Lightest Breathable waterproof jacket

gixer

Thru Hiker
Bit of a balancing act with WP jackets for me.

If it's likely to rain then comfort to me is more important than weight savings.
If it's not likely to rain or only rain a little then i might consider a jacket like that.

I'm pretty much sold on Neoshell
 

EM - paul

Thru Hiker
Looks like it will do a job but not my cup of tea. 10,000gm2 over 24 hours is about half as breathable as Event. im always wary of claims of hydro head that is the equivalent of a pond liner too :D id rather carry the extra weight of e-vent or pertex shield and know i can function in a deluge without turning into a sweaty mess :D
 

edh

Thru Hiker
I'll have me trusty silver brolly :D

Ok then, Frogg Togs it is....thats £200 saved. Ta.
 

gixer

Thru Hiker
Hmmm....I like the look of the £ a gram Jottnar.....might need o_O one for the PCT (latter sections)....

That's the jacket that's on my short list.
Spoke with a guy called Thomas at Jottnar and he said they'll be bringing out some different colours of the Hymirs, so i was hanging on to see if they bought out some more subtle colours.

I've also got the Zpacks Challenger jacket on that short list
 

edh

Thru Hiker
The Zpacks are light....but the cut...perhaps you could get it tweaked...its not like you'd be wearing much underneath a jacket that light?
 

Mole

Thru Hiker
The Zpacks are light....but the cut...
the cut looks
interesting.....!o_O
jacket_cinched_m.jpg
 

7wave

Trail Blazer
76 grams...probably not, but it makes me think it must be too flimsy for backpacking (the friction is inevitable). Maybe better for running. Just my opinion, of course.
 

rorymax

Section Hiker
Berghaus 2015 Hyper Smock 2.0, the fact that it is a smock kills it for me, simply impractical, give me a full length zip and eliminate the tussle of getting it on and off.

rorymax
 

gixer

Thru Hiker
The Zpacks are light....but the cut...perhaps you could get it tweaked...its not like you'd be wearing much underneath a jacket that light?

Not much of a clothes guy Ed, can you please explain what you mean by the cut?
 

rorymax

Section Hiker
Have to agree with Edh on the zpacks, it is a minamalist (other than the underarm zips) practical jacket.

Looks like zpacks did not spend a cent more than they had to to make that jacket, no yoked shoulders or articulated sleeves or elasticated\drawcord waistline feature or any other tailoring aspects that would have improved the comfort, fit and appearance of the jacket.

rorymax
 

gixer

Thru Hiker
Have to agree with Edh on the zpacks, it is a minamalist (other than the underarm zips) practical jacket.

Looks like zpacks did not spend a cent more than they had to to make that jacket, no yoked shoulders or articulated sleeves or elasticated\drawcord waistline feature or any other tailoring aspects that would have improved the comfort, fit and appearance of the jacket.

rorymax

Rory, quick question please.

What differences in real world use do those features make?
Not being a smart arse here btw, i'm genuinely curious.

My side of it is that i'm only ever going to use it while hiking so don't care what it looks like, it's also a £170 180g eVent jacket, which puts it in a category of 1 at that weight.
So there is nothing to compare it to for features.

So i'm willing to accept looking like i'm wearing a sack of spuds IF it breaths as well as my Montane Further faster jacket but still keeps me dry.
 

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
Have to agree with Edh on the zpacks, it is a minamalist (other than the underarm zips) practical jacket.

Looks like zpacks did not spend a cent more than they had to to make that jacket, no yoked shoulders or articulated sleeves or elasticated\drawcord waistline feature or any other tailoring aspects that would have improved the comfort, fit and appearance of the jacket.

rorymax

Any extra seams involve extra work - pushs costs up, probably quite significantly, and they want lots of customers to be able to afford the item.
 

Lady Grey

Thru Hiker
Can't risk a waterproof that minimal. Need 99.9% guarantee in a torrential blast from the heavens. Lowest I use is Montane 'Air' Event.
Weighs 310gms. I can tolerate that. Only wear if raining ; most of the time in the pack .....or will suffer pack abrasion. After 18mths use and TLC, still beading perfectly and have managed to keep clean. Will probably need a wash soon, but if it works, don't fix it....yet.
 

Whiteburn

Thru Hiker
Used the Montane Minimus smock on 2014 TGO & 5 weeks in the Pyrenees, Pertex Shield+, ~140g. Well pleased with breathability & it kept some torrential thunderstorms on the outside. I wouldn't want to go to a much lighter fabric for backpacking & prefer something heavier for winter.
 

rorymax

Section Hiker
Rory, quick question please.

What differences in real world use do those features make?
Not being a smart arse here btw, i'm genuinely curious.

My side of it is that i'm only ever going to use it while hiking so don't care what it looks like, it's also a £170 180g eVent jacket, which puts it in a category of 1 at that weight.
So there is nothing to compare it to for features.

So i'm willing to accept looking like i'm wearing a sack of spuds IF it breaths as well as my Montane Further faster jacket but still keeps me dry.
Hi gixer,

Smart you are, an arse you are not:).

I am a very practical person, so not dictated to by fad or fashion and signature\designer labels hold little sway with me. So I fully agree, if it does the job you intend it too then I too could not give a tillietoodlum as to how it looks or how others regard it or me.

The technical\weight\price aspects of the jacket I certainly do not contest.

Where I am coming from is the form (call it cut or design) and the relationship to function.

It's a bit like having a jacket that fits you well (the same size and same design will not meet everyone's specific requirements - God only knows what bespoke jackets would cost nowadays) and one that doesn't, you just feel that it fits in better with your needs, no unnecessary loose material, adjustable to a variety of use and options etc.

