Hi All,
So this will be my first fall.rainy season in Washington. Any advice for a decent breathable rain coat? I would use it for golf and fishing. Not wealthy, so any budget options?
Richard
if you find a solution, let me know. non- breathable rain gear will soak you with sweat in a minute. Gortex takes longer to get you soaked on the inside. If the rain is really heavy we call those days "double gortex" days which means you can stay out longer while getting soaked, with two layers of gortex. After 50 years of dealing with this weather, I'm not sure you aren't better with no rain gear and just a change of clothes.....you will need that in any case....good luck.....I buy the best quality gortex gear I can find, but be sure to bring the change of clothes.....
I moved to Anacortes from San Diego a couple of years ago so this "raincoat" thing is something that I have been struggling with. The whole "breathable" thing has proven to equate to me being wet. Grundens aren't breathable but they keep me dry. 100% polyester seems to actually be "waterproof" and much lighter then "slicks". For light rain the "waterproofing" laundry stuff works fairly well for my Carhart jeans and jackets, but when out in the pouring rain for eight hours, the word "breathable" can kiss my wet behind.
Lived in the northwest 45 yrs ,for standing still or low out get thick rubber ,for easy work or walking Gortex,for hard work or continually fast pace high out just get wet and keep working till you are cold and change then start over. Sierra trading post has good prices on all that just embrace the fact you will probably be dressed wrong often for the weather enjoy
and dressing correct for condittions. a light thermal layer and a good gortex shell is often enough for a 40 degree rainy day of wading, but you will want to carry some sort of breathable synthetic layer as well for lunch breaks and the evenings.
when its really wet, embrace the suck and use gear that keeps you warm even once you are damp. gortex works best if your body is generating heat and your clothing is wicking it from your skin and evaporating.
My favorite jacket is the North Face APEX Flex. Its a flexible softshell with a layer of gortex. Perfect for days when it's misty but not rainy. Not super warm either so it's perfect for a lot of movement. When it's really coming down I throw an actual shell on (just a cabelas gortex fishing shell) and I stay super dry.
I am also a golfer and find that the best way to stay dry while golfing is to not. Rain jackets that will actually keep you dry mess with my swing. I wear thin golf specific ones under a large one if necessary and take the bigger off when I swing. I have yet to find a rain jacket that has the mobility needed to swing a club well in
I've got an Orvis jacket that is bomb proof!! Doubles as a vest with large pockets. Mine is 4 or 5 years old. I'm sure it's as good as comparable Patagonia or Simms jackets! With my Simms G4s I stay dry and toasty, with the right layers underneath...
I needed a new one as well and talked to a dozen people/friends and it all came down to a KUIU Yukon jacket. Made/designed for hunting but hey, we are hunters as well on the water ;-) First impression is dynamite!! four way stretch design with awesome fit etc..... plenty of pockets for fishing as well.
For a long time I would wear a military surplus goretex jacket when I got back into fly fishing. Still wear it in November during chum season. You can probably get them online for around $80. I bought mine for $20. Went on a trip with a group of guys, and one of them was being kinda snooty about my jacket. His $500 Simms jacket leaked on the trip. My $20 jacket didn’t. Don’t worry about impressing other fishermen. Buy what you can afford, what works for you, and have fun. Been wearing my Kuiu hunting rain jacket lately because it’s super light.
I’ve been wearing a hand me down bright blue Gortex coat for over 20 years and love it still. It is showing it’s wear, but it keeps me dry and to me, perfect. (When i first started fishing I was given a new vest i drove back and forth over it with my car in the dirt and gravel so i wouldn’t look so much like a newbie.) This jacket has great pockets too. I would feel ridiculous wearing a $500 jacket!
It probably wouldn’t pass the Swimmy test, but the vibrant color is a good one one me! Hahaha....
I wonder....couldn’t find such jackets at consignment shops or Goodwill?
My wife was at the outlet mall in Auburn. She wandered into the Columbia outlet store and bought me their “watertight II” model. It’s breathable and cost @$55
I finally used it and it’s a lighter option to my Simms rain jacket.
Asking someone about the best jacket to wear in the PNW is like asking someone the best fly rod you should buy. You'll end up with a lot of different opinions which may or may not apply to you.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect jacket for everyone. I have a number of different "breathable" and "rain resistant" jackets in different weights and lengths that I use depending on the time of year. My first Gortex was from REI and you had to seal the seams with what appeared to be plastic model glue to make it truly "waterproof".
Over the years I went away from genuine Gortex (the patent ran out) because I found it wasn't really any better than other less expensive breathable outerwear. Consequently, I own a wide range of brands and type of jackets... some fairly inexpensive.
What does help with any breathable clothing is to wash it once a year with the cleaner meant to reactivate the breathable feature.
Gotta up you game young man!! I'm currently working on my sock game.. seriously! Not even sure if Swimmy has sock game or not!
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