[pct-l] R

Wed Mar 23 11:38:37 CDT 2011

Good morning, all,

Protective outerwear isn’t the biggest problem faced by a long-distance
hiker; it ought to be pretty simple:  Read some ads, ask others, buy an
average coat, then put it on when the wind, cold, or wetness threatens.  Done
deal.

In practice what I want is: 1) sufficient warmth for hiking conditions, 2)
wind protection to retain heat, 3) an appropriate combination of water
resistance and breathability, and 4) relatively lite weight.  Within reason,
cost isn’t a factor; I get – or probably already have – whatever I want.

Over time I’ve tried about everything, with the objective of finding the
best overall compromise of weight vs. comfort and protection from the
elements.  Currently, for ultra-lite three-season PCT hiking, I use an
inexpensive mid-weight fleece pull-over and a separate windshirt.  The prime
advantages of this combination are versatility and a wide comfort range.

When the weather is cool I’m either walking or I’m in the sleeping bag.  With
my fleece/windshirt combination here’s the drill:  First thing out of the
warm sleeping bag on a cold morning I wear both items while breaking camp;
then I hit the trail.  After walking for 10-15 minutes I’ve warmed up and I
peel off the windshirt to enjoy good ventilation.  An example can be seen at
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=288743 .  Usually, after 20-30
minutes, I additionally remove the fleece and hike in a tee-shirt most of
the day.  At a stop, one of the items may go back on -- normally just the
fleece -- but if it’s on a windy pass it may be only the windshirt, an
example of which can be seen at
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=229056.  At day’s end, I will
probably put on one, or both, layers for the short period until I climb into
the sack.

If I were to hang around for hours of inactivity on a cold day that
combination would be insufficiently warm, in fact, the coldest I’ve been
during a PCT hike was early in the season at the Kick-Off while just sitting
around during the evening’s activities.

I don’t prefer down or synthetic puffy jackets for hiking.  Such are usually
too warm, and with the required inner and outer fabric layers they do not
breathe nearly as well as I like.  Also popular are the various fleece-lined
jackets, but with them neither layer can be worn separately.

Fleece doesn’t have the loft/weight advantage of down, or even the various
synthetic batting insulations, but the warmth of fleece is sufficient and it
has a significant advantage:  It can be worn alone without a windbreaker
layer(s).  A comment in a recent PCT-L post inferred fleece was a poor
choice because of a lack of wind resistance.  Conversely, I see that
attribute as providing very useful and desirable ventilation when I want it.

As someone who has long lived and hiked in the rainy Pacific NW I’ve learned
to not expect to stay dry all the time, but to stay reasonably warm and
comfortable.  In serious, long-term rain I use a loose waterproof garment,
but for occasional/intermittent rain a water-resistant windshirt will fend
most of the water, and what comes through will probably only dampen the
fleece.  The result is warm and not really uncomfortable, and the
combination will dry fairly rapidly.  Conversely, the damp nylon liner of a
puffy jacket will feel very clammy against the skin, and because such a coat
has two windbreaker layers inhibiting ventilation it will dry slowly.

A single fleece layer can be worn under raingear while retaining good
ventilation. Other jackets worn under raingear will have one or two
additional ventilation-resistant layers.  Down jackets are particularly at
risk because the insulation at the shoulders, upper arms, and back is
compressed, and that’s where the ventilation is the poorest.  Accumulation
of dampness and the associated loss of insulation is the common result.

Another practical advantage of fleece is during mosquito season.  Mosquitoes
can’t penetrate fleece but air can circulate.  Often the fleece is a bit too
warm during mosquito season, but other jackets won’t ventilate nearly as
well, and anyone wearing a windshirt or a raingear top will stew in their
own juice.

For comparison, my fleece pull-overs average about 10 oz. each.  My
windshirts average 3-4 oz.   Those two are a bit heavier than a 10.5 oz
Western Mountaineering Flight Jacket, but not as heavy as the
synthetic-filled, 16-oz. Compressor, and neither of those have the
versatility I want.

I seldom wear long pants of any kind, except that during sustained, cold
rain I like to wear a pair of SilNylon chaps under my raingear top.  Compared
to pants, he chaps offer much better ventilation being open at both the top
and at the leg bottoms.  The chaps weigh 1.9 oz. per pair.

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

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

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09

On Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 6:07 PM, Timothy Nye <timpnye at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've got a different take on the Compressor than Diane.  I used that jacket
> in 2009.  Since then I've obtained the Montbell down sweater to which, in
> my
> opinion, the compressor is most comparable.  I really like the Compressor
> and I continue to use it around town a lot.  It's pretty much my go to
> jacket.  In fact, I got a comment  from my wife because she thinks it's
> beginning to look a little ratty.  I just like the jacket.
>
> I know that you asked Diane.  You can tell me to mind my own business if
> you
> want, but I'd keep the Compressor rather than the fleece.  Here's why:
>
> 1. Fleece is bulky, the Compressor does just that; it compresses.  Not as
> much as down, but still.
>
> 2. Fleece doesn't offer much in the way of wind protection; you have to use
> your shell in order to have warmth when it's windy.  That makes a poncho
> less of an acceptable option, at least to me.
>
> 3.  Even compared to a Montbell down sweater ( at 7 oz for L ), I believe
> that the Compressor is warmer.  True, it weighs about 5 oz. more ( and I'm
> a
> real gram weenie - so if you saw my gear list you'd know for me this is
> saying something ) but the cuffs cinch tight as does the waist and even the
> collar ( with that little cord pull in the back of the collar),  It has two
> handwarmer pockets as well as an inside pocket.  I think that these extra
> features go a long way to explain the weight disparity between these two
> items.
>
> 4.  If money is no object, you could explore a hooded Flash from Western
> Mountaineering; it comes in between the two in terms of weight, has that
> great hood, and two hand warmer pockets, which I think the compressor
> actually surpasses.  But then again, you might spend time worrying about
> your gear getting wet and until you feel comfortable independently
> assessing
> your gear, I'd go with what makes you feel safe.
>
> 5.  You can always take both and mail one or the other home when at Mt.
> Laguna, Warner Springs or even Kick Off for that matter
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