Rain jackets are some of the most important items to bring into the outdoors. The main purpose of them is to keep you warm and dry in wet or unpredictable weather. It can be quite uncomfortable and even dangerous to be stuck in the wild without proper protection against the weather. In worse cases it can lead to all sorts of problems, like hypothermia and chafing. While staying warm and dry in the same bad weather might be the best part of the entire trip!
So, one can see just how important it is to keep the elements at bay when out in the wild!
Dangers of being wet in the outdoors
Being wet and cold in the outdoors is not just uncomfortable. It could also lead to a very dangerous and in extreme cases life-threatening situation.
Mood saving rain jackets
The most immediate effect the rain jacket have on a person is normally not that of a life saver, but more of a mood saver. When it rains, most people tend to prefer to stay inside and wait for the rain to pass. To be fair, I don’t particularly like being outside when it rains and I’m not prepared for it, either. It soaks the hair, jacket, pants and follows the leg downwards into the shoe, making a nice swimming pool for the toes and squishy sounds every step you take. Being able to then put on a rain jacket and pants changes everything. It really takes me from being completely miserable to enjoying being outside in the rain. Sometimes even in a better mood than if the weather was better!
Hiking with cold kids
Being in a good mood is such an underestimated thing when being outside. It is seen especially clear in the young children. Like my 4y/o who came with me the past week on a day trip.
When hiking he was so happy and couldn’t stop talking, picking up sticks and jumping from rocks. Once we sat down to eat he started to get a bit cold. His mood fell instantly and he stopped talking, didn’t want to stand up, didn’t want his new cool stick and he didn’t want to continue walking. He basically didn’t want to move a muscle.
After a few minutes of sitting in my lap warming up, he was back to his normal happy self and fought off imaginary invaders with sword sticks once more.
This doesn’t affect children only, it affects us in the same way. It just takes longer and show less since we have more body mass. We might be able to use some self-control to get up and do some lunges and push-ups.
Being able to be comfortable in the outdoors is essential for how we will enjoy the time spent outside.
Chafing
In Sweden when I did military service we called it “Infanterield” which basically translates to infantry fire, but actually mean chafing between your thighs. A pretty common occurrence in the infantry, or any type of activity where walking for long distances is common. It’s incredibly painful and only gets worse for each step one takes without caring for it. The most common source of infanterield is wet conditions where the rain gets in between the thighs and starts friction. After a while the first layer of skin is becoming irritated and perhaps even starts to come off.
To prevent this one needs to make sure to be as dry as possible and perhaps also wear some sort of undergarment that transfers the friction from the skin to the garment. If you find yourself without, you can use things like tape, plasters, bandages, other first aid-stuff, a tightly woven scarf, socks, etc. to combat the fire between your legs.
Hypothermia
If bad comes to worse one might even succumb to hypothermia, where the body temperature drops below 35˚C/95˚F. It’s a very serious and dangerous condition, especially when out in the wild without proper rain cover. It can, however, normally be prevented rather easily by being prepared for bad weather. Everyone knows that water transports heat away from the body a lot faster than air (25 times as fast!), which of course is why you insulate yourself with layers that lock air to your body. It is also the reason why wearing a simple rain jacket can save ones life in the outdoors.
Avoiding bad times
In addition to packing a rain jacket, I can also recommend packing a lighter that is easy to operate even while very cold and wet and with stiff fingers and hands. And since you’re packing a lighter, why not pack some kindling, like tampons, cotton balls, vaseline, candles, birch bark, etc. in a water-proof plastic bag. Basically make sure you have some stuff to get a fire going easily and practice with it.
Breathable vs. Non-Breathable in rain jackets
One of the main factors to consider when choosing a rain jacket is its breathability, or how well it allows moisture vapor to escape from inside the jacket. Breathability can affect the comfort and performance of the jacket, as well as the temperature and humidity of your body.
There are different types of rain jackets that offer different levels of breathability, such as laminated membranes, coated fabrics, and water-repellent treatments. Laminated membranes are thin layers of material that are bonded to the outer fabric of the jacket. They have tiny pores that are large enough to let vapor out, but small enough to keep water droplets in. Coated fabrics are fabrics that are covered with a thin layer of plastic or rubber. They have no pores, but they have small gaps or vents that allow some vapor to escape.
Laminated membranes are generally more breathable and durable than coated fabrics, but they are also more expensive. Coated fabrics are generally cheaper and lighter than laminated membranes, but they are also less breathable and more prone to wear and tear.
Breathability in rain jackets
The problem with breathability is that it is a measurement of how much water vapour will pass through the fabric and that very seldom correlates with the amount of sweat the body produce. This is especially true when moving around a lot. Of course, some breathability is better than none, but the more you move around, the warmer and sweatier you become and the jacket just can’t transport all of that sweat away. As long as we’re aware of that fact, we can act appropriately with our breathable jacket and take it easier.
Non-Breathable
A non-breathable jacket will not let any moisture either in or out and thus often relies on ventilation instead. It’s not uncommon that these jackets have buttons only, instead of zippers in front, and grommets under the armpits. Those are there to allow for as much ventilation as possible. I myself prefer this type of rain jacket since I know what I have and can dress and act accordingly. The downside is that you can’t really do any physical activity in these types of jackets, except for hiking in a slow pace. Otherwise you’ll get soaked in your own sweat.
Whichever model you decide on, be aware that what you wear underneath probably will have a more significant effect on your wellbeing than whether your jacket is breathable or not. A good base layer and the knowledge about how to act to get the most out of your rain jacket will be what decides the fate of your trip!
How to dress under the rain jackets
The key to staying comfortable even in the worst winter rains is to use layers. Yes, I know, always with the layers. The thing is, if you have a proper base layer that won’t cool you down too much even when wet, you won’t cool down too much, even when wet!
Intense activities
The most important thing to consider is still the rain jacket here and the amount of moisture it will “breathe” out. If you’re like me, warm-blooded and sweat easily, you’re going to have a bad time if you dress up too much and runs uphill in your rain jacket. There’s simply too much moisture for any breathable jacket to be able to handle with any effectiveness and we’ll be soaked either way. I normally try to take off as much as possible and be slightly too cold while hiking than get my warm sweater wet from sweat. During longer brake time, get into your dry clothes and enjoy a cozy lunch next to a fire underneath a tarp while drying the inside of the rain jacket as best as possible.
Less intense activities
There are times when it’s simply too cold to just stay in a base layer while hiking and I just have to get a warming layer in between. Then, it’s very important to not move too quickly as to start sweating. One way you can accomplish this is to bring a <4 y/o along. There’s just no way you’re going to reach any speeds that might get you sweating!
I always try to be very careful with my warm layer since I always only bring the one and even if it‘s fleece, wool, or another material that warms while wet, it‘s not the same as if it’s dry.
If you’re in a rush, wear a base layer and rain jacket and hike in a pace that keeps you from freezing, but if you’re not, you might want to take it easy and conserve your dry clothes.
Oh, and always remember to bring a small towel! (It’s very handy when changing into dry clothes.)
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