WP tech that just works?

If the rain and wind ever become enough that it tries to blow in the sides, I usually stop and find some sort of shelter. 

How many people have that luxury?
One of the first multi-day backpacking trips I did was in 2009, hiking 6 days on Isle Royale along the Minong Ridge trail.  As it turns out, we had an unusual weather during the trip.  We experienced about 32 hours of almost constant rain.  The ferries to/ from the Island were canceled for a day due to high seas.  I’m told that ferry cancellations due to weather are extremely rare.

Because Isle Royale National Park uses a permit system that specifies which campsite to occupy on each date, staying put and sitting out the weather really wasn’t an option.  The weather wasn’t dangerous, but hiking along the Minong Ridge on Isle Royale did expose us to wind blown rain coming out of the North/NorthWest, off of Lake Superior.

Sitting out the weather:  Not an option.

Relying on a poncho/tarp with a draw cord around the waist:  Not if I can help it.

Interesting little side note: Porcupine Mountains State Park, in the western Upper Peninsula, offers an experience much like Isle Royale (so I’m told, haven’t visited it personally), but on the mainland.  In 2017, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the park had 300,000 visitors.  As a result of the continually rising visitor numbers, and out of concern for the increasing impact to the back country, the park has announced a change in policy for back country camping.  Dispersed camping and self register permits are no longer allowed.  Permits acquired through one of the offices will now be required to camp at one of the parks 60+ designated sites, and there will be a daily quota on permits.

It seems to me that with the rising popularity of backpacking, more wilderness areas are responding by imposing stricter camping regulations, giving hikers less flexibility when weather conditions change.

What not trees anywhere on the island?

Lots of trees.

But I can’t sit among the trees for 20 hours waiting for the storm to pass.  I needed to get to the next designated camp site.

Have the Lightheart Gear PU/Sil jacket. Pit Zips fully open in real rain never wets out. With appropriate under clothing layer it seems highly suitable with temps below about 12 Celcius. Thin merino and very thin fleece  or Pat Cap thermal weight seems really good. If there is some condensation it is quite slight. Walked pretty hard recently with an Icebreaker Departure SS shirt only under it at a temp of about 16-18C to see how it fared. It took one full hour to sweat up inside. But still my shirt was only lightly “damp”. I have walked for 2 1/2 hours in pouring rain, temps about 6-12 C, hilly terrain, quite quick -6 kms/hr. Zips fully open with very thin merino under and very thin fleece I did not sweat up (my skin felt dry and I was comfortably warm) appreciably and entire area under and around arm pit was dry on the skin and material. Any questions? I can try to answer about the LHG from my use if anyone has any. I bought it waiting for the next generation and they seem perhaps to be here? Outdry as per Mr. Nisely’s reports? I am very interested in this. But my LHG weighs in M only 200 gms. So still thinking…