[at-l] Frogg Togg & Precip Durability

[datto at charter.net (Datto)]

>> and the Red Ledge Thunderlight nearly 
>> exclusively against other jackets.

Anecdotal comments on the AT during Year 2000 had thru-hikers pretty pleased with the Red Ledge Thunderlight as raingear. I use the Red Ledge Thunderlight now as my raingear and have about 500 miles on it.

On my AT thru-hike I used the Sierra Designs Backpacker rain jacket and Sierra Designs was nice enough to replace it twice (total of three SD Backpacker jackets) during my thru-hike. The pockets kept being damaged because the pocket mesh wasn't up to thru-hiker use. SD may have fixed that by now.

For those that I hiked with that used Frogg Toggs during Year 2000, I think most liked them as raingear, particularly  because of the reduced weight. Some did tear their Frogg Toggs and some complained about the durabiliity but for the most part, people who used them during Year 2000 found them to be fine -- although I noticed a couple guys at the base of Katadin (that I'd started with at Springer) certainly had ratty looking Frogg Toggs at the end. By the way, see the previous comments on selection of size, particularly if you buy the Frogg Toggs pants.

As far as my Red Ledge Thunderlight rain jacket, It's been fine for me and I'd definitely use it on an AT thru-hike. But I don't think it would last the entire thru-hike without some kind of delamination happening and some of the taped seams letting in water. It's just the nature of what's required for durability during a thru-hike versus what is required for non-thru-hikers (thru-hikers are notoriously hard on gear).

Then again, for an AT thru-hike, your rain jacket really isn't going to do much about keeping you dry when it's raining. It's main purpose is to keep you warm and protect you from the wind. If you're hiking while you're wearing your raingear, you're likely going to be soaked underneath anyhow, mostly from condensation and sweat.

Datto