Rain Jacket Recommendations

I have found Gore Tex to be much more durable than the PU coated jackets, though they are heavier. I have really liked the Haglofs Ozo that is now discontinued but it's replacement the Haglofs gram comp shell is available on STP. mont-bell has a light Gore Tex jacket as well the Torrent Flier that is ~8.6oz. Event is nice but there aren't many light options. The Montbell Peak Shell used to be (and I assume still is) an event type jacket and is 9.1oz.

What is your price range Jeff? Lots of different rain jackets out there at different price points and qualities.

"Event is nice but there aren't many light options." Luke's 3-layer Event Jacket 8.5 oz: http://lukesultralite.com/new-lul-event-shell-taped-seams-included billy

Challenger rain jacket has gotten lots of high marks from the AT Thruhiker crowd. Will Wood had his for the AT and now has it on his PCT hike.

Mainly looking for a good value. Looked at Arcteryx and those can run $400+ depending on model. Are they worth it? Appreciate the suggestions.

I have nice gear and I think a $400 rain shell is WAY overpriced. I have no problem spending big bucks on other gear, but in my opinion rain gear 1.) all sucks – albeit some less than others and 2.) rain gear has a relatively short lifespan. What you want probably depends on how much you plan on wearing it vs. how much you plan on carrying it in your pack. One of the guys I went to Alaska with prefers eVent and has had several different shells over the years, including a $400 Arctrex Shell which leaked (as well as the one they replaced it with). He said the best rain jacket he ever had was a REI Shuksan eVent shell. He wore a Mountain Hardwear eVent shell on the trip, and was about to replace it with a REI Skuksan II for next hiking season. Of course he wears rain jackets a bunch and wants a full featured and super durable jacket for the brush. A one pound rain jacket is overkill for most people, but if you are going to spend a lot of time wearing it in nasty weather, it may be worth it. In addition to being more durable, most heavier jackets have better venting, better hoods, etc. I do wear mine quite a bit and want a reasonably durable shell so I prefer Gore Tex Packlite. I had an OR Zealot and now a Haglofs Ozo as my primary shells. They are minimalist shells without tons of features (although the Haglofs has an amazing hood). These jackets are in the 8oz range. If I were buying today I would be looking for a 7-9oz jacket made out of Gore Tex or eVent. On the lighter side there are tons of PU coated shells that are very light and are great options for people who pack a rainshell much more than they use it in the field. Examples of such are the Marmot Mica Mont-Bell Versalite, and the OR Helium. Almost every manufacturer has a "proprietary" branded PU coated shell some with more features than others. The downsides to these jackets is that they generally don't breathe very well and tend to delaminate frequently. I do realize that GT isn't a breathability superstar either, but it has proven to be pretty durable. To combat the delamination, some companies, like OR, have no questions asked warranties and have a history of replacing delaminating jackets without a hassle. On the extreme cheap and light side you have Dri-Ducks. I have hiked hundreds of miles in a dri-ducks jacket and it does have some good qualities as it is cheap, light, and has a "peach fuzz" like coating on the inside that makes it less clammy against the skin than most shells. The downsides are that the fit (and especially the hood) are terrible and they wouldn't last 5 minutes in brush or rock. Dri Ducks is an option for on trail hiking only. Its all a tradeoff between cost – durability – weight – breathability – features My recomendations would be (going from less wear time to more wear time) Dri Ducks OR Helium II Mont-Bell Versalite Haglofs Gram Comp Pullover Mont Bell Torrent Flier Lukes Ultralight eVent Mont Bell Peak Shell Westcomb Spector LT REI Shuksan II Rab Muztag Montaine Further Faster Neo Jacket

The expensive ones are usually heavier (like XCR). The lightest Arc'teryx shell you could get under $250 on sale. The quality is a step above most. They don't cut any expenses and (I suspect) invest into good designers working on their stuff. You don't have to worry about longevity or if it will fit and. Whether it is worth it, is a separate question, only you can asnwer. I think Gore-tex Paclite (Arc'teryx Beta LT) works great for places like the Winds. It is mostly dry, but it can be 80 degrees today and freezing rain 3 days later. Always windy. A torrential downpour in the afternoon is a norm. A layer of fleece insulation and a Gore-tex shell works fine for hiking and mountaineering (for me, anyway).

i know folks who have had dead birds delaminate tons of folks have em up here in squamish/vancouver … and theres been a few BPLers who have had the same thats not to say they are bad … but simply that any rain shell can fail … dead bird has an decent warranty, but not one of the "best" ones … thats OR any rainshell can delaminate even if not used that much … once its does its gone my suggestion is to buy a rain shell from a company with a no questions asked warranty such as OR, MEC, etc … ;)

I actually reinstated my membership here just to respond to this thread. Arcteryx, in my experience working with their warranty department, backs their gear extremely well – especially if its the higher end stuff. Many manufacturers will try and give you the run around if you delaminate a 2.5 layer jacket – I generally buy Goretex for this reason alone, because their warranty trumps every else in the game (yes, I am talking about Gore's own warranty). Having owned various shells, I think a lot of the Arcteryx gear is worth it (especially their shells), and let me explain why: 1)Craftsmanship – While many of their garments are being made overseas, they are made in their own specific factories. Arcteryx factories only make Arcteryx gear – there is significantly better QA/QC as a result. 2) The fit, really sets it apart from other manufacturers. I have long arms and broad shoulders, their stuff is some of the best fitting for me around. 3) The Storm hood. Plain and simple, their hood pattern is the best – offering best coverage while maintaining peripheral vision. The 4 point adjustable hoods (available on many models) are even better. I also HIGHLY recommend Westcomb, as their stuff is on part with Arcteryx and they use more technical textiles for their shells (eVent, NeoShell, schoeller). The Switch LT (I think) is one of the best all around jackets on the market. Also worth watching: the new Columbia Outdry stuff. Looks ugly, but the breathability is there.

Look at REI's Kimtah rain parka. Not the lightest (about 15 oz. for size XL) but it is a great buy.

Many manufacturers will try and give you the run around if you delaminate a 2.5 layer jacket OR, MEC, EB definitely wont … in MEC and EBs case they replace or refund it on the spot MH replaced a delaminated 2.5L jacket for us this year no questions asked though it took about a few weeks dead bird generally will … but be prepared to wait at least a month for any warranty work … so in short about the same as any other manufacturer and thats with us living right next to the dead bird vancouver factory where we can just walk in and drop it off dead bird has a decent warranty … truly excellent is the no questions asked one of OR which is widely known as having the best guarantee in the business as to westcomb … i own a few westcomb pieces and its great its made in canada … but some BPLers have had issues with their warranty service http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/104903/index.html ;)

Hi Jeff, Sierra Trading Post is currently running an additional discount on top of their standard discounted pricing. An Arcteryx Alpha AR GoreTex Pro jacket that I sadly paid full retail for at REI (at $550) is marked down to $439 at STP, but using the added discount during the promo it can be had now for $287.69, which is a screaming good price I think. HTH. Eric

"2) The fit, really sets it apart from other manufacturers. I have long arms and broad shoulders, their stuff is some of the best fitting for me around. " This. A testament to that point is that I am just the opposite: longish legs and narrow shoulders, yet I don't have to worry about the fit either. Yes, their Gore-tex Paclite jacket is 11 oz vs 8 for the lightest 2.5 layer, but once I add all the features I want (full side zippers in rain pants, some durability, pockets in a jacket, performance in wider range of conditions), I have not found anything much lighter or, in fact, lighter at all (in the case of rain pants).