HOW TO STAY DRY
MAGAZINE’S
H OW T O
S TAY D RY —A N D H AV E F U N —
I N A N Y W E AT H E R . BY KASSONDRA CLOOS
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W E T W E AT H E R S U RV I VA L G U I D E
Don't be afraid of a little wet weather. Hiking and camping in the rain can add to the sense of adventure—if you're well prepared for it. Learn how with this curated advice from our editors. They'll teach you how not only to survive wet-weather hiking and camping, but also how to have fun doing it. Plus, we share the weirdest weather facts and the world's best wet weather adventures. SPONSORED BY
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S ECTI O N 1
THE SCIENCE OF
W E T W E AT H E R COMFORT Y O U ’ R E I N T H E L O C A L G E A R S H O P A N D Y O U H AV E O N E J O B : F I N D A C O M F Y B U T D U R A B L E S H E L L T H AT W I L L K E E P W AT E R O U T. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS— A N D T H E P R O D U C T H A N G TA G S S E E M T O B E W R I T T E N I N C O D E . D O N ’ T W O R R Y. H E R E ’ S E V E R Y T H I N G Y O U N E E D T O K N O W .
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S ECTI O N 1
What’s DWR? Durable water repellent is a polymer that’s applied to the face fabric and helps your jacket shed water so you stay dry. In some jackets, it’s built right into the fabric’s yarns so it never has to be reapplied. In others, it can become compromised over time thanks to outside factors like dirt and bug spray. If that happens, you’ll have to re-treat the jacket with an after-market care product like Nikwax.
How does waterproof fabric work? It depends. Some jackets pair a waterproof membrane beneath a more durable fabric coated in DWR. Others have waterproofing built right into the fibers of the yarn.
Waterproof breathable jackets have pores that are too small for water to sneak through, but just big enough to let out water vapor from your sweat.
What’s a membrane? It’s the waterproof breathable layer. In three-layer jackets, it’s sandwiched between your jacket’s outer fabric and interior lining, and the layers are bonded together to create the illusion of a single piece of fabric. In two-layer jackets, the face fabric is bonded with the membrane, which is protected by mesh or a taffeta fabric. A 2.5 layer jacket incorporates a “print” on the exposed membrane that adds the protection it needs, and is light weight and more packable.
water sneaks in through the tiny holes sewing puts in the fabric.
What are PFCs? Perfluorocarbons. They're man-made greenhouse gases that are released when making many common DWRs. They can stick around in our atmosphere for thousands of years. Look for PFC-free formulas to reduce your impact.
What is PVC? Polyvinyl chloride, also known simply as vinyl, is a plastic synthetic often used for waterproof gear like thick rain coats and rain boots. It’s less breathable than lighter weight fabrics.
What’s air permeability? What is “waterproof breathable?”
What does it mean to have “taped” seams?
We know that might sound counter-intuitive, but trust us—it’s a thing, and you need it.
Jacket seams are often sealed with waterproof tape that binds with the fabric to make sure no
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It's the fabric's ability to allow air to pass through it. A jacket with higher air permeability can push heat and humidity out easier.
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S ECTI O N 1
What’s a hydrostatic head? It’s a way to test waterproofing. A test tube of water is placed on the fabric and filled with water until the water pressure becomes too much that it seeps through it. The higher the number, the more waterproof the material is. Fabric is waterproof at 5,000mm. Most basic, entrylevel jackets can withstand 10,000mm of water pressure. You’ll want a jacket with at least 20,000mm to combat heavy, persistent rain.
How can I keep my rain gear in good shape? Protect it and keep it clean. Dirt and oil can degrade your gear’s waterproof capabilities. Wash and dry it after you go for a hike (make sure you’re using soap safe for the jacket, like tech washes specifically made for waterproof gear), and don’t leave it out in the sun for an extended period of time. If you
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have a super-thin rain jacket that relies on a membrane, avoid brushing up against sharp objects or rough surfaces like rock walls.
