Re: silnylon rain gear

I am very prejudiced towards my rain gear. First, the
pants weigh only 2 ounces. The jacket weighs only 4
ounces. I made them for the PCT,( last year 2001), and
they not only held up to that trail, but the entire AT
as well. I used them in high winds, to sleep in as a
vapor barrier, to keep me warm in drenching cold rain,
and to slide down steep snowy mountain passes. I feel
they saved my hide on many occasions. Even being a
gram weenie, I still never considered sending them
home, even in the heat of summer, because they were
too versatile and important as emergency gear. Its
surprising how a cold rain can hit even in July, in
the mountains. On July 29th, wore them going over Mt.
Madison in the Whites, in a bad storm. 

As far as condensation, When hiking in the jacket, it
did eventually build up, even though I only usually
wore a "muscle" shirt under it. Sometimes I would roll
(from the hem up)the front of the jacket to help vent.
 When the weather got nasty, I would wear a silk shirt
as a wicking layer underneath, and that felt pretty
good. I stayed warm, which I guess is bottom line.

It took quite a bit of fast hiking/climbing for any
condensation to build up in the rainpants. If it got
uncomfortable, I slipped them off, cause they can go
over my trail shoes without removing them.

One thing about silnylon rain gear, is it sure packs
down small, so could easily be stuffed out of the way,
in some small pocket. 

I am told that even with gor-tex garments, body vapor
cannot escape if the rain hitting the parka is
exerting more force than that of the perspiration
trying to get out.

 
Experienced hikers  have told me that they put on rain
gear not to stay dry, but to stay warm, since all
types eventally build up condensation.

When I get into camp, I am warm, I remove my silnylon
jacket, turning it inside out to completly dry it,
then get into my dry clothing to get into. 

Man, I could just about write a book on it!
lol...guess that should do it

Hope that helps

Brawny




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