MossBack wrote on Jul 11^th, 2018 at 3:17am:


REI has always been very good at separating fools from their money. Occasionally one can find reasonably priced items there but it's rare. I just go there mostly to look and see what's new and then hop online to find the reasonably priced same item or alternative.

Here you go. Gore-Tex, side zippers and at a quarter of the price of those high-end rain pants.


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$575. for a jacket ....  whoever wears that better stay away from the campfire! 

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For that kind of money, you could hire a Portage Monkey with an umbrella.

I'll stick with my Military Surplus and live with whatever weakness the might have.

No rain gear rant today, just reporting current upscale pricing.

I had to be in Indianapolis today, so I stopped in the REI store to see what I could not afford.  I bright orange sign with the word "CLEARANCE"  caught my attention.  A rack of Arc'Teryk  rain jackets.  No pants, just jackets.  The Beta AR model was marked down from $575 to $401.93.  Apparently 30% off with some slightly faulty math.

Nope, did not buy one.

MossBack

I had no problem recommending these at $20.
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Pants never have pockets but a good jacket will have neoprene cuffs and chest pockets IMO.

Have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly with rain gear.  Purchased a paddling jacket last year from NRS that is absolutely waterproof, and it is an anorak with just a half front zipper.  Perfectly dry, and a pain in the butt to pull off over the head.  My best full zip jacket option currently is a Patagonia that also works well, not as good as the anorak for waterproof.

I've had a couple of pairs of Marmot Precip pants.  They start out OK, but loose their waterproof fast, and really don't work in a downpour.  They do have full side zips that are very convenient.  I have to be picky, because I wear a medium long pant, which is hard to find.  Recently purchased a pair of Arcteryx pants that were expensive, and worth it.  Highly waterproof and breathable, with a drawstring waist and short side zips at the ankle.  Very lightweight.  Downside is no pockets.  My 2 cents worth.

This is great stuff, guys. Thanks!

I'll be diving deeper into some of these options over the next few days.

I should add that I don’t bother with rain jacket  anymore on portages. I just get wet. It’s for the reasons Mossback gave. My clothing is all fast drying technology. I can’t stand sweating out in my fleece or rain gear. So, they stay dry while portaging. I will wear the pants, however.

I suppose this will sound like more of a short rant than a gentle reply to a reasonable question.

“I have never met a rainsuit that I liked.”  There, I said it.

Over the years I have had many different brands and models and now days spend more on a single suit than my first car cost.

So here are a few opinions.  Just my opinions, no guaranteed facts.

Breathable rainsuits are mostly a myth. At some point I made a project out of understanding the breathable fabric water pressure rating system and bought suits accordingly.  Paddling in a drizzle on a reasonably cool day they work quite well.  Put them on a hilly portage trail on a warm humid day and you will still be as wet on the inside as you are on the outside.  No matter what the high tech rating number, the ability of the fabric to breath is still much less than my ability to sweat in grand quantities.

Rainsuits are like most things in life, a compromise.  The more breathable a suit is, the more water will “pump” inside where you do not want it.  The tractor style seats will pool just enough water between the plastic and your rump to force water through the fabric and soak you from the bottom up.

I know waterproof zippers are improving, but times gone by when I bought rainpants with convenient zippers water would pool in the folds in my lap and find its way inside from the movement.

My late 1970’s suits were horrible. Nothing breathed.  The 1980’s I danced with the early Frogg Toggs that felt like paper.  Light and comfortable, but were weak structurally and not at all forgiving of campfire sparks. The jackets were short and  the elastic waist in the pants always was just below the bottom of the jacket, so the water came in.

My current set is made by Grunden.  They are a bit bulky but durable and do a decent job except under hard physical activity.  I always buy high waist bibs to give me a second layer in my lap where I always seem to be the wettest.  The jacket has good neoprene cuffs that will snug around wrists and minimizes the water that invariable runs toward your elbows when paddling.  It has a couple of waterproof zippered pockets with weep holes that drain to the outside when water does get in, and it usually does in a soaker.

Good luck with your new choices. 

Kind Regards, and thanks for listening.

MossBack