Why might I still feel wet when wearing a shell? A common problem is that DWR wears out through abrasion, laundering, UV rays, or a combination of the three. When that happens, rain doesn’t bead up and roll off the same way; instead, it starts soaking into the outer fabric. That fabric eventually gets saturated, which blocks some or all of the perspiration vapor that’s coming through the inner membrane (or trying to come through) from escaping. When the vapor can’t escape, it condenses inside the jacket and makes you feel wet—which gives rise to the false conclusion that a jacket has lost its waterproofing. Most times it hasn’t.
My jacket is wet on the inside, but it’s not leaking. What’s going on? The same way warm water vapor turns to droplets on the side of a cold glass, your sweat can condense into vapor inside your jacket. It’s called “wetting out.” It can happen when your jacket’s face fabric becomes overwhelmed and saturated— and moisture vapor has built up inside the jacket’s interior. Combat it by opening your jacket’s pit zips to vent excess heat—and wear layers that pull moisture away from your skin.
OK, so if my jacket leaks, is it ruined? Not necessarily. Check for holes, and patch them with waterproof repair tape. If there are no holes, clean it with an after-market tech wash to revive your jacket’s waterproofing. Don’t forget to put it in the dryer; it helps bake the DWR onto the fabric face.
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S ECTI O N 2
WEAR YOUR RAIN GEAR
LIKE A PRO S TAY I N G C O M F O R TA B L E W H I L E H I K I N G I S A B O U T W AY M O R E THAN PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM RAIN. IT’S INCREDIBLE JUST H O W M A N Y H I K E R S H A V E T O L E A R N P R O P E R L AY E R I N G T H E H A R D W AY — T H I S O N E I N C L U D E D . H E R E ’ S E V E R Y T H I N G Y O U N E E D TO KNOW TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE SETTING YOURSELF UP F O R M A X I M U M C O M F O R T W H E N T H E W E AT H E R T U R N S W E T.
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S ECTI O N 2
Fabric matters.
Use your pit zips.
Choose layers that work together to channel perspiration and condensation away from your skin so you don’t feel clammy and gross. Don’t wear a cotton tank under a wool midlayer, for example, or vice-versa: wool wicks moisture away from your skin, and cotton doesn’t. Mixing these layers inhibits wool’s natural wicking and insulating properties.
Unless you’re hiking in horizontal rain, keeping your pits unzipped isn’t likely to expose you to too much, if any, water. Don’t use these vents sparingly. They’re there to keep you cool and allow water vapor to escape before you drench your layers in sweat. You’ll stay drier if you use pit zips over the main zipper on your rain shell, and you’ll find them to be more comfortable and less noticeable than you might assume at first.
Half-zips are key. The more opportunities you have to vent, the better. Choose layers with half- or quarter-length zippers to release heat from your core so you don’t overheat.
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Get a cold start. If you’re warm and cozy when you start your hike, you’re doing it all wrong. The minute you take your first few steps,
you’ll overheat and have to shed a layer or two. Better to start off a bit cold and motivate yourself to get moving than to have to stop five minutes into your hike to expose yourself— and the inside of your pack—to the rain.
Waterproof breathables are everything. Make sure you choose a rain shell that breathes as well as it keeps you dry, like Marmot’s EVODry Eclipse jacket. Bonus: its fabric comes with enough stretch that you’ll feel like you’re just wearing another light layer rather than a rain shell you want to jettison as soon as possible.
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S ECTI O N 2
Bring a drybag for wet layers. Remember that anything wet you put into your pack will make everything else damp, too. No one wants to change into wet layers—so separate your rainy clothes from your precious dry ones.
Wear water-resistant gloves. Find a lightweight pair that’s waterproof, has decent water resistance, or is at least made of a fabric that insulates while wet. You don’t want to end up walking around with sponges for hands.
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Wear wool socks and gaiters. If you’re hiking in super-wet places where you’ve got to stomp through a bunch of puddles, you might have to accept that your feet will get wet. That’s where wool socks come in, as they’ll keep you warm no matter how wet your toes get. Mitigate the moisture by wearing gaiters to seal out the bulk of muddy water.
