portage dog wrote on Apr 8^th, 2013 at 12:28am:


Perhaps the "expense" can be attributed to "business activities"  

If not > (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Great deal you got Z.  Marmot makes a good line of rain gear.  I have the precip pants as well (....as well as a couple others that is - what can I say...I'm a gear junkie) and they are reliable and light.  I've gotten a lot of wear out of them.

MT...hopefully you can maintain your indoor accomodations, but if you do have to come out and hang with us 'dogs', at least you will stay nice and dry....and light!   

pd

ended up getting the marmot precip jacket. email coupon from sierra trading post brought the price down from 99.00 to 48.00 and .99 shipping to boot.  it's not hard to be critical after looking at 200.00+ jackets but compared to the dry ducks i've been slogging around in, it's easier to be grateful for the precip.

I have used an E-vent rain jacket from REI for two years, including one Quetico trek.  I love it!  Absolutely waterproof, lightweight, and it actually breathes, so you don't get wet from perspiration.  I also like the feel of the material.  It is way softer and more breathable than Goretex.  I have washed mine many times, and it is still fuly waterproof.  I paid $220 for mine, and I spent about 2 hours walking around the store trying to talk myself out of it, but my wife was tired of my complaining about bad raingear, and she convinced me to spend the money.  I can now say that is was money well spent.

portage dog wrote on May 14^th, 2012 at 9:47pm:


Been taking a good hard look at my gear........I had always been mostly pleased with what I had picked up almost a decade ago but never REALLY scrutinized it. My favored raingear set was a Cabelas Gore-tex parka and pants complete with suspenders. They had their own dedicated "weather bag" complete with Seattle Sombrero and fingerless glacier gloves. This combo had always kept me warm and dry but I never took a critical eye to it until this thread. It occurred to me that my system was not only sort of heavy (raingear was fairly large > complete with liners) it was also bulky adding to the overall unwieldiness of my kit.

If my woman ever finds out what I dropped on raingear I will be sleeping with my mutts........"it's all Portage Dogs fault" I will stammer and mumble......(some spittle forming in the corner of my mouth for good measure)

I had never even heard of E vent before this thread (I lead a sheltered life). I decided on a Westcombe hooded shell and Kimtah rainpants. Very nice.......Super impressed with the craftsmanship on the jacket. No frills, or bells or whistles, comes in at 11 oz.........no pit zips, extra pockets etc. Extremely light, extremely packable. My next dedicated weather bag will be 1/2 the size of my current one.

Big and major improvement. Yes rather pricey.......but I have zero vices and have no intentions of retiring so I will just put a few more hours in  . Goals? You bet! (My goal is to not crash and burn because I was trying to be 20 again carrying 80+lbs.)

Check out the Marmot Super Mica.  It is a bit pricey although if you hunt around you can find it marked down considerably.  Still, given that it is truly waterproof, it is far cheaper than gortex or e-vent jackets. No waterproof jacket is going to breathe like a cotton shirt but the Super Mica has pit zips and is well vented.  i have worn it inextended downpours and stayed dry.  It is extremely light weight.  Really the perfect rain jacket for paddling, highly recommended.

yeah that makes sense pd. looking at something like marmot precip now. thanks!

Z - The stretchable version jackets are generally know as 'soft shells' and are DWR treated but not considered waterproof - more like repellent.  Make sure you read the label carefully/completely for the specs to be sure.  They wet out much faster and are good for light rain, but not a long or heavy one.  If you are looking for waterproof, better to stick with a 'hard shell', which most of what is discussed in this thread fits into.  Backpacker magazine Gear Guide, just out, has good data and reviews on the latest gear, not just jackets.  It's one of the best comprehensive reviews of manufacturer gear offerings - geared toward hikers, but full of good info on tons of stuff. 

pd

Quote:


I've bought RedHead brand clothes before and they were a good value for the money.
But, I've torn up enough gear on trips to believe that ripstop construction in any fabric is an important thing.
Sooner or later your going to snag it up and then your left with a small tear that just keeps growing.
Still might be a good buy for a boat type rain top and if that works out you could take it on a paddling trip.

At BassPro last night and saw a Redhead brand stretchable 'breathable' rain gear jacket on sale. Jacket reg 80.00 on sale for 45.00.  On line they only show realtree but in store, solid grey, black, green. Since it's not ripstop, i really wanted to 'test' its durability but held back. other thought is that might not slide on/off easily. Anyone used or seen these? Thoughts?