It’s a rainy Sunday morning … so I went for a hike. Why? Well honestly, walking in the rain can be its own excuse; it’s got a peaceful groove all its own. I also put on my ‘bugout gear’, what I’d expect to wear if I had a choice and had to grab the bag and GO, so I could test its suitability in the rain. Disasters do not guarantee that they’ll wait for a sunny day, after all. Here are some of the things I thought about as I walked:
Rain’s not so bad if your feet are dry
Dry feet is always a comfort issue. It can be important for blister protection too. I’ve walked fifteen miles after wetting my feet on the first creek crossing of a day and come back blister-free, so it depends on the shoes, socks, and walker. No doubt though, blisters are more common in wet shoes. (Here are some other things I learned about blisters on that trip.)
The hard part is, is it worth getting totally waterproof boots? My hiking companion Doc favors them, but she hikes mostly in desert areas where the streams are less than boot high. I don’t, as being in the midwest means that if you’re off-trail crossing streams, it’s going to get higher than your boot tops anyway. Waterproof boots are heavier, hotter, and more expensive than breathable models.
My sweet spot is breathable boots with plenty of waterproofing (such as Scotchgard). That keeps my feet dry in a long rain walk (if the rain’s not pounding) and when walking through wet grass. If I have to cross a creek, it’s take them off or walk in them wet. When buying boots, pay attention to if they are waterproof for the first inch or two of their height. That much waterproof is common, and helpful.
Packs with rain covers are a good thing
The rain covers are worth the weight and work well … until you have to get into the pack, of course. Straps and belt can be Scotchgarded. Bonus tip: while it looks goofy as all get out, you can stretch the rain cover over your head to keep from being battered too much by a sudden hailstorm. If, you know, that sort of thing would ever happen. Which it wouldn’t, of course.
Ok, *maybe* a sudden hailstorm might come up where you’d like to use that rain cover creatively.
Choices to keep the body dry
If there’s a better answer than a lightweight, somewhat over-sized, long tailed rain jacket, I haven’t found it. Make sure it’s breathable, because wet from sweat is still wet. The long tail is to keep your butt dry – especially since the pack cover tends to runoff there if not discouraged. A hood is great if you’re not going to be wearing a hat with an all-around brim; otherwise cold water runs down your neck to your back. Bleh.
I have a ‘size too big’ good rain coat I keep in my BOB. The large size both lets me pack warmer layers under it in cold weather and have enough sleeve to pull down over my hands when walking. That makes a big difference in cold weather.
Plastic ponchos have the advantages of being cheap, light, taking little room, and being reasonably effective. They flap around way too much though, and you end up having to choose between limiting your movement and staying dry. They’re a good compromise when space is at a premium.
The poncho kept me dry in the body even here, but I sure had to hang on to it.
Umbrellas are fine for walking around town for a rain without much wind, but are way too cumbersome for longer use.
Just getting wet – deal with it, buttercup, it’s an emergency! – is an ok solution in warm weather, but becomes a real risk in the cold.
Hats that repel rain are your friend
A wet head is very chilling. It also runs down your neck and wets the rest of you. If you wear glasses, as I do, rain also degrades your vision a lot. I have a waterproof ball-cap style cap that fits under my jacket hood that works very well. (Here’s a link to give you an idea because I’ve had good experiences with this brand; we have no financial stake.) Brimmed waterproof hats are good too but take up more space in the pack than I like.
Inside the pack
The rain water will get in that pack sooner or later. You have to stop and get something out, or it wicks in from when you set the pack down (a pack with a waterproof bottom reduces that), or you have to get stuff out of your pack and set it aside for the moment to dig deeper … life happens.
Reduce the impact by putting water-sensitive things in their own plastic bags. Bonus: Keeping the spare clothes in ziplocks also keeps them rolled up tight and causing minimum chaos in the bag.
Don’t let rain ruin your bugout!
I worked outdoors for the first 12 years or so of my working life. In my experience, the only way to stay dry in the rain is to get out of the rain. Any rain gear that is good enough to keep you dry will also make you sweat if you are doing any moderate level of activity; summer or winter. Ponchos work well if you are staying still and can manage to keep out of the wind. Best use during a bug out would be to pull out the poncho and sit off the side of the trail until the rain stopped, then move out. My go to rain gear now is wicking clothing that you just “wear it dry.” At some point the rain stops and your body heat will dry your clothes from the inside out. This would be the “deal with it, buttercup” method. This method is only as good as its weakest link. This means no cotton in any layer, unless of course it’s summer and you want to stay wet.
Boots are kind of the same theory. I always liked full leather boots that I treated with Snoseal, but it is getting harder and harder to find good boots that are all leather. Most of my boots now have some type of ‘goretex’ liner. These liners perform ok, but not as good as Snosealed leather. Since I’m getting wet anyway, I wear as close to 100% wool socks as I can find all year long.I haven’t found anything else that can wick away the moisture better than wool, in this case wool socks. In the summer your feet are going to sweat no matter what you do, so why not wick that sweat away?
Good point on the quick-dry. I had meant to include hiking pants (very quick-dry) but they slipped my mind.