Rain Jacket suggestions – Plasmic?

I think it's misleading to use the term "maximum breathability" with any jacket that is truly waterproof — and that applies to NeoShell, eVent, or any other "miracle" membrane. NeoShell is bonded PU laminate with holes in it to all some air permeability in exchange for a little less wind proofness, but that isn't even close to maximum breathability as you would get from the same softshell with no waterproof membrane.

I think this notion that you can have real breathability in a waterproof jacket to be the biggest lie of the outdoor fashion industry. It seems to me that the real truth is one jacket might be a little less miserable to wear in the rain than another jacket. Doesn't sound quite as sexy!

Eric:

My point is that if you browse reviews of popular TV sets, you'll also find hundreds of posts from disgruntled users whose TV sets have broken. TV sets break. Rain jackets fail. Stuff happens. You have to put it in context of the numbers sold and internet posts sometimes convey a misleading picture. The PreCip rain jacket has been Marmot's best selling product forever. You are aren't hearing from the thousands and thousands and thousands of people wearing them who aren't particularly motivated to visit BPL to say that their jackets are performing fine.

For someone as concerned with rain jacket delamination as you apparently are, I would suggest buying the LLBean Trail Model Rain Jacket. It's cheap enough that you could always carry a spare and LLBEAN will replace it, no questions asked, at any time so you are covered.

Is it the lightest? No, probably not. Is it the cheapest? No, probably not. Is it the most high tech? No probably not. But is a wise purchase for someone whose top concern is rain jacket delamination.

Most people who return items simply take em back, i know enough people whose jackets delaminated who DONT post about it on the intrawebs

As i said BPL abounds with stories of delamination issues with various brands

The solution is simply to buy something with a killer warranty

And no you dont have to sacrifice "performance" … Its not like OR jackets are pieces of cr@p or more expensive in general

Nor things you buy from mec or eb

The simple fact is that the more you constantly wear a rain jacket the more likely itll delaminate

Now one can ignore that if one chooses … Until it happens to you

;)

"Also keep in mind most PU jackets are only Vapor permeable. This means the interior of the jacket must get hot and humid before PU will start moving the vapor out."

"eVent and NeoShell are instead Air permeable. That means air can pass right through the fabric."

Vapor permeable versus Air permeable ??

First generation Gore-Tex and PU laminates transport via diffusion . There is no direct path from one side to another. Molecules get "passed along" through the membrane, driven by (high) humidity and heat differentials.

Air Permeable membranes have direct paths from one side to the other. Molecules of air and water vapor can move directly through via convection, making these membranes much more effective than PU at all levels of humidity and heat, and particularly so at Low levels.

euh Greg, MOST PU laminates transport via diffusion, not ALL. E.g. NeoShell is also a PU-laminate.

I have this rain jacket and used it last fall on a 12 day backcrountry expedition in northern Canada in very adverse weather and terrain conditions. With dastime temperatures between -0C and 10C, it rained for 7 straight days. We were carrying 70lb packs in demanding terrain that required a level of exertion where sweating was inevitable. Did I sweat? Yes. Did I dry quickly once I stopped, with the jacket on? Yes. I hikesnowshoe in -20C weather and can manage my layering and exertion to completely avoid sweating. In rain at just above freezing, in wilderness terrain it is impossible.

I was also wearing a pair of Arcteryx Goretex rain pants (Alpha I think). I also sweat in those, and more than in the jacket I think, though it was hard to tell. Oh, and I shredded these pants on the piercing branches of deadfall while the jacket got not a single tear.

We would stop at lunch time and light a large fire and partially dry and warm ourselves. It was amazing to watch these materials work as your whole body began emitting clouds of steam as the breathable materials warmed. The jacket breathed and dried equally well with the goretex pants.

Frankly I think there is too much ado about materials. I use them all. I have an Event bivy that also works well and may be marginally more breathable than other materials.

Summary: I quite like it as a rain jacket. Its functions: very durable, reasonably light and it breathes.

I hope this is of some help as you make your decision.

Derrick

Thanks for the heads up on down light in SC. I am all over the Patagonia outlet and have bought several items at very low prices. Going to a clearance sale there this month that will be about 40% off.

Thanks everyone for the input, I had no idea what I was getting into lol. Since it finally starting raining here and I have a trip planned next weekend I pulled the trigger on the Plasmic at REI, $96 down from $195. The only Med they had was a "Burdock Plasmic" which is basically a parka length Plasmic, which I am happy about since the shorter jackets didn't appeal to me so much. 12.6oz on my scale.

Once I use thee jacket a few times and save up some money I will get a better ran jacket, the REI event looks nice. Or heck maybe I'll give the Driducks/similar a shot for yahoos to see what the fuss is about. For now I am happy with my purchase, and I have REI's return policy in case I change my mind.

Thanks everyone…