I am looking for a new rain jacket that is durable, lightweight and has pit zips. It not costing a fortune would help also. The problems I am having are the following,

1. It doesn't matter if I could afford eVent as they don't make a jacket that at least has 28.5" length to the front torso.

2. PU is durable but doesn't breathe unless you have pit zips and is usually heavy. The light PU stuff is starting to rival eVent in cost it seems now. I have a TNF DIAD in an XL but wish it was longer and bigger around. Maybe the Marmot Super Mica in XXL but that is expensive also?

3. DriDucks is fragile.

Buy Cabela's PacLite Rainy River parka for $99. and have pit zips installed by a good tailor. You'll STILL be $$$ ahead.

I got a Large in Tall to get better butt coverage. Great quality and features.

Might want to look at Cabelas and LL Bean. They have tall sizes and their cuts are less technical and a little more roomy than the usual UL suspects. The prices are good too. Just call their customer service for weights since they don't post them. I'm certain Bean has some pit zip models--I've seen them, but don't know the names. Not sure about pit zips on the Cabelas stuff, though, but they have paclite stuff really cheap.

Red Ledge Thunderlight Parka

http://www.redledge.com/products/view/id/120

Edited by jshann on 09/12/2010 19:47:18 MDT.

Marmot Precip sounds like the ticket to me. About $60-$70 on sale. http://www.6pm.com/marmot-precip-jacket-cub

They do make talls too.

Most of the PU stuff still looks to be about a pound but I guess that is what I might be stuck with

You might want to have a look at the Montbell Rain Trekker Jacket. Looks like it's the replacement for the Peak Shell (which I have and really like... but they stopped making it). It's not the lightest jacket around but not bad for a full featured WP/B jacket (with pitzips, pockets, draw cords...).

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=59&p_id=2328266

The clymb has Golight Tumalo jacket on sale for $74.98. It has pitzips and is 10ozs. Hard to beat 150.00 normally

The First Ascent BC200 comes in an XXL Tall. Supposedly as breathable as eVent and weighs around 12 ounces. I've tried it on and the fit is good. $200 full retail, but they seem to have a lot of sales and coupons if you're not in a hurry. If it's really that breathable it's a great option for big guys.

Reading some of the advice here, I left home the great set of DriDucks I own ($17) and bought a Marmot Mica - $90 on sale for a 30 day thru hike of the Colorado Trail.

Guess what? The Marmot Mica is fragile! I wore it under my pack for perhaps 2 hrs a day for about 8 - 9 days and the pack straps wore through it. My base weight was 13 lbs and my max weight was probably 25 lbs.

So I lost $90 on a stupid jacket that was supposedly so strong.. in contrast, I've worn the DriDucks under pack straps for many overnight hikes and it hasn't given way yet. If it does, big deal - $17 lost, not $90.

But the worst thing about the Mica is that even before it gives into pack strap abrasion, it still gets you damp -- if you are even in light rain for an hour and are wearing a 18 lb backpack on you, the Mica gets damp on the INSIDE where ever there is pressure on it. So I spent every rain shower, right from the beginning of my trip, cold and damp.

The biggest myths on BPL are cr*p about durability or non-durability of various equipment. DriDucks and Mica must top the list.

Stop wasting your money on jackets like the Marmot Mica and the North Face Triumph etc.. Driducks work and aren't magically going to dissolve like toilet paper. The Mica just might.

Or deal with a few extra oz in weight and get the North Face Venture or something (11 oz or so instead of 6 - 7 oz for DriDucks / Mica).

Edited by longhiker on 09/13/2010 08:43:22 MDT.

if you are not going to wear a pack on it and mostly wear it for short photoshoots in the rain.

I did order a Golite Tumalo in XXL since it seemed to be about the right weight for $75. Golite said the length on that thing was 32" but I will be happy if it is just 29". I did think about it for ahwile but $200 is too much for a PU coat. I think it will hold up because Skurka took it with him for his big Alaska hike and it seemed like he was going to use it for everything so it must have some durability. As for breathability, it is a full zip and does have pit zips so I should be fine and able to vent out if I need to.

DriDucks are nice but I have worn them through or ripped them doing scrambles or just kicking around. I still have one but mainly use it for blocking wind over my Montbell Alpine jacket.

TNF doesn't make anything like the Diad anymore which is sad to hear. I think the lightest they are doing now is a Paclite at around 13 ounces.

Montbell stuff in and XL is just not big or long enough.

I will keep my eyes on the First Ascent BC-200 but it is probably not going on sale until the spring.

Edited by bpeugh on 09/13/2010 11:20:00 MDT.

Or maybe just a 3-4" wide strip of eVent to extend the length of my Diad

Marmot's Precip is notorious for delaminating around the neck and shoulder aea.

Plus it doesn't breath nearly as well as even GTX PacLite. Of course eVent is teh best bet for breathability.

If you want quality AND good price just get a Cabela's Rainy River PacLite GTX parka.

Edited by Danepacker on 09/13/2010 15:26:40 MDT.

How does the Cabela's weigh though? No one could answer that there when I called earlier today. That and it doesn't have pit zips and after trying on a Paclite jacket that is something I need.

A Large rainy river parka weighs 15 oz and seems like a Medium was 13 oz. So a bit heavier than some, but they're bomb-proof and cheap. It's so nice not having to worry about it tearing & knowing that it will never soak through. I've had issues with other "better" name brand rain gear and finally got over buying the name and bought on the specs instead.

You'll have to decide what features are the most important to you and go from there.

I was/am also in the market for some new rain gear, having mostly looked at DriDucks and Marmot's Mica and Precip. After way too much time and thought, I just went with the DriDucks. Enough room to wear insulation under, scads cheaper, and more durable.

So, after the reams and reams on this site about the Marmot ultralites, we hear this about the Mica.
My first edition Patagonia Specter pullover is in its 6th year of trekking, with no signs of wear yet. Cost $100 at a sale.
Size XL. Weight 8.5 oz.
Have yet to feel clammy in it in temps 30-60 F.
Rest my case.

But yes, will buy one of the Montane eVent Spectres in 2011 if I can afford it.
Sam

My Large, Tall Cabela's PacLite parka weighs 15 oz exactly. I keep it stored in its hood when backpacking.

I tried on an RAB Latok of 3ply eVent in XXL and found it to be okay but a little short on the length in the body. What I have to ask is how do people think this thing breathes? Or eVent? I think I felt 10 degrees warmer after I put it on with just a thin T on. I guess if there is a lot more humidity on the inside and not much out it might but I just can't see it.

Paclite would be okay if it had pit zips maybe but a pound for a jacket in XLT or XXL that doesn't just seems odd.

And how are people keeping their DriDucks durable?

Edited by bpeugh on 09/14/2010 18:36:19 MDT.