Outdoorsy DU'ers who live in cold, wet climates

[XemaSab]

What's a good jacket to get that's waterproof, warm, and good for slogging around in the field?

[NMDemDist2]

1. we've always had good luck with Land's End products

http://www.landsend.com/cd/index/fp/0,,62,00.html?sid=4592139186722187050

[XemaSab]

2. Thanks for the link

I like that they give actual temperature ratings here. :P

[SOteric]

3. I've had pretty good luck

with a lightweight Goretex, which I'll wear over various layers of cotton and wool depending upon the requirements for warmth. I find it enables me to adjust my temperature according the changes in weather and altitude better to go with a lightweight coat and layer the undergarments.

[XemaSab]

4. I'm sort of looking for specific brand suggestions

I had a $200 goretex jacket and the sleeves would wick moisture up inside, so by the end of the day my arms would be soaked. It also fit badly around the hips. :P

[Critters2]

5. Columbia makes good cold weather coats.

On edit...www.columbia.com

[XemaSab]

6. Uh... the jacket in question was a Columbia

:P

[Critters2]

7. Oops! Sorry! I've had good luck with mine nt

[XemaSab]

17. It's all good

I wouldn't actually be averse to another Columbia, but after 2 wet, rainy years you learn your jacket's design flaws intimately.

[SOteric]

33. Well, maybe... Hanging around in a temperate rain forest

pretty much guarantees that something is gonna end up wet, regardless of the goretex. That's where the 100% real wool comes into play. It retains heat and warmth even when it's wet. (I have a vegan friend who choses to wear wool for such adventures, but purchases only garments from resale and charity thrift shops so that at least he's not putting money into the industry).

The cotton is best for wicking up moisture, so if it's hot out and I think I might be working up a sweat, it's a layer of cotton I'll chose. But cotton won't retain heat or warmth, so it's actually cooking to the body.

As for brands, I like Helly Hansen, but the price tag is a little offputting. There's a Marine outfitter, West Marine. http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/249021/10001/12968/11209/1

Check out the rest of their foul weather gear, too. The Henri-Lloyd stuff is pretty good if you're going to be in weather and need a freedom of motion.

[Broken_Hero]

8. always had good luck with

columbia

http://www.northlandmarine.com/columbiaMensIndex.htm

And Helly Hansen

http://www.hellyhansengear.com/catalog/

btw, from SE Alaska, and on average we see 150-200 inches of rain a year, and see temps around 0-15 degrees during the winter...at times it dips below 0, but thats wind chill..

[Blue_In_AK]

11. Petersond, did you know it's raining cats and dogs up here

all over southcentral and southeast? (Or as Jackie Purcell said on the Nightly News, "It's raining moose"). The Mat-Su Valley, especially around Willow/Talkeetna, is basically washing away, and it's forecast to continue raining for the next few days. Approximately 100 people so far have lost their homes. Talkeetna had over seven inches of rain over the weekend and all the streams and rivers are above flood stage. The Chulitna River bridge washed out and portions of the Parks Highway. Also a bunch of people got trapped yesterday at the Crow Pass trailhead when the road was blocked by a huge mudslide. They had to be helicoptered out. I suspect none of this makes it onto the national news, but I thought you might be interested as an Alaska expat.

[Broken_Hero]

13. No, I haven't heard any of that actually

man, I hope the rain stops soon. In SE it rains all the time, I'm use to that. Sounds like a lot of misplaced people up there due to weahter, I hope things start calming down...

Its nuts, I go from SE Alaska, with a ton of rain, to SW Missouri, where...we are two years into a drought...never thought I would miss the rain.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. I wish we could send you some...

It's been rainy and cool all summer, but this is ridiculous. It's rained for the past 12 days solid except for yesterday, when we got a few hours of sunshine, but it's raining again now with no sign of letting up. I'm just hoping it stops by the middle of next month because we won the Denali Road lottery, and I'm really looking forward to getting into the park and taking some photos. I'm kind of worried about snow by then, though, the way things are going.

[XemaSab]

18. Suweet

I am hoping for a jacket I can take to Gambell in 2 years as well as take offshore on the choppy, choppy Pacific this fall.

[Broken_Hero]

22. I know they are great jackets

with my hometown, staying dry is key, and both brands have kept me dry, and warm...:) The hard part is going to be, choosing one, style, color...:)

[Omphaloskepsis]

21. I wear Helly Hanson..

[Broken_Hero]

24. almost all of my rain gear

was helly hansen. I had such a hard time finding just one jacket that would keep me dry, warm...so I would get helly hansen rain gear, and wear a nice sweater underneath. Nowadays, Helly/Columbia make good jackets that do both, 1. stay dry, 2. stay warm, all in one item....:)

They even got jackets with inflatable pockets, we used them quite a bit when I was younger...it was a little co2 cartridge, pull the lever, and your jacket would turn into a life jacket...came in handy a couple of times...falling out of the boat in choppy weather...:)

on edit:clarity, spelling, grammar, yeah, its late sue me...