Good design makes our comfort and expectations so much easier to achieve, I'm not knocking your choices mate, just saying that in terms of design, said jacket is lacking, it will serve a purpose for everyone, I doubt that everyone will get great pleasure from it.

P.S.
I spent a few years in retail bespoke design before it became unaffordable\unprofitable; e.g. ready made standard sizes and associated low costs effectively killed the bespoke tailoring business, a well made bespoke anything ( shotgun, bicycle, shoes, house, garden etc.) can be better than something off the shelf\off plan. Later I moved into the construction industry and design involvement was part of my remit.

Ready made off the shelf\off plan products are the affordable norm, as such, manufacturers owe a committed and positive approach to design aspects as much as to the physical attributes of the item being offered if we the consumer hope to fulfill our expectations within the cost constraints we choose to observe or are constrained by.

You sorry you asked then are you?:D

Whatever you choose mate, enjoy it, if it works for you then that is all that matters.

Finger tip sore, I retire, unless I get to receive some comments; good god - I was condemned to burn in hell for having a 138g alcohol stove, what shall I endure for the above witterings. :eek:

rorymax
 
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gixer

Thru Hiker
Hi gixer,

Smart you are, an arse you are not:).

I am a very practical person, so not dictated to by fad or fashion and signature\designer labels hold little sway with me. So I fully agree, if it does the job you intend it too then I too could not give a tillietoodlum as to how it looks or how others regard it or me.

The technical\weight\price aspects of the jacket I certainly do not contest.

Where I am coming from is the form (call it cut or design) and the relationship to function.

It's a bit like having a jacket that fits you well (the same size and same design will not meet everyone's specific requirements - God only knows what bespoke jackets would cost nowadays) and one that doesn't, you just feel that it fits in better with your needs, no unnecessary loose material, adjustable to a variety of use and options etc.

Good design makes our comfort and expectations so much easier to achieve, I'm not knocking your choices mate, just saying that in terms of design, said jacket is lacking, it will serve a purpose for everyone, I doubt that everyone will get great pleasure from it.

P.S.
I spent a few years in retail bespoke design when it was, and before it became unaffordable\unprofitable; e.g. ready made standard sizes and associated low costs effectively killed the bespoke tailoring business, a well made bespoke anything ( shotgun, bicycle, shoes, house, garden etc.) can be better than something off the shelf\off plan. Later I moved into the construction industry and design involvement was part of my remit.

Ready made off the shelf\off plan products are the affordable norm, as such, manufacturers owe a committed and positive approach to design aspects as much as to the physical attributes of the item being offered if we the consumer hope to fulfill our expectations within the cost constraints we choose to observe or are constrained by.

You sorry you asked then are you?:D

Whatever you choose mate, enjoy it, if it works for you then that is all that matters.

Finger tip sore, I retire, unless I get to receive some comments; good god - I was condemned to burn in hell for having a 138g alcohol stove, what shall I endure for the above witterings. :eek:

rorymax

Fantastic response, makes perfect sense now mate thank you.

Not really made any decisions yet, i'm chuffed to ****** with my further faster jacket's performance.
Have to say though it does still hang off me like a sack of spuds.

It's really a toss up between the Jottnar Hymir smock (330g, £230) and the Zpacks Challenger Jacket (179g, £170)

Miserable old git mode on/

In fact the ONLY piece of outdoor clothing i think fits me well is my old 90's Mountain Equipment Ultrafleece pullover.
Being relatively short (5"8") but being stocky i've accepted that hiking kit just isn't going to fit me well.

Even before my belly grew, everything was tight on the arms, shoulders and chest.

Trousers are even worse and have been a nightmare all my life, as although i have short legs, years of rugby and cycling has given me short but very thick legs.

Even with my daily clothes, trows have been a nightmare, tops not so much as i much prefer baggy, loose clothing.
with trows though if i find some that fit well i buy 5 pairs :D:D


It's a miserable way to start my first post of the day, but unfortunately i've pretty much accepted no outdoors clothing is going to fit me well :(

/Miserable old git mode off


Cheers
Mark
 

Mole

Thru Hiker
weird. I find most upper body outdoor clothing (uk n us brands at least ) seems suited to short n stocky? often too much belly room, too short in the body n sleeves. (Rab the exception sleevewise).
 

gixer

Thru Hiker
weird. I find most upper body outdoor clothing (uk n us brands at least ) seems suited to short n stocky? often too much belly room, too short in the body n sleeves. (Rab the exception sleevewise).

Any brands you can suggest i try please?
 

el manana

Thru Hiker
Can't risk a waterproof that minimal. Need 99.9% guarantee in a torrential blast from the heavens. Lowest I use is Montane 'Air' Event.
Weighs 310gms. I can tolerate that. Only wear if raining ; most of the time in the pack .....
Agree but a Montane Minimus @ 158g is an ideal jacket to take when the forecast says its not going to rain.
Then again I am a fair weather supporter...
 

edh

Thru Hiker
I lashed out...in a sale on an Arc Beta LT - I think it might see me out as it is so tough for a fair weight.

At 330g I can cope, I'll probably ship it to myself for the latter part of the PCT....who knows?

Arc stuff works well for me - despite my tummy their 'athletic cut' in Large fits very well; I have huge shoulders for 5' 7" (on a warm day when hanging upside down). Sleeves a little long, but that is fine.... = gloves.

The uber lecht stuff is tempting for the PCT, I'll have an umbrella...perhaps will retain for whole trip - will see what the first 700 mile section reveals.....sorry (well I would be if I was sincere :rolleyes:)...thinking out LOUD..
 
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