Monday is just a driving day for me we are at the cars by 8 and then we stop for breakfast. I like driving at night and then that means I have a free day on Monday but its no big deal either way I have to drop someone off at their car at the portsmouth park and ride also.
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Happy National Paranormal Day! 🔮👻👽
What do you wear to paddle in the rain?
- Thread starter Kayak_Ken
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Might be a little early. They were out last Thursday on the last day it was nice. Now back in seclusion . They were not biting. just swarming.. They take about two weeks of practice annoyance before the feast starts. As we here are about a week behind and expect that Thursday they BF may start to try attacking in ( its going to be hot) add a week and I bet JoeO will be fine.
I have yet to find the solution for rain gear. I've had expensive stuff, didn't hold up, I sweat like a greasy pig in rubber stuff, I really like the frog togs, but haven't had them in a torrential down pour yet, and they basically rip if you look at them. Every year we have students bring the cheapest rain gear, even though they have been warned to pay at least 50 bucks. Their rain gear falls apart on the second day. I alway bring some really big heavy duty garbage bags from the school, and make ponchos for the unlucky winners of the garbage bag fashion show. Kinda like wearing a dunce hat, but it saves your life.
Mem,
Your comment on the garbage bag fashion show reminded me of one of the funniest scout skits I have ever seen. I once had a couple of older scouts put on a skit of their own design. They chose to do the garbage bag rain coat skit, complete with buckets of water to simulate rain. It was absolutely Hilarious with tears of laughter running down my face.
Your comment on the garbage bag fashion show reminded me of one of the funniest scout skits I have ever seen. I once had a couple of older scouts put on a skit of their own design. They chose to do the garbage bag rain coat skit, complete with buckets of water to simulate rain. It was absolutely Hilarious with tears of laughter running down my face.
Picture idea. Mem wearing garbage bag, holding Spam with bacon in one hand. Bud lite in the other( not a school trip) and dancing to the blackflies!
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Rain gear. Geeeeeeze. I have tried about everything. I always fall back on my army surplus HD rain jacket. It's a bit stiff and the colour is kinda blah but I I want to stay DRY then that is the unit. I have a Princess Auto set that I have been using and its ok...a lot lighter and more pliable, plus I dont care if it gets ripped.
Lately I have seen the possibilities with wearing hip waders instead of rain pants. I still pack rain pants but dont use them a lot. I found a surplus molle bag that clips to the outside of my ruck to hold my rain jacket. Very slick.
I also prefer just a hat...in my case a Tilley. I am quite happy with mine.
Christy
Lately I have seen the possibilities with wearing hip waders instead of rain pants. I still pack rain pants but dont use them a lot. I found a surplus molle bag that clips to the outside of my ruck to hold my rain jacket. Very slick.
I also prefer just a hat...in my case a Tilley. I am quite happy with mine.
Christy
Need to remember the big trash bags for the next trip.
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Likewise I always bring a giant trashbag. Really giant, they are the things used in big wheels trash collection hoppers, 6 feet tall x 4 feet wide.
And I replace them at least once a year, either after use as a head and arm hole cut poncho for someone wet and without raingear, or after use as a spare groundcloth inside someone’s wet tent. Cut open that is a huge piece of plastic. That bag stays at the bottom of my essentials kit/bail out bag and makes a nice give-away for someone with wet issues. Worst case scenario I could use it as a small tarp or bivy bag.
As far as raingear goes
Ditto, with whatever footwear is appropriate. GoreTex does work OK for me, at least in cooler temps and my preferred non-strenuous modes. I have considered inexpensive Frog Toggs or the like, but even with medium quality/cost raingear I wear out a set every 4 or 5 years. I don’t think Frog Toggs would last me a year, maybe not a trip.
Admittedly I do wear “raingear” 6 months of the year, even when it is not raining. I like the having that third layer available to don over some combination of long underwear, fleece and maybe even a down vest, both for warmth and as a wind barrier.
The one wet-flaw in raingear is the need for waterproof shoes or boots for use in camp. Rain running down the pant legs or walking through wet brush (even dewy grass) will soak a pair of camp shoes. I really like the combination of paddling boots for use in the boat and Gore-Tex lined trail runners for use around camp. The trail runners are lightweight and give me a chance to air out my paddling shoes or boots.
US Military Gore Tex Jacket and Pants. I have a jacket which fits over a life jacket, not pack-able into a small stuff sack but very durable and used with layering year round.
I use German military surplus gore tex jacket and pants. Sportsman's Guide sells the set for as low as $50.00 and they are BOMBPROOF!! It breathes well and I got mine a size up so I can layer underneath. They come in the Flectarn camo pattern and in OD.
