Pants or chaps would be good. When wearing shorts I've had rain blow sideways where it runs down my legs between my leg & my gaiters to wick through my socks & soak my feet & boots.
Pants or chaps would be good. When wearing shorts I've had rain blow sideways where it runs down my legs between my leg & my gaiters to wick through my socks & soak my feet & boots.
Hootenanny Hang June 11-13, 2021
Love many, trust few & always paddle your own canoe. American Proverb
Adventure is Calling... nolilearn.org
"The more I carry the happier I am in camp; the less I carry the happier I am getting there" - Sgt. Rock
I think I'm shying away from umbrellas and ponchos mainly because of the lack of windproofness, which is important to me in the whites...I'm thinking what i need is mainly a wind layer and a get through a sprinkle/tough out a rainstorm kind of layer. For 3 seasonness I'm not really concerned with staying that dry, as long as i can manage to sleep dry.
Umbrellas have always intrigued me though, seem like such a novel solution and allow a lot of movement and breathability. Again though, I'm worried about ducking around trees and such on narrow paths up north here.
I would be interested in how breathable these garments actually are and compare to goretex/event. The price tags a little scary to me though!
Tomorrow I should have an EPIC hooded windshirt arriving from Wild Things, a small gear manufacturer nearby in North Conway, NH (they make pants as well i think). I came across it under the recommendation of a friend, their gear is marketed mostly towards rock climbers. Afterwards, i found a review here.
Got it for $60, usually $130...some leftovers from last season. Not sure i would have gone for it @ $130, but at $60 i couldnt resist. From what I've heard, it excels in breathability and the EPIC fabric is pretty waterproof surviving strong rains for a short period of time anyway. also, it weighs in at about 6.5-7oz! i attached a picture they sent me. I'll let you guys know how it fairs!
I have a DriDucks dura-lite rain suit..
I also use a old military poncho. I will leave the DriDucks behind but when I hit the trail of even car camp the poncho is always with me rain or shine..
the packa is awesome.cedartree has a winner.best a.t. gear i had.besides my hammock
You will be wet if you are in a downpour for any length of time. The major function of rain gear is to regulate your temperature. That's a personal opinion, I know. You need to keep from getting hypothermia if you are in normal (cool) rain. You also need to vent enough heat to avoid overheating and swimming in gallons of your own sweat. I have Frogg Toggs, a Marmot PreCip jacket, ponchos, and a North Face WB jacket. I value the pit zips more than anything in a jacket. They are breathable in the humid East, even if the fabric is soaked. A poncho is almost ideal, if the wind is not too bad.
My major deal with rain is to wear the right socks and sneakers. Thorlo light hikers and trail runner shoes will pump out more water than you can imagine. If you hike in the rain a lot you may already know this. Everyone's experience may be different. This is mine.
Disclaimer: note that this is coming from someone who does the majority of his hiking in Florida, so it may not apply very well to places where it rains at 40 F all the time.
I use an old GI surplus poncho, mostly for durability. It's almost impossible to break, which is a big plus for me, with it being outergear. It vents as well as anything does, though it's very floppy in strong winds. Since it's long enough to go over my pack, it eliminates the need for a pack cover. It also makes a fine impromptu Grizz Beak or groundcloth at need.
I've not had it in rain below 50 F, though...
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