A sudden downpour in the Smokies made me rethink my whole rain gear setup.

I got caught in a storm near Clingmans Dome last fall, and my old jacket soaked through in about 20 minutes. I ended up having to cut my trip short and dry everything out at a motel in Gatlinburg. What's the best truly waterproof jacket you've actually tested in bad weather?

2 comments

2 Comments

angelas785d ago

Read a review where a guy hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and swore by his Arc'teryx Beta AR. He said it never wetted out, even through weeks of rain in Maine. That stuck with me because he wasn't just day hiking, he was living in the thing. My old Marmot PreCip used to be okay, but the coating wears off after a season or two. Now I'm saving up for something with a more durable waterproof layer, like that Gore-Tex Pro stuff. Seems like you really do get what you pay for with rain gear.

morgan9155d ago

Oh man, that hits home. My first "real" rain jacket was a PreCip too, and I felt so cool until the seams gave up after like, one solid season. I upgraded to a fancier Gore-Tex jacket last year, and the difference is honestly silly. It's like going from a cardboard box to a real house in a storm. My wallet still hasn't forgiven me, but my backpacking trips have been a lot less soggy.