How to Choose the Right Rain Gear
I was pleasantly surprised when my order of lightweight raingear from Campmor arrived. I ordered inexpensive, or cheap, raingear that rolled up into a little sack that was meant for emergencies and light hiking.
The raingear was alot better than I expected. It was indeed small, lightweight, and waterproof. There are many camping trips we go on when we don't know for sure if it will rain or not. We used to lug our heavy raingear with us but now we don't need to anymore. And this lightweight raingear, consisting of rain pants and a rain jacket, doesn't snag as much as a poncho would. In my mind, there is no more reason for ponchos except for emergency shelter, perhaps.
The pants and the jacket were no more than 20 dollars each, so the cost was right for the job we wanted the rainwear to perform. Keep in mind that these are shells I am talking about. If you expect chilly or cold weather, you will need some sort of liner. We use fleece jackets and long johns. Dressing in layers is always a good idea and works well with the lightweight rain shells.
If you need to do some heavy hiking through thick brush, however, you can do no better than Gortex raingear. This raingear is breathable, comfortable, rugged and durable, and fits well. I ordered a good set from Cabelas but have seen knock-offs for half the price. Now, you should be able to find a set of Gortex raingear (pants and jacket) for $150 total.
There will always be trade-offs between weight, durability, and price for anything you are looking for. For slim chances of rain on a hiking trip that doesn't include thick brush, I would go for the $40 set of lightweight raingear from Campmor. This set of raingear can easily be stuffed into a side pocket of your backpack. For more demanding trips through thick brush or when you would encounter torrential downpours, I would suggest Gortex raingear that is comfortable and durable.
The raingear was alot better than I expected. It was indeed small, lightweight, and waterproof. There are many camping trips we go on when we don't know for sure if it will rain or not. We used to lug our heavy raingear with us but now we don't need to anymore. And this lightweight raingear, consisting of rain pants and a rain jacket, doesn't snag as much as a poncho would. In my mind, there is no more reason for ponchos except for emergency shelter, perhaps.
The pants and the jacket were no more than 20 dollars each, so the cost was right for the job we wanted the rainwear to perform. Keep in mind that these are shells I am talking about. If you expect chilly or cold weather, you will need some sort of liner. We use fleece jackets and long johns. Dressing in layers is always a good idea and works well with the lightweight rain shells.
If you need to do some heavy hiking through thick brush, however, you can do no better than Gortex raingear. This raingear is breathable, comfortable, rugged and durable, and fits well. I ordered a good set from Cabelas but have seen knock-offs for half the price. Now, you should be able to find a set of Gortex raingear (pants and jacket) for $150 total.
There will always be trade-offs between weight, durability, and price for anything you are looking for. For slim chances of rain on a hiking trip that doesn't include thick brush, I would go for the $40 set of lightweight raingear from Campmor. This set of raingear can easily be stuffed into a side pocket of your backpack. For more demanding trips through thick brush or when you would encounter torrential downpours, I would suggest Gortex raingear that is comfortable and durable.
posted by Christopher at 4:37 PM
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