Rain jackets, again

I like my OR Helium 2. Been using double duty as my wind jacket and although not the most breathable garment, it has breathed better then my previous rain gear and I've been very impressed with it. Performed admirably in the rain, too :)

Lukes Ultralight.

Scroll down to the Goretex PacLite jacket.

+1 on Luke's Ultralite

my next one will be coming from lukes ultralite.

Just got my REI Kimtah eVent pants on sale at $89. last week.

But they are more than 2X the weight of Lukes. They still have the tag on. Maybe I should return them & get Luke's pants. However, having a pair of Cabela's PacLite pants I know for a fact they don't breathe as well as eVent.
Decisions, decisions.

Anyone used Lukes GTX pants in the bush? Are tehy durable?

as you have seen for yourself … delamination is not an uncommon jacket failure …

my advice is to get a rain jacket with the BEST possible no questions asked warranty … i would have said buy from REI, but they changed their policy recently

OR has always had a no question, even if a dog eats it well take care of it policy …

if you search around youll see jacket failure in even dead birds and almost every other jacket out there at some point

;)

I had never heard of Luke's ultralight before this. I'm a bit concerned about the elastic sleeve cuffs. My trusty PreCip has elastic cuffs with a velcro closure, which I found pretty important if it's raining hard to keep the rain from slipping inside. Is this an issue?

Rab Demand. But that may have been discontinued too.

How does the GoLite Malpais compare to the OR Helium 2? I have hiked with a few that had the GoLite and they really liked it. 7oz not too bad and price seems reasonable. I was thinking about getting it, curious how it compares to some others.

For increased durability and breathability, look at 3-layer materials instead of 2-layer: eVent, NeoShell, or Gore Tex Pro. Also, keep in mind that Mtn Hardwear's Dry Q Elite is eVent rebranded. The MH Quasar anorak is on sale at campsaver.com and might work for you. Comes in a little over your 8 oz mark, but very competitive weight and price for an event shell. I'm trying to convince my SO that he wants one.

If you use your rain shell a lot (mine sees some use nearly every day in the spring and fall and winter–not just hiking, but commuting and outdoor chores), I think it's worth a few extra ounces and a few extra bucks to find something you'll enjoy wearing and can depend on. If it's strictly emergency gear and mostly lives inside your pack, then go with the cheapest lightest option available to you.

Talk to Luke, he may be able to customize the cuffs for you (he did for Stick).

At OR I liked the looks, fit, and weight of the Montbell Versalite rain jacket. Montbell stuff seems to fit me really well, so I might be a tad biased. Velcro cuff adjusters, pit zips, and a hood that felt fine to me. Moderately breathable, and about 7oz.

The Luke's Ultralight silnylon jacket, with added pit zips, looks like a winner too.

Another +1 for Lukes ultralight. He just made me a 4 oz pertex shell with taped seams!! Freken awesomesauce.

What are the pros/cons of Luke's silnylon? $75, 4.2oz, waterproof. Bam.

I use my heavy Arcteryx Theta AR Goretex Pro Shell for snowboarding, winter hiking above treeline, and around-town rain coat, but its really heavy.

I have used silnylon rain jackets before and find them insanely clammy if you are doing nothing but sitting around in the cold. They no not breathe.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the hydrostatic head on 1.1 oz silnylon is ~1000 mm (and I think the silnylon that Lightheart uses for their tents is rated to 3500 mm, which is very good for silnylon).

Compare that to Pertex Shield DS, with a HH of 10,000 mm–or eVent's 30,000 mm. With sil, you're at the low end of being fully waterproof. With jackets, where you have to factor in the pressure of pack straps rubbing on the garment, and the garment rubbing against you, the prevailing wisdom is that you'll want a higher HH. How much higher is really hard to say. I guess my point is, just because your silnylon tarp doesn't wet through, it doesn't mean your silnylon jacket won't, due to increased abrasion and pressure on the fabric.

And yes, you'll have the condensation issue to deal with, too. Note the condensation inside sil shelters when they're not well ventilated. A poncho design mitigates that by increasing airflow, but jackets and pants can get pretty clammy. Also, sil can shred when bushwhacking or negotiating rock faces.