Tuck in your shirt. Longer layers that hang below the hem of your rain shell will soak up water—and allow it to travel up the fabric and damp-
en your other layers. Tuck layers into your rain pants or tighten the hem of your rain jacket to make sure the rain can’t reach them.
Don’t turn your hood into a bucket. When you don’t want to wear your hood, flip it up or tuck it in to keep water out.
Cinch your sleeve tabs. Tighten the cuffs of your sleeves to keep from sliding up your arms.
Predicting the future is hard. That's why we created it. EVODry is rainwear reinvented at the molecular level.
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S ECTI O N 3
S T AY D R Y
ON THE TRAIL A LITTLE RAIN NEVER HURT ANYONE. W I T H T H E S E T I P S , T H E R E ’ S N O S U C H T H I N G A S B A D W E AT H E R .
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S ECTI O N 3
CHOOSE THE
RIGHT LAYERS
CHOOSING A SHELL
1. Don’t skimp on these
plague. Pack synthetic baselayers, a featherless puffy for insulation, and a rainjacket to stay dry.
key features: a threeway adjustable hood with bendable brim for better protection and visibility, and a cinchable hem that covers your butt.
2. Don’t over-insulate.
2. You want a jacket with
What you really need to do is stay dry, and over-layering will make you sweat.
cuffs that are comfortable and adjustable, so you can seal out rain from running up your arms.
1. Avoid cotton like the
3. Bring an extra base-
layer. If you know you’re going to sweat on your approach, you’ll want dry layers to change into. 4. Know what kind of ath-
lete you are. What’s more important to you, being comfortable, or packing ultralight? Choose your layers accordingly.
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WEARING A SHELL
1. If you see clouds
rolling in, don’t wait for the rain to put on your waterproof layers. Put them on right away.
2. Avoid raising your
arms. In a downpour, water will enter at your cuffs and seep up your sleeves. Shorten trekking poles to minimize wrist exposure. 3. Transform your jacket
into a vest by sticking your arms out of the pit zips if conditions allow.
VENTING A SHELL
1. Limiting perspiration
is critical to comfort and staying dry, and helps membrane performance. It’s best to stay slightly cool when hiking in rain, so layer down, slow down, and use zippers and vents to release body heat. 2. Wear a synthetic, wick-
ing base layer to pull the
moisture off your skin so the membrane can release it as vapor.
DRYING OUT
1. Assess your comfort
and the conditions when you have about 30 to 60 minutes of hiking left. Overheated? Slow down, so you start drying on the trail and don’t reach camp with sweaty (read: cold) inner layers. 2. Tap body heat. Dry wet
socks and gloves while you hike. Stow them between your layers, not balled up in a pocket. 3. Keep warm with aprèshike chores. It will give your clothes extra time to dry before you relax.
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S ECTI O N 4
S T AY D R Y
AT C A M P MAKE YOUR CAMPSITE A SANCTUARY WITH THESE TIPS.
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S ECTI O N 4
PACKING FOR SUCCESS
SITE SELECTION 1. Keep your tent out of
ditches or depressions where water can pool.
1. When hiking in wet
weather, load your pack to minimize the number of times you’ll have to open it — and how much gear will get exposed when you do. Place your shell and snacks in outside pockets, and the tent at top of the main compartment. That way, it’s the only thing exposed when you arrive at a rainy camp. 2. Use waterproof stuff-
sacks, and for very wet conditions add a pack cover.
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2. Use natural surround-
ings for rain protection. A stand of trees or a rocky outcropping can help weather the storm (though you should be extra cautious if lightning is present).
TENT PITCHING 1. Keep your inner tent
dry. Pre-pitch it in a sheltered area without stak-
ing it, drape the fly over, then move it as needed. 2. Tighten sagging
rainflies; you want a taut pitch that separates fly and tent, which increases air circulation and reduces condensation.
PACK A PORCH 1. When heading into
extremely wet environments, like the Olympics or Smokies, pack a small, ultralight tarp. Pitch it at lunch breaks to stay dry, and create an extended vestibule for changing clothes and stowing soaked boots, shells, and gear by stringing over the front door of your tent.
