[pct-l] Tyvek jumpsuits as rain gear?

[Dan Africk]

Thanks, those are some pretty good points to consider. It seems like
Frog Toggs would be a better option than Tyvek suits, and not much
more expensive.
Currently I'm thinking of keeping my full-zip rain pants(Red Ledge),
and either replacing my rain jacket with a Frog Toggs jacket, or if I
get a smaller pack, replacing my rain jacket and pack cover with The
Packa.


On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 11:53 AM, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net> wrote:
> 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
>
>
>



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