[pct-l] Rain Jacket

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

Things I've noticed about rain gear:
- Nothing keeps me dry.
- Probably the most effective thing I've ever used is an umbrella.  
Unfortunately, it's almost worthless when the trail is overgrown and  
you push your way through wet plants (basically most of Washington is  
like this). Umbrellas expect the rain to come from above, not from  
all around you, so if the rain is a mist, the umbrella isn't much help.
- Wet silnylon rain pants feel the same as wet legs. Silnylon pants  
get hot so if you keep your hiking pants on, they get wet from sweat.  
Wear shorts instead and it's like having wet legs anyway.
- Rain chaps don't let you sit down when it's raining. Rain pants  
that aren't seam sealed are worthless when riding a motorcycle, but  
might work to let you sit briefly on the trail.
- Anything that is actually waterproof gets so wet on the inside you  
can't stay dry. The only thing truly waterproof clothing is good for  
is riding my motorcycle.
- People from the PNW seemed more comfortable letting themselves get  
wet.
- Seemed it was more important to make sure I kept warm than dry, and  
that I had something dry to sleep in. Maybe this is the secret the  
PNW natives understood.
- Some people just put up their tents and waited it out when it  
rained. This works in So Cal but you'll never make it through  
Washington.

If I had it to do all over again, I think I would bring the same  
crappy rain gear: a cheap plastic poncho, an umbrella and rain chaps.