[u4ic]

9. Everyone outdoorsy that I know

shop at: http://www.mec.ca

Membership is only $5, btw.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Columbia is good.

[spindrifter]

12. Try REI's online catalog--

esp. the sale stuff. I got great waterproof pants, for example for about $11. http://www.rei.com/

[riderinthestorm]

15. I've used On Course products for the past 10 years very successfully

I use the On Course products exclusively all year round.

My husband uses old fashioned oilskin coats (you can still get them from British or Australian suppliers) layered up underneath for rainy days.

When it gets cold his Columbia down coats work great. We add a Thinsulate vest for the torso whenever it gets below freezing and we've never had any problems staying warm.

Excellent boots are probably as important as your gloves and hat - perhaps more important than your coat - if you are slogging around in a field. You'll warm up pretty quick if you are moving in just about any temp in North America with a good quality insulated coat but if your boots are leaking/uninsulated/poor construction then just give it up.

Spend your dollars on good boots. We use LL Bean boots pretty much all year round.

[tyedyeto]

16. North Face and Columbia products are both very good

Not in a 'cold, wet' climate anymore but I used to live in the Sierras and both companies have never let me down.

[Redneck Socialist]

19. Hmmm, can you be a bit more specific as to this "slogging?"

The type of activity you are involved in will influence my answer.

I generally layer up with my outer shell being a Mountain Hardware Gortex jacket. The cuffs velcro so you can snug them down pretty tight and minimize the wicking you complained of.

On edit: http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Subcategory.aspx?viewAll=false&top=2&cat=14&viewAll=false

[XemaSab]

28. Slogging = birding or other field work in the rain

Often all day.

In addition, slogging could equal birding in the snow or birding from a boat.

Good times.

[Redneck Socialist]

32. Well I'd still go with a waterproof breathable shell of some sort.

I like my Mountain Hardware.

[mduffy31]

20. You can't go wrong with the North Face

It is pricey but sometimes you have to pay for quality.

[Heidi]

23. Yep, and North Face stuff lasts a looooooong time.

:thumbsup:

[idgiehkt]

25. Sierra Trading Post has Northface stuff on sale all the time

This catalog has fantastic deals but they sell out REALLY quick so if you want something you have to grab it
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/

[tyedyeto]

29. Campmor also has good deals

http://www.campmor.com

[Broken_Hero]

26. I have heard great

things about North Face...seen some of there gear a few years back, looked pretty good to me...:) I wish I lived in a cold place, so I could wear all that gear!...:P

[ForrestGump]

27. Swanndri -- pure merino wool -- from New Zealand

It's not waterproof (though it repels water pretty effectively if the environs are just wet and it's not raining), so you might want a shell over it, but it's a great product and will keep you warm. Swanndri jackets (and bush shirts, etc) are supremely well made and durable. I lived in them when I was a kid. They are expensive, though. If you're interested, eBay might be worth a look, though I think some of the Americna outdoors suppliers carry them. I just checked and the Swanndri Web site doesn't list any American retailers...

http://www.swanndri.co.nz/

[LSK]

30. no idea, Chicago SUCKS ASS for outdoorsy stuff

[greatauntoftriplets]

31. I recently bought a waxed jacket, made in Ireland.

It hasn't been jacket weather yet so I haven't actually worn it, but since they are made for people in Ireland who spend a lot of time outdoors in all kinds of weather, they are supposed to be quite effective.

It is from an Irish shop and cost about $135.

[Taverner]

34. Columbia makes good threads. Patagonia too

[XemaSab]

35. What's "soft shell"?

Is that like neoprene?

[greendog]

36. Maybe something like this?

Aleut sealskin parka. The headgear is pretty nice too. If it works for whaling parties on the Bearing Sea it'd probably work for the worst conditions you'd ever run into. And a great conversation starter!

[XemaSab]

37. I was thinking more like a cormorant parka

[greendog]

38. Bad idea. I was watching cormorants this morning...

...they were sitting around drying their wings. Thats probably why cormorant parkas never caught on with the cool people in Seattle. They look pretty damn good....but they don't keep you dry.

[Eurobabe]

39. Helly Hanson, expensive tho' $$$$$$

[Blue_In_AK]

40. Helly Hanson makes great rain gear.

[Flaxbee]

41. I have family who are marine biologists, they like

almost anything from Patagonia, and one strongly swears by Fish Pond bags -- made for people who wade around and fish a lot, but the bags also double extremely well for camera and computer gear. I know you weren't asking, but just an FYI...