Help Me Understand High End Rain Gear

Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
619
So I don’t own any super high end rain gear, and I’m trying to understand just how breathable the good stuff really is. I’m likely going to invest in some for an upcoming trip. Here’s my experience - this last winter I shoveled the drive wearing my current rain jacket over a down jacket as an experiment. The rain jacket isn’t cheap but also not high end. It’s a North Face rain jacket with pit zips that was probably in the $80 range. Within 20-30 minutes of hard shoveling the inside of the rain coat was completely full of moisture.

My question - is this type of thing completely unavoidable or does good rain gear actually breathe well enough to where that build up does not occur? If so, what type of specs would I look for to know it’ll avoid this type of moisture build up?
 

Two Roads

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 12, 2019
Messages
187
Suggest reading up on moisture transmission and membrane construction Technlogy. It is also a fine line between durability and weight as well. No matter how much you spend, you have to manage exertion pace and your heat as well. Think heavy pack and steep climb. Slowing down to manage heat , typically the lead indicator of heavy body moisture, is good strategy. I bet you got hot shoveling, opened pit zips to expel heat but you were too far gone by then. But you also need to help transfer the moisture from your skin surface to then pass thru membrane. If you would have ditched down jacket anticipating heat buildup, wore a light sfynthetic wick layer earlier, you would have slowed thermal transfer and moisture overwhelming transfer ability.
I do use Sitka and happy but I also use Musto offshore high intensity sailboat racing. In all that good stuff, you are paying to exclude outside moisture with max transfer and durability but still need to manage activity level for pass thru to avoid wet-out. KUIU has good articles on this.
 

*zap*

WKR
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Dec 20, 2018
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N/E Kansas
You really need to expect sweat when wearing a down jacket with a hardshell over it while working hard shoveling snow for a half hour....not really any type of good 'test'. Maybe without the down and pit zips open from the get go.
 

Jimss

WKR
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Mar 6, 2015
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Not all are created equal but for how much time I spend out in horrible weather each year it’s worth every penny investing in quality rain gear.

There actually are a few bargains available if you look. Marmot precip is one of them. They may not be quite as good as kuiu or Sitka but for the $ they sure are close!

It is obviously smart knowing which layers to have on or take off when active! If you are warm just standing being inactive you likely will be sweating once active. I generally try to start out being somewhat cold and continue taking even more layers off once I warm up.

It also pays having quality layers!
 

mtwarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
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Oct 18, 2016
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9,487
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Montana
Rain jackets don't breathe well- period

A higher end jacket will usually comprise of a more waterproof membrane (hydrostatic head), more durable fabric and have features like adjustable hood, zipped pockets, pit zips, etc

I have some lightweight rain jackets that do fine in typical short afternoon storms that are so common in the here (Montana), but this prior weekend I elected to carry my heavier (Sitka Dewpoint) rain gear instead as the forecast was for sustained rain (and cold- upper 30's, lower 40's). Damn glad I did! :)

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TN2shot07

WKR
Joined
Dec 19, 2020
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562
The Exo guys just did a podcast on the technical aspects of rain gear. It was way more information than I needed but pretty interesting
 
Joined
May 1, 2021
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Kuiu chugach is very good coming off westcoast trail for last week. Thermoregulation is important, if active, reduce inner layers bc with humidity and exertion the good rain gear still sweats
 

Katoom27

FNG
Joined
Sep 27, 2022
Messages
12
I would just get some quality stuff. You get what you pay for. My last cheap set (frog Toggs) got a 2’ rip down the side of my leg from walking through the bush and left me soaked.
 

ozyclint

WKR
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
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1,745
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Queensland, Downunder
If it's raining then the humidity is high. You then expect a humid air mass inside your jacket to diffuse into a humid air mass outside you jacket at a faster rate than it is being created inside your jacket. It just doesn't work.
You need a humidity difference to be able to pump humidity into humidity.

I gave up on waterproof breathable a long time ago. I have found them to be neither waterproof or breathable, all with high dollar price tags. I think the industry preys on the tendency of humans to fall for perceived solutions to discomfort.

I made my own rain gear out of sil/PU nylon. I just want a nonpermeable membrane that is light and packable.
 
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