Drop Stoppers Microporous Polypropylene Rainsuit

[Gene]

Crotch seems split while just bending over. Not once, but twice. 2 members of the party that had these suits both had the problm. In addition, kneeling down on the ground to stuff a tent into it’s compression bag was enough to have the knees blow out. Looked like it was hit w/buck shot. All of this was in soft pine duff at around 6700ft w/clear skies, No moisture and around 25 degrees. Then the arms brushed up against some pine needles, not pine cones, branches or bark, and these perforated the arms. Unbelievable crap. If it rains in your living room while your watching t.v. on the couch, this product is for you.

[Scott Peterson]

This is more of a response to the initial review offered by the individual that wore the emergency rain gear in cold CLEAR weather as a way to “test it”.

Given that the 2 piece set comes at a member price of $14.99, I can’t help but chuckle if you expect something beyond what would be obvious. These are extremely lightweight items (an on-going obsession in this domain) made to be used when it dumps and you have no options but to be in the wet. And I would add, walking on trail or moving around camp…not working on a fishing boat or bouldering. If you are like me, you will carry these far more than you will wear them. I would be very interested to know how they transfer vapor from within. That is the only key feature that remains to be seen by me. If they do that well, I might up my rating to 5.

As far as the durability, I placed a fair amount of force with the tip of my finger on the fabric and it started to stretch, but it did not puncture easily. “Brushing” needles from a tree will not puncture the fabric. If you walked into a branch, I could see an easy tear happening there. But in my mind, as with my lightweight tarp (mylar)…you take it easy, and bring a small roll of duct tape to get you through. Both mylar tarps and Drop Stopper raingear are too inexpensive and lightweight to worry about durability. Keeping me from getting soaked to the bone on one 3 hour stretch of trail is worth $14.99 any day to me.
A blown out ass means one’s own perception of their size is not in congruance with reality. Buy a larger size…and stop doing deep squats on a clear day to “test ’em out” and you should find that they do what they are supposed to. Be light…be waterproof…and be inexpensive.

[dan kutcher]

I, too, bought one of these and went for a “test drive” in a local park. The pants got shredded on blueberry bushes and scrub oak lining the trail. Back home, I dropped a clothes hanger with a coat on it which was next to the suit. The hook on the hanger went right through the hood. I’d list it as “emergency back up” gear. I won’t buy another.

[James Smith]

Scott Peterson seems to imply that a split seam is the result of having a fat ass.

I too had a slight tear in a seam the first time I wore my pair and I don’t have a fat ass. (A subjective viewpoint, admittedly.)

A closer examination revealed the sewer failed to give enough allowance at that point in the seam.

I didn’t complain about it, though. Instead, I just applied a piece of duct tape.

Any product that costs $10 (or $15 for non-members) isn’t going to be as durable as most ripstop DWR fabrics.

[cary bertoncini]

I’m impressed with the quiet and comfortable suit. Haven’t been in a downpoor yet, but I did use it while hiking and was impressed with comfort and lack of sweat buidup inside (I did remove a layer before adding the rain jacket – so a silkweight T, jacket and pack in 48 degree light rain was quite comfortable while moving). In camp, I added a layer underneath while cooking/etc.

Pant seam will not survive a squat unless maybe you are built like Olive Oil – totally buttless and unbootylicious.

For me, I will continue to use and will buy again for the top, but I’ll use other wp breateable pants. I’m also considering using it as both windshirt and rain top.

4 because of the price & weight and because other than the pant problem, the suit seems great. Suppose one pocket would be nice, but, still good for what it’s good for.

[Don Davenport]

I wore my suit most of a day in a steady rain (not a downpour). Breaths very well during moderate activity around camp and while hiking. Caught sleeve on a limb and ripped a 4-5″ rip but duct tape fixed it quite well. Doesn’t compress down as well as my other lightweight raingear but is lighter. Didn’t leak anywhere. I didn’t have a problem while squating but I don’t have much of a counterbalance for my bubble. Probably will use it for weekend treks but not for longer hikes. Will take the top for emergency use at theme parks and scout camp. I will get another one due to the low cost and the moisture control.
Don

[Richard Gless]

I’ve worn my dropstoppers in light rain on my standard local 1000 ft training climb. It was considerble more breathable with much less moisture build up inside that my Marmot Precip jacket. No problems yet with durability, but I’ve been pretty careful. I mostly view it for emergency rain gear on weekend trips. For a longer trip I’d take my Marmot gear. It’s heavier but I saw a a plastic suit get shredded by hail once so for a longer or high altitude trip I wouldn’t use it.

[Steve Peterson]

I used O2 Raingear for a JMT hike and it worked fine in cool or cold/snowy weather, but the seams had a tendency to rip out everywhere (the outer layer pulled away from the stitching). Also easy to tear on shrubbery, even though I wasn’t bushwhacking.

