weather protection for your body

**pdizzle** · 11-30-2011, 11:56

wasn't sure exactly where this would fit or if it was within the forum topic, but i figured people here could offer up advice..

what does everyone like to use for personal rain and wind protection? 3 or 4 season? breathable? membrane (2.5 or 3 layer?)? plastic bags? silnylon or cuben fiber or other fancy space age materials?

I've got a marmot oracle for more durable usage and i'm less than impressed by it, although i don't think its marmots doing...I think its just wp/br membranes in general. It seems like i go on one outing with the thing and wet it out and the next time i go to use it, its lost all waterproofing. They're telling me I need to wash it after an excursion like this to revive the waterproofing, and i'm left thinking why did i spend all this money for extra work when i could just use a plastic bag or poncho in a pinch? or a waterproof/not breathable layer like silnylon? Or a light dwr/wind layer? I'm sort of the mentality that if its raining, your getting wet. It seems to be true even with my fancy rain jacket, once its pretty wet it just holds my sweat in anyway. So why not just accept it and shoot for wet and warm? Has anyone else had this experience?

or maybe i just need to suck it up and do my laundry

**BullFrog** · 11-30-2011, 12:21

I use DriDucks. Light, WP/B, and cheap. Many also use them while wearing a TQ as a coat for a waterproof puffy layer. I use it as a windbreak too. The breathability isn't fantastic, and it's not that durable, but it works for me.

**pdizzle** · 11-30-2011, 12:45

Thanks bulldawg-

I have a pair of dri ducks, they've now been dubbed my "holy rain jacket." I laid down for some stargazing on a slab and the back came out looking like swiss cheese. That said, i was very impressed with the wind and waterproofing until then. When i first got them i walked out my door and caught the sleeve on the door latch and tore them within about 5 minutes unfortunately as well. Maybe I'm not careful enough, but driducks doesn't seem like a reliable option in my case.

**Oms** · 11-30-2011, 20:54

Driducks in the summer, Frog toggs in the winter. Cannot wear them bushwacking or they will shred. Everything else makes me sweat.

**L.D. Cakes** · 11-30-2011, 21:46

I use The Packa

**pdizzle** · 11-30-2011, 22:15

ldcakes always coming through with excellent recommendations..how do you like that? I have heard some people say their forearms end up soaked due to the silnylon. The convenience is very tempting in terms of popping it on and off in rainstorms

**L.D. Cakes** · 11-30-2011, 22:29

Originally Posted by pdizzle

ldcakes always coming through with excellent recommendations..how do you like that? I have heard some people say their forearms end up soaked due to the silnylon. The convenience is very tempting in terms of popping it on and off in rainstorms

Thank You pdizzle! I have the Event Packa and have no problems with rain soaking through it at all. A premium breathable fabric but a little heavier than Sil. He's coming out with a Cuban Fiber one too! Also I like wearing a ball cap with it to keep the hood extended further off my face.

**beep** · 12-04-2011, 11:16

Originally Posted by ldcakes

I use The Packa

The Packa did not work for me (fit issues). I rely on eVent based items from Rab, a Super Dru top (no longer made, replaced by the Mountain Dru) and Bergen pants. The eVent membrane is (in my experience) far more breathable than normal Gore-Tex.

**pdizzle** · 12-05-2011, 13:34

Originally Posted by Chrisman2013

During the summer I use a simple DIY 1.1 sil poncho. It vents great, is easy to pop on and off, and is very versatile. However, i find it is not the best in heavy windstorms and rainstorms (probably due to DIY mistakes) and is not very good for things where full range of motion is key (like climbing or bouldering) so during the winter or when above treeline I use a Mountain Hardware rain jacket made of Dry.Q Laminate. It does not vent quite as well as the poncho but I have had no problems with the weatherproofing and the fabric's stretch is amazing for bouldering.

Originally Posted by SteelerNation

I carry an umbrella and use it whenever possible. Up to now, I have used some non-breathable rain gear for times when the weather is cooler or the umbrella won't work, but have just gotten a set of event pants and a jacket to try them out. We'll see how they do.

For the warmer weather, the umbrella has been great, but I'm also thinking of augmenting with some type of rain kilt to keep my shorts dry as well. That seems to breathe well, but I haven't really decided on a particular model as I want to make sure that it doesn't hamper my movement. . .

SN

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.

Originally Posted by lvnv1212

I just ordered one of these from zpacks, along with the chaps http://zpacks.com/accessories/wpb_jacket.shtml

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!

**Chrisman2013** · 12-03-2011, 18:16

During the summer I use a simple DIY 1.1 sil poncho. It vents great, is easy to pop on and off, and is very versatile. However, i find it is not the best in heavy windstorms and rainstorms (probably due to DIY mistakes) and is not very good for things where full range of motion is key (like climbing or bouldering) so during the winter or when above treeline I use a Mountain Hardware rain jacket made of Dry.Q Laminate. It does not vent quite as well as the poncho but I have had no problems with the weatherproofing and the fabric's stretch is amazing for bouldering.