High likely hood of rain. What rain shell would you carry?

During the day, I think I'd just get wet. If you are working hard in the mid 70s, it will probably feel great :)

If the "possibly severe" storm will be during the evening or while in camp, I'd go for the reliably waterproof PacLite.

If you think you'll be living in the rain gear, pro shell fo sho.

It'll probably be a compromise regardless of the jacket you take. That said, this being BPL, what are the weights of each jacket?

I have a Rab eVent anorak I use when I know I will be wearing it a lot. Dri ducks would be pretty breathable and cheap too.

Shells are a pain to put on and take off every time. We use ponchos.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/myog_mntn_poncho.html

Cheers

+1 on the Dri Ducks or Frogg Toggs.

The lightest shell I own with the best (most intact) DWR and the most ventilation features. I my case, that would be a poncho.

Poncho for the wooded, humid east coast always worked for me… though I also had good luck with a super-light rain shell and a waterproof hat instead of a hood (Seattle Sombrero or similar). This provided great ventilation.

My experience with Paclite is that it breathes no better than PU coated stuff, and Pro is not exactly great either. So, go with whatever has the best ventilation, or the lightest coupled with a wide-brimmed waterproof hat.

Thanks for the commentary everyone. I'm thinking I'll just wear my Houdini if it's raining while I'm hiking, which will more than likely happen. If I end up chilly from the rain or wind, I can put on the rain jacket.

Montane Smock is 4.9 oz, Super Cell is 11.9 oz and the Super Pluma is 13.9. The Montane is the clear winner for weight and bulk, but the only venting options are the half zip and kangaroo pocket. The cuffs, hem and hood are tight elastic so create a really good seal= sweat box on the move if it's to hot. The super cell and super Pluma have the same venting features which are huge pit zips and full front zips, loose hem and Velcro adjustable cuffs. I can definitely feel a difference between the PacLite and Pro jackets though. These two are much more water proof.

I guess it comes down to when I'll be wearing it like some of yall mentioned. I may just go to Wally World and get a FroggToggs poncho. I always hear about ponchos being the best for the AT.

Thanks for the sage advice. It may be one of those decisions made at the trail head. I get cold really easy so I may need to carry a light fleece layer as well. Too many options!

Well, it's pouring rain at my house, so I went for a fast walk around the block in the Minimus Smock. I think I'll just go with it. It worked well enough to keep me dry without any serious overheating. It's not like I'll be out there for a week. I have a synthetic quilt and good shelter so I think I'll be fine. But, come December, the Super Pluma gets broken out for those days of low 30s and all day rain we seem to get so often in winter.

Thanks for the input everyone. I guess this thread was slightly pointless, but it did give me some great things to think about. I'll definitely need to try out the poncho though.

"I guess this thread was slightly pointless"

NOT! Rain gear is next to shelter on priorities for me. Cold and wet does not make "recreation." Dying of hypothermia sucks— and the part in the middle ain't no fun neither.

The poncho thing is:

Cheap (that's me!)
Light (7oz)
Keeps me dry to the shins
Keeps my pack dry– suspension and all.
Looks like tossed salad coming down the trail and I DON'T CARE. [Enter pithy quote from Hank Thoreau on fashion]

Shorts no shirt and truck along. fewer item to dry later. In those temperatures you are going to get wet either from rain or sweat. Embrace the wetness but limit what gets wet. Too cold then add a poncho.

Warm and wet? Umbrella!

I have stayed very dry in a Paty supercell, nonstop several days of rain in AK, you can't just stand in the rain for tens of hours though, and if you sweat, or there is a temperature difference between body temp and air temp, condensation will occur. (add DWR before every trip!)

I have stayed very dry in a Paty Alpine Houdini, fending off afternoon thunderstorms in the Sierra (King's) this spring. I stayed bone dry inside, but I like to stand under trees (natures umbrella).

I have stayed very dry under my Golite Chrome umbrella, but I find it hard to bring when I can bring an Alpine Houdini and a cuben tarp for the same weight….

It's a game time decision…

Thanks for the continuing input.

