Affordable wind/rain jackets?

[C. M.]

I am trying to find an affordable wind/rain jacket. I don't really want to spend $80 on an ether and then also have to buy a rain jacket too. I am trying to find an inexpensive alternative that will work for now. So fat I have found the outdoor research razor jacket -$40 5oz and the sierra designs microlight -$20 8.1oz
I am open to any other suggestions that are at a decent price!

Anything less than 20oz will be lighter than my current wind shirt.
If i get one of these two jackets, will I also have to get a waterpoof jacket, such as dryducks?

Thanks!

[Don Meredith]

It isn't too hard to find a marmot precip on sale up to half off. It's a great jacket but not ultralige. 12 oz if I remember correctly.

[Jim MacDiarmid]

I own a Razor. It has no hood if that makes a difference. I can also speak to it being water-resistant but not waterproof. And by resistant I mean you have about 5 minutes to get out of anything more than a heavy mist if you don't want to get wet.

[Roger Caffin]

Dri Ducks
Peter Storm (UK web site)

Cheers

[David Passey]

I would add that wind shirts come on sale fairly often, and can be purchased for $40 or less. From time to time, an ebay seller dgriffiths in SLC has had montane wind shirts in that range.

The golite virga goes on sale for cheap. Red Ledge is also cheap. I don't know what your time frame is, but I think you could score both a windshirt and a rain jacket for prices watching the sales for a while.

[C. M.]

I found a percip rain jacket for $64. Could I use this as both my rain and wind jacket, or is it not nearly breathable enough. I really don't want to spend money for both, and also have to carry both.

But from what ur saying David, I'll probably have to get both.
I have been looking for a virga. They don't look to bad, and pretty light.

[Jim MacDiarmid]

You could definitely use the precip jacket as a wind jacket. It has pit zips. It all comes down to how much you sweat and your comfort level with getting sweaty. Any rain jacket is going to be sweatier than a wind jacket. But you'll still sweat in a wind jacket. check out this thread on wind and rain jackets:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=19978

[Frank Deland]

I have used both the Virga and the Precip. The Precip is a bit more rugged with zips and pocket making it heavier than the Virga. The Precip I had was a pull-over anorak style which I really liked, but cannot find anymore. With both jackets the coating wears off in the shoulders probably from pack chaffing. Even though it is no longer waterproof, the Precip makes a great winter windbreaker. If you just want to go with a windbreaker, they are not waterproof.
Do not get a wind breaker that is too buklky. I like the ones that are thin and can roll up into the size of a tennis ball and fit in your pocket (eg. Golite, Montane)

http://www.montane.co.uk/productlist.php?rid=12&rn=Mountain%20Adventure

http://www.nextag.com/windbreaker/shop-html

[Richard Matthews]

The combination that works for me is a GoLite poncho and the BPL Brawny windshirt.

I have the Sierra Designs Microlight Anorak. I think it has an interior coating that makes it waterproof. Not breathable, but a very good value.

[Ross Bleakney]

The most breathable rain jacket material is Event. The second most breathable is Propore (Dry Ducks, O2, etc.). Most windshirts are more breathable than both, but they aren't waterproof. Event is very expensive, while Propore jackets are very cheap. So, I would either get:

1) Propore rain jacket, no windshirt
2) Propore rain jacket, cheap windshirt
3) Cheap poncho, cheap windshirt

Now, just to throw something else into this mix: some rain jackets have pit zips (or other vents). Jackets with vents, can breath better than the most breathable materials. I don't think any of the Propore jackets have vents. So, that leads to the following option:

4) Cheap rain jacket with vents, no windshirt
5) Cheap rain jacket with vents, cheap windshirt

In order of weight, I think it is 1,3,2,4,5 (with a significant jump for number 4 and 5). Personally, I would go with either option 1 or 2.

[Nick Gatel]

"The combination that works for me is a GoLite poncho and the BPL Brawny windshirt."

Agreed. Poncho/tarp and windshirt. Plus the poncho is my shelter.

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