STAY DRY 1. Divide your clothes
into “sacrifice” layers and “sacred” layers. Hike in your sacrifice layers and store them wet, in your vestibule. Keep your sacred layers dry. Always. 2. String up a clothesline
inside your vestibule to dry clothes. 3. Bring small water bottles you can fill with boiling water. Put hot water bottles inside your socks to dry them out, and tuck one inside your sleeping bag at night to drive out moisture.
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PR E D I C T I N G T H E F U T U R E I S H A R D.
T H AT ’ S W H Y W E C R E AT E D I T. R A I N W E A R R E I N V E N T E D AT T H E M O L E C U L A R L E V E L .
Marmot’s new EVODry tech shatters performance norms for PFC-free rainwear. It's bonded to the fabric at the molecular level so it’ll never wash out or need reapplication. Each EVODry jacket and pant saves 1.5 gallons of water thanks to a process that reduces the use of dyes by 85 percent. It also features bluesign-verified sustainably produced materials, a commitment Marmot is pursuing across multiple product lines. This spring, five men’s and women’s jackets and pants hit stores in a variety of styles and colors. Stay dry: visit a Marmot store or REI.com before your next adventure.
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S ECTI O N 5
WEIRD WET W E AT H E R T H E R E ’ S M O R E T O R A I N T H A N F A L L I N G W AT E R . H E R E A R E T H E W E I R D E S T W E T W E AT H E R F A C T S Y O U D I D N ’ T K N O W .
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S ECTI O N 5
The wettest place in the world is Mawsynram, India. The tiny village holds a Guinness record with 467 inches. It rains so consistently there that locals have shaped rubber tree roots into living bridges to cross waterways. Graupel, aka soft hail, looks like Styrofoam balls and forms when super-cooled water droplets freeze on falling snowflakes. It’s distinct from hail, which is more like a solid piece of ice.
Double rainbows happen when light is reflected twice in the same water droplet. The second rainbow’s colors are inverted.
Catatumbo lightning is a phenomenon unique to Venezuela’s Catatumbo River. There, over the river’s mouth, lightning flashes up to 280 times per hour, for 10 hours at a time, roughly 260 days a year. That’s a max of 728,000 bolts. Twinned rainbows are much rarer than double rainbows. That's when a single rainbow splits into two arcs. It can form when different-sized water drops interact with light.
Tear-shaped raindrops are a myth. Raindrops are actually spherical, hamburger-shaped, or somewhere in the middle, depending on their size. To spot a triple or quadruple rainbow, you have to look toward the sun rather than away from it.
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Petrichor is that fresh, earthy smell you notice right after it rains. It’s airborne organic material.
Rain shadows are dry areas caused by mountain ranges that block precipitation. Think: California’s Death Valley, which sees roughly 2.4 inches per year.
Freezing rain isn’t sleet. Freezing rain and sleet both start as snow, then melt and refreeze. Sleet freezes into ice pellets, while freezing rain turns to ice when it hits the ground (or your tent). Dust creates colored rain. The Sahara Desert’s sand produces scarlet rain, while the Gobi Desert’s sand creates yellow-hued rain. In 2015, milky-colored rain fell in eastern Washington, the result of dust blown in from south-central Oregon’s Summer Lake.
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S ECTI O N 5
One of the world’s driest places is… Antarctica. The southernmost continent receives only 6.5 inches of precipitation each year. It's rained frogs. Waterspouts can suck water—and its inhabitants— into the clouds above them. In 1873, it rained frogs in Kansas City, an event echoed in the movie "Magnolia."
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Aleuts made traditional rainwear out of guts, while some South American tribes used to waterproof their clothes with tree rubber.
Ball lightning is an unexplained electrical phenomenon where luminous, spherical balls of electricity seem to hover in the air. Until the 1960s, most scientists didn’t believe it existed.
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S ECTI O N 5
Rainforests are considered the world’s largest pharmacy. More than a quarter of natural medicines have been discovered in tropical rainforests.