Thought I’d try Drop Stoppers. Used the jacket in two hours of downpour and immediately realized I needed to seal the seams and use a strip of velcro (continuous, not tabs) down the storm flap. Made a *huge* difference. Have about 200 miles of training hikes (20 miles/hike, on trail, with pack) including a fair number of short bushwacks around/through blowdowns. No tears, no seam ripouts, but getting a little thin in one spot on the back where my pack must rub a bit. Bought two more sets for my upcoming PCT thru-hike (one set will be held in reserve in pristine condition for rainy Northern Washington).

I use the jacket as windshirt and rain jacket; as with any jacket, you have to be vigilant and proactive (unzipping, pushing the sleeves up, wearing the packbelt under the jacket, etc) to prevent overheating.

If you seal the seems using Seam Grip or similar, wait until the Seam Grip is thoroughly dry, then dust the sealed seams with talcum powder or the Seam Grip will adhere to some other part of the jacket and you’ll never get it apart again.

No problems with the pants so far, but I haven’t hiked as much in them. Before sitting, remember to “hike the knees” up first so the pantleg doesn’t stretch tightly across the knee and seat when you sit.

[gdinero senior]

I’ve had my Med/Large suit for over six months now, and carried it as my sole rain gear on two different four day hikes. On both hikes, I used the rain gear. On the more recent hike, it was subject to torrential rains every day with extended hiking in the rain. I’d say I was in my suit for over 12 hours across the four days. Temps were 40 to 65 degrees.

Pros

This is the most breathable wind/water protection that I own. By a wide margin, it’s way more breathable than my Chinook wind shirt.

It’s comfortable. It’s actually a little too big for my frame, but the sizing does not bother me while hiking. The hood, when worn over a hat, worked like a champ without ever using the draw-string adjustments.

And of course, it’s very light at 10 oz’s for the suit.

Cons

#1: Cannot put on the rain pants over boots. This may not be entirely accurate, but I think you are subject to ripping the pants if you try.

#2: The perception of lack of durability made me not want to put it on, even when light rain or ridge winds warranted the protection. I do believe that hiking through thick brush with the suit will shred it.

#3: The pants will split at the crotch over time. I was very careful with these pants, and while the split didn’t occur before I opted to proactively reinforce with duct tape, I could see the start of a tear at the seams.

#4: Lack of durability made using the hood an issue. Several times, after carefully putting on my pack on top of the jacket, the hood didn’t really make it all the way around my head because the pack was pulling the jacket down a bit. Because of the fragile material, I also didn’t want to just pull the hood up. Made it so that it required taking off and putting on the pack again, or just forgoeing use of the hood.

Net Take Away

The reality of it is this… for 10 oz’s I had sufficient weather protection for both trips. I personally found it a little stressful thinking that the suit might give in at any point, but not so stressful that I wouldn’t use it again. The incredible breathability of this thing is a huge advantage. While other hikers in my group were taking off and putting on rain gear to manage heat and comfort, I was fine just hiking along in the Drop Stoppers. I’d buy ’em again.

[Mary Simpson]

Just a note here– I cut the leg seam up far enough to get my pants over my shoes– it worked fine. Mary

[b d]

I have played with the Drop Stoppers a bit, carried them a bunch of times this fall. Never had to use them, just tried them out a few times near the house in the drizzle.

Finally got a chance to wear the jacket today in the snow. First, the size is great because it slides right on over my other layers (wool base, WM Flash vest, and fleece top).

Second, I learned the hood fits great over my hiking rain/snow hat, which has a wide floppy brim. The hood forms a taut head cover (as described in another post), with a lip from the hat hood, and it felt great, could see out with no problem and pulled the hood away from my face.

It is easy to adjust the face opening with the hood over the hat and I am going to get a shoestring lock and put it on the cords to make it easier.

The fit and comfort raised this combo to a 5 for me. The improved visibility with the hat in the hood convinced me this will be a really comfortable jacket for hiking in the rain.

Snow didn't phase this jacket and I was warm, dry, and happy — for 5 oz. and only about $7.50 (1/2 the pants and jacket suit cost). And, it was actually warm, keeping wind out.

Zipper works easily and goes up to a good height near the neck. I might put a few velcro tabs on the flap as another poster mentioned, but don't know that it needs it. Putting it on over a light weight MH balaclava it covered the bottom of the balaclava well, so sealed off the neck when the jacket was zipped up.

No moisture got through. Hiked around for awhile and it never felt like it built up an moisture inside, in fact it ventilated just from walking with the bottom loose. I migh even take a light weight piece of elastic string and tighten it up for real cold or wind conditions, or when just standing around.

The wrist elastic bands worked, and I pulled the sleeve up a bit and they held, so it is easy to vent the lower arms that way.

