Lightweight shell pants and windshirts

I have the montbell tachyon anorak at 2.3 ounces and it works pretty well. A review was just done on it by bpl.
By shell pants i am asuming you are talking hard and not soft. I have heard a lot of good things about the golite reed pants, they are like 6 ounces.

I am familiar with the Tachyon and Reeds but think they would be a little too fragile for my intended uses. The MB Wind Parka is similar to the Tachyon but the fabric is 15D compared to 7D.

I don't have experience with other windshirts, but do have a Montane Litespeed.
I like it quite a bit, but bought it for other than purely backpacking purposes, basically using it in the city, and travel wear.

The fit was perfect for me. I was able to find the color I wanted and (I didn't even know the size fit an XS.. I'm 5'7" w/19.5" torso). The burnt orange and electric blue are nice colors.

The Pertex Microlight has a nice hand. I prefer it to the Quantam. It really keeps the wind out and is warm by itself. As far as breathabiity it is pretty good, but I generally start sweating if I'm going uphill in most but cold temps. Pretty much perfect for lower exertion activities (also never been above 7000ft in it). Like I said though, not much experience with windshirts, so not sure if all wind shirts are like this.

The hood folds away nicely (not detaceable though), it's a nice looking jacket. For my purposes, it was worth the weight. Will wet out from light rain after 15-20 minutes, but worn over icebreaker 150 LS, I couldn't really feel it.

No probem with durability. I never felt sketchy with the litespeed, but then again, I'm not throwing it around either.

Also the napolean map pocket is an awesome design. Can't tell it's there, but can carry a map and heavy objects (camera etc) very very comfortably. I was shocked because I usually hate chest pockets.

I like it a lot, wearing it tonight and am happy I bought it. However, I'm curious about the Montane Spektr (eVent anorak) that is soon to be released. Then I wouldn't have to bring both a windshirt and my rain jacket, save 8-9 oz.

Best is for you to try it, if you can for fit and fabric feel. I don't really like nylon on skin (especially sweating), and the lighter fabrics I liked less. YMMV.

I generally prefer to hike in my LS, with maybe a SS over, but then I use merino. I really like the stuff, especially the very lightweight versions.

Hope this helps.

Montane Lite-Speed H20 hooded shell is on sale for $53.98 right now at Backcountry.com. That might help make your decision a little easier.

Thanks for the input. I never really considered Montane until I saw it on sale at Backcountry.com. I considered getting an eVent jacket but will probably wait and see what comes out next year.

The Marmot Mica is pretty breathable and I am having a hard time justifying a wind shirt that weighs nearly the same even though people rave about using them.

Yeah I know what you mean Ryan about Wind-jackets. I live in what is basically the PNW and it is rains here a lot. I like knowing I'm completely waterproof, especially since I use down insulation.

I have an 3 ply eVent jacket (Westcomb Spectre) (sz M, 10.8 oz) and bought it for snowboarding originally, so it's a little big for me and the material doesn't drape like the windshirt, but it's awesome at keeping out wind. Keeps you on the cool side of warm.

When actually hiking in it, it got too warm quick, but so did the windshirt. The windshirt is just more comfortable against the skin.

If you can get one for $53 though, as Eugene suggested, I'd try it out. The Litespeed H2O (mine is the original) likely won't breathe as well but it might be more waterproof. You can always return it.

eVent is $$$ and, judging by the cost of eVent, so will the new membrane coming out next year (I'd guess at least $250). No idea about the weight.

Either way, an outer shell is awesome at keeping you warm if worn over down/fleece/wool etc.

Also if you need to wash/reproof the DWR on the jackets, check out the Atsko products at Walmart (hunting/fishing section, not detergents). Super cheap, easy to use and works well. I've even put it on my running shoes (last minute, desperation) and it seems to even work there.

I've read the litespeed H2O is not very waterproof. I also wonder if that jacket is meant for biking and will be close fitting, needing to sized up alot to fit over insulation.

I'm gonna give the Lite-Speed a try Scott. It is 6oz but combined with my 6.7oz Mica I get complete protection for many situations for ~13oz. The H2O would be duplicating gear and probably not be breathable enough to justify using it as just a windshirt for my purposes.

Crazy though: How well would wearing a breathable windshirt do under a completely waterproof shell? Would the windshirt keep your inner layers dry and wick moisture from your body while trapping it under the rain layer, all functioning as a vapor barrier or sorts and preventing precipitation from entering? It would be easier to dry out a non breathable rain layer than all worn layers.

