What do you wear to paddle in the rain?

[Kayak_Ken]

Living in Florida I usually don't paddle in the rain unless I get caught in an afternoon shower in warm weather. I am going to go to Maine at the end of the month and paddle the Moose River Bow trip. The ten day weather forcast calls for low 60's with showers every day. I have a pair of NRS Endurance Pants and Kokatat Nomad paddling boots. What I am wondering is what kind of top to use? Any ideas, suggestions?

Kayak_Ken (in a canoe)

 

[Alan Gage]

I use a waterproof soft shell jacket. Warmer than a rain jacket but not too warm. It plays double duty as a jacket jacket in chilly weather as well as rain jacket. Seems to breath pretty well and so far it's kept me dry. It's great for being active in the rain during cooler weather. For being active in the rain during warm weather I'm more inclined to just let it rain on me rather than getting soaking wet with sweat.

I've never bothered to put on rain bottoms but I'll pack them for the next trip just for walking around a wet camp if nothing else.

Alan

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

Been using cheap Frogg Toggs ever since they were still a new item.

 

[sweeper]

I've been wearing the Frogg's for about 8 years that I haven't had to use a whole lot, mostly in camp. This year I bought a North Face Rain Jacket and a pair of Fjall Raven pants that I double waxed, Then I found a very nice EMS Gore-Tex Jacket at a church Rummage sale for $2 that appears to be great shape. The plan is to field test EMS jacket as the primary next week but also take the NF just in case of failure. The EMS has a lot better ventilation then the NF.

 

[Canotrouge]

Usually Gortex pants and jacket. canoe pogies, a tuque, and a pair of Maine Hunting boots!!

 

[Muskrat]

Another vote for the Frogg Toggs jacket or poncho. I've accepted that my legs will always be wet from wading, so I wear wet suit bottoms under military surplus pants.

 

[Kayak_Ken]

Another question, would you wear the top under or on top of your PFD?

 

[Gerald]

Gore Tex jacket and pants plus a wide brim OR hat.

 

[yknpdlr]

When racing, especially on the Yukon, one does not want to take the time or risk to remove the PFD, not ever in Yukon big water or weather. So a rain jacket goes on over the PFD. I had to buy an XL size to fit. Add a wide brim gore-tex rain hat, since when wearing a hood it is difficult from the bow of a voyageur to hear the "Hut" from the stern.

 

[stripperguy]

I was just out in heavy rain and sleet on the last camping trip!!
I wore my EMS Gore Tex rain jacket, and a pair of Gore Tex rain pants, and my ancient LL Bean duck boots. Wool knit hat under the rain jacket hood. PFD was over my rain jacket, but only because I was alternating between paddling and carrying. It would have been a nuisance to keep taking a rain jacket off to switch from PFD to backpack...
BTW, temps were in the 30's, didn't have gloves but I wish I did!

 

[yellowcanoe]

It snowed in Jackman yesterday several inches. That said its been 45 degrees forever here ( I'm about 80 miles away as the crow flies) water levels are way up. Check that the water is not rising before parking at the Attean boat launch. There is an uphill parking lot that is safer.. ( I have a pic of a car submerged in the lower lot).. I trust that you have tread on your boots. Those will be handy to keep your feet warmer but also bring dry shoes and socks. The water temp is and will be in the 40's and some of that portage has water going over the bog bridging at times so you will be wading.

PFD I wear over my raincoat. Why? Because if I fall in with my raincoats over it it is impossible to do a Hand Over God rescue in case of unconsciousness and its very hard to swim in a billowing raincoat(You would have to remove it to swim). Others cite other reasons of timing as on moving water.. It is a trade off and a risk assessment only you can make. I just suffer the overheating ( and that seldom happens) till I can get to a safe spot to get it off from under the PFD..( and you dont have to take the PFD off but it does take some wiggle. In a race situation that would be time lost. I am not racing)

I like to use a wide brim Souwester Hat when canoeing as I detest hoods. I often use a long knee length Goretex raincoat but on this trip you will welcome paddling pants so you can get by with a paddling jacket Your bottom half is going to be wet even if it does not rain. Likely some of the Holeb sites will be partly underwater.

