Should I switch rain skirt + windpants instead of rain pants?

[lisa r]

I’ve been a full-zip rain pants person my whole hiking career. They come on every trip and more often get used for warmth and bug protection than rain. Whenever used in rainy or wet brushy situations, my lower legs always seem to end up pretty wet regardless of the rain pants, and sometimes my upper legs get a bit wet as well. I hike in trail runners and do the vast majority of my hiking in summer/early fall between Sierra, Oregon, and Washington. I don’t typically hike for days on end in bad weather but do typically experience sharp drops in temps when it rains in the places I hike, and the rain can be very heavy.

It’s time to replace my current pair of rain pants and I’ve taken a dive into the rain skirt vs. pants debate. I think one thing that’s holding me back from making the switch is that most of my hikes involve at least some amount of off-trail travel, which can mean bushwhacking and sometimes scrambling. If the weather is total crap, I probably won’t be doing anything too dramatic off-trail, but I’m wondering about mobility and potential problems with the rain skirt catching on vegetation. Also wonder about windy rain situations and if wind pants provide any protection?

Potential reasons for making the switch include saving a few ounces (though a couple ‘extra’ ounces isn’t a huge concern to me), expense (seems like the skirt + wind pant option could be cheaper than a good pair of rain pants), and versatility (wind pants potentially being more comfortable as an added warmth layer than rain pants and less hot when I’m wearing them against bugs). I’d say versatility and comfort is priority 1 for me.

If I do make the switch, any particular recommendations for make/model, design features, or materials for skirt or wind pant? I’m very short, so I’d be looking for a rain skirt that has some size options or would be adjustable so it doesn’t come down to my ankles.

Thanks!

 

[jj]

i dont do much bushwhacking in it, but my tyvek rain skirt seems to be pretty durable and easy to repair. it serves double use, i call it my picnic blanket and like to sit/lay on it when im taking breaks. i use bodywrappers as windpants, they seem durable for how cheap they come and have held up over about 1500 miles of sometimes use, but i rarely hike in them except for cold mornings. im planning on making a pair of windpants from argon90 but i doubt theyll be quite as tough, will have to be more careful on log-overs. im also considering making a new rain skirt from sil-poly scrap and seeing how many miles i can get out of it before the picnic blanket aspect puts too many holes in it

[Luke Schmidt]

Rain pants seem to get trashed faster then rain jackets. That said leaky rain pants or less breathable rain pants are also less of an issue.

If you’re wet under the rain pants it might be water wicking up the pants and socks. Try rolling the pants up and the socks down.

Another option is to cut rain pants off at the mid ankle. I did it once and it seemed to work then a rain skirt. Better breathability and slightly better mobility with a few oz saved over regular pants. Ultimately I decided it wasn’t worth the hassle. I started doing a lot more off trail. The more you brush up against wet stuff the more full coverage is nice.

[Steve S]

Moving through wet blueberry bushes  in cool weather requires serious rain gear.

[Dustin V]

If your shoes and legs are getting wet from brush, consider gaiters. They are generally more durable than wind pants, which might help when bushwhacking. Gaiters can pair with either a rain skirt or wind pants.

Or maybe check out rain chaps. Chaps pair well with longer jackets or ponchos.

[DWR D]

Check out the zPacks rain pants… very light, no zippers, cut baggy enough to just pull over trail runners… probably as light as most rain skirts…and breathe well also…  but not rugged for bushwhacking… but who wants to bushwhack anyway? especially in the rain…

[Paul S]

As Steve said “Moving through wet blueberry bushes  in cool weather requires serious rain gear.”

Indeed!

Wet blueberry bushes have soaked me far worse than any rain storm!

[Brad W]

No UL Windpants that I know of will hold up to bushwhacking for long. Skirt, while wet/raining and going through brush sounds miserable. If it were me in the scenarios presented I would use inexpensive relatively light rain pants. I got a pair that is durable and weighs 7oz. Use for wind too, or if money isn’t an object get a pair of Copperfield wind pants also, a couple of oz.

[Bruce Tolley]

For cross country travel, sometimes you do have to make your way through brush.

I have a old pair of nylon Oxford cloth water resistant wind pants from LL Bean I would wear for bush whacking in wet weather. Alternatively, why shred an expensive pair of WBL laminate pants.  Outdoor Research and REI used to sell cheap plain old waterproof pants with side zippers for ventilation.

As recommended above, the compromise would be wearing long gaiters over your fragile lightweight rain pants. But if you are pushing through riparian willows or thick chapparal, the gaiters might not provide adequate protection for the pants.

[Diane Pinkers]

I hike in the Olympics and Cascades, and I love the rainskirt + gaiters option. I use Zpacks Dyneema skirt + Vertice gaiters,  and only wear my wind pants underneath if it is around 40 F and windy. I like the skirt because of better ventilation,  I don’t get nearly so sweaty and wet under the rain skirt. I’ve even scrambled on the rocks on beach hike in the skirt. I do not bushwhack or travel off trail much, so that may change the equation for you.

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