Suggestions for well made rain/wind shell?

Hi Skip! I would definitely recommend a hood, though I'm a bit partial to one as I'm getting a bit thin on top. :-)

I liked the ones we brought this summer that also were very lightweight and folded up into their own pouches. We would tuck them into the bottom of our daypack and if needed we would pull them out and open them up. Made packing in our carryon suitcase easy too. Definitely get just a shell and use layering underneath. We got ours at Eddie Bauer and REI on sale.

I agree with everything the people have said above.

Though did want to add that having the 2 pockets out sides is obviously good but having 2 EXTRA pockets on the INSIDE (one of the inside pockets was for the ipod but we used it for our wallet for day spending) was very useful to us during our Switzerland trip recently.

1) We used it to store our Swiss Pass coz we had to have that thing out constantly while travelling.
2) We stored our wallet for our day spending.

As an FYI:
We bought REI jackets with hoods when they went on sale. They were Goretex and rain and wind proof and had a thin lining.(I am not sure of the exact name but I know it was called REI Elements or something...I can tell you tomorrow if you'd like to know.)

They worked AWESOME during snow, rain and wind in the Berner Oberland region. Heck, we did the Muerren to Gimmelwald downhill hike in them in (-3) degree celsius temperarature + falling snow and since we layered we were warm and dry (infact at times too warm!).

Skip,
I also recommend a hooded waterproof shell. Mine is a Gore Tex Paclite one from Bass Pro. It was only $79 and doesn't have any company advertisements on it. It just says Gore Tex Paclite on the left cuff. Be very careful to get one that is waterproof not just "water resistant". You can wear it by itself in warm weather or put enough under it to be warm in winter. They also pack down very small. Good hunting!

Here's another one for a hood. I have a shell made with Goretex Pac-lite. It is the Marmot Minimalist. I like it a lot. It is very light and keeps me very dry. All the manufacturers make some clone of Goretex. I used to think that there probably wasn't a difference between them and real Goretex. There is. Goretex really has their act together. It works better and seems to be holding up better.

Take a look at a local outfitter if you have one nearby and try some on.

How much lining just depends on how light or how bulky you want it. I have a warm lined parka for skiing and winter dog walking but for traveling and summer hiking I use a thinner one that packs down very small. If you are planning on wearing warm clothes underneath a thinner one will probably be fine, but if you don't want to bring warm layers, if you want the jacket itself to be warm, get a thicker one. I love Marmot products and all of my skiing and hiking jackets and pants--the ones that really need to stand up to water/snow-are Marmot, but there are tons of good brands. REI brand is often a good deal. I would avoid the really cheap brands-the seams will leak, the waterproof coating will break down, etc.

Rei-outlet.com always has good jackets inexpensively and Rei sales (on rei.com) are great. Don't get hung up on Gore-Tex--there are other good waterproofing materials (I live and hike in the Pacific NW and I've never had goretex).

A lot of the hoods in the roll-up jackets are insubstantial and the brims really don't keep rain off your face--that is one thing to watch out for if you want a hood.

I've never thought twice about the number of pockets. I just need 2 for my hands. Although an interior pocket is nice when traveling, so you can keep your wallet safe.

Ok, so can anybody comment on this shell, from Marmot, the PreCep? On paper it looks pretty nice.

http://marmot.com/spring_2007/mens/outerwear/shells/precip_jacket

If anyone here has experience with Marmot products, how do their sizes run? Pretty true, a little small, etc?

I've had Precip pants and jacket. They are a good value and generally well regarded (also widely available--do a Google shopping search to find the best prices). My one complaint was that it has the insubstantial brim that I was complaining about earlier, but that might not matter to you (I wear glasses so it bugged me to get rain on them). The waterproofing on my jacket broke down after 5 years of heavy use, but I definitely got my money's worth out of this coat. This is a very solid choice for an extremely packable and versitile jacket.

Oh, and I find the sizes true--maybe even a little big in this day and age when sizes are getting bigger. I always wore smalls but more and more I am wearing extra smalls as sizes increase, but I still wear a small Marmot.

