regular kilt, it doesn’t get blown open. I find that the rain just runs down the kilt and over my gaiters leaving my legs relatively dry. Also my legs above my gaiters do not sweat with the air being able to circulate. It’s a tad white trash looking, but it works for me.

http://hikeramiga.phanfare.com/1637478#imageID=-18062962

One can also improvise a rain skirt from a plastic garbage bag and a strap/belt. Perhaps even trashier...

Doug

 

[Maddy]

Recently I called Marmot because I hiked in the Whites with my Precip Jacket and was soaked through and through.
They told me that these jackets are good for light rain and not for downpours or if you are going to be out "in the rain" for extended periods of time. They were never designed for that.
I carry it in my pack in the summer but I don't normally wear it, even if it rains. I like being soaked in hot weather.
This was a big surprise.
They recommended the more substantial goretex jackets for foul weather.
Mine has never kept me totally dry but never soaked through quite like the precip did.

 

[Little Rickie]

One can also improvise a rain skirt from a plastic garbage bag and a strap/belt. Perhaps even trashier...

Doug

I'm inspired!

 

[MadRiver]

One can also improvise a rain skirt from a plastic garbage bag and a strap/belt. Perhaps even trashier...

Doug

I have gone that route in the past but found the bags rip too easily. The Wal-Mart pants are heavier gauge and can withstand hiking through the scrubs without ripping.

 

[DougPaul]

I have gone that route in the past but found the bags rip too easily. The Wal-Mart pants are heavier gauge and can withstand hiking through the scrubs without ripping.

Sure, if you have planned ahead and want to do it regularly. Many of us carry a plastic garbage bag in our emergency gear.

Doug

 

[caleb]

IMO, the goal of raingear is to keep you warm, not necessarily dry. In light rain, in moderate temps, with mild exertion it is possible to stay dry. Change any of those variables and you increase the likelihood of getting wet (mostly from sweat).

Couldn't agree more. Staying warm is the trick and it usually doesn't require staying 100% dry. When I section hiked the CDT I started out with a soft shell and had a sil-tarp backup for extreme downpours. When I got cold I either had to walk faster (or run) or get into my sleep system (down bag/bivy/tarp). About half-way through, after I worked up the courage to throw out the Ray Jardine book, I added a Frogg Toggs top, mostly for warmth. I found the FT Pro-Action to be amazingly waterproof and durable.

http://www.froggtoggs.com/store/choose.asp?ItemNum=PA102&ItemType=%

The Frog Togg is, however, about the ugliest piece of clothing you could ever purchase. (see pic)

The last few years I've been buying Precips, mostly for the kids. They're about as good as it gets for single-layer other than Pac-Lite or E-vent (which aren't really single layer). The factory coating lasts a season or so and then we get 3-4 more good years with a yearly application of Mcnett Revive (which is an amazing product. It will make a paper napkin waterproof).

Recently I sprung for a $300 PAC-Lite shell from EMS. It is truly 100% waterproof and for that reason I wear it unzipped w/ pit-zips open most of the time...

There you have it, warmth at every price point.

 

[roadtripper]

If you want guaranteed waterproofness, splurge and buy some arc'teryx gear. It's absurdly expensive, but it'll keep you ridiculously dry and its about as breathable as gear gets. It's the finest quality hiking gear you can buy in my opinion.

They have outstanding hardshells, softshells and pants. And they look awesome.

I bought one of their jackets 6 years ago and I won't replace it for another 10.

 

[Maddy]

The factory coating lasts a season or so and then we get 3-4 more good years with a yearly application of Mcnett Revive (which is an amazing product. It will make a paper napkin waterproof).

Thanks. I am going to try this on my precip because I really like the jacket.

 

[sierra]

I still think Goer-Tex is the best, but as others have said its a losing battle when strenuously hiking, although with the shell on verses off, you will stay warmer, albiet still wet after a time.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

The last few years I've been buying Precips, mostly for the kids. They're about as good as it gets for single-layer other than Pac-Lite or E-vent (which aren't really single layer). The factory coating lasts a season or so and then we get 3-4 more good years with a yearly application of Mcnett Revive (which is an amazing product. It will make a paper napkin waterproof).

If you're careful about stress points and areas that your pack might rub, you can get the Precip lining to last a lot longer than a year.

And when the lining went on my first Precip, I returned it to Marmot. They replaced it without question—well, they had one question: what color did I want.