Wind Breakers & Ultra Breathable Raingear

[mtwarden]

With the Alpine Start, I'm ok if it is a light drizzle, light freezing rain or dry snow, but it will wet out pretty quickly in moderate rain, wet brush, wet snow or mixed freezing rain/snow. I have worn it under a lighter weight, 2 ply rain jacket and faired pretty well.

I had an interesting experience with a windshirt (it was Houdini, but guessing it would be the same as any similar windshirt). A buddy and I were bagging a peak in early spring on snowshoes. It started to light rain (both of had windshirts on), it stayed light rain for over an hour all the way to the peak. Windshirts wetted out completely and as we started down (not working nearly as hard) we started to get chilled in the wet windshirts. We grabbed our hard-shells and thrown them over (the wetted out) windshirts. Roughly 45 minutes to an hour we stopped for a short break and unzipped my hardshell to check on the windshirt. It was bone dry! Ditched the hardshell and put back on the perfectly dried windshirt (it had quit raining by this time too).

Anyways, pretty cool experience and one that I've filed away for a future trip. Not saying the results would be identical each time, but windshirts do dry quickly and probably a lot of body generated heat forced through the base layer and through the windshirt (all under the hardshell).

 

[bliner]

After reading a lot here about windshirts I got an Alpine Start last summer and I love it. As mentioned, it wouldn't replace a rain jacket except for in very light drizzle, but it is very breathable, stretches, cuts the wind well, fairly light, and so far has been durable.

 

[bojangles808]

I got the outdoor research shadow wind to pair with my ambient. the BD alpine start fit was weird for me

 

[mtwarden]

Did you wear the Alpine Start enough to make a comparison of the two by chance?

I see it’s a few ounces lighter.

 

[sndmn11]

I'm in love with the Beyond wins short I have, but they are a few hundred bucks now. It is my most worn piece.

Need another like it....

 

[Qpski]

DCF Poncho, specifically the zpacks poncho is my go to. It's actually waterproof and breathable because of its shape and size. I'm really surprised they are not more commonly suggested anytime people bring up rain jackets.

 

[PathFinder]

The Beyond Clothing Yuba rain jacket showed up. It's likely that this is the same or nearly the same material as the new SG X1.
The only other ultralight rain jacket I've used was a First Lite Vapor Stormlight. It was ok at first but after a couple years wasn't very waterproof at all. This material feels much lighter and maybe more delicate than the Vapor. The jacket is several ounces lighter as well. My guess is that it won't handle much abuse, it will be stored and used very delicately. I'm pretty sure that just stuffing the FL Vapor in and out of my pack wore it out. The Beyond jacket will get stored in a pocket and only used where it won't get torn up. Mostly on alpine hunts in Colorado probably.

 

[stan_wa]

I got a eddie Bauer rain jacket backed with alpha direct
It’s the best balance I have found it’s fragile but just durable enought to be ok for light use. For heavy use and hard rain I will go with a heavy face fabric rain sheel
It advertised 30k waterproof and breathable which seems impossible but it must have been a demo cause I can’t find it

Check out the eddie Bauer super sevens 3 piece jacket

 

[fngTony]

The Beyond Clothing Yuba rain jacket showed up. It's likely that this is the same or nearly the same material as the new SG X1.
The only other ultralight rain jacket I've used was a First Lite Vapor Stormlight. It was ok at first but after a couple years wasn't very waterproof at all. This material feels much lighter and maybe more delicate than the Vapor. The jacket is several ounces lighter as well. My guess is that it won't handle much abuse, it will be stored and used very delicately. I'm pretty sure that just stuffing the FL Vapor in and out of my pack wore it out. The Beyond jacket will get stored in a pocket and only used where it won't get torn up. Mostly on alpine hunts in Colorado probably.

That does look similar to the x1. Got some pics showing the whole thing? I couldn’t tell from the website which one you got.

 

[PathFinder]

That does look similar to the x1. Got some pics showing the whole thing? I couldn’t tell from the website which one you got.

Here is the jacket. It's the Yuba Anorak. It may be discontinued, they were in the outlet on their site for $25.

 

[fngTony]

Here is the jacket. It's the Yuba Anorak. It may be discontinued, they were in the outlet on their site for $25.

View attachment 835551

Oh yeah, I did see that one on their website. I just wanted the full zip so I passed.

 

[fngTony]

Are you planning on this being a double duty rain jacket and windbreaker when there’s not severe weather forecast, or are you planning on using it in conjunction with something else?

 

[PathFinder]

Are you planning on this being a double duty rain jacket and windbreaker when there’s not severe weather forecast, or are you planning on using it in conjunction with something else?

After seeing how fragile the material is, it won't be doing double duty. The material looks like it would handle even riding under a pack belt too well for a long time. I'll pack just the windshirt on short trips when the weather is mild and use this jacket on all weight sensitive hunts when it's unlikely that the rain jacket will see a lot of abuse.