[pct-l] Head's up, Class of 2010 (was Tyvek jumpsuits as rain gear?)

Wed Feb 24 11:31:30 CST 2010

Excellent post, as always, Steeleye.  

Precipitation is not limited to the Sierras and points north.  Hikers may encounter any and all of the types of conditions listed below in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN THE SPRINGTIME. Our spring conditions are quite variable, from extreme heat to freezing, rain, and snow. Don't be fooled by the common notion that it's "sunny Southern California" all of the time. Deserts dip to freezing at night, and the mountains you pass through are steep and rugged. Hikers have encountered blizzards in SoCal during the nobo campaign of numerous seasons.  

Don't send your rain gear, warm clothes, or shelter ahead thinking good conditions will last. 

L-Rod

p.s.  I've seen a fair amount of Tyvek raingear and most users seem pretty happy with it. 

-----Original Message-----
>From: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>
>Sent: Feb 24, 2010 8:53 AM
>To: Dan Africk <danstheman at gmail.com>
>Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Tyvek jumpsuits as rain gear?
>
>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
>_______________________________________________
>Pct-l mailing list
>Pct-l at backcountry.net
>To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
>http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>
>List Archives:
>http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/