Best Light Waterproof Shells under $2505

"None of these so-called miracle fabrics breathe to the point that you can discern any difference between them when hiking."

"EVent works so well that pit zips are not required…. I see these types of comments coming from someone who has never used eVent. Try it – you may just be amazed."

Actually, I have an eVent jacket and that is precicely why I made the comment!

Granted, many factors determine one's overall experiences such as outside humidity (I hike in humid Eastern US) and one's own propensity to sweat (I would win top prize 9 out of 10 times in a sweat contest).

So for me, I have found that pit zips, etc., are much more important than fabric material.

I agree Mike, I have an eVent rain jkt and while it is far and above anything else I have used, pit zips would be a great addition. I went out this weekend with temps around 75, in super high humidity with the rain coming down in sheets. While I did not totally wet out my wool T, vent options would have made it even better…

I have an I.D. EVent pullover I got from Pro lite for $160. Just one 16 inch zipper- no pockets, no velcro, no pit zips – just a simple plain rain jacket that works great, but it is heat dependent. Wearing this jacket above 65 degrees and it is too hot for me, but that's o.k. I will wear a long sleeve silk weight shirt with wind shirt instead, I don't mind getting wet I just want to be warm. I got this jacket mainly for cold rainy fall days in New England and that's where this jacket shines.

I use to have a Marmot Precip rain jacket with pit zips. bunch of pockets, lots of velcro and it drove me crazy with zippers jamming and stuff actually getting lost in all the pockets. When I took it out of the wash it seemed like every sock, underwear, and bra would get messed up in the velcro and pockets and zippers oh my. I took up hiking to simplify my life not to make it more complicated.

Now when I buy hiking clothes( I also wear my hiking clothes for work) I get no pockets, no velcro, no hood and minimal zippers. I have expanded my pleasure of different weather rather than adjusting my clothing to a limited range of comfort.

grog

"that jacket is meant to be waterproof. The coldest part of the outside of your body in pouring rain may well be the shoulders, while any warm moist air inside the jacket will of course rise to the shoulders.
I would not discount condensation, caused by the cold rain hitting your shoulders and chilling the inside surface."

Well, it is true that I sweat a lot — my wife says I have great circulation, though she says that from a few feet away — but the jacket was moist throughout. I had the hood on the whole time as a test to make sure I wasn't letting rain trickle in. Any suggestions for a test to see if it is leaking?

> Any suggestions for a test to see if it is leaking?

You need to do a proper pressure test, but that requires a test apparatus.

Cheers