Recommendations for waterproof jaket

[blacksheep]

eVent fabric let's sweat exist 2-3 times faster than Gore-tex

Lol, that's exactly what I found to be the case with my Hollyford jacket! Hence it's GTX for me these days

Flippin "smart" phone....I meant exit.

[wayno]

extensive review was done on backpacking light of various membranes, including air permeables versus gore tex,
links below, the articles require payment or subscriptions to view

the conslusion was it was splitting hairs to say air permeable membranes were superior to non air permeables.... often a thinner face fabric offered better breathability in the shell even when the membrane was less breathabile.
theyused one test with a gore tex jacket as a default and it could out perform the air permeables, the internal humidity was lower on the gore tex.

so in the lab event is way more berathable than gore tex,, thats teh membrane , the face fabric affects that breathability and reducees its advantage, so does outside air humidty, so does air temperature, so does whether the face fabric as wet, so does wearing a pack.
a combination of any of those variables can reduce events advantage to nill or make it less breathabile than fabrics with lesser breathable membranes... even neoshell which is more breathable again than event didnt fare any better in performance than any of the other membranes inclding gore tex, and these tests were in dry conditiions only
the only standout event jacket had one of the thinnest face fabrics. another one fared no better than gore tex...

you can market products to acentuate the positive and eliminate the negative, but in the case of outdoor gear, the proof is in using it in the field not on what some marketing person wants you to believe...
one of their conslusions was that "supplemental ventilation is more important than fabric breathability"

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... part2.html

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... part3.html

[Hallu]

Yeah that's why although I'm a scientist, for gear I trust reviews after extensive use, and not just graphs from tests made in a lab. It's impossible to predict in a lab the combination of conditions during a trek : sweat, skin oil, dirt, rain, wind... Design and pit zips usually outweigh the nature of the membrane.

[wayno]

AND TAKE with a grain of salt reviews given by testers sponsored by the manufacturers...

[kirip]

Went for a look today and think I am probably going to go with this
http://www.bivouac.co.nz/clothing/women ... 20642.html
but did also like the
http://www.bivouac.co.nz/outdoor-resear ... 24858.html
not sure if it is worth the extra $ for the fully zipable sides vs pit zips. I could hold out and see if it goes on sale but since I need it by easter then I could end up getting stung with neither of the jackets being discounted.
On a positive note I found that I have a $20 off discount code for online purchases with bivouac from signing up for their newsletter, so if I do get the arc-teryx theta sl then it is only slightly over my aim of spending <350 on a new jacket.

[wayno]

have a look at the jackets in the shop before deciding. its personal preference about what weight of gear people like, some poeple just dont trust the lighter gear, if you're not comfortable with the fabric weight then you may change your mind.
hte Outdoor research jacket will have a heavier face fabric

[kirip]

I looked earlier today and you are right, the outdoor research jacket fabric did feel nicer/less plasticy.
Need to draw up a pros and cons list.
I did like that the hood on the Arc'teryx stowed away, but I guess that is more cosmetic for casual use rather than something that is actually practical

[wayno]

put the jacket on, put the hood up, do the hood right up , pull the drawcords, move your head around and see if you have enough movement. move your arms around, crouch down and see how well they fit, as much to get the right size. too tight a rain jacket can be a major pain.... but it doesnt need to be a tent either. allow enough room to add layers you might need underneath.

[forest]

Went for a look today and think I am probably going to go with this
http://www.bivouac.co.nz/clothing/women ... 20642.html
but did also like the

I have this exact jacket in a mens. I also have a few other shells from eVent, and other WPB in house fabrics.
The Theta isn't the lighest, nor the cheapest. It doesn't breath quite as well as eVent but the pit zips go a long, long way. Call this my ol faithful jacket.

