silnylon rain gear question

[KRS]

Does anyone have any experience using silnylon for rain gear. I know it doesn't breath and I will get wet from sweat. What I wanted to know if used for a jacket if the material will wet out from the rain and become soaked?

[David Halterman]

There are numerous silnylon poncho/tarps on the market that do well as rain gear.

[todd]

Sil WILL wet out/become soaked in serious rain.

[John S.]

I've used a pair of Brawny sil raingear on some trips and it always did good enough. Sweating under it depends on several factors including you, how you wear the suit (how tightly cut), outside temps and how hard you are exercising. Mine has never wetted out.

[KRS]

Thanks

[Mike V]

When people talk about a piece of rain gear "wetting out" it is usually in reference to the DWR failing on a 2 or 3 layer WB garment and the face fabric absorbing water, at which point a WB material can allow moisture transport from outside to the inside. Silnylon is not a DWR coated fabric, nor is it breathable, therefore this phenomenon would not apply. That being said, silnylon can absorb a small amount of moisture however it will not penetrate the fabric unless it is under a significant amount of pressure.

[Roger Caffin]

It does not breath, and you will get wet from sweat. Normal.

No, silnylon does not 'wet out and become soaked' in the way other fabrics do. Think of it as a thin sheet of reinforced silicone rubber. The surface may look wet afterwards, but just give it a good shake.

Cheers

[[ Drew ]]

"No, silnylon does not 'wet out and become soaked' in the way other fabrics do. Think of it as a thin sheet of reinforced silicone rubber. The surface may look wet afterwards, but just give it a good shake."

Glad someone cleared this up. When I saw the comment about it wetting out… O__o

[Mercedes Clemens]

Both of my rain pieces are silnylon (Antigravity Gear's rain jacket with pit zips, MLD rain chaps). The pit zips make a big difference with the jacket, although I don't tend to use it when it's warm/hot out (use umbrella instead), but it works great in cool/cold rain/snow. Doesn't wet out. Wore it most recently over my down jacket, it was perfect, my down stayed nice and dry through several hours of hiking in snow/sleet/rain. Rain chaps are great too. Both pieces pack up small enough and are lightweight. Also good for wind and extra layer to sleep in if it's cold.

[todd]

Well if sil doesn't wet out, etc, why can't I shake nearly all the water off after a good rain on a sil tarp?

I haven't weighed it on the trail, of course, but it's noticeably heavier.

[Roger Caffin]

> Well if sil doesn't wet out, etc, why can't I shake nearly all the water off after
> a good rain on a sil tarp?
IF the surface is staying really wet – which does not normally happen, then I would suspect the surface is kinda dirty. So the dirt, not the silnylon, is holding the water. Try washing it in warm water with Atsko Sports Wash or equivalent, NOT ordinary laundry powder.

Cheers

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I used silnylon chaps on the PCT. I wore them daily in Washington. I have no idea if they wet out or kept me dry or if the coating is gone and they don't work anymore. I could tell no difference between the way it feels to be wet and the way it feels to have wet silnylon against your skin. It feels identical to me.

[Roger Caffin]

> could tell no difference between the way it feels to be wet and the way it feels to
> have wet silnylon against your skin.

I sympathise!
The water against your skin will be condensed sweat, but it will be almost as cold as the rain on the outside. You need something else between the silnylon and your skin, but that too can get wet.
So in really heavy rain and wind I wear GoLite Whims instead: they at least are breathable. Otherwise, I just rely on my poncho. Yes, I still get wet legs …

Cheers

[Peter Boysen]

I recently made some DIY Silnylon rain pants (about 2.4oz) that worked pretty well for me, mostly in not very intensive activity, like canoeing/portaging. As others mentioned, you'll still typically want a layer between your skin and the fabric. And personally I think the baggier the better as it'll both allow more airflow, and keep some of the condensed sweat inside the fabric further from clothing layers.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

The problem with having a layer between my skin and the silnylon was that I was then too hot while hiking. Even in cold rain (40s?) I got too hot. The whole point was to keep my pants dry because that's all I had to sleep in. I seriously cannot find a good solution to rain. Every solution causes a new problem.

[Sumi Wada]

I made a really basic hooded anorak in silnylon and it's fine for camp but as soon as I start moving, I can see little beads of water forming inside. Really surprised me the first time since I rarely have "sweating out" issues and don't go out of my way to buy rain gear with pit-zips or worry much about fabric breathability. I've since made another anorak out of a WPB fabric and the silnylon one is mostly in my purse or car for emergency in-town situations.

I've never had it soak through from the rain.

[Steven McAllister]

There are a lot of people who either don't believe in, or don't understand condensation in rain gear and will insist that no mater what you call it, water is leaking in through the silnylon, spinnaker, cuben, … :-(

My preferred rain gear is a silnylon cape that ties at the bottom so it doesn't flap too much in wind. I combine this with my groundcloth(silnylon, polycryo, tyvek, …) warn as a rain skirt.

The combination keeps me relatively dry from the knees up. The ventilation is good enough to not trap much condensation.

I will also often combine these with a windshirt and wind pants underneath if I need the extra warmth/dryness.

The bottom of my long pants will be wet, but hiking pants don't absorb a lot of water and dry fast.

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Piper

I think you may need to rethink your clothing and what you sleep in. I think you are asking for the impossible.

We only put overtrousers on when there is a high cold wind. We don't worry about rain. Yeah, wet trousers – so?

Cheers

[KRS]

Steven McAllister, I would like to see that set up with the cape. Do you have any pictures?

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