what keeps you dry?

[+HoldenFamily4]

I'm in the market for a light, nylon, breathable rain jacket. I like the REI Ultralight Jacket...right up to the $130 pricetag! I was at Walmart and saw Stearns had a nice lined-nylon rain jacket for $30...sounds good. What do y'all carry? Any suggestions?

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

Hehee, I'm glad you asked. To answer your question first I have a durable looking but inexpensive raincoat I bought from TSC about three years ago. I've worn it maybe once, it stays in my pickup for rainy days.

This past Saturday I went caching in a downpour, first cache took about 15 minutes, second cach was a 3/4 mile hike, in the rain. Third cache took about ten minutes but what the hey, i was already thoroughly soaked. As I'm driving away i see Dozens of people at the spillway wearing raincoats and it hit me, "You big dummy, your raincoats in the back of the truck". I don't know why but I never think about wearing a raincoat unless I see someone else wearing one first.

[+Too Tall John]

I think the extra money spent on a jacket with gore-tex or the equivalent is well worth it. I've got a lightweight raincoat I picked up for $15. It keeps the rain out, but it doesn't breathe at all. I end up almost as wet from sweat in that jacket as I would if I just went out without it. I more recently got a gore-tex rain coat, the full length deal, it seals the water out real nice. It also breathes really well, so I actually stay dry wearing it.

Out in the woods, staying dry can be more of a safety issue than a comfort issue. I think the extra money spent is well worth it.

 

My Raincoat.

 

Oh, and a wide brimmed felt hat. Great for all weather!

 

My Hat.

[+briansnat]

I'm in the market for a light, nylon, breathable rain jacket. I like the REI Ultralight Jacket...right up to the $130 pricetag! I was at Walmart and saw Stearns had a nice lined-nylon rain jacket for $30...sounds good. What do y'all carry? Any suggestions?

 

The difference between the two isn't just price. Lined, non-breathable nylon rainwear is fine if you're going to be sitting in the stadium watching a football game or sitting in a boat fishing in the rain, but if you are active you will wind up getting soaked inside just from sweat.

 

If you are active in bad weather you should wear garment with a waterproof-breathable membrane. Gore-Tex is one of the most popular, most expensive and best brands of waterproof/breathable fabric. Many manufacturers have their own proprietary waterproof-breathable membrane. They tend to have varying degrees of waterproofness and breathability, but are generally more expensive (often a lot more) than lined nylon or rubber coated rainwear.

 

I find that Marmot PreCip rainwear strikes a good balance between performance and price. It's not quite as waterproof or breathable as Gore-Tex but is 1/3 to 1/2 the price and if you find it at an outlet like I did ($15 at the LL Bean outlet) it's a bargain. It's very lightweight and designed to stuff into its own pocket which is convenient for packing.

 

PrecCip is well designed rainwear for the price, with pit zips for added ventilation and pockets that can be accessed even when wearing a pack with a hip belt. Features you generally don't see in rainwear under $100.

 

But bear in mind that with rainwear you get what you pay for. PreCip is no Gore-Tex.

 

Edited April 18, 2007 by briansnat

[+Renegade Knight]

I pull the liner out of my Columbia Titanium Jacket and put on my gor tex hiking boots and call it good.

 

Once every 5 years or so it's so wet that I wish I had something to cover my jeans. But then I forget for the next 5 years.

[+benh57]

What is this 'rain' of which you speak?

[+moongecko]

I've got this old Columbia rain jacket that my wife had in college... and NO it's not pink.

 

It stayed in the closet for years, until last December when I went caching out in the rain. She insisted that I wear it as not to ruin my good coat. I always hated that rain jacket, but after I wore it out caching it was THE BEST! I love it now! I wouldn't wear anything else caching in the rain.

 

The outter skin keeps me good and dry and it's designed to be breathable so it allows for good ventilation for maximum comfort. An unexpected side benefit of the jacket was the outter skin was puncture resistant. I was able to do some serious bushwacking, put my hands inside the pockets, and walk through mountains of thorns without a single scratch.

