Rain Shell for a Spring in Patagonia

[Devin Karch]

So I'll be going down to Patagonia in Chile with Nols for 3 months, starting in October. Weather is going to be cold, wet and relentless…or so I've read and been told.

I need a rain shell (the one i have wont cut it for what we will be doing) that will be able to withstand abrasion from bushwhacking, as waterproof as possible with some breathability (would sacrifice breathability for waterproofness FOR SURE) and as light as possible without spending more than $220.

I am a large person. 6' 6'' 230 with wide shoulders, athletically built.

I am looking at a lot of gore tex jackets….
anybody have experience with Patagonia weather during the time i spoke about?

Thanks.

[Link .]

You might like reading this series of articles.

[Nathan Watts]

Will you have an opportunity to wash the jacket from time to time? I think eVent membranes tend to lose performance faster than Gore-Tex ones when they get dirty.

How about re-application of DWR coating? Will you be able to do that?

[Devin Karch]

What article?

[Devin Karch]

I doubt it. I'll be in the field the whole time so I'd have to carry the DWR and apply it in the field. So it doesnt seem like that is an option.

[Rodney]

A rain shell's level of waterproofing and breathability is a huge topic. There are as many opinions as there are backpackers. But I certainly understand your desires and need for a piece of gear that will last. During normal summer hiking in the western US where rain is infrequent, I carry a triple layer FroggToggs top and a rain skirt from ULA. When I go out in the shoulder seasons where it is cold and rain is much more frequent, I carry Marmot Precip jacket and pants. They are very durable. I wash it and replenish the DWR after a couple weeks of use. This helps. One nice feather of the Marmot PreCip rain gear is that it will not break the bank relative to other options like goretex and eVent.

Now, the reality for me is when I exert a fair amount of energy, like I do when backpacking, the choice is wet from inside or wet from outside. I have never been able to afford eVent.

Hope you enjoy your trip. It sounds great!

Cheers,
Rodney

[Link .]

Devin, click on the blue word (this) in my sentence it is a hyper link to the articles.

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