[fourteen410]

This weekend will be a fine time to test out rain gear, that's for sure. I finally forked over $$ for a goretex (Marmot Minimalist) jacket. I wasn't impressed with eVent. Goretex has been the only solid thing for me, but to each their own.

[DIYSteve]

[Relax]

[ranger rock]

I just got back from hiking.. My eVent jacket did fine, I did give it a new coat of DWR before the hike. The spray on kind. I missed a few spots. I think the trick is to wear nothing but raingear, then you have no clothes to get wet, but you are protected from the wind and wierdos. Then when you stop put on some dry clothes..

ultralight-dayhiker

[Critter]

Rain gear gets clammy and wet, in moderate rain, when it's next to bare skin. I can get wet in just a T-shirt. I personally would go with just a merino wool base layer, long before I went bare skin. On a side note, my jacket is still doing great. Watch me get hit with a 40+ mph gust at 0:22 as I look for the word "helmet" instead of "hood". Here's the link to the same video if you have trouble viewing the video.

[Relax]

Sure, it will work great until the DWR wears off.

[Critter]

A Farrari works great until the tires wear out, or it runs out of gas.

[LewisGoes]

I have an Arcteryx jacket that I bought in 1998 and it is still in great shape. It's not quite as beathable as the newer, lighter materials but the one I have is truly bombproof.

[ranger rock]

DWR can be replaced.. for $6 I restored my eVent jacket with a spray on can of DWR.

[treeswarper]

For brush, invest in Filson. It costs way less than what most are discussing. You can refresh the wax with boot grease but then be careful that you put a towel down on your pickup/car seat before sitting.

[Critter]

[treeswarper]

These are what I have, though I didn't pay near that much for them. http://www.filson.com/products/oil-finish-double-tin-pants.14004.html Hint: The difference in price would pay to drive to Chehalis where Sunbirds sells Filson products for way less. I've never found the pants priced lower than their prices. You could accessorize with a hat for the price difference! I love their hats too. Just came in from working on the road. While the Hellytech jacket was clammy, the tin pants were comfy. I was daring and wearing the pants without a pair of longjohns underneath. Don't do that with new ones, the seams will rub your legs raw. Also, don't whack off the legs too short because the pants will accordian up a bit. I lived in them in the winter when I was working. Yes, they are heavy but have been well tested and are well thought of.

[treeswarper]

[Relax]

My brother bought a pair of double tin Filson pants. They really are NOT warm though. Conduct heat away like mad. Wear long John's if you are not active. Great for working in the rain and applying the oil finish, not wax according to Filson, is not a problem. Though wax would work I am sure as Treeswapper said. Besides after you use them for a while, you already have a ton of dirt rubbed in so why not wax as well? Wax is nothing more than a heavy oil in reality. IE you can brush them off, but cleaning the oil tin pants takes the oil out requiring even more application of the oil. And yes, the oil travels! Beware where you place these pants up against! They are VERY heavy. Can go lighter with the single layer oil finish "tin" Filson pants but not as durable. THEY DO WORK. Just as oiled clothes/cloaks have worked for ages. It is vastly cheaper and just as "light" to go with rubber pants/bibs. IE canvas coated by rubber. You see every mud job worker wear them. IE heavy construction or fishermen. I have worked MANY a rain soaked day in these bibs with either a matching rubber rain jacket over top or fleece and no water proof jacket with a VERY wide brimmed hat. Think "Chinese" or Mexican Sombrero hat. Old style. The ones that cover your shoulders, not just your neck. This is truly the only water proof garment that will last any length of time in a harsh environment. Gore-tex, Event etc are not waterproof. They are water resistant where they are "waterproof" if DWR is applied religiously and water rolls off and is not allowed to "stand". IE if water can "breathe" THROUGH one direction, it can "breathe" through the other direction as well. It is all dependent on temperature gradients. A low temperature gradient and your clothes will get SOAKED. Guaranteed.

[Kim Brown]

Filson rocks. I have a pair of wax tin pants; awesome for mucking around in the rain.