What it is though is the BEST jacket in my collection. Very durable too as it has the 3 layer pro shell in all the hard wear area's. I haven't holed mine yet even though it should be dead. It's a great compromise between light and heavy with all the features where they need to be. It's not a jacket that I've ever babied like my other gear.
That roll down, zip out of the way hood is a godsend if like me you wear a waterproof broad brimmed hat in the rain.... More than a gimick then as there is no hood for the water to pool in.
I think you will find it's one hell of a jacket.

Oh and it's a little longer cut than most light jackets which is a great feature.

[stuey69]

Went for a look today and think I am probably going to go with this
http://www.bivouac.co.nz/clothing/women ... 20642.html
but did also like the
http://www.bivouac.co.nz/outdoor-resear ... 24858.html

It's $100 cheaper and 120grams lighter than the OR so maybe you've found your jacket.
Plus the wrap from Forest didn't do any harm.
At least you tried them in the shop.
Good luck whichever way you go.

[Ent]

The great jacket and material debate continues. In my real world eVent does not perform any better than Goretex. For the record I have multiple jackets from both materials. Due to my eVent gear being Montane and Rab it is lighter weight and hence not as durable as my PP and MD jackets. Ironically the best jacket I have for breathability is a cheap one from USA material that has amazing results but as fragile as cotton wool. I use it as a bike jacket and it does a great job.

For me jacket design is the critical issue. With the demise of the PP Vista the "proper" bushwalking jacket ended. The MD Stratus has however improved in fit over the years. But it is the basic Goretex so not as breathable as the higher spec versions. Though it is sensibly priced and tough enough for scrub.

I like my Montane Air but it is naturally fragile and not suitable for off track walking. The PP Vista is my go to jacket for off track winter walking.

However as more than a few in our little group have noticed re-proofing products are very expensive and give short term at best only benefit. I am of the firm opinion that nothing will save a poorly DWR material and all brands are not created equal.

Personally a well design jacket that uses the older oilskin tricks to add ventilation is the go as mention under a hard climb even a runners t-shirt will wet out, at least with me.

I find eVent massively over hyped thus creating very disappoint buyers. I actually yet to strike in the real world anyone happy with MacPac jackets. More than a few claim that they leak which is strange given that they are fully seamed sealed and undamaged. They all have appeared to have poor DWR that has wetted out.

I am always looking out for reports of a long term successful re-proofing as this trick as alluded me to-date.

Cheers

[wayno]

a lot of the glowing reviews about hardhsell breathability are actually when people are using them more as wind breakers in cold dry environments....
and i wonder about the reviews that say the jackets functioned well in rain, I wonder just how much rain they had and if it equates to the amount of rain i've had when walking when my jackets have struggled with my sweat output.

[ULWalkingPhil]

My Montane Air eVent rain Jacket started to delaminate after one day use with my 12kg backpack on, all around the shoulders. I have looked after this jacket. Only ever worn it twice with my backpack on, maximum weight pack carried was 12kg.

Looks like a warranty claim on my return back home, and now starts the search for a suitable jacket. Aaaggghhhh


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[bailz66]

I disagree Blacksheep, you need pit zips, all these breathable fabrics work ok when clean,Event especially needs to be kept clean, but on a multi day walk with a bit of mud, the breathability goes down hill very fast, that's when the pit zips come in handy.
I now use a Montane Superfly Xt. Event material with pit zips. So Montane thought the event still needs pit zips.

Roger

I use the same Jacket and I love it.

My wife has a Macpac Jacket (Event) without Pit Zips and didnt get sweaty on our OLT trip though we only work our waterproof gear about twice

[Rob A]

kirip, a lot of how you get on and how well you do it is about how you use the gear you have, not what you have. People lose sight of that fact, and focus on the techinical indexes of the crap they want to buy. Go into your local macpac or sporting store. Chat to people about your intentions and your budget. Back your judgement. It isnt rocket science.

Have a bubbling time.

[Rob A]

March ? Two pages? Ahhhg, mug. Back to Miles Kane.