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The Warbonnet Stash Jacket is available as a rain jacket or a non-waterproof windbreaker (see review), depending on the fabric you order. This is a review of the rain jacket made with the 30 Denier siliconized nylon which Warbonnet uses to make their backpacking tarps. While the Stash Jacket is not seam-taped, it’s a great rain jacket to use for three-season hiking or backpacking when you want an affordable ($100) and very lightweight rain jacket with 22″ torso length pit-zips and an adjustable human-sized hood. It’s called a Stash Jacket because it bunches up to the size of an orange and is easy to stash in a backpacking pack or a day pack whenever you think you might want to bring a rain jacket.
RELATED: 10 Best Rain Jackets for $100 or Less
Specs at a glance
- Material: 30D 2000mm NeverMist Silnylon
- Weight: 6.0 oz (xl)
- Gender: Unisex
- Sizing: Runs large for layering
- Seam-taped: No
- Waterproof Zippers: No
- Adjustable Hood: Yes
- Pit-zips: 22″
The Warbonnet Stash Rain Jacket is made with 30D siliconized nylon (silnylon) which is waterproof and non-breathable. It’s the same fabric that Warbonnet uses to make their hammocking tarps. Since the jacket is not seam-taped, Warbonnet does not market the silnylon jacket as “rain” jacket, but you can treat it as such. I’ve hiked in soaking all-day rain with the jacket, it’s done an excellent job at repelling moisture, and it hasn’t leaked.
Feature-wise, the Stash Jacket doesn’t have any pockets, waterproof zippers, hem adjustment, or adjustable velcro wrist cuffs. It’s really pretty basic. But it does have 22″ long side torso zips so you can vent excess body heat in order to reduce perspiration buildup inside the jacket. The torso zippers have two metal sliders each but do not come with zipper pulls, which you’ll want to add (a simple cord is fine) to make the jacket easier to use. The torso zips are long enough that you can reach your pants pockets easily if you use them to carry items.
The Stash Jacket also has an adjustable hood with cord locks positioned on the sides of the neck that let you adjust the size of the front opening. The hood is sized for human heads and not climbing or ski helmets like many mainstream rain jackets, which can be awkward for that reason. The hood also has a slight bill on top to reduce glare and can be used without a billed cap to keep the rain off your face or glasses.
There are elastic cuffs over the wrists to prevent drafts from blowing up your sleeves, but they’re loose enough that you can pull them up your forearms to vent more body heat. Your blood flows close to your wrists, so pulling up your sleeves is a good way to vent more warmth and reduce perspiration.
10 Best Rain Jackets for $100 or less
The Warbonnet Stash Jacket is one of our top 10 recommended rain jackets for $100 or less.
| Make / Model | Fabric Denier | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Arcteryx Squamish Hoodie | 30d | 4.9 oz / 140g |
| Patagonia Houdini Jacket | 15d | 3.7 oz /105g |
| Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Shirt | 10d | 2.05 oz / 58g |
| Rab Vital Windshell Hoody | 20d | 4.6 oz /160g |
| REI Flash Jacket | NA | 4.3 oz /122g |
| Outdoor Research Helium Wind Hoodie | 30d | 5.3 oz /150g |
| Black Diamond Distance Wind Shell | 15d | 3.5 oz / 98g |
| Warbonnet Stash Jacket | 20d | 5.0 oz / 142g |
| Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket | 7d | 2.5 oz / 72g |
| Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody | 20d | 7.4 oz /210g |
Recommendation
The Warbonnet Stash Jacket is an ultralight hooded jacket with long side torso zips that give it a wide range of use across many different temperatures. While it is not seam-taped like more expensive rain jackets, I haven’t experienced any leakage during several months of use, both on-trail and off-trail when bushwhacking through dense wet vegetation. This non-breathable version of the Stash Jacket is too warm to use as a wind shirt, even with the pit zips open. But its real value, besides its waterproof performance which is permanent and does not use DWR, is the fact that it packs up so very small inside your backpack, unlike bulkier rain jackets that are heavier and takes much more pack space.
When ordering, make sure you pick the waterproof tarp fabric if you want the rain jacket version and not the breathable quilt fabric used for wind shirts. I particularly like the camouflage coloring shown here, but Warbonet has many other colors available as well.
Disclosure: Warbonnet donated a jacket for review.
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Do you still prefer the Montbell Versalite? if so, is it because of it’s performance, keeping you more dry than other coats, or is it because of the features such as location of pockets, etc?
I certainly do when pockets are required. I don’t put that much stock in raincoats keeping me dry, because they don’t, but in how well they allow me to regulate my perspiration level to stay warm when augmented by a mid-layer and the features and pockets, especially when it comes to external storage.
I have a more nuanced view of a rain jacket as part of a thermoregulation system comprised of multiple garments than as a standalone garment. I’ve been trying to figure out how to explain that lately as a matter of fact.
That was going to be my next request. With the winter hiking you do as well as the other seasons, you are probably very good at thermal regulation. Something I could do better at. I don’t slow down or vent my jacket soon enough and end up sweating to much.
It just takes awareness and discipline, something I don’t have.
I’ve had good luck with staying dry in a Precip in an all day light rain but get your point. Backpacking in one isn’t fun, regardless. Venting is key. 5 oz for the Warbonnet seems like a great option, though still $100. The Frogg Toggs Xtreme Lite is 8z and ca. $50. One would think non-breathable products would be cheaper.
Best option I’ve had for dayhikes in the cool rain with calm winds was a $20 poncho bought in Shenandoah Park. But, that’s not going to work in cold, driving rain above treeline in the Whites or elsewhere!
The Frogg Toggs Xtreme Lite is a good deal. Pretty durable. But the torso zips on this Stash are pretty impressive too. I also like how small it gets when packed.
I was wondering how well this type of material held up to constant Pack Shoulder Strap wear? I’m really not familiar with the newer ultralight materials being an old fart who is trying to enjoy my retirement by getting out in the woods and on the trails again. Things are much different than they were in the ’70s. You know, the Dawn of Time when all we had were Rocks, Sticks and Animal Skins.
This isn’t a new fabric actually. Been around for at least 20-30 years. It’s just 30D silnylon, which is very durable stuff and in fact much more durable against pack strap abrasion than many multi-layer waterproof/breathable rain jackets, in part because its very slippery.
How would you rate the Stash vs the Lightheart Gear alternative? I guess neither would serve extra duty as a wind shirt when active?