I wear a "Columbia" pullover jacket, waterproof but I use it for warmth also. I wear a pair of EMS rain pants with side zippers. I wear those pants as wind pants and for extra warmth too. I have a big felt hat which helps deflect the rain and sun. I wear my pfd over the jacket.
When it's cold I wear an EMS waterproof shell with wool underneath
I also treat my rain gear every few years with Nikwax,
When it's cold I wear an EMS waterproof shell with wool underneath
I also treat my rain gear every few years with Nikwax,
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I'll second Robin's suggestion of using Nikwax. I've replenished the water repellency of my rain jackets over the years using that product and it works wonders. Just follow the recommendations on the bottles and your rain gear will come back to life; good as new!
That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.
snapper
PS - At least in my experience, once I've applied the Nikwax the rain just beads up and rolls off my gear. Great stuff.
That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.
snapper
PS - At least in my experience, once I've applied the Nikwax the rain just beads up and rolls off my gear. Great stuff.
Depends on the time of year. If it's warm out I generally stick with a bathing suit, rash guard and ball cap. I find that as long as the rain isn't driving into my face I don't much notice it. During the early and late season I wear a pair of northface rain pants and a goretex rain jacket, mostly to preserve warmth since I find I get soaked no matter what I try 
I got disappointed with gortex rain gear when it first came out and never went back. I prefer rubber stuff like you see commercial fisherman wearing. I try to find the lightest weight stuff, which is usually the cheapest also. I like bib bottoms and avoid anything with elastic around the waist, ankles and wrists for good ventilation. I have found that if you are already dressed for the temperature you need to dress down before putting your rain gear on or you will overheat quickly.
On a short trip in the summer I will leave the bottoms home and have used a plastic garbage bag as a rain "skirt" if needed. I also might bring a lighter rain jacket. There have been days with a light but steady rain that I never put the rain gear on at all and have remained comfortable wearing wool next to the skin.
When it rains on a trip my goal is to stay comfortably damp as opposed to trying to stay completely dry.
On a short trip in the summer I will leave the bottoms home and have used a plastic garbage bag as a rain "skirt" if needed. I also might bring a lighter rain jacket. There have been days with a light but steady rain that I never put the rain gear on at all and have remained comfortable wearing wool next to the skin.
When it rains on a trip my goal is to stay comfortably damp as opposed to trying to stay completely dry.
Learning to be comfortably damp. I think that's the biggest issue to accept with canoe tripping. Whether it's clothing or tents or gear.
I could be wrong though, the biggest hurdle might be accepting that the wind always blows the wrong direction.
I could be wrong though, the biggest hurdle might be accepting that the wind always blows the wrong direction.
Truer words have never been spoken
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I'm with Robin!! Keep garment clean and away from fire... And you will have years of service with the good jacket and pants, my GTX jacket is at least 10 years old and going strong. That said, I don'T wear it as an every day jacket.
Layering is the hardest thing to get right year round. No use wearing a shell to repel rain if you end up soaked underneath from perspiration, although you'll be warmer. In winter of course it's paramount to get this right, the other three seasons are important too. I'm still struggling to figure this out in summer. A rainy portage can start out as a pleasing temperate walk in the woods, turn into a mosquito infested humid jungle, and feel brisk again on the put-in. I rely on hats more than anything to regulate my body temps. I have a felt hat like Robin's for the rain and cool days, a toque for chilly temps, and a ball cap for the sun. I'm always taking off - putting on - taking off - putting back on...as I feel warmed or cooled. And it's okay to get naked under the rain shell, keeping the dry shirt stashed for when I need it. From the waist down is another story. My rain pants are for cool or windy conditions. Bathing trunks or shorts are okay getting wet, all day if it's warm enough. I'll probably go for a swim anyway on any given moment. The temperature is most important to me on rainy trips, and regulating my own is the tricky thing to get right. And as the trip winds down having warm dry socks and one last clean shirt are like gold.
My preferred raingear is a poncho, but in a canoe, sometimes a cagoule is handier for keeping your arms dry, especially in colder temps. I fortunately grabbed one from CampMore a few years back... Can't seem to find them anymore, unless you get into some fancy almost-custom stuff.
What I'd really like is a shin-length rain coat in urethane coated ripstop, but with a much larger skirt at the bottom, big enough to cross your legs in.
What I'd really like is a shin-length rain coat in urethane coated ripstop, but with a much larger skirt at the bottom, big enough to cross your legs in.
Ditto on Seeker's Campmor cagoule, went to buy a backup late last year & was very disappointed they were discontinued them , they packed up small were airey & gave perty near full protection while underway plus they did not break the bank.
