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

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

I've looked at the Packa (Shane tried hard to convince me quite a while ago)
and I like the concept but according to the site  it is designed for
internal frame packs and may not fit over external frame packs (too wide). I
hike with an external frame pack that I like and I'd rather not have to
spend more money to get a pack that will fit under my rain gear. I'm even
considering an old fashioned backpacker's poncho. Yeah I know, they can be a
problem in the wind but they have the advantage that they can do double duty
as a tarp or ground cloth. There are no 'perfect' solutions.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Hicks" <daveh@psknet.com>
> SNIP
> >>
> Why not the Marmot Phoenix? Same price, same weight, also has pit zips and
> has a longer body.
> <<
> SNIP
>
> IMHO, a "longer body" is one of the most often missed/overlooked
advantages
> of rain jackets -- esp. in cooler weather.
>
> The objective is too keep your body mass / trunk dry and therefore warm.
A
> rain jacket which dumps all the water at your waist soaks your lower body,
> unless you also wear rain pants -- which [for me] tend to trap more
> condensation moisture than a jacket.
>
> Also, I find that there are pit zips and then there are pit zips.  I
suggest
> you try on the jacket on w/ your pack over it -- to see how the strap
> arrangements actually work, with your set-up.
>
> OTOH, rain gear that goes over your pack -- such as a Packa [see:
> http://www.thepacka.com/ ] avoids the disadvantage of the straps
restricting
> the air flow, pit zips notwithstanding.
>
> Chainsaw