Do you always take a rain jacket?

[Nico .]

I always carry at least a windshirt on overnight or longer trips. I only bring a rain jacket when there's a reasonable chance of rain and/or an uncertain forecast.

For southern and central CA, that means I almost never bring a proper rain jacket.

[Jeremy and Angela]

Along with 260+ days of overcast and high, COLD humidity, what most people don't realize about PNW weather is that it rarely really pours: it DRIZZLES for hours, days, WEEKS, and everything around you is a dewy, soggy, mass of green (unless it is mud). Three days of rain might not come to 1/2", which might be a quick thunder shower in other parts of the world.

Dale, how does a DWR windshirt (e.g. Houdini, Sirocco, etc.) hold up to that sort of low volume/long duration drizzle? I'd expect that for me, full rain gear wouldn't be sufficiently breathable in such conditions.

[John Almond]

I bring a GI poncho (yep, it's heavy; but, it's also cheap and a multi-use item: poncho, pack cover, "front porch" groundsheet for my hammock, improv Grizz beak to close off one end of the hex tarp if the wind really starts to blow, my wind gear for Florida, and 1/2 of an emergency bivy in case I get forced down during a day hike–the other half being a space blanket) on every trip. The forecast for FL any time between April and October usually includes a 30% chance of rain in the afternoon, usually with lightning and thunder (translated: "It's gonna pour for an hour somewhere between 2 and 6 PM!").

So, it's worth covering my bases to have the poncho. While it's rare for me to feel cold above 50 F, if that rain is coming down hard enough and I'm tired enough, well…let's just say that I'm glad to have the poncho.

[Dale Wambaugh]

A windshirt won't cut it, and I like to use one too. IMHO, a windshirt provides a wind barrier to add to your base layer or fleece, yet remains breathable. Great for when you need that extra bit when exertion is low and the wind is cooling you too much. It can't be relied on for a rain shell. It will handle a light sprinkle, but not an all day drizzle and wet brush. I think anyone who relies on a windshirt for rain protection runs a very real risk of hypothermia. If you are hiking in the Pacific Northwest, you need rain gear, period.

[Steve Thompson]

Always rain protection, but not always a rain jacket. Depends on expected conditions. Hikes in the northwest, monsoon season in the Rockies, and when the forecast calls for rain lasting more than one day, then yes. If not I'll pare back. Summers in the Sierra, Grand Canyon in the winter I carry a poncho. Can fashion it as shelter at night if needed.

And then I always carry an oversize trash bag that I can fashion as a poncho in a pinch.

[Link .]

http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Frogg-Toggs-DriDucks-Emergency-Poncho/productDetail/Rain-Ponchos/prod999901361562/cat117605

[John S.]

Walmart started selling Frogg Toggs.

[Anonymous]

Anna,

Do you know how much it weighs?

[Anonymous]

"how does a DWR windshirt (e.g. Houdini, Sirocco, etc.) hold up to that sort of low volume/long duration drizzle? I'd expect that for me, full rain gear wouldn't be sufficiently breathable in such conditions."

It won't, pure and simple. The reality is that, either with or without rain gear, you're going to get wet in a classic all day PNW rain/drizzle. The difference is that with full rain gear you will be wet and warm, but without it you will be cold, wet, and at serious risk of hypothermia. It happens all the time up here. A personal example from last weekend: I was out on a 12 miler that started out in a slight drizzle. I hiked without my rain gear for the first 2 hours, but as we gained elevation the drizzle turned into soaking, increasingly cold rain and I started to shiver. I donned my rain shell and very quickly warmed up. I was just as wet as I would have been without the shell, but comfortably warm. Venting kept the heat from building up to an uncomfortable level. I would not have wanted to try and finish that hike without my shell. This is a very typical situation up here.

Edited: Footnote-a windshirt would not have lasted 10 minutes in that rain, and I would have been in a very tenuous situation, with at least an hour and a half hike back to the car when I was getting cold. Hypothermia would have been a serious concern.

[Mary D]

It's interesting that none of us here from the Pacific NW will leave home without rain gear, and none of us trust the weather forecasts, either!

I never did figure out this percentage business, either. We had a 50% chance of rain forecast for today, which may be correct because it rained fairly hard all morning but cleared up in early afternoon and is now sunny. However, more clouds are rolling in, so I don't think we're through for the day!

I never have found the perfect rain gear. I've tried several different Goretex configurations and couldn't determine any difference between those and non-breathable raingear. I haven't tried eVent but my budget won't run to that anyway. I tried Marmot Precip and it wetted out during an hour's walk (in cold rain, so I wasn't sweating) after I'd had it only a few months (and worn it only in town). It wasn't just damp; it was as wet inside as it was out! So it's once again back to non-breathable raingear. I currently have an anorak (cut really big for more ventilation) and rainpants of silnylon. One advantage is that I can use it as a vapor barrier suit in my sleeping bag in below-freezing weather. If it's warm and raining, I just get wet–my clothing will dry in 15-20 minutes on my body once the rain stops. If it's cold and raining, I wear only a base layer under the silnylon anorak and am quite comfortable (it does help that it's cut really loose!).