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Monsoons aren’t technically an insane rainstorm, though that’s how the term is commonly used. They're traditionally defined by seasonal reverses in wind that are typically accompanied by rain. One of the oldest known collapsible umbrellas was used by the ancient Chinese, and was a sign of status. It’s raining cats and dogs. No one knows for sure the origin of the popular phrase. One theory: The obsolete English word “catadupe,” which means waterfall. It’s that, or from dead animals picked up by storm waters.
Virga, also called phantom rain, is precipitation that evaporates before it hits the ground. It often appears as wispy, gray streaks radiating from clouds, and is most common in desert environments.
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S ECTI O N 6
PREDICTING THE W E AT H E R Y O U ’ R E AT T H E T R A I L H E A D A N D R E A D Y F O R R A I N , B U T H OW H A N DY S H O U L D YO U K E E P YO U R S H E L L? W AT C H T H E C L O U D S T O P R E D I C T P R E C I P I TAT I O N .
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S ECTI O N 6
Cirrostratus clouds:
Altostratus clouds:
wispy cotton candy clouds that signify that wet weather is on the way within the next 24 hours.
heavy-looking, dark clouds that block the sun and cover the whole sky typically indicate rain or snow is en route.
Cirrocumulus clouds:
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white streaks, like those that planes leave in their wake, may mean a tropical storm or hurricane is on the way in tropical climes.
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Stratus and nimbostratus clouds: low-hanging clouds that block visibility and sunlight and have little definition usually mean rain is coming in short order.
Altocumulus clouds:
Cumulonimbus clouds:
these fluffy balls often dot the morning sky when afternoon thunderstorms are on the horizon.
super fluffy, cotton-like balls, shaped into an anvil, are a harbinger for lightning, hail, and tornadoes.
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S ECTI O N 7
10 W E T-W E AT H E R ADVENTURES I N T H E S E B AC KC O U N T RY PA R A D I S E S , R A I N I S PA R T O F T H E A DV E N T U R E .
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S ECTI O N 7
N O. 1
I C E L A N D Hesteyri to Latrar to Straumnes Iceland’s Hornstrandir Nature Reserve is far less traveled than the Ring Road and Golden Circle, but it’s no less epic. It’s just harder to get to, which is why you want to be here. Constant rain and snow makes for neon-green meadows you have to see to appreciate. Backpack the 26 miles from Hesteyri to Latrar to Straumnes within the reserve for a good shot at seeing an arctic fox dart across the trail in front of you. Keep an ear out for the massive flocks of birds that nest along the cliffs in Hornstrandir (it’s hard to miss).
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N O. 2
K A U A I Alakai Swamp Trail Kauai’s Alakai Swamp Trail snakes through the world’s highest swamp, where constant rain has turned the 3.5-mile hike into a slip n’ slide. The trail is nearly permanently shrouded in white mist and alternates between dirt—read: mud—and a wooden boardwalk. You’ll hike through Koke’e State Park’s verdant rainforest and soggy bogland to a vantage point that, if the clouds part, overlooks the island’s most photographed coastline: the Na Pali Coast State Park.
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S ECTI O N 7
N O. 3
W A S H I N G T O N
Olympic National Park Warm up at the end of a misty, rainy hike in Olympic’s moss-covered forest by getting even wetter: the 2.5-mile Olympic Hot Springs Trail crosses a suspension bridge leading to several hot pools of varying temperatures. The road to the trailhead is temporarily closed to vehicle traffic because of storm damage, which means you’ll likely find far fewer other hikers if you’re willing to go the extra distance. Call ahead before visiting, or check the park’s website, for road closure information.
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S ECTI O N 7
N O.4
A L A S K A
Deer Mountain Trail The remote Tongass National Forest spans 17 million acres and is the Earth’s largest intact temperate rainforest. Sitka blacktail deer, wolves, brown bear, and moose thrive here thanks to the area’s dense forests and sprawling alpine meadows, coastlines and peat bogs. The surrounding waters teem with humpback whales and sea otters. Hike the 10.7-mile Deer Mountain National Recreation Trail for one of the most iconic views of the Ketchikan area.
