My sister brought me a Columbia rain jacket from Colorado. Unfortunately, I do not know the model.

I got to test it in light to heavy rain and in high wind.

It kept me dry but it is too warm. In heavy wind with it unzipped, it was comfortable. Zipped, it was too warm. A half an hour zipped in heavy rain and I was pretty stinky.

So the quest for an effective rain jacket that breathes and is inexpensive continues. Any suggestions?

eVent Jackets and top of the line Goretex Jackets are expensive. Lowe Alpine used to have Ceramic Triple Point Fabric which almost as effective and these jackets can be had for a very reasonable amount.

For example,

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/search/...scriptions=True

I seem to remember that Columbia used there own material called Omni Tech or Omni Dry (similar in performance to SympaTex), which were reasonably breathable in colder conditions but weren't as breathable as say Goretex XCR, Paclite or Ceramic Triple point. eVent is probably the best for breathability but it is not as durable. All are pretty much useless above 15-20C temperatures especially in humid air conditions.

You may be able to get a good Goretex Paclight Jacket on sale from last season.

Typical Goretex Paclite Jacket

http://www.golite.com/product/proddetail.aspx?p=AM1735&s=1

Montane eVent Jacket

http://www.winwood-outdoor.co.uk/acatalog/Men_Montane_Jackets.html

A tight weave cotton garbadine jacket which has been treated with Grangers or Nikwax TX10 cottonproof might be an idea in warm humid conditions but would only be showerproof and windproof but not completely waterproof.

http://www.militarykit.com/products/jackets/british_army-type_sas_windproof_smock.htm

Someone needs to come up with a thermal rating systems for jackets. Unless I've missed something, I haven't seen one. It'd be nice to know this is a "R-7" jacket, which for a former Floridian is perfect for 40 degree weather, but for someone that has lived their life here, it'd be too warm.

I snagged one of the fabled Teva eVent jackets for $40 a couple years back, that has been nice in wet especially during vigorous hikes, but they do let through a bit more wind than other rain jackets. Its nice and a helluva bargain, but I couldn't stomach an equivalent eVent for $289. I just bought two Marmot Precip jackets off of rei-outlet for $49.93 each, they have a reputation for being a good middle of the road rain jacket without the cost of an eVent or Goretex or other exotic fabrics. I see the price is up to $64.93 now, but keep your eyes open, you can usually find last year's Precips for sale for $50 or less. (I won't be hiking in these, probably standing in rain or maybe filling sand bags, one Precip goes in my car, the other in an BOB as I usually leave my Teva in my hiking gear).

Thanks everyone. I will look into your suggestions.

The hard part is that it just isn't very cold most of the time here in Hawaii. But when you are wet and the wind is whipping, it still chills you. Especially when stationary.

I have yet to find a jacket that will keep out the wet, keep out the wind, yet let me stay cool.

My sister bought a London Fog parka for me and surprisingly, it was pretty good. In cold snowy and windy slush in Boston, it kept me warm. In Hawaii, with the liner out, the temperature was reasonable and I don't get all sweaty. But where it fails is in heavy rain. The rain gets through in the worst place. At the hood attachment on the neck. So after 15 minutes of heavy heavy downpour, water gets through and starts running down my back. I gotta tell you...that sucks! So I haven't used it in rain again and I even removed the hood. As a jacket, fine, for rain, no way.

If it helps, a friend wears an REI E1 windproof shell, I think its been discontinued but the basic windproof design was rolled into the REI Taku that Izzy swears by earlier in this thread. So does my friend, he has been comfortable in wind and cold up in the Enchantments, on 50 milers, Philmont etc. I am naturally cheap and will stick to my solution, but maybe you get what you pay for and $189 isn't a bad price for windproof comfort.

This is an almost impossible task, even for a $500-600 jacket.

If temperatures are exceeding 20C in the rain and windy conditions I would go with a single layer Ventile jacket such as the Cairngorm Ventile Jacket together with an Umbrella.

http://www.west-winds.co.uk/cairngorm.htm
http://www.west-winds.co.uk/safrishirt.htm

Both are avialable at lower cost here at;

http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/military/index.asp

Double layer Ventile will keep you waterproof but It might just be to warm in a warm humid conditions. I suppose you could also use the Ventile Shirt with the single layer Ventile jacket.



The idea behind Ventile is that when it gets wet the long stable cotton fibres in the very fine weave expand and seal up making the material virtually waterproof. The Umbrella can be deployed during lighter winds and the heaviest of the downpours. The single layer Ventile when wet will have a slightly damp feeling but will be reasonably cool instead of that hot wet stinky feeling inside a crinkly plastic crisp packet.

I second the REI Ultra Light Jacket, still known as the E1. I took it too Hawaii last year when I bought it. When it goes on sale twice a year for $80.

It doesn't have any fleece lining so it stays cool and the armpits vents help as well.

Thanks everyone.

Keep the Columbia jacket. Use deodorant.