Is is a light weight and not designed to last forever jacket, so I know to be careful with it. We don't do a lot of trails around here or off trail hiking where I think it will be a problem. Under or over deadfalls is the worst the jacket will go through and that I think I can handle w/o harming the jacket. Duck tape appears to work from what others have said, don't know if it will work in a soggy rain or not.

But for what it is mainly for, a minimalist rain suit, I think it is great.

I can wear the jacket and not the pants, or the pants and not the jacket if I want; which is a benefit over my poncho. I will try the pants with a tie around the ankles next spring for dry pants crossing a small stream. (I haven't worn the pants enough to know if they are going to be a problem seam wise, but duct tape will apparently fix any problem.)

So a ratio of performance and weight gives this gear a 5 IMO. (I am also really interested in the O2 jacket, but it costs twice as much as the Drop Stoppers set so have not jumped on that line of inquiry, yet.)

[James Pitts]

I don't have a lot to add to what others have typed up. I'll say that the jacket is very handy. I use it as an outer later to stop the wind and also as a rain layer. It is very breathable and I have never gotten wet in it. The fabric is very fragile and it's easily torn, so if you do a lot of bushwhacking I don't recommend this jacket. The sewing is not so great and I have had to repair the zipper seam a few times. No biggie considering how lightweight it is and all the use I get out of it. The price is hard to believe. Do they still make these rain suits?

[Mark Verber]

Summary: Fragile but highly breathable, cheap, and light. If they weren't so cheap I would drop my rating to 2 or 3.

As other have noted, Propore rain gear is not very durable. But at $17 for a complete suit, you can afford to replace them several times before you have hit the same price point for any decent WPB rain suit, and duct tape make it easy to repair problems in the field.

What's good? Dropstoppers are made from the most breathable material I have try other than eVENT. I have been more comfortable wearing my dropstopper jacket in warm weather than an eVENT shell because they are lighter material / less insulating, making it less likely that I overheat. The material itself doesn't get clammy like many WPB jackets. The surface of dropstoppers sheds water well and doesn't absorb significant water so they dry quickly. They are quite light weight.

What's Bad? First, the fabric is very flimsy. They are not appropriate for even moderately abrasive conditions: climbing and off-trail travel will rip them up, and don't use them if you don't baby your gear. I am going to combine my experience with dropstoppers and rainshield o2 in this review. My rainshield o2 jacket was looking pretty worn after a year of use (sections held together with duct tape), and after three years it had to be replaced (this time with dropstoppers). My dropstoppers are looking better after a year, but that might be because they got less use. I wore out the knees of my rainshield pants after just one weekend. I wasn't going to bother with the dropstopper pants, but I used them on my last few trips which were on establish trails. So fair they are in fine shape. I do expect that I will be turning them into knickers like I did with the o2 rain pants one I blow out the knees. The other downside is that I find the seams uncomfortable and the cut awful.

[Mike Clelland]

I use these as a summer in the northern rockies rain layer. Mostly – the rain events are short, and (typically) the weather is mostly dry.

I am super careful when I have 'em on.

I use em as a warm layer too, but mostly up high above tree line when there isn't any bushwhacking.

THese are so inexpensive, I figure that if I do destroy them, no biggy. I've used 'em and think they are great. THe combo of light weight and super cheap is hard to ague with…

That said – I would NOT use these in the rainy North Cascades. But, I WOULD use them in Arizona.

AND – I cut my pants off and made CHAPS! The rain pant elastic waist band is kinda lame. 3 oz for chaps!

[Valentin Zill]

This review refers to the DriDucks rain suit, I bought it at Gossamer Gear last year.
I had the chance to really test it on a day trip yesterday. I stayed totally dry during rain and sleet. We bushwacked some 200 ft, no problem. Ten meters before reaching a ridge, I had to turn around and descend a very steep, snow-covered slope (about 75°) because climbing the last part would have been far to dangerous. The only way to do that safely (didn't have any climbing gear) was to slide carefully down on my bottom. I had read all the reviews here and was sure I could throw the DriDucks away when I was down – not so. They didn't even have a little puncture, although the snow was quite harsh and I used them as a sled for about 250 ft.
I am really surprised, I had never expected the DriDucks to be so durable. And they're so cheap! I highly recommend them!

[christopher witter]

I bought the Micropore suit from Gossamer Gear on a whim. I needed something to block the wind and provide protection from the rain/sleet/snow if I ran into any on a recent trip on the AT. These performed well as a shell layer to block wind and provide protection from some light snow fall throughout my trip. I was concerned that they would not breath very well and I would find myself soaking my under garments, but I didn't. My only complaint is that their sizing is huge! Gossamer Gear warned that they sized large, but I couldn't have predicted how large so I had to error on the side of bigger since I didn't have time to exchange them. I am 5-11" 185 lbs and the XL was gigantic on me, I would have been much better off with a Large.