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S ECTI O N 7
N O. 5
O A H U Ka’au Crater Trail Oahu is one of the rainiest places in the U.S., so it’s no surprise that the Ka’au Crater trail features stream crossings, cascading waterfalls, and jungle foliage so thick it almost consumes the muddy path. It’s an aggressive, slippery hike to the top of the ridgeline where the Ka’au Crater hides. There, your likelihood of spotting a rainbow is high, thanks to the island’s legendary rainfall. It once rained 331 days in a row.
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S ECTI O N 7
NO. 6
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve COSTA RICA
Explore Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve via an 8-mile network of muddy trails and raised suspension bridges. This part of Costa Rica sees upwards of 120 inches a year here, mostly between April and November, which supports the forest’s 3,021 known species. Keep your eyes peeled for jaguar, ocelot, quetzal, and a dizzying variety of birds.
NO. 7
Via Francigena Trail ITALY
The Via Francigena is not your average backpacking trail. It’s a centuries-old trade route that extends from Canterbury, England, all the way to Rome. The trail connects countless towns and villages in western Europe, including 25 in Tuscany (you won’t want to go back to trail food after this trip, trust us). The real treat is Monte Amiata, though. Take the Via Francigena to San Quirico d’Orcia and hike 20 miles around the dormant volcano. When it rains, the beech forests here are lush with super-green moss that makes everything around you look enchanted.
NO. 8
Gregory Bald Trail NORTH CAROLINA
High volumes of rain and deep forest cover make the 7.4-mile
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Gregory Bald Trail one for the bucket list. Keep your eye out for the orange salamanders who live there as you explore the forest’s damp, dark pockets en route to the summit. There, spring showers make way for fields of flame azaleas come June.
overcrowded—Milford Track for its lesser-known sibling: the 37mile Kepler Track.
NO. 10
Mongui to Páramo de Ocetá COLOMBIA
NO. 9
Kepler Track NEW ZEALAND
Rain falls roughly 200 days a year in New Zealand, so your chances of finding only sunny days there are slim. Embrace it. Head for Fiordland National Park, where all that rain turns into roaring waterfalls around the glacier-carved valley. Avoid the country’s iconic—and
High in the Colombian Andes, rain is constant and trails lead you through countless bogs. But it’s warm enough not to be too much of a bother—even in December, low temps don’t drop much past 60—especially since the white mist presents a stark contrast with the moss and thirsty, bright purple and yellow flowers that grow in patches along the trail. The Lorax-style flora adds to the other-worldliness.
No Friends Left Behind Our roomy new tents redefine happy hour. More space. Easy set up. Six times the fun.
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H OW T O
S TAY D RY —A N D H AV E F U N —
I N A N Y W E AT H E R . BY KASSONDRA CLOOS
PRESENTED BY
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Don't be afraid of a little wet weather. Hiking and camping in the rain can add to the sense of adventure—if you're well prepared for it. Learn how with this curated advice from our editors. They'll teach you how not only to survive wet-weather hiking and camping, but also how to have fun doing it. Plus, we share the weirdest weather facts and the world's best wet weather adventures. SPONSORED BY
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S ECTI O N 1
THE SCIENCE OF
W E T W E AT H E R COMFORT Y O U ’ R E I N T H E L O C A L G E A R S H O P A N D Y O U H AV E O N E J O B : F I N D A C O M F Y B U T D U R A B L E S H E L L T H AT W I L L K E E P W AT E R O U T. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS— A N D T H E P R O D U C T H A N G TA G S S E E M T O B E W R I T T E N I N C O D E . D O N ’ T W O R R Y. H E R E ’ S E V E R Y T H I N G Y O U N E E D T O K N O W .
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S ECTI O N 1
What’s DWR? Durable water repellent is a polymer that’s applied to the face fabric and helps your jacket shed water so you stay dry. In some jackets, it’s built right into the fabric’s yarns so it never has to be reapplied. In others, it can become compromised over time thanks to outside factors like dirt and bug spray. If that happens, you’ll have to re-treat the jacket with an after-market care product like Nikwax.
How does waterproof fabric work? It depends. Some jackets pair a waterproof membrane beneath a more durable fabric coated in DWR. Others have waterproofing built right into the fibers