[Brian Johns]

Most o the time I do. Summer along the coast from Big Sur to Fort Bragg, I don't bother with any more than dry clothes, a wind shirt or the like. That said, when it's colder – or I am in other parts of the country – it's easy to bring a 7-9 oz. rain jacket or a 7 oz. poncho tarp. I like the poncho, as it's a pack cover and shelter too. My close-to-home trips are point Reyes and the sierras west of Tahoe. The first boast some wet foggy days and the latter, cold. The rain-proof layer is too little weight for the dry comfort when needed. Sunny, hot, dry, June weekends, though, odds of either for any prolonged period are slim.

[Dale Wambaugh]

The Driducks emergency poncho will work, but it is small and won't cover a pack. You would need to tuck it under the shoulder straps and they will get damaged.

The weight was 2.8oz on the ones I experimented with. I tried making a pull-over style top out of one and extended the back of another. They aren't worth the bother to adapt. I think they would be okay as a backup for kids or a better-than-nothing option, maybe a little better than a plastic one. If they would make them full sized and long in the back I wouldn't mind taking one for a day hike option.

The "regular" Driducks poncho is still weak on the back length. It will cover much more than the emergency version and last longer.

[Anonymous]

"The "regular" Driducks poncho is still weak on the back length. It will cover much more than the emergency version and last longer."

Thanks, Dale. I was thinking of it for Sierra trips, because I almost never have a need for my O2 Rainshield jacket, but it sounds like the shortcomings outweigh the benefit of a couple ounces saved. I think I'll stand pat.

[Link .]

The poncho is a good size for me but I am 5' tall and 105lbs

[Jeremy and Angela]

Thanks Tom, Dale! I haven't had the opportunity to test my windshirt in wet conditions yet, so wasn't sure at what point on the rain/drizzle scale it'd give out. My current hard shell appears to be only rated 3k/3k and what DWR there is needs refreshing, so a modern shell sits pretty high up on my shopping list.

[Lynn Tramper]

I always figure that % rain forecast is an estimate of how much of the time it will be raining. So I take a 60% forecast to mean it will be raining 60% of the day. Then again, living in NZ which bears many similarities to the PNW (though even less predictable) I never trust the forecast even if the chance is 0%. The minimum I take, even on a day hike, is a cuben poncho that can also serve as a ground cloth or shelter if I get stuck out overnight. This can happen even if it's not raining where I am due to rain higher up suddenly making a river unfordable. I also plan for situations such as injury that may change even the best laid plans for a day hike. It really comes down to how risk-averse you are, and the likely conditions you hike in. It's just a personal choice.

[Brett Peugh]

I have one but I am relegating it more to the winter since we have had 50% of the rain we usually get this year. I am liking the windshirt and umbrella combo thing paired with a trash bag rain skirt. I have been looking for something to prop up a bug netting bivy with and can use the umbrella. Just have to find a good bug netting bivy now. Can always take a rain poncho/tarp and use that also if need be. Options. I like my rain jacket but I have never found one I loved.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

I still think the Packa is one of the best ventilated rain parkas going due to its being open on the bottom area of your pack.

I'll bet that when his patent expires you'll see "mainstream" makers like REI selling Packa-like parkas.

[SPAM]

Yes I always carry rain jacket with me since it always helps in some way or the other……….

[josh wagner]

in the summers here in PA i don't. if the trip forecast looks like good weather i will just bring a windshirt. rainstorms during the day are a welcomed shower. i simply just walk in my t shirt and enjoy the cleaning and refreshing. i keep the windshirt in my pack for camp warmth, as others have mentioned… fall, winter, spring however the rain jacket comes with me, begrudgingly…

[Steve Huntress]

Yes, I always carry my goretex rain parka. Living in New England the old saying goes "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute." It is so true. I can head out for a short hike with the sun shining and 30 minutes later it's pouring rain or snowing.

Growing up hiking and camping in the White Mountains of NH, I was always taught to prepare for the worst weather you can imagine. My rain parka is always in/on my pack and I've never regretted carrying it.

[Mike M]

wait- I thought that was a Montana saying :)

[Jeff J]

We said that in Michigan all the time. Now I hear it in Oregon…

[Mike V]

My rain jacket gets more use than most items in my pack, if it isn't raining I wear it for a bit of extra warmth around camp or as a wind breaker.

[Devon Cloud]

I usually watch what the forecasters say will happen with the weather, then pack my pack for the exact opposite because they either have the worst luck in determining weather or the science behind it is complete trash. :)

Just kidding, I suppose it is better now than it was ten years ago, but it is still 60/40 at best. I always have my golite poncho/tarp. I also have my hammock tarp. So what I usually do now is get to my camping spot, setup camp and if it is going to rain, I will add my poncho /tarp to the edge of my hammock tarp to create a vestibule of sorts and chill down there til it stops. I rarely ever put it on unless I am still hiking and don't want my gear to get wet.

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