[Lawton G]

I recently purchased a set of the DriDucks Micropore Rainsuit from BPL.com.

BPL says that "in 2007, the Drop Stoppers brand was purchased by Frogg Toggs and replaced with DriDucks."

I don´t really know exactly what´s what here as far as brands go, but the set I received said "Rain Toggs" by Frogg Toggs on the insided label. So I´m going with Rain Toggs.

I´ve been using microporous polypropylene raingear for 3 years now. I used the O2 Rainshield Jacket on my PCT thru-hike with great success. I got about 700 – 1,000 miles per jacket.

I used both the O2 Rainshield Jacket and Micropore Rainsuit Jacket that I bought from Gossamer Gear last year on my CDT thru-hike also with great success. Once again I got about 700-1,000 miles per jacket.

I just used the Rain Toggs Jacket on a 14-day hike on the Colorado Trail over the past 2 weeks. It rained twice while I was on trail for no more than 2 hours at a time. Both times the jacket leaked water thru the front zipper onto my base layer shirt. It also wetted out and leaked thru the right arm and the back. Keep in mind here that this is a brand new jacket and I only used it in the rain twice. It never ripped but it simply is not waterproof and does not work. Don´t waste your money on this product. It seems that when Frogg Toggs bought out DriDucks or whomever, they started using a thinner more inferior fabric in these jackets which is a shame. I´m going back to the 02 Rainshield Jacket until things change.

[Gregory Doggett]

I ordered two of these. One under the Dri-Ducks name the other a Drop Stopper.
Both jackets had tears in the seams right out of the package.
Grabbing the seam on one specimen and pulling resulted in laughably easy seperation.
These things aren't worth my money at any price.
Free, I would consider them clutter.
By contrast my Rainshield O2 has served me well for 3 years of mostly winter wear.
A hiking buddy of mine has a Dri-Ducks jacket he bought at least a couple years ago. He hiked the PCT with it and thus far has only had to reglue one small seam seperation. The quality of his jacket made it seem an almost different make than my recent specimens.
As long as Rainshield is still of the same quality as it was several years ago, I reccomend you spend the extra money and go with this brand.
Dri-Ducks and Drop-Stoppers are definitely the #1, hands down winner of my Crappiest Gear I've Ever Owned award.
Utterly miserable junk.
Greg

[Mitchell Keil]

Adding my two cents.

Bottom Line on this inexpensive "Rain" suit: I got soaked clear through under my shoulder straps on a windy blow trying to get over New Army Pass two summers ago.

The pants performed flawlessly. The jacket at first held up fairly well to the wind driven heavy rain. After 15 minutes, I noticed that I could feel a cold drip running down my armpit.Then a stream of water and finally a river of water running down both armpits and down my back. I had to turn around and walk down the pass and out of the rain before I got too chilled.

When I reached a point where I could take off my "rain" suit, I noticed a complete bleed through where my shoulder straps were.

I have never worn them again.

[Lynn Tramper]

I'm guessing that Dropstoppers and DriDucks are the same? In any event, both me and my partner got some DriDucks, and within minutes of wearing the pants, the crotch bleww out. This was in spite of them being otherwise generously sized. After a part day of wearing the jacket, the should and neck seams were also beginning to come apart. On closer exam, it appeared that the heat-sealing of the seams may have been over-vigorous (too hot or for too long?) causing small holes that acted just like perforations, making it very easy to tear the seams. Absolute crap waste of money. It's a shame really, as the fabric itself seems pretty waterproof, very breathable and comfortable to wear, but for now it's back to my O2 rainwear or Frogg Toggs which have both been very robust. I think they just need better manufacturing standards to make this a good piece of rainwear.

[Daniel Strange]

I ordered these very hesitantly based on the prior reviews… but for $15 I figured I'd roll the dice before spending hundreds on lightweight jackets that are less breathable or more hundreds on heavier jackets which are equally breathable (eVent).

Anyway I got the medium in yellow. As other's have reported it says "DriDucks" on the packaging but "Rain Toggs by Frogg Toggs" on the suit itself.

I think the fit is good for me (I'm tall and skinny) and the fabric feels very soft and comfortable, almost like very thin foam. Based on the feel it gives the impression of flimsiness but I tried poking and pulling on it and I it's actually fairly tough. I tried pulling on the seams and they don't give easily, so I must have got a better batch than some of the previous reviewers. I tried some vigorous squats and such and the butt didn't blow out (although my rear is quite skinny).

I wore them in the shower and didn't get wet.

Based on my tests on would not hesitate to bring them on a weekend spring/summer trail hike, especially if prolonged rain was not in the forecast. Or throw them in the car for emergency rainwear. Obviously they're not going to be as tough as a heavy mountain shell, but they seem perfectly adequate to throw in the pack for general backpacking. And so light and cheap!

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