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Is belay jacket + softshell combination effective in severe rain?
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Home › Forums › Gear Forums › Gear (General) › Is belay jacket + softshell combination effective in severe rain?
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Jan 30, 2011 at 6:53 am #1268420
Hello, I'm considering a Polartec Power Shield Pro softshell and a belay jacket for hard rain… Would the belay jacket reduce hydrostatic pressure of incoming rain droplets so it wouldn't break through the softshell? The softshell is not seam sealed though.
Jan 30, 2011 at 8:27 am #1690072So you will be wearing a belay jacket over the softshell in the rain? I assume you mean a synthetic belay jacket… much will depend upon the belay jackets face fabric. My DAS would wet out quickly and become both heavy and less insulative. A waterproof face fabric will keep you dryer, but then it should not matter what you wear underneath (are any belay jackets seam taped?).
Did you intend to be moving in this setup? If not, won't you need a hardshell anyway? Powershield is not at all waterproof, or at least the stretch face fabric is so absorbative that it will not feel like it is.
Jan 30, 2011 at 9:08 am #1690081This sounds like a bad combination. Would you like to say more about what you are looking to do and the conditions you are facing? Belay jacket is to add warmth, not function as a rain shield for a soft shell and typically is only out out when you are stopped. A good soft shells won't keep you dry in a hard rain, though if you are working hard they can kept provide enough protection that you are as "comfortable" as with other systems while provides less hassles.
I haven't used Power Shield Pro, only the original Power Shield, but I have to say that Power Shield Pro's performance curves look wrong to me. More water repellent than standard Power Shield (but less than a good hardshell), and it has worse breathability of a material that already has questionable breathability for active wear. IMHO you would be much better off with an eVENT hardshell than a Power Shield Pro shell.
–Mark
Jan 30, 2011 at 9:55 am #1690096No.
Sounds heavy, too hot and very wet. Soft shells are great for single-purpose journeys– day hikes, a day skiing, commuting or travel, but they don't add up well for a coordinated hiking clothing kit. DWR is good for a light sprinkle for a short period. The last thing you want to do is to get your insulation wet.
The light/cheap route is a DriDucks jacket. Many coated membrane jackets like the Marmot Precip are in the 12oz range and $70 or so on sale. Ponchos are good for trails and day hiking emergency backup.
Jan 30, 2011 at 5:11 pm #1690288I see. It seems that my best bet is a hardshell then.
Jan 30, 2011 at 6:10 pm #1690306there is a good article here clothing for mountains and clothing systems for sustained rain. I have notes with pointers to a lot on other resources on my recommended outdoor clothing
–Mark
Jan 31, 2011 at 3:38 am #1690416thanks for the pointers. I'm a bit concerned about the durability of driducks. Would putting abrasion-resistant softshell on top of it reduce driducks' breathability?
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