[at-l] Rain gear question (was Mountain Hardware Customer Service)

[jeanpaul at comcast.net (Jean-Paul Miller)]

> I have a rain parka (non-breathable) that works okay. It has no pit zips.
> Are they really a useful feature? Someone posted a raingear review URL
> recently and the reviewer didn't think much of pit zips. What is the
> collective experience of y'all? Good feature or just a place to let water
> in?
>
> Saunterer

I wear the jacket as a wind breaker and as a rain jacket.  it has never let
water in thru the pit zips on me or any of the other vents for that matter.
unless it has been a REALLY bad rain storm. then it leaks in but I find in
such a bad rain I really need to zip up tight and stay still least I fall
down a mountain. when the rain slacks a bit I will get up and move. also I
imagine if you are doing something "weird" like climbing a cliff or swings
from tree to tree with the greatest of ease... the pit zips might not work.
but for your standard hiking and walking with a pack... the pit zips have
never given me trouble.   although I would not suggest morning calisthenics
in the rain with the zips open.

as a wind breaker the pit zips and other vents really shine allowing huge
differences for sitting, downhill hiking, and uphill hiking. soetime you
need something to keep the chill out but need to vary it more then on and
off.

hope this helps.

one thing I have noticed. I use hiking pole and therefore my arms are never
really "down" so the area from my hands to my elbows get completely soaked.
unless I wear water proof gloves to shingle the water away from inside of
the sleeves (I have found this with all jackets)

please also note: I am one of those people that sweat huge amounts. so I
always get wet when it rains. I have owned Gore-Tex but never really liked
it because I seemed to get just as wet. It was bulky and weighed more and I
was still getting just as wet so I just went non-breathable.


when this jacket finally ruins I am going to try one of those new age
breathable type jacket made by REI.  At 13 oz I am willing to suffer the
extra oz to see if it works.
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47592211&parent_category_rn=4501457
plus it comes in mango!!! which looks suspiciously like safety Orange to me.

if anyone has tried this jacket let me know.

Wisperlight



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