Performance of Pertex Shell & Fleece Layer?

[Aussiepom]

If I'm off on a trip and it's already raining, or is forecast to rain, then naturally I'll take the necessary rain gear with me. However, 9 times out of 10 I lug the gear with me, it never sees the light of day, and then I lug it back home again. I'm very reluctant to go on a trip with no rain protection at all, and as a result I'm considering the compromise of just taking a lightweight pertex shell with me. This would be in combination with a microfleece top and merino base layer, which I usually use anyway, so no change there.

Does anyone else out there rely on just pertex and fleece as rainwear on short trips? What kind of level of protection would be realistic to expect? I've no doubt that showers would not be a problem, but if the heavens opened for a couple of hours, (or even less severe rain for a prolonged period), would I end up a little damp, but comfortable. Or would I be a bit wet, but not in any danger, or would I really be courting disaster in terms of hypothermia?

I know there are other variables involved, but I'd like to hear of other people's experiences, just to try to get a handle on what level of protection I could expect - I hear of many people simply relying on wool layers in all but the worst rain.

 

[Carbuncle]

I've got a montane lite speed jacket which is some variety of pertex, and it's very light and windproof, but I got caught out in it on Tal-y-fan the year before last in persistent drizzle and got pretty damp. But I figured it was spring, only a 6 mile walk, and a bit of water never hurt. Having said that, it did pursuad me to buy a lightweight goretex thing, but now you've reminded me I'll have to dig it out, it'd be just the ticket to stick in the bag for summer strolls.

 

[TwoSticks]

We were sea kayaking in Alaska for two weeks and only took Buffalo salopettes and top - fibre pile and pertex.

It rained heavily for the first five days, and we were continually soaked by the sea too. In the evening we would dry out under a tarp in front of the fire and then repeat the whole thing the next day.

The two of us dressed like this were constantly damp, but warm. Others dressed in traditional layers and waterproof shell eventually found them leaking and they got chilled.

We were limited by the amount of kit we could carry on the flights etc, and I would consider the same again if doing something similar.

If I could carry more gear, I'd wear a drysuit with a nice change of clothes for the evening!

Personally, I'd prefer pile fibre to wool if I was relying of pertex. The base layer will get wet in heavy rain and I find that pile fibre dries much more quickly.

By the way, I used to use the same combination for winter canoe trips in Scoltand, bivying out for a week with temperatures down to -11C at night. The kit works fine but I like my comforts now!

 

[Sussex Man]

Hi there, I have been using a Buffalo pertex mountain shirt for the last 5 od years, its pertex 5 (less wind resitant than P6) with a fibre inside. I find that it needs to rain pretty hard for some time, for the jacket to leak, however it has always been washed with tech wash and then every other wash the spray-on water proofer from Nikwax. If I was going somewhere very cold and wet I would probably take a shell layer or poncho to keep the worst of it off the shoulder area. I have got the thing completely soaked once in a Welsh river and when i got out the other side i, took it off, squeezed most of the water out , popped it back on and carried on hiking- in 10-15 minutes of me getting warm the jacket was a little damp but very warm agian. I would be happy to spend a weekend in the woods with persistant rain all weekend with just that top- however perhaps mountains or morland I would take a shell.
Peace from Woody Sussex
Ps. I cut down the weight of waterproofs by not taking any bottoms- just gaiters and lighter/quicker drying trews.

 

[swanscot]

I've got a montane lite speed jacket which is some variety of pertex, and it's very light and windproof, but I got caught out in it on Tal-y-fan the year before last in persistent drizzle and got pretty damp. But I figured it was spring, only a 6 mile walk, and a bit of water never hurt. .

Middle son has a very lightweight Montane pertex jacket and he often returns from cycling trips rather wet. Personally, I prefer to keep dry and carry/wear a Goretex waterproof shell. But unlike Aussiepom 9 times out of 10, I end up wearing it. As I'm often romping mountain ridges over 1000 metres and with strong winds, being wet could lead to a serious drop in body temperature rather quickly.

If I was hiking in warmer climates/lower altitudes/shorter trips I'd use lightweight pertex - but take a fleece for underneath rather than wool.