[Bedivere]

[Critter]

[forest gnome]

ahhh the true inner gear whore comes out in all of us eventually!!

[DIYSteve]

[ranger rock]

I was buying a new Marmot precip jacket every year until last year when to my horror I discovered they had quit seam sealing the sleaves. Now this year the seams are sealed again but too late. I got the half price REI eVent jacket. I expect that jacket to last two years. At half price it was only $110. It does not feel like it will delaminate as quickly as Marmot Jackets. Marmot always sends me a new Jacket for free when they delaminate so I could have gotten away with never buying a new jacket until they made the crappy one with no seam sealing.. it failed well before it delaminated. I have one new men's large Marmot Precip Jacket I got as a factory replacement, it still has the tags on it. It should last at least a year, but I'm kinda sold on the eVent fabric now. Rain pants never last, they wear out in the seat, I just know not to expect to stay dry in rain pants. I'm tempted to get the heavy rainpants that brush pickers wear and pack them along but only wear them at lunch time. They would probably be too warm to hike in. I bet they would last a long time though.

[Backpacker Joe]

That Westcomb stuff looks very nice.

[DIYSteve]

Westcomb = ex-Arc'teryx designers. My Neoshell shell is the Westcomb Shift LT. Nice simple design, lightweight. Hope the recently acquired warranty replacement doesn't delam like the original. Preliminary word is that my original was made from a bad batch of fabric that was overcooked during the lamination process. We shall see.

[Opus]

My experiences are about the same as BigSteve describes. I've had various GoreTex shells, Precip jackets, other laminate designs. Tried out an eVent jacket (REI Shuksan) but had the zipper fail within a month so I returned that. Nothing has kept me totally dry so I just accept that I'll get damp while hiking and not worry about it. Still keeps me dry enough that I don't run into trouble. Current strategy for me is to hit up the Outdoor Research clearance sale every year or two and get a discounted jacket. I had a Celestial jacket that I loved and used for years but it's no good for real rain anymore. Picked up a Foray jacket last year for $100 and I'm pretty happy with it. Vents reasonably well, keeps me dry. Interesting to hear how the Arc'teryx coat holds up, I've never owned any of their stuff. Do they offer any kind of warranty?

[cairn builder]

[Critter]

Critter style is a little different. I don't expect everyone(or anyone) to understand. I've been buying and replacing inexpensive rain gear for years, even using tyvek. I just think it would be awesome to hike all day in driving rain and arrive at camp dry. My goal is to be able to leave behind my sleeping bag, pad, and tent, as usual, but now also extra clothes. I have no problem hiking while soaked and changing into fresh clothes at camp. I just need to see if I can save the step of having to dry my clothes at camp.

[DIYSteve]

[Critter]

[DIYSteve]

[iron]

[Critter]

Big Steve,iIf being comfortable in the rain is all in my mind because I spent $700, I'm okay with that. Anyways, relax you have nothing to lose. I was going to buy two tickets for a Hawaii backpacking trip, but my girlfriend of ten years and I are temporarly separated. I spent the money on this jacket and a cuben fiber tarp, to step up my game. I figure it's a much more long term investment than Hawaii.