Ryan, I imagine you would just end up with a wet wind jacket and layers, versus just wet layers. You might see some benefit from the sweat being spread out over more stuff, so everything is less wet, but you might also sweat more from the extra layer.

I have thought about combining a wind proof and a hard shell, but haven't had a chance to test it yet. I remember Chris Townsend writing about it once and saying that any moisture stayed on the outside of the wind proof and didn't get through to the next layer. I would imagine it would need to be fairly cold to avoid overheating.

I was just wondering the same thing. Not for backpacking though, but for snowboarding. However, unless you wipe out backwards in deep powder, resort riding is a pretty low exertion activity. And it's a matter of using what I have and not spending money on a R1 fleece.

I have a 260g, 150g long, short sleeve icebreaker merino wool shirts and already have the litespeed, so I'm going to give it a try. I'm hoping it's going to be warm by acting as a sort of vapor barrier over the wool.

Reading over your original post, and since you already have the Marmot, I'm not sure the litespeed H20 is that good of a bet. It's a bit of a compromise, both in terms of breathability and waterproofness.

You may want to try a superlight specific windshirt, like the Montbell Anorak (think it's on sale for $73, 20% off, at Campsaver). A strict, no compromise windshirt, to see if you like it. Stick with your original plan.

All else being equal, I'd rather have waterproofness before breathability, because no matter how breathable the claim is, nylon doesn't feel good under high exertion. It's not like sweating under merino.

…but I've only tried the litespeed. And I really don't like synthetic against skin, especially in warmer weather.

Also I think it depends on where you're hiking. I can really see how people who hike at high altitudes, exposed ridges etc where it's cool (Rockies) would like windshirts. But if you're mostly lower elevation, treed protected hiking, there's less utility unless it's really cool.

That's why I like eVent. It's extremely waterproof, but breathable. Check out the Backcountry outlet store and their stoic brand eVent jacket, price may be right.

Maybe use your Marmot for now, try the 3 oz windshirt, it may work for your conditions, and save for some of the new waterproof breathable offerings in the spring.

If I had to choose one, despite the cost, I would have gone with the eVent. The new Polartec has piqued my interest, but I'm not an early adopter kind of guy.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=39632

As mentioned I have written about and recommended wearing a windshirt under a rain jacket. Last summer on the Pacific Northwest Trail I had nine continuous days of wet weather in the Cascades. I wore a Paramo Katmai Light polyester shirt, a GoLite Kings Canyon windshirt and a Rab eVent Demand Pull-On rain jacket. The temperature was mostly around 40F. A couple of days the temperature was more like 32-24F with wet snow falling. On those days I wore an Icebreaker merino wool T-shirt under the Paramo shirt. This combination kept me dry and comfortable, other than some dampness on my back from contact with my bacl and slight sweatiness during strenuous climbs. Overall though it worked well.

Chris(via one of his books) was the one who convinced me to go the wind shirt route a long time ago.

Here is a typical good reason to wear one,
Cool hiking in a breeze. The wind shirt allows you to wear less layers. I am partial to the ones with at least a half zip as sometimes you want to ventilate when the wind is blocked and then zip up when you get to the peak or taking a break.

I wear mine over synthetics and/or merino in most light rain showers, even all day summer rain.
I'll save the waterproof shell for hard or cold rain.

I do wear my windshirt underneath the waterproof shell. It allows the shell to be opened as needed for ventilation. It also reduces drafts and splash under a poncho or rail jacket with pit zips.

I've been following Chris' advice of layering my rain shell over my windshirt. It works for me out here on the cool, wet west coast of Norway. I wear my windshirt quite often on the high mountain plateaus and it copes fine with light summer rain. When it starts raining sideways or the temperature drops then my rain shell goes straight over the top. I slow down a bit and don't find I overheat that often. As soon as the worst of the rain passes I take the rain shell off and the windshirt is already there, resisting convective heat loss. Layering 'one way' like this also makes stopping less frequent and I prefer hiking in this fashion.

i personally take it off once it gets to be more than a light drizzle these days … one thing to note is that if you put on yr hardshell over a wet windshirt … theres more moisture in the system

now i use a light softshell in winter and put a hardshell over that when it gets to freezing rain as theres some insulative value