Paddling jacket like this https://www.rei.com/product/898357/nrs-endurance-paddling-jacket-mens Its something I sometimes use in Florida too.

 

[Odyssey]

I no longer have a rain jacket, the last one having shed it's lamination on the last trip. It's passed on. That rain coat is no more, ceased to be. Expired. It's a stiff, bereft of life. Pushing up the daisies. It's off the twig, kicked the bucket; it's shuffled off it's mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible. It is an ex-rain coat. However my standby second hand jacket is an Army surplus with pants to match. I may not replace my #1-top-of-the-line rain gear, the old surplus suit is working just fine. I especially love the pants on wet days after a storm. And they're cozy for chilly damp mornings. When I happen to wear my PFD it goes over the jacket. In tea waters I'd need the high viz to be found quickly.

 

[flyingbison]

In the past, I've always worn a light nylon rain jacket or the waterproof shell from a 3-in-1 jacket. As Alan said, that's a little warmer than a rain jacket (though I wouldn't wear it with temps in the 60s). On my last trip, it was cold, wet, and snowy so I wore the waterproof shell with a thin fleece vest underneath, and a pair of heavy vinyl rain pants. Those worked well for the cold weather, but I sure wouldn't wear them in the summer.

I've always worn my PFD over anything else I was wearing.

 

[Canotrouge]

Another question, would you wear the top under or on top of your PFD?

Depending, if I start the day in my jacket(raining when you get up...) Then I put the PFD over top but if the rain is coming and wile on the water, then I put it over top the PFD.

 

[sailsman63]

I've always liked having anything that I might want to take off/put on during the day outside of my PFD. This would include rain gear, or on those crisp fall mornings, my heavy field coat. While I can swim, for values of 'swim,' I do not float, so removing PFD in anything other than a dead flat calm is... not a good idea.

 

[JoeO]

Frogs Toggs, I am going to be there Memorial day weekend Starting Friday at noon having Cry of the Loon shuttle me to Holeb Pond. I have gone last 2 Memorial days 2 years ago water was high it will be high this year. Last year conditions were like July level there was some shore line you could get out on to a beach 2 years ago no beach and not easy to get out this year I expect the same or worse. I crossed Attean Pond early to mid afternoon on Sunday depending how early we cross may go home Sunday night the traffic Monday is bad the NH Maine border.

 

[snapper]

My typical rainy day wear is based on the temperatures. If it's cold I'll wear a rain jacket (current version is a Mountain Hardware model w/ a hood I picked up on sale) and a pair of rain pants. When it's warmer I'll wear a poly pro shirt, rain hat and shorts. Regardless of which clothing I've got on, I always wear my PFD as my last layer. Just how I was taught to do it. So far, it's worked well so I'll keep with it until I find a reason not to.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[yellowcanoe]

Monday is bad the NH Maine border.

Traffic .. When open tolling comes to York that jam ought to be relieved But the whole toll booth has to be moved.. the road is sinking and some booths will be included so its being moved a mile and a half. Sometime.
Meanwhile there are many ways around it. Exit 19 to Rt 9 to Rt 4. You shouldn't have to plan a canoe trip around traffic.

 

[riverstrider]

I'll usually wear my EMS Gore-Tex rain jacket, which has held up really well over the years. I have a back-up Marmot light rain shell if the primary jacket just gets too wet and clammy. If it is really miserable, I'll put on Marmot rain pants over whatever else I am wearing (usually shorts or nylon pants). If it is hot out, I'll put on a short-sleeve pull-over paddling jacket or, if it isn't a total monsoon, just wear a quick drying nylon shirt.

Another question, would you wear the top under or on top of your PFD?

If it is raining when we leave the campsite, the pfd goes on over the rain jacket. If the rain catches up enroute and there is no suitable place to pull over, I'll just throw my rain jacket over the pfd until I have a chance to switch it over. I agree with yellowcanoe that it is not ideal to be wearing it over a pfd.

Have fun on that trip, Ken! You should be up there in time for the Blackfly Jamboree! At the very least, it will be a lot buggier than we had on Aziscohos!

-rs

 

[sweeper]

Traffic .. Exit 19 to Rt 9 to Rt 4.

and drop down on Rt 125