Rain Jacket Help: Precip or Helium

As long as you like the way it fits, go with the Helium. OR's warranty policy is way better and their customer service is better than Marmot's.

Keep an eye out for sales–it is a holiday weekend, after all.

Precips are available in tall sizes. What about OR?

"For reference most of my hiking will be done in the traditional 3 seasons in the Sierra’s"

If you are doing trail hiking, you might also want to consider either O2 Rain Shield or Dri Ducks. Both are lighter, much cheaper and breathe at least as well as the ones you are already considering. They are too fragile, though, for off trail hiking.

My OR Helium II has done well and survived many long rains. Its hood is pretty bad though, and blows back in the wind.

If I was looking for a similar jacket, I would look at the Marmot Essence.

This thread may be helpful. It has some good comparison photos:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=88086

The Precip is not recommended for backpacking, according to the Marmot rep I spoke to at REI. It also will delaminate faster. It is designed as a budget casual/dayhiking rainshell, not made for backpacking. From what I remember he said it would eventually let in water through the shoulder seams under the weight of a backpacking pack.

I have the Helium 2 and have been quite happy with it. It weighs 6.1 ounces (medium) after cutting the tags out and could be lighter if you cut out the pocket that it stuffs into. People complain about the hood but it seems to work fine for me. I would pay the extra and get the helium. OR's warranty is amazing if you ever have a problem too.

I was fed up with the Precip. They wet out quickly, and the ones I had delaminated too. The Essence has been better, but OR's customer service is way better. I haven't used the Helium but it is on my radar. I hike in the PNW, so rain gear gets used.

I'll throw something else out there. I had a Precip, and a Patagucci Torrentshell. Both were available in tall sizes. Both were no good. I bought a Haglofs LIM jacket and so far I love it. Good hood, thumbholes in the sleeves(brilliant!) Fits my long torso and arms, I'm 6'3". Scored mine for $120 at Sierra Trading Post. It's Gore Tex. It rains here quite a bit, until I bought the jacket. I opted for waterproof over breathability as you can't really have both in prolonged rain. I sweat too much to expect a breathable membrane to keep up. My 2XL weighs 10.5 oz. Could be overkill for you, but I am happy so far. Destroyed a set of Dri Ducks the first outing.

Dropped mine off at Goodwill, replaced with $15 Froggs Toogs, and or $0.99 Wallymart rain poncho…

have been happy with my Helium; it's not bomber (at 6 ounces you wouldn't expect that), but does a very good job w/ our typical afternoon mountain showers; if I know rain is in the forecast I opt for a 3 layer eVENT jacket (Rab) and take the 5 oz hit

Fit is very different between these two. I have a Precip and a Helium HD(same fit as Helium).
My Large Precip is at least as roomy as my XL Helium HD, which is a taller, slimmer fit.
The XL Helium HD is over 3 ounces lighter than the L Precip, and its construction quality is higher.
The Precip's Velcro tabs up front can be irritating. You can just use them instead of the zipper for a little extra ventilation, though.
The newer Precip has a rollup hood that mine doesn't, and the new NanoPro treatment that supposedly makes it more breathable than before, so I don't know how they stack up performance-wise, but that's pretty relative to begin with.
Both have good venting, which to me is a lot more important.

Booooo precip! Yes to delam and wet out, baggy fit

Yeaaaaaa helium. I live in the rainy parts and that's what I use. It's one of the things I always take unless it's Stupid Hot Summer.

Thanks for the responses, it’s been a great help.

It looks like the consensus between the two is the OR Helium which I suspected. However some comments have me a little concerned.

First is the fit, I haven’t tried it on yet but plan to and I am not too concerned with it being slim but more so with sleeve length and overall length. Can any of the taller hikers give me an idea if it will be long enough?

Next, I saw a lot of comments about it not be bombproof and while I don’t expect that at this price and weight point I am concerned it may not be what I need. Again can someone with experience chime in, it will mostly be used for the occasional mountain shower but if I am in sustain rain throughout the day will this not be sufficient? Again, most of my hiking will be on-trail traditional 3 seasons in the Sierra’s.

Thanks again.

I stay dry in mine in prolonged rain, but on the move YMMV. Breathing isnt its forte. I DO hike in mine but i wear minimal clothing underneath.

Im in the PNW. I would think in the Sierra you'd be totally fine.

Its not bombproof… it weighs 6oz… I've had mine for two years with no issues.

Bombproof and 6 ounces are not likely to exist together. Is your rain shell going to live in your pack, and only rarely get taken out? Then the 6 ounces may be more important. Will you be hiking for hours in it? Then a heavier jacket may be a better choice if it performs better. I have 2 jackets, and throw in whichever will suit the conditions.

^ very much agreed :)

I think for the Sierras (similar to our Rocky Mtn weather) it should be just fine, it's going to spend the overwhelming time in your pack

if you're concerned with those few days where there is sustained rain, maybe you should look at a 3 layer jacket and take the weight hit

Fit: I'm about 6'1 160 – slim with long arms and the Helium 2 Medium fits me well with just a baselayer, and with a baselayer plus light insulating layer. If you are 6'4 and slim a large might work but you may want to size up to get the extra length in both the sleeves and length. For me the length is perfect but they do not have "extra" coverage like many shells do – this is a pared down shell designed for the occasional shower and it will get you through a serious storm if needed, but it is not the shell I would choose if I know I'm going to be in prolonged bad weather.

For winter, mountaineering, and prolonged bad weather a 3 layer shell that is more generously sized and maybe more fully featured would be a better choice IMO. Something made of event, gore active etc will breathe much better. There is a thread about a 6 ounce RAB event shell, or the M10 or Alpha FL are both pretty light if you want one jacket to do it all.

Thanks again all!

I wasn't expecting it to be a bombproof shell just thought of it more on a sliding scale more bombproof then lets say Frogg Toggs or the O2 Rainshield but it sounds like that is not the case and if so minimal, but more of a craftsmanship difference. Either way I believe I have the information I need and it appears the OR Helium would fit my requirement for my situation.

However can anyone point me to a few bombproof shells that could perform in sustained inclement weather as well as the winter season. Just not sure what the few perennial favorites are and some help or even a thread would be greatly beneficial.

Ken,
which Haglofs LIM do you have? There are several LIMs listed at the Haglofs web site.

thanks,
billy

I have both the Marmot Precip and the OR Helium II. Of those two I greatly prefer the Helium for it's light weight, compact pocket stuff, cut, and fit.

However, I recently picked up a Patagonia Alpine Houdini Jacket that I prefer over the others. It is slightly longer than the Helium, just as light (within 0.5 oz anyway), does well in rain and fits me the best (6' 170 lbs). It is a climbers jacket meaning that the hood can go over a helmet. That may be the only drawback. I find that the hood is a little large and the bill can block my vision if I wear it without a bill cap (not an issue for me as I usually have a goretex cap on in the rain anyway).