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Post by leadbelly on Jan 22, 2022 16:57:30 GMT -8
I concur with a comment above that Arcteryx’s gore Tex hard shells are reliably waterproof, well-designed, and durable. They’re also expensive.
On a budget, look for gore Tex Paclite jackets. I tested Mountain Hardwear’s exposure/2 last year and thought it was very good as a raincoat. It lacked some features i look for on longer/harder hiking trips, but it will keep you dry and is quite light, men’s XL weighs 11 ounces on my digital scale. It’s really a rain shell, not a hiking/backpacking hard shell in the sense that the fabric is pretty light and it’s a relatively simple design. No pit zips, but both chest pockets are backed with mesh, you can unzip them to vent some heat/moisture.
REALLY on a budget and thinking more about travel than hiking or something else active, Sierra Designs Cagoule is worth a look. It’s a polyurethane coated shell, meaning the fabric is fully waterproof but not breathable. Cagoules are long, 3/4 length, so they’ll keep you dry down to your knees in hard all-day rain. Not waterproof/breathable, you ventilate moisture through some openings in the jacket. It’s more of an emergency/standing still rain shell for hiking, but hard to beat for rainy days in the UK, and enough room to wear a nice Shetland sweater underneath.
a totally non-hiking option for a rainy stint in the UK would be an oiled cotton jacket like a Barbour or Drizabone. Way too heavy for hiking or moving around actively, they don’t breath at all, but they keep you dry and look awesome. They’re also pricy, but they last a really, really long time, just get them re-waxed periodically.
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Post by dayhiker on Mar 16, 2022 14:30:57 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2022 17:37:59 GMT -8
REALLY on a budget and thinking more about travel than hiking or something else active, Sierra Designs Cagoule is worth a look. It’s a polyurethane coated shell, meaning the fabric is fully waterproof but not breathable. Cagoules are long, 3/4 length, so they’ll keep you dry down to your knees in hard all-day rain. Not waterproof/breathable, you ventilate moisture through some openings in the jacket. It’s more of an emergency/standing still rain shell for hiking, but hard to beat for rainy days in the UK, and enough room to wear a nice Shetland sweater underneath. I have one of these. Hard to find now.
the concept behind them is, ventilation rather than a really wpb fabric to help keep you free from condensation wetness. The sides of the Cagoule have long slits in them to allow your pack hip belt to fit through and clip underneath the front. This allows air to flow up from the bottom hem to the the collar area where there is another adjustable opening. If you leave the side slits unfastened, its almost like wearing a pancho. I found it works pretty well, but the snaps on mine are very poor quality. I only use it for hot rainy weather. There is a large covered vent across the back so this jacket does not work well as a wind breaker unless you're wearing a pack. Tunnel pocket across the front with a mesh backing also allows air through.
Look into the UK made rain gear. They have some great stuff. Pertex is popular there, as it works well for their conditions. I just purchased a Montane rain shell that is the nicest one I've ever had. the hood is amazing. It has a wire brim that can be adjusted to whatever shape you need, and other adjustments that can make a tunnel so nothing can reach my glasses unless I'm directly facing into a howling wind driven rain. Still testing the system. I'm anxious to see how this shell works out in the hot summers here, (breathability) but for fall thorough spring I'm sold. The only complaint I have with it so far is the fabric is very noisy. But it is absolutely wind proof, and rain proof.
They all have in common other features I haven't seen elsewhere, BIG pockets for one thing. Big enough for the ir standard size topo maps. Pockets are placed high so a pack strap does not interfere, and have a mesh backing to allow for ventilation if needed. Now if they'd add side zips so I could run my pack strap underneath like the Cagoule, That would be the perfect shell for me.
Last point - their sizing is much slimmer than US gear. Definitely size up if you will wear a puffer underneath. I should also add - Montane and RAB both have everything in mens and women's. I think we could learn a few things from across the pond!
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Post by leadbelly on Apr 4, 2022 7:05:54 GMT -8
Re: rain shells from the UK, at least RAB and Montane, I agree, they generally run narrow and should be sized up for US purchasers. i have a several years-old RAB shell, discontinued a while ago. Heavy, full-featured, has proved to be really durable. eVent waterproof/breathable they no longer make, have gone to Gore Tex Pro for their higher-end shells.
I put a Montane lightweight gore tex running shell through the wringer, tested it for a website, and it didn't prove to be as durable as I would have wanted. it's often a tradeoff - a 10 oz gore tex shell is necessarily made from lighter-grade materials. functionally a great jacket, so i'm guessing a heavier-grade shell would have absorbed abuse better.
Arcteryx makes a very minimal gore tex anorak that would appeal to me if it were available in XXL. one zipper, one small pocket, runs long (covers your rear end). cut narrow, more like UK sizing.
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Post by downriver on Jun 19, 2022 8:02:24 GMT -8
Take a look at a Patagonia Calcite; it’s an excellent jacket and a favorite worn by many of my co-workers.
Regards,
DR
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Jul 4, 2022 13:50:17 GMT -8
Re: rain shells from the UK, at least RAB and Montane ... I put a Montane lightweight gore tex running shell through the wringer.. I have a several year old Montane that needs the DWR coating reapplied I’m guessing (started “wetting out”), but recently picked up the Rab Phantom pullover hoody in pertex 2.5 layered at a reported 3oz (running shell) as a just in case layer. I try avoiding rain if I can help it so maybe it won’t get dinged up as much (storing in a pack can cause abrasion too).
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 6, 2022 11:41:17 GMT -8
BTW I ended up getting the Patagonia Torrentshell 3, and it has now withstood a couple of good cloudbursts. I tend to get leakage in at the neckline; not sure what that’s about. Possibly running down the chin strap of my hat, or just off my face and down my neck. Haven’t really tested it in an all-day sort of rain situation, and hope I never do
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