Ditto on the hood but the favorite thing about my Columbia jacket is the slash style zippered pocket next to my heart. I can have my camera around my neck and stick the camera in that slash pocket and keep it dry. I will never buy another jacket without that pocket. My jacket also has zip pockets on each side and inside pockets. It is a great jacket.

I am a big fan of Northface shells. The ones I have are completely waterproof. A hood is a must for me because I don't want to carry an umbrella or even a hat. Northface hoods are perfect. They stay on in really windy weather (they're adjustable), they keep your head dry, and they don't block your side vision much at all. When we went to Ireland last year, my husband noticed that I was dry and comfortable while he got soaked, so I bought him one for his birthday. He had plenty of opportunity to test it out in Scotland this year -- we had lots of rain and wind. He loved it.

Hi Skip,
I have a Precip jacket--am finding it great for wind and rain. As far as sizes go, some of the Marmot jackets offer a different fit (more tapered) but the Precip is a standard fit. I bought my regular size so that I could fit a polar fleece vest and a softshell jacket underneath!! Otherwise, I could have gone down a size. Best to try them on with what you will wear underneath if possible.

My husband and I love our Marmot precips. We looked at a lot of jackets before buying them. I really wanted to go for a less expensive one. I even bought one at REI when my husband bought his precip. I kept sneaking his precip on and finally returned the cheaper brand and sprung for the Marmot. Whatever you get make sure it is not only waterproof, but also windproof and breathable. (The precip has pit zips for ventilation) It is amazing how the being windproof helps keep you warm. I also like the zipper. It has a double flap system that keeps the rain out. We found the sizing to be accurate for us. (I always buy a small, my husband is a large) The only thing I will say is that I'm not sure I could use it as my only jacket on a trip. Both my husband and I also carry a North face jacket. We were in some 5 centrigrade weather in September (and even colder at the top of Aguille du Midi). We used t-shirts as our base layer, added a 1/4 zip fleece and the North face for warmth layers, and then used the Precip as our shell.

Skip - Marmot makes a nice product. Sierra Trading Post generally has a good Marmot selection in shells at discount. They currently only have the precip in a 2XL for $52 plus shipping.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Reviews/1115J_Marmot-PreCip-Jacket-Waterproof-For-Men.html

You might to take a look at their selection on other shells.

Skip - I have a Marmot Precip jacket and there are plusses and minuses to mine. 1) it has no liner, so compacts very nicely. 2) I've only used it in light rain, no heavy rain experience, but it did give me good protection, so I'm satisfied for that. 3) it does have a hood which really helps with the rain. Only draw back with mine, no interior pockets which I miss.

As to sizing, mine is a medium, which is the normal shirt/jacket size for me and it fits fine.

Thanks for the help, everybody!

May I ask a size question? When you buy a shell, do you buy the same size you would for a shirt or a jacket, or do you go up a size to allow for layering underneath it? I know that might mean it's a little "baggy" in warm weather, but it seems to make sense to me...

Help? ;)
Skip

Here's an answer to your last question.

Yes, no, maybe.

Seriously though, it depends on the cut of the shell and what you plan on putting underneath it. Many of the shells seem to cut a bit more generously becasue they know you are going to layer. Others aren't. Many seem to be able to accomodate a fleece layer without too many problems but might have problems with a big puffy down piece.

You may want to check out some in person and throw on another layer at the store and then decide. Most internet sources have fairly good return policies if your need to exchange.

Skip, let us know what you choose. I'm now thinking of getting something like this for our trip.

Hi Eli,

Will do! I've decided on the Marmot Precip, but I haven't been able to find any in my area north of Dallas to try on. So today, as soon as I pick a color (I like black, my teenage daughter says "Dad, boring!" and wants me to go blue or dark red) I'm going to order a couple...one L, one XL, and one L-tall. When I get them I'll try all 3 on, keep the best fit and return the other two. I checked with the seller's customer service and they told me that as long as I don't wear them outside it's ok.

More to follow!
Skip