[at-l] Gear Talk: shells

[Tim Hewitt <thewitt@fairchildsemi.com>]

No I don't mean pasta shells...

I've been hiking with a plain old $14 uninsulated nylon anorak-style
wind shell from Wal-Mart all the fall and winter, changing my insulation
layer for the change in temperature. It works fine.

For Christmas, Santa brought me a very expensive, LL Bean Anorak made
from Gore-something, with pit zips, back and arm ventilation, adjustable
hood, multiple drawstring, velcro/xip closure, really nice stuff.

I don't know if I want to keep it.

No, I'm not willing to give it to you, but I am looking for opinions.

When I went to Beans today, I saw them for $110. I saw some nice suplex
nylox without pit zips or ventilation for $49.  I still have my
noisy-nylon Wal-Mart shell for $14.

Is the fancy shell worth the money?  Will I really want the pit zips
that much? Will all that extra bell-and-whistle stuff just break on the trail?

Thanks for your thoughtful advice.

-Paddler (70 days and starting to not sleep at night!)
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