PJ,

If you're interested, the REI sale catalog just arrived.  The Kimtah eVent jacket is on sale from $239 for $179.  Sale is 5/18-28.  They have not posted anything on line yet.  They also have various Marmot and Mountain Hardware jackets and pants on sale too. Or 20% whatever, if you're a member.  Hope you find the right one.

pd

I wonder how the wash and dry thing "reconditions" breathable rain gear. I can understand that the breathability would be enhanced by opening up the "pores". ... how are those too small to allow water in microscopic openings helped by clearing them out ?  Does the dirt somehow act as a conduit and wick moisture in?  Anyway, I guess I'll put my gortex-used-german army suit through the hot wash/cold rinse routine and then through the dryer,and wear it on a long walk in the rain. I'll probably treat the seams with Thompson's Water Sealant (silicone) (just like my tent and tarp) and then treat the whole suit with one of the reconditioning products sold in Campmore.  The first time I wore this thing on a wet and cold trip in May my upper body got soaked right where the shoulder seams (pack straps) were,and through my upper chest when I could not stop paddling hard into the wind, rain, and viscious waves long enough to pull the zipper all the way up. I figured out  how to pull my zipper up before heading into the wind,sealed my seams,and since then haven't had any problems (-and, of course I know better than to" mess around with Jim."...).  I do always take along a nylon poncho as insurance, but as of yet haven't had to go through a multi day monsoon that saturated everthing . I wonder if just treating that shoulder area the same way you would your tent ,would'nt keep an otherwise good piece of equipment in the game? Might make that area a little stiff and maybe a little less "G-Q",but who's lookin?

-huh...  the Durable Water Repelent must lube up the outside of the fabric enough so that the water droplets roll off without breaking the cohesive bonds that keep that droplet too large to pass through the "pores"...kinda like water off a duck's ...   back.   What's the duck do? It keeps it's feathers clean and oiled;but it can grow new feathers to replace broken down ones wheras we must replace the fabric with new when the structure is destroyed. Got it. ("...don't pull the mask off that ol Lone Ranger,...") Thanks. Suppose I can only make the the old stuff work so long untill I turn it into some kind of stiff,heavy ,varnished "oil cloth".  'nuf said.

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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.

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