Rain Chaps

[Michael Schwartz]

I'm interested in hearing from people who use or have used rain chaps. A few people have mentioned them in other threads, especially related to poncho use. Are the chaps easy to put on and take off? What's the hassle factor? Do you find them effective? MLD make a pair in eVent which look good. Any views/opinions appreciated. Mike

[Kenneth Reppart]

I'm also curious – especially to see if anyone has made rain chaps from an old pair of driducks. Seems like they would work fairly well for that.

[Pamela Wyant]

I made some from a new pair of Dri-Ducks when the seat seam ripped out. I haven't had the need to use them in the rain yet, but I anticipate they will work well.

[David Lewis]

They work well in very light rain… but they will soak thru eventually. Super easy to put on and take off.

[Michael Schwartz]

Great idea to modify Dri Ducks as a way of trying out chaps. I've always thought chaps were a good idea, and a great weight saver. eVent or similar chaps might be the ticket for wet weather hiking.

[Tim Heckel]

I used to carry and use chaps. I now favor full WB pants.

The main reason is if its wet enough to wear them the places I want to sit and rest are wet too. Chaps don't protect your rear end. And walking through tall wet willows and such gets your hip area wet, front and rear.

I'm considering the 'rain wrap'. http://www.ula-equipment.com/rain_wrap.htm

[JW]

I used driducks chaps on the JMT last summer. Used them in blazing hot weather for sun and bug protection and light rain. You will need a long jacket or poncho for heavy rain. I did not sew or tape them, just cut off the waist band, crotch and hips and tucked a flap from the side into my shorts. No probs hiking 2.5-3 mph. Here's a pic (I'm hiding my face because I look like a freak, but the outfit worked!):

[Michael Schwartz]

Checked out the ULA Rain Wrap. Looks like a better option for me since I'd be using with hard shell jacket. Thanks for the lead; I wasn't aware of this product.

[Brian Lewis]

I too made a pair of chaps out of driducks rainpants. They work fine, and indeed, a single chap-at-a-time is a lot easier to put on and take off than a pair of rain pants, at least rain pants that don't have side zips. And those tend to be heavy.

I don't tend to wear chaps when I'm walking, however; unless it's pretty darned windy, cold, or particularly windy AND cold, wearing any sort of rain pants or chaps when I walk just means I get wet from the inside out (perspiration) rather than the outside in.

Of course a drawback of chaps for in-camp use is that your butt isn't covered if you sit down!

I probably use my chaps most often for just starting out on a wet morning, when dew or raindrops are on the vegetation. After both external temps and I warm up, off they come.

[Author]

Posts