rainpants worth carrying?

I had some and never used them except for in snow. A garbage bag rain skirt works better for me.

It probably depends on where you hike and the conditions you are likely to encounter. I live and hike the the humid and wet southeast, and while I prefer a rain skirt (ULA Rain Wrap) in warmer weather, I wouldn't ever go out in the 40's or lower without rain pants. I have hiked through a bunch of rain when the temps were in the mid to upper 30's. If you are going to be out with temps way below freezing, you might not want to carry rain pants either.

I remember my first hike in the Olympics, I did not believe one could get so wet, a new serious level of mo' wet and cold.
Before that hike I was firm believer in a pair of running shorts and dry yourself off later. I swear you could see the trail overgrow as you hiked along.
The words "bone chilling slime dog wet" are imprinted with the memory of that trip.
Open high country versus closed in forests, maintained trails versus serious bushwhackers; every trip offers choices but I've found every pair of rain pants is still lighter then the towel you need to eventually get dry which quite often is simply your remaining clothes. The old adage "it is easier to stay dry then to get dry" applies here.

I am way beyond rainpants, then again I never went anywhere last year that did not require an ice ax and crampons so it all depends where one goes.

Last August my family was caught in freezing rain and strong winds on the PCT. At the pace we could maintain, we became dangerously cold before we could decend, set up camp and heat dinner. Those wearing wind pants over nylon pants were soaked and very cold. Those wearing rain pants stayed much dryer and faired much better. I vote for carrying rain pants if there is the slightest chance of foul weather.

Consensus is it depends where you are hiking.

For me, in the northeast I will carry the weight eighty percent of the time. You listed the reasons.

At most I will forgo them for a ULA rain skirt if I know it's short trip and I'm not far from the trailhead and it's a super dry forecast.

I should say that I use a trash compactor bag rain skirt that goes two inches above my ankles so I get plenty of coverage and I also use it as a ground cloth when needed. I also have a pair of waterproof socks that I match with it for my sandals and this covers the gap.

… on the conditions you are going to face.

I found that when I am hiking my legs are happy in the rain down to 40-45F. Below that I start to get uncomfortable… especially when I stop. I found that if the temp is above around 55F I find even breathable rain pants to warm.

So for me, the answer is a bring something if I expect the temp to be between 32-50F and expect rain. Most of the time my protection is a trash bag rain kilt. I switch to rain pants if I expect high winds as well as rain.

–mark

Almost all my backpacking is three-season type stuff in the Sierras. As such the majority of the time rain pants are completely superfluous, and in the summer I sometimes just go with a poncho. However, on longer hikes I usually bring them, as the weather conditions can change rapidly after a few days on the trail.

The one time I really needed them was in Yosemite when a two month drought turned overnight into a biblical style deluge where trails turned into streams and you could hear huge cedars groaning and cracking from the wind. In retrospect it probably would have been a better idea to just hang out in the tent all day, but the pants made things halfway bearable on the trail.

Winter only.

I always carry rain pants on extended trips and use them as a wind barrier.
Condensation does become an issue at times though.

I carry them and use them every time it rains.

I carry a ULA rainwrap just in case. It also works well if you do any long distance trips and want to wash your clothes in town.

Can anyone comment on the MLD Rain Chaps for winter use?

-Sid

I use rain pants (Marmot Precip) and prepare for a long day of wet hiking by wearing a light base layer with them rather than trying to wear them over my usual nylon hiking pants. That keeps the cold fabric off the skin, reduces bulk and wicks moisture.

As others have said, you can end up hiking in mid-30F rain that is just too cold to shrug off wearing shorts or getting long pants soaked through and sticking to your legs– the definition of walking misery.

Getting a good fit is as important as any other gear and I think that is where many fail with rain pants, ending up with bulky clothing that doesn't move with you, drags in the mud and so on. Short gaiters help a lot.

I've had several mornings walking in dew-wet brush where I would have been soaked without the pants, but I was wearing just a base layer tee shirt as I was clear of brush above the waist.

I do use them as wind pants. By the time it gets windy and cold enough to need long pants, it will probably be raining or close to it anyway (Western Washington). They are tougher than true wind pants (Montane, etc) and cost about the same. I haven't been able to justify carrying both.

Is the extra 8 oz for rainpants worth carrrying?

The weight is easier to justify if you go with rain pants that weigh half of this, like GoLite Reed pants. I take these if there is a reasonable chance of rain and/or if the trip is longer than a couple days because then I don't trust the forecast.

I've never carried rain pants in 25 years of backpacking and never once wished I had. That said, my overnighter trips are usually in the mountains of the west in summer. The summer weather here is typically dry save for the occasional wet, but brief, thunderstorm. For day hiking in our VERY wet and cold winter weather I wear softshell pants but no rain pants. The softshells are stretchy, comfortable, shed rain well and breathe exceptionally well.

G

I find it fascinating that folk hike in areas that give them a choice wether to carry rain pants or not.

My usual decision is to decide what pair of my collection of rain pants to take on a particular trip. :)

I personally bring them along on most multi-day backpacking trips in the state Washington, as rain is a reasonable bet in the mountains. Like others have pointed out, where you backpack is probably the determining factor. That much said, I think there is a far higher cost to be paid than eight ounces if you are cold and wet – such conditions can suck the fun right out of your adventure.
It was interesting but along the PCT, people hailing from wet climates generally carried rain pants, even in Southern California. Those from dry climates generally didn't, and more than a few that I knew got caught with inadequate rain protection in the Sisters (Oregon). As a result, they had to bail off the trail after spending a considerable amount of time in their tents.
Finally, and not to hijack this thread, can anyone tell me if they found UL rain pants that can withstand brushy condition along the trail? I've used Pac-Lite Gortex pants and they've been decimated after only a couple of trips.

Dirk