 

That particular outing was one of my favorites... and the jacket actually made it that much more enjoyably!

 

Moonie

[+GIDEON-X]

Here in the Desert South West (Yuma, AZ) we don't get that much rain. I do how ever, carry a couple of compact ponchos in my pack (88 cents) at Walmart.......Good for rain, wind-break, ground cloth etc. etc...............

[+Jhwk]

baby.

 

I learned long ago that I am waterproof.

 

even if I drink it, the water comes right back out...

[+StarBrand]

My best rain gear??

 

It cost over $20,000 and was made by Jeep Corporation.........

 

 

Next Best

I have a Cabelas made rain Jacket that is breathable. It keeps me plently dry and can be rolled up nicely too. I need to find me a good pair of rain pants to complete my suit.

[+Miragee]

With a 20% off coupon from REI, I just got one of these.

 

 

I don't usually cache when I think it might rain, but a chance for a FTF last Sunday had me out in the rain. That hat worked great.

 

I also had on a lightweight, Marmot jacket just like the one briansnat has.

 

 

I got it at the REI "Used Gear" sale . . . but I didn't quite get it for that $15.00 bargain price.

[Great Birds]

In my car I carry a jacket that stuffs into a small pouch. By Columbia IIRC. If I am out chaching and it looks like rain, i put it in my geo-fannypack. It is good if I get caught in the rain but is not too breathable. If I am planning for rain, I have a Patagonia parka that can't be beat. It keeps me dry and holds back the wind on the toughest days.

[jeepseth]

I've had good luck finding used gore tex jackets on craigslist (although ymmv, i live in the PNW and they are abundant) I bought a north face and marmot goretex jacket in excellent condition and I thing they were both around $50. Good Luck and Happy Caching!

[+oldsoldier]

My experience w/goretex is that it works great for snow, not so much with rain. I find it too hot during anything about 35 or so. I have an army issue wet weather top (new style, not the old stinky ones) that has pit zips. I use this, as it was free, can take the abuse, and stops the rain. I have the pants too, and usually only put those on if I'm out in a field during/after a rain. Goretex is great, in certain weather. Cheap rain slickers work fine, IMHO, in anything above 40.

[+smcpeaknkids]

I cache in AZ I never carry rain gear. Although when it does rain it is like a monsoon and you cannot cache in that

[+lmcgisme]

I'd avoid the Stearns at Walmart if you'll be out in the rain for long. I have one, and its fine for walking from my car into a building, but not much longer.

 

Recently I went caching on a day with heavy drizzle. I was also going in museums and other buildings so I wasn't out all day constantly. By the end of the day the inside of the jacket was wet and my clothes were damp. A couple days later I was out in the rain - not a downpour but more than drizzle. We hiked a couple trails and watched wildlife for a while. I would have been no wetter with no raincoat at all. The rain leaked in through the seams and zipper and eventually just soaked through everything.

 

For a brief walk its fine, but if you'll be out in the rain for any length of time you'll end up getting wet.

[Trinity's Crew]

What keeps me dry? Depends...

[+Team LaLonde]

Don't forget these. . .Worn with a hooded rain poncho, this combo keeps you dry every time.

 

Keep your legs dry, too!

 

"What keeps me dry? Depends..." - Trinity's Crew takes geocaching addiction to a new level!

[+Jedi Cacher]

I have the North Face Venture jacket. Very light weight and packable and has pit zip vents. It is made of rip stop nylon with hyvent for water proofness. Very comparable to the Marmot Precip jacket like the one Briansnat has. The Venture sells for around $100 but got it on Ebay for cheaper.

 

If you want a really good deal, Cabelas has thier Goretex EXV gear packable jacket on sale right now for $79.95. That is a pretty good deal for goretex. I just might order one for myself before the good sizes and colors are gone.

[+Allanon]

Mostly I don't worry about it. If it's raining and I don't want to get wet, I don't go out...otherwise I just wear a coat and hat and what happens happens...