[pct-l] raingear

[Brian Lewis]

Expensive raingear strikes me as a bit crazy for the PCT.

I used an OR Helium jacket last year (albeit on a different trail); at 7 oz
it worked well as a rain jacket and filled the role of windshirt as well.
Not really cheap, but not expensive either, and held up well for me in less
well manicured trail conditions, except that the little zipper got wonky
this year.  Still, I wore it quite a lot over 5+ months of hiking prior to
that, so I was satisfied, and the jacket material itself is in surprisingly
good shape.
If you go with a jacket like that on the PCT, it might be nice to mail
yourself the "wash-in, then dry" stuff that you use to restore the DWR
somewhere in northern Oregon or in WA, perhaps at Cascade Locks.

I don't personally think that's the best option for the PCT, however.  I'd
go with a windshirt plus a poncho as both rain gear and shelter for the
first 700 miles, then replace the poncho from there with a light tent plus
possibly just a dri-ducks jacket.  Or if money is tight, skip the poncho
and start out with light tent, windshirt, and dri-ducks.  Just expect to
carry the dri-ducks (coat only) and rarely use it until perhaps WA state.


             Brian Lewis / Gadget