rain jacket but no rain pants?

[mattfish]

I am in the market to improve my rain gear. I am not sure but do most guys just wear a rain jacket and forget the pants? It seems most guys talk about jackets but little is mentioned about pants. If you skip the pants why?

 

[Jacob_Outdoors]

I wouldn't skip the pants. I recently picked up a FL Stormtight on a good deal, the pants have been hard to find in my size; and I am starting to really search hard for a pair to have in time for September.

I hunt the coastal areas of Oregon, so your pants can get soaked while walking through all of that brush after its rained. If I could only choose one or the other, I would wear rain pants before a jacket.

 

[mauidiver]

Check out campsaver site right now. Exped has a set of nylon coated chaps for 35-40 bucks or so that might fit the bill for some protection when needed. It's like their tent material that you just slip your foot through and Velcro on. As far as noise? Have no idea. Check their video out, I couldn't tell how loud it would be. But looks interesting

 

[rayporter]

i always have a pair of chaps-of one brand or another. sometimes it is the wet brush that is the worst.

pants might be in camp or at the truck.

 

[Mike7]

I would never go without a rain jacket/shield of some type here, especially for any trip more than 1 day which is about as far as the weather is predictable here. I take rain pants infrequently (usually not before mid-October) and only as an additional warming layer and to stay drier if I will be sitting a lot.

Not taking a rain jacket can be dangerous in some situations. Just as an example, I have seen guys (especially thin guys) get hypothermia in the tropics inside of 6-12 hours despite intermittent activity, because they were wet continuously. And this is with air and water temp's above 70 degrees. The extremities can take mild temps like that for a long time, but if you let your core and head/neck get cold and wet for a prolonged time without putting putting back heat through activity or other means, then you are in trouble. Luckily, for mild hypothermia in the tropics, it was easy to treat these guys by just getting them into a gortex bivy sack without any wet clothes on, which started to warm them at those temps almost immediately.

With a rain jacket, rain hat, dry feet/boots, and gaiters (gaiters which I like to wear under my pants in really wet brushy conditions), the only thing that is exposed and gets wet, is the front of the thighs of your pants. That is a nuissance at most, and will dry quickly generally depending upon the pant type as soon as you quit walking through wet brush, as long as your core is warm.

 

[1shotgear]

I am in the market to improve my rain gear. I am not sure but do most guys just wear a rain jacket and forget the pants? It seems most guys talk about jackets but little is mentioned about pants. If you skip the pants why?

If you end up being in the market for any rain gear from Sitka and or First Lite, let me know! I am always open to help out Rokslide guys the best i can. Feel free to give me a call anytime.

Dmitriy
303.335.6937

 

[luke moffat]

I trash rain pants in usually 1-2 years so I don't spend a pile of money on them. Instead I found a pair of simple full zip Marmot precip pants last about the same amount of time and do just as well for me.

Still lightweight and the price is very attractive. Also the full zip option is a must for any rain pants I buy.

http://www.campmor.com/marmot-preci...id=58359BLKL&gclid=CL6pkoumpcYCFQxqfgodw1oAHg

 

[castandblast]

I'm liking the precips as well, for the same reasons. Can't imagine not having the full zip after using them!

 

[Bonedalien]

yeah,you want pants. or at the least gaitors. (or both) Leaving camp stepping into the woods, grass and brush after a night of rain can feel like wading into a beaver pond.I use Cabelas packable ones because they are affordable, and like others have mentioned rain pants get chewed up pretty fast.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I come from the "Better to have em and not need em" school of thought.

 

[realunlucky]

I come from the "Better to have em and not need em" school of thought.

I'm with you there Bruce. Jacket just runs water into your boots. Even in a mist seems to collect it into a trickle and run a cold stream somewhere you rather have warm and dry

 

[charvey9]

I always pack pants and jacket. Even if it isn't actively raining, hiking through damp/wet underbrush will get your legs soaked in no time and that sucks. Even with gaitors your thighs quickly get wet and that soaks through the rest of your pants, and eventually your socks and boots. Pants also get a lot of use in the snow. I strip down and just wear my rain gear over my base layers when hiking in rainy or wet conditions and it keeps things from getting downright miserable.

 

[Mike7]

You guys should really consider a trial/test of changing how you wear gaiters in wet conditions. I can walk through wet brush for 2 days straight in well waxed leather boots while wearing a pair of OR Crocs (or Verglas) gaiters over my socks and under my pants, and have completely dry legs and feet. Just cinch the gaiter up against bare skin just below the knee. A good long rain jacket with sealed cuffs, can keep you dry everywhere else except for the exposed lower thighs. If it is really brushy, rain pants are going to get trashed anyway, so I only put them on if it is really cold & wet, I am sitting, or I have somewhat of a trail to hike.

 

[Bonedalien]

Mike7, your from Washinghton so im taking your word on wet conditions, and am curios. i have always run OR Crocs and love them but they never struck me as a breathing item.how does your perspiration alone not soak your socks when strapped straight to your skin?

 

[JWP58]

Marmot precip pants a relatively cheap...and don't take up much space in a pack.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

You guys should really consider a trial/test of changing how you wear gaiters in wet conditions. I can walk through wet brush for 2 days straight in well waxed leather boots while wearing a pair of OR Crocs (or Verglas) gaiters over my socks and under my pants, and have completely dry legs and feet. Just cinch the gaiter up against bare skin just below the knee. A good long rain jacket with sealed cuffs, can keep you dry everywhere else except for the exposed lower thighs. If it is really brushy, rain pants are going to get trashed anyway, so I only put them on if it is really cold & wet, I am sitting, or I have somewhat of a trail to hike.

Agreed. I only wear rain pants in the rain.

 

[Ryan Avery]

No rain pants for me until mid/late October. Yes, my feet get wet and yes, it rains for days. I just really hate rain pants.

 

[Mike7]

Mike7, your from Washinghton so im taking your word on wet conditions, and am curios. i have always run OR Crocs and love them but they never struck me as a breathing item.how does your perspiration alone not soak your socks when strapped straight to your skin?

In the warmer weather I wear the Flextex gaiters, but from early to mid-Oct on, it is cool enough that I only get a little perspiration in my socks wearing OR Crocs, while my boots stay nearly dry inside. On 2+ day long trips, I bring an extra pair of socks, and at night I turn inside out and hang the damp pair of socks over a bush inside of my shelter; and I also pull my Superfeet insoles and prop them up in my boots to allow air circulation. I have tried the Crocs on the outside of my pants, but kneeling on wet ground or walking through wet brush causes water to wick down my pants to my socks and into my boots. Also Kennetrek gaiters, while very quiet, soft, and comfortable on bare skin, and good for snow or a single day in somewhat wet conditions, they also cause my boots to get wet ultimately from water getting through the gaiters from wet pant legs and then wicking down my socks.

 

[Bonedalien]

good stuff Mike7 , thanks