[pct-l] Tyvek jumpsuits as rain gear?

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, Dan,



As a hiker well experienced with rain I identify roughly three different
needs:



1)  *Occasional Rain in Good Weather* – This is the summer shower, or even
short downpour, situation where wrapping one’s self in raingear is more of a
knee-jerk reaction than a real need.  The front will pass quickly, it’s warm
so there’s little likelihood of becoming hypothermic, and becoming wet is
just an inconvenience.  At that point I’m more concerned with keeping some
of the items in my pack dry than in keeping my person dry; after all, if I
weren’t wet from the rain I’d be dripping sweat from my hiking exertions.  On
a short hike I don’t carry any raingear against this possibility.



2)  *Occasional Rain in Potentially Cool Weather* – This is a situation like
what is common in the Sierras in June-July.  Almost every afternoon there is
a thunder storm somewhere along the range which could encourage hypothermia
if one became thoroughly wet without raingear.  Here it’s good to have some
protection for one’s person and the pack, but the front quickly passes and
the hiker won’t have to walk long – or at all – wearing the raingear.  In
this situation I carry my poncho/tarp.  As a poncho it’s loose and floppy,
and aggravating to wear for long, but it does provide good temporary
protection.



3)  *Persistent Rain in Potentially Cool Weather *– Read this to mean
Washington in September.  Here convenient, effective, long-term rain gear is
advisable so I use a rain hat, a SilNylon Parcho (parka/poncho), SilNylon
chaps, and maybe water resistant socks.  This arrangement is convenient to
wear for hours or days.  My SilNylin gear is waterproof and non-breathable,
but the pieces are loose and they ventilate well.  The poncho/tarp could be
used OK, but it’s not very convenient for sustained use.



More specific to your question, a Tyvek suit us sufficiently water resistant
for conditions No. 1 and No.2 , but I don’t find it necessary since I
already have my poncho/tarp, where the poncho hood only adds about 1.5
ounces to the tarp that I’ll carry anyway.  Plus, the suit wouldn’t cover my
pack: I would have to carry something separate for that, adding to the
overall weight.



For condition No. 3 the Tyvek suit is less attractive.  With the possibility
of sustained use durability is a real concern, even between resupply stops.
The lack of ventilation is also serious, even with something that claims to
“breath”.  FroggToggs raingear is popular with many hikers – including me,
under some circumstances.  FroggToggs have a microporous membrane sandwiched
between some microfiber stuff similar to Tyvek.  ‘Toggs have a parka, and
pants that bottom-zip to allow pulling them over a shoe.  They have elastic
at the arm cuffs, around the bottom of the parka, at the top of the pants,
and at the leg cuffs.  This elastic is great while riding a motorcycle, but
the ventilation isn’t very good for someone exercising.  ‘Toggs are more
durable than a Tyvek suit, but the outer layer does abrade easily shortening
its life.  The cost is somewhere between a Tyvek suit and a more serious set
of raingear.  A ‘Toggs set weighs more than my Parcho/chaps combination, and
the ‘Toggs don’t cover a pack so I would have to add some more weight for
that function.


Enjoy, spring is coming soon,



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09