Hiking in the Rain with Joe
Buying a rain jacket for hiking and backpacking can be a very confusing process. If you look at the jackets that are available, it can be difficult to figure which ones are best suited for hiking and which are really made for skiing, mountaineering and climbing. Then there are the exaggerated claims that manufacturers make about the performance of their waterproof laminates: Gore-tex PacLite, Gore-tex Pro, HyVent, Breeze Dry-Tech, eVent, PreCip, Pertex Shield, Conduit, Elements, DryQ, Membrain Strata, H2No, and so on. There are so many that it’s almost laughable when companies introduce new ones.
Hiking Rain Jackets with Pit Zips
My advice for buying a rain jacket or hard shell for hiking is simple. Avoid spending more that $250 for a jacket and ignore the exaggerated claims that many manufacturers make about the breathability of their rain jackets. Breathability is far less important if you’re hiking in the rain for hours at a time because the amount of perspiration you generate under your coat is likely to overwhelm any breathable fabric, except the emperor’s new clothes.
The features that do matter are whether your jacket has pit zips or side vents (see Mechanical Venting, Pit Zips and Layering), an adjustable hood that you can size to your head, some sort of front bill to keep rain out of your eyes, durable zippers, pockets that are not blocked by a backpack hip belt, adjustable wrist cuffs, and a good external DWR layer that keeps your jacket from wetting out (see Why Does Rain Gear Wet Out?). The rest is mostly fluff.
Jackets with pit zips or side vents can be difficult to find at brick and mortar retailers because most retailers carry a very limited selection of coats in-store or because many online retailers, with the exception of Campsaver.com, don’t list pit zips or side vents as a feature in the product descriptions they publish online for jackets or rain shells.
What follows is a list of rain jackets with pit zips or side vents (mechanical venting) that I’ve compiled from manufacturers that I’m owned, tested or are familiar with and recommend you check out. I put this together the hard way by reading a lot of product descriptions.
In pulling this list together, I was surprised at how many jackets are available that are made with pit zips and breathable fabrics. You’d think with all the buzz about breathable fabrics, that jackets with pit zips were no longer needed.
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I agree whole-heartedly. I have a Mountain Hardware Trice with Dry-Q Elite…haha, how’s that for marketing! Still sweat like a dog even with pit-zips. Still, I got it for a hundred and a half so I won’t complain.
I will say this. I bought a cheap pair of rain pants (white sierra) and they were promptly ripped by a jagged thorn. I’m going to have to upgrade soon.
Duct tape looks cool – I use it all the time.
Wow, phenomenal compilation, Phillip. Makes me want to go shopping for a new rain jacket. None of mine have pit zips.
I have an older Mountain Hardwear Pac-Lite jacket that’s been going strong in three years in all 4 Seasons. I couldn’t agree more with the need mechanical venting (this jacket has pit zips and front pocket venting). I also like it because its light and durrable. Do you find the various fabrics to be essentially equivalent or do you have some preferences Philip?
Not really. I might favor eVent a bit in dry, very cold winter weather (although layering is the most effective way to prevent seating), but for 3 season hiking nothing seems to matter when I hike in pouring rain, except price. :-)
I wish Patagonia’s Rain Shadow was $114. It’s actually $189. Regardless, I have one as well as the pants and both are great pieces. They keep me and comfortable. I find that I don’t get a clammy feeling from all the sweat building up underneath like I did with my old rain gear. I highly recommend.
I agree completely about pit zips – they are essential for rain gear no matter how breathable the fabric. In fact, I like pit zips on almost all of my shells. I’ve found it makes it so easy to regulate my temperature, much easier than layering and delayering for moderate changes in exertion level.
I sewed a “Parcho” (poncho/pack cover) from a kit I bought through Quest Outfitters. As the name suggests, it’s a silnylon poncho that fits over my pack and body in one piece. The sleeves are cut wide to allow for lots of ventilation without pit zips and the wrists have webbing straps to keep them put over my hands. It has an adjustable hood with a semi-stiff brim. I can use it as a straight pack cover with no body coverage. For me this was the best combination of low weight (~7 oz), multi-function, and realistic venting given the exertion of hiking.
I love it so far – I hate having a wet layer of fabric between my back and my pack. The only problem is that we’ve been in a drought since I sewed it last summer and I haven’t had a chance to test it as extensively as I like!
Great list!
I purchased the EMS Thunderhead Sync jacket over this past year and have been very pleased with it. It has both pit zips and some “breathability”.
Price: $99
Fabric: System Three 10k coating
Gender: M&W
Mens: http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4356559
Womens: http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12331246
Re the breathable AND pit zips: I used to use a poncho, which worked reasonably well. While well ventilated, once you have a breeze, you need to tie it to your body, making the whole combo still very poorly vented around the back and the chest — I ended up wet from the inside. I’m currently using an eVent jacket without pit zips and have not really felt the need for them. At any rate, I feel like I’m getting less wet than I used to with the poncho and I think it might be because of the breathable fabric.
Whoa, that’s a great table o’ jackets. I’m sure that was not easy to make, thanks.
Best value left out, Red Ledge Thunderlight parka at $69.
http://www.redledge.com/products/view/id/120
I’ll add it. Good call.
As expected, Philip did not cut any corners! Another comprehensive and informative article on a very complex topic.
Awesome list. Your site has been a big help to me as Ive just recently started backpacking again.
I don’t believe the North Face Meru has pit zips. I’ve been looking for a new jacket and its one of my concerns with the Meru.
Just checked TNF. I think you are right. Removed it from the table. I must have seen an earlier model. Thanks.
But dont you get wet from the rain if you have your pit-zips open?
Nice list…. oh how I wished it included weights of each of these jackets.
montane and westcomb also make great hardshells with pit zips.
I just wanted to point out that Arc’teryx’s Beta SL does not have pit zips. It’s still an awesome little jacket that can be compressed down quite a ways. Also, the chart only mentions the Women’s Beta SL, but there is a Men’s version.
Sad to see that my Triple Aught Design Stealth LT didn’t make the list. :(