Rain Gear for a Through Hike

Try the OR parka and when it wears out have the Patagonia parka mailed to your next town.

I found that on the AT and in my former home state of Pennsylvania I usually wore my parka hood on my head and the body over my pack B/C it was too hot to actually wear it.

If you find you need a pack cover get a very light one.

A good parka over a good puffy can be a Godsend when you are freezing your buns off. I recommend down treated with a DWR like Dri Down or DownTek. They dry very fast B/C they absorb little moisture. And if you don’t ruin the shell it will last a decade at least.

Try to keep breathable waterproof clothing away from campfire smoke as it ruins the DWR coating and defeats some of the Gore-Tex or eVent substrate until washed well.

When I hiked the AT, everyone after the first month has rain coats that wetted out because the DWR was shot. There’s no easy way to revive it on a thru-hike. I and a lot of other people used Frogg Toggs and I loved them. They’re cheap, lightweight and, surprisingly, a set easily lasted the whole trip. I would use a kilt if I were to do it again though.

I second the Dri Ducks for a AT through hike.  They are cheap, light, doesn’t need DWR, can be patched with duct tape, and as  one person mentioned, surprisingly durable for ON TRAIL hiking (they would last about 5 minutes in Alaska).   I used the same jacket for a year of on trail hiking in the SE.  I might plan on a jacket lasting half a AT hike and plan on getting another jacket in Harpers Ferry.

Thanks for the responses, guys.

I never miss a chance to bring up The Packa as an option.  I have multiple and I love the versatility of it. I’ve had it on just as a pack cover and then, without stopping, put it in “jacket” mode and vice-versa. It has huge pit zips and I love how it keeps your pack from soaking through from water running down between your back and the pack.

^yep and it’s waterproof so there is no DWR to wear out. The mechanical ventilation is great because it’s over your pack straps and pack like a poncho however you aren’t wearing a giant sail like a poncho.

You can easily lose ~1 ounce from the factory Packa weight by replacing the lol-heavy shockcord and enormous cordlocks with lighter stuff more appropriate for the task.

Matthew – I’m embarrassed to tell you that I STILL haven’t used the shockcord and cordlocks you sent me to lighten my Cuben Packa…

It’s the perfect easy diy project for some day when you are bored!

+3 on the Packa.  I have the 20d version and after lightening up the shock cord and cord locks, it’s 8oz for pack cover and rain wear that doesn’t wet out and vents quite well while still providing rain coverage.  Very versatile.  I don’t know why it doesn’t get more love other than some must still be fashion conscious or they like trail wear they can wear in everyday life.

Yes John – it does look a little dorky wearing it around camp without a pack on.  You also need to be careful that you don’t take a “pack cover puddle” of water into your shelter with you if it’s really pouring – water can pretty easily accumulate inside the pack cover portion.