I think one issue I had in making a decision is that I won't be able to move as fast as normal. My knee has been bothering me so the mileage would be lower. Meaning the warm and wet may not be an option. Although most rain that hits our area isn't normally cold rain per se, last night the rain was quite chilling. So I fear being cold and wet in the mountains. Thus, the heavier duty jacket. I think it will be a THING decision between the Smock and Super Cell.

I really should look into getiting a poncho. I'm thinking a cheap poncho tarp (Equinox?) that I could double as an extended awning over the existing awning on my cricket tarp. That would make life easier in that it gave me more livable dry area for camp.

Thanks for the feedback. Lots of food for thought.

I would carry the super cell just to save the wear and tear on the smock, save the smock as emergency rain gear when it doesn't rain much.

"I would carry the super cell just to save the wear and tear on the smock, save the smock as emergency rain gear when it doesn't rain much."

I was just starting to think that. I need to reactivate the DWR on the SuperCell. That was my initial plan for trips when I bought the Smock. Carry it for trips unlikely to rain much, and use the supercell for trips like this. But then I saw just how much lighter it was. Lol.

I think that is what I'll do for this trip. Then check out cheap poncho options when I return.

Thanks for the input!

SuperCell jacket is overkill in my opinion. I'd go with the Pertex Plus jacket and an umbrella as my first choice. Poncho second choice.

Going back to the options listed in your OP, which of these jackets is the most comfortable for you to wear and is the least sauna like?

Montane Minimus Smock- Pertex Shield Plus
Patagonia Super Cell- Gore Tex PacLite
Patagonia Super Pluma- Gore Tex Pro

For me, I'd go with that jacket regardless of weight. Counting grams is fine if I expect to carry it in my pack most of the trip and just want something to throw on when I encounter an unexpected weather pattern, but I'm going to wear it a lot, I go with what performs the best for me, even if it's several ounces heavier than the other options.

Editor's note: I try to frame these conversations as to what I would do, and not what you should do. Not for narcissistic reasons but because there are a number of ways to skin a cat.

Ian, that is exactly what I was hoping some of y'all would do. Choose as if it was out of your collection. And it's really helpful that yall have done that.

Everytime I come back to post, I change my mind on what to bring. Now I'm starting to the think the Gore Pro jacket is the best choice. Since I'm sure I'll be wearing it a significant amount of time, it would be the most comfortable to wear. Buuut, I want to save it for the shoulder and winter seasons when we have terrible hypothermia conditions.

So, I've officially made up my mind. Minimus Smock for trips without significant precip, Super Cell for warmer weather trips with significant precip, Super Pluma for winter trips. The weight of each piece playing no role in the decision, because rain gear can mean the difference between life and death.

Oh, and The Super Cell also serves as my aroud town jacket because it doesn't look too technical. Ha

But anyway, I know this is pretty much the definition of a first world problem, but I do appreciate the feedback. It really helped me think through all the variables. And thank you to those who have convinced me to try out the poncho route. It would serve many purposes in my arsenal besides just rain gear.

Well, I had to postpone my trip by a night. Flash Flood warnings mean I don't want to be there. So a night of YouTube videos and BPL. And a one nighter isn't so bad. Right? Lol.

I opt for rain suits, usually just the parka paired with synthetic pants with a good spraying of DWR like Revivex. Lighter and better protection when needed.

I have two rain suits:

1. PacLite-> This stuff is 'light enough" and breaths better than gen II Gore-Tex but not by much. Luckily my early Cabela's Rainy River parka has vented chest pockets. HOWEVER, PacLite is a bit warmer in high winds than eVent due to its lower breathability.

2. eVent-> This is by far my preferred WPB fabric so far. REI's Kimtah suit weighs about the same as the PacLite suit and I've used it for both backpacking and skiing, witness the ski edge cut repairs on the inside bottom cuffs.

** If you use a puffy vest or especially jacket get your parks one size larger.

And frequently renewing the DWR on WPB rain gear is a good idea. If I were doing a Long Trail like the AT I'd mail a small spray bottle of DWR in one of my General Delivery boxes about 3 times along the trail.