I don't trust them for more difficult conditions — bush whacking, winter, or New England above tree line. I don't like the hood and it needs to seal up better against wind. I will use them for summer hiking, but not for winter hiking.
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Dri Ducks?
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I use the jacket for my main rain jacket in the NE. I'm a 3-season packer myself, but do venture out in December and Feb every now and then. No problems but i take care of my gear and I don't bushwhack. The jacket has worked superb. Half the weight of my Precip and seems to breathe better.
When I do venture out in Winter, I do consider bringing my Precip instead of the Ducks. A little more versatile with the pit-zips and pockets than the Ducks.
I use the old version of Golite Reeds as my pants. Can't beat 6oz yet on those.
My 2 cents
I'm gonna try me a pair of these to see how they do. Only quesiton I have is on the sizing. I've seen discussion on the sizing of these in multiple threads, but no one that was my size responded. I'm 6'-5" about 195 lbs. So would a large do the job? I don't care if the sleeves are bit short, I just don't want to go too large thus having them be way to baggy.
I purchased an XL. Had to return It for an XXL. I'm 6'5" 240. XXL top fits good but the bottoms were way to big. So what I realy needed was xxl top an xl bottom.
Ron
I'm 5'7" and about 175lbs and I ordered a small. It fits looser than my medium Mountain Hardware jacket. I could have got a medium too I think because I like the baggy fit.
I may order another just to compare both and have a backup for family.
I'm going to respond to my own post about sizing for tall people. As others have indicated in this and previous threads these run large. I'm 6'-5" about 195 lbs, and I ordered a large. This size is adequate for me both in length and girth with room to spare for layers.
Ugh. So, after I got all your advise and pulled the trigger and got really excited, Dri Ducks did not work. I got them and put them on. I was pretty pumped. They were really comfortable and light. I took the jacket, rolled it up (gently as I had heard this jacket was delicate), and stored it in my backpack for a rainy day. I got one on the first day, as it rained when I got to work. I went to lunch walking maybe 100 m to a restaurant. I ate and walked back to work. On the way up the stairs, the jacket caught a loose bracket on the wall, and a inch hole ripped in the bottom. This was sad, but understandable. I knew it was delicate. That bracket would have ripped a lot of jackets (maybe not as much, but the others would have ripped). I can patch this hole with some duct tape and move on with my life. Also, this was <$20, so I can buy a new one. So then I take the jacket off and notice about 9 tiny holes in the right arm. On closer inspection, these holes are where the fabric creased when I rolled it up to put it in my backpack. Curses! I am too rough for this jacket. If it gets holes when I roll it up, I cannot take it where I will depend on it. I have donated this jacket away.
While I appreciate y'all's advice, it did not work out in this case. I am glad that the Dri Ducks work so well for y'all, but I am forced to look for something more durable. Back to the drawing board. Thanks for the help on this one; I hope y'all bear with me as I try to sort out new options.
Dri ducks material can be recycled into waterproof coverings for wounds. Cut a patch, cover the wound (over proper dressing) and tape in place.
Disposable – horrid product. I used them for about a year. Three sets and all tore to shreds (once in high winds!). Just more for the landfill.
Good for day hikes.
Sorry to hear that, Wayne. But I wonder if yours was a lemon? I've had mine for a few years now. Just scrunched it up rudely into the size of a fist. No holes.
Waterproof bandages? I am curious about this. I am rarely injured while hiking and have never considered this option. Why would I need a waterproof bandage?
Regarding the possibility that I got a lemon: It is possible; however, I will have a hard time trusting the Dri Ducks. If the holes were near the stitching or seams, then I think I could chalk this up to stitching. The hole were just in the middle of the fabric, though. That would seem to suggest something wrong with the fabric itself. That troubles me. At <$20, I will almost certainly give these guys another go eventually, but I don't feel like I could put my faith in them for something important without a better experience.
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