Recommendation for a lightweight warm weather rain jacket?
September 18, 2007 12:01 PM   Subscribe

Please help me find a lightweight rain jacket for hot weather travel through monsoon prone regions?

I'll be traveling to a monsoon region and I was looking for a lightweight rain jacket that I could throw into a backpack. Something like this Sierra Designs Microlight Jacket looks like it would work, although I'm not sure why this similar one (Sierra Designs Isotope Jacket) is so much ($60) more.

Looking for any other medium price (<$100) jackets. I'm new to the backpacking world, and there are many niche brands that I've never heard of...
posted by sharkfu to Travel & Transportation (11 answers total)
 
I'd suggest a poncho or an umbrella. In really hot weather, even the most permeable of goretex equivalents will turn into your own personal sauna.

Also, unless you are an unusual size, you could just do your shopping when you get there, and can see what the locals are using. It'll probably be cheaper, and you can just leave the plastic coat or cheap umbrella behind when your trip is done.
posted by Forktine at 12:07 PM on September 18, 2007


(The other big advantage of a poncho or an umbrella is that both will keep your backpack dry -- not much use in keeping yourself dry and having all your papers and clean clothes get soaked.)
posted by Forktine at 12:08 PM on September 18, 2007


k-ways are coming back
posted by dawdle at 12:17 PM on September 18, 2007


I second the poncho or umbrella. We spent several months in SEA during monsoon season, and I was fine with an umbrella.
posted by wayward vagabond at 12:27 PM on September 18, 2007


The other problem with a rain jacket, even a great one, is that it dumps the water right onto the front of your pants if you're walking / hiking. So you really need rain pants too. Ponchos don't have this problem.
posted by smackfu at 12:51 PM on September 18, 2007 [1 favorite]


3rding the poncho idea.
posted by 517 at 1:20 PM on September 18, 2007


I'm sorry to say, price seems to matter quite a bit. I just returned two Red Ledge rain jackets that failed utterly and cost $50. They weren't sufficiently waterproof. They weren't five minutes waterproof. The type I had before, which was fantastic, but got lost, was Marmot brand. Ponchos can be awkward, and allow water in at the cuffs and neck; if you decide to stay with a jacket, you can always buy a bigger size of you want it to hit you lower.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:12 PM on September 18, 2007


True... and the one that dripped on me was a Marmot, which I love otherwise. It didn't let a drop through on top.
posted by smackfu at 2:40 PM on September 18, 2007


Plus, it's fun to say "Nice Marmot."
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:25 PM on September 18, 2007


I've had pretty good results with this. Very lightweight and compact.
posted by speedo at 3:38 PM on September 18, 2007


I owned a Marmot Precip Oracle for 5 years before the zipper died, and I put it through hell and back. Awesome piece of gear. The sleeves are cut so that the waist doesn't ride up when I lift my arms over my head. Pockets galore. Great design for the hood and cuffs.

REI let me exchange it for the latest model without blinking an eye. I just had to pay the price difference, since it was originally purchased on sale.

Marmot. Seriously, nice marmot.

When I say the zipper died, it just kept catching the fabric and snagging. They've since made the zipper gusset with something a little stiffer, and the problem is solved.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 6:54 PM on September 18, 2007


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