Rain Jacket help Needed!!!

[wayno]

even gore tex only market it for aerobic activities.
the north face have made one with thicker fabric around teh waist and shoulders for packs, the meru, but it isnt cheap...
gore have even abandoned thin fabrics fo their new pro shell next year... to position teh different fabrics for different uses.
never every believe what someone in a hsop tells you unless you have previous advise or experience that person knows what they are talking about..., low denier, thinner thread easier to damage and break and fray.... i only take lightweight jackets if they are most likely to remain in my pack most of the time, to me thats all they are good for and i dont spend too much money on them

[Amanda]

well it could withstand a small backpack! The flash is designed as a cycling jacket

[wayno]

i think the real issue comes with overnight packs, more weight. belt has to be tighter, more friction force between fabric and pack and straps. to improve breathability, less glue is used to bond the membrane to the face fabric, so it may be more prone to delamination especially with a heavier pack...
lightweight jackets are a gamble for durability , i stick with cheap ones so i'm not throwing my money away if it doesnt last....

[blacksheep]

well it could withstand a small backpack! The flash is designed as a cycling jacket

I designed that one. I needed a light jacket for adventure racing at the time
it does get clammy though...

[sthughes]

My Gore-tex Active Shell (Kathmandu) has had a fair amount of use with a medium to heavy pack and still looks new (except the hood elastic band failing and some holes at the wrist cuff from being stuck between me and a hard, sharp place). Certainly better than my lightweight Montane Air eVent jacket for de lamination.

As for clamminess: not as good as my Montane Air, but actually found the active shell surprisingly un-clammy, certainly leaps and bounds ahead of my Mac-crap Hollyford Event jacket. But just like the Hollyford the DWR on the Kathmandu Active Shell lasted about 1 walk and replacement treatments never seem to work as well

[wayno]

thats the thing with gore tex, above average reliability...

[ULWalkingPhil]

So far my Montane Air Event jacket is holding up. But its not had a lot of use on my hikes, its rained very little since purchasing the jacket, so its spent most of the time hitching a ride in my pack. The last time i worn it on a hike was at Fraser island where it rained on the last day of my hike.

I wear it out and about up town, its great for that, but i don't trust it on some of my long distance hikes I have coming up, not after reading about the delamination problems others are having on this forum. I am planning on purchasing the Zpacks Cuben Fiber rain jacket.

[wayno]

whats the longest hike you would take it on?

[quicky]

I am planning on purchasing the Zpacks Cuben Fiber rain jacket.

Great jacket. The breathability is nothing like eVent (IMO), but it breathes. Just remember that the jacket is prone to some discolouration in high wear areas (see reviews below). It doesn't compromise the waterproofing or durability, just a little of the aesthetic. Super light jacket that I am considering even as a replacement for my Montane Slipstream wind shell. I know the two (wind shell vs rain shell) don't compare (breathability etc.), however, as soon as I get warm, the 'wind protection' layer comes off anyways...regardless of whether it's a dedicated wind or rain shell.

Anyways...
http://hikelighter.com/2012/01/15/zpack ... in-jacket/
http://hikelighter.com/2012/03/03/zpack ... -update-1/
John's review of the ZPacks WPBCF Jacket if you haven't already seen it. John's a great guy, and a pretty hard core and a very experienced XUL/SUL hiker, and certainly a straight shooter when it comes to reviews.

Jase

[quicky]

Oh yeah...if not already mentioned in this thread...another jacket that is soon to be released is the sexy Focus LT Hoody by Westcomb. It is made with the new eVent 2.5 DVL, and weighs in at approx. 190 grams in medium. Good specs on the material. Durability I guess is yet to be determined but I'm sure it will be impressive.

http://www.westcomb.com/product/jackets ... hoody.html

Worth considering for $280.

[ULWalkingPhil]

whats the longest hike you would take it on?

two weeks on the Larapinta trail.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I am planning on purchasing the Zpacks Cuben Fiber rain jacket.

Great jacket. The breathability is nothing like eVent (IMO), but it breathes. Just remember that the jacket is prone to some discolouration in high wear areas (see reviews below). It doesn't compromise the waterproofing or durability, just a little of the aesthetic. Super light jacket that I am considering even as a replacement for my Montane Slipstream wind shell. I know the two (wind shell vs rain shell) don't compare (breathability etc.), however, as soon as I get warm, the 'wind protection' layer comes off anyways...regardless of whether it's a dedicated wind or rain shell.

Anyways...
http://hikelighter.com/2012/01/15/zpack ... in-jacket/
http://hikelighter.com/2012/03/03/zpack ... -update-1/
John's review of the ZPacks WPBCF Jacket if you haven't already seen it. John's a great guy, and a pretty hard core and a very experienced XUL/SUL hiker, and certainly a straight shooter when it comes to reviews.

Jase

Thanks Quicky.
I have seen this review in the past, its what helped me to decide to invest in this jacket.

[wayno]

Oh yeah...if not already mentioned in this thread...another jacket that is soon to be released is the sexy Focus LT Hoody by Westcomb. It is made with the new eVent 2.5 DVL, and weighs in at approx. 190 grams in medium. Good specs on the material. Durability I guess is yet to be determined but I'm sure it will be impressive.

http://www.westcomb.com/product/jackets ... hoody.html

Worth considering for $280.

has to be shipped from canada.
it's still a lot of money for a lightweight shell durability unknown
I picked up a 180gm Outdoor research Helium 2 hardshell from the states for $90.. less of a gamble if it doesnt last. reviews on durability have been good so far...

[quicky]

has to be shipped from canada.
it's still a lot of money for a lightweight shell durability unknown
I picked up a 180gm Outdoor research Helium 2 hardshell from the states for $90.. less of a gamble if it doesnt last. reviews on durability have been good so far...

true. It is a lot on cashola for a new jacket with new materials (plus shipping from Canada). And, $90 can be reasoned with if it doesn't fit the bill in the long run for the Helium 2.
I too looked at the Helium 2...looks like a nice jacket (fit me well, and uber light). However, I wanted to move away from 'non eVent' laminates on my next jacket....and give something else a try like the new eVent or CF.
Let me know how it goes re. durability longer term. I'm sure my wife would be in line for one too!

[wayno]

i only use the helium on trips where i might need a rain jacket or its not likely to get a lot of use. so could be a while before it shows up wear. my main storm shell is a 450gm columbia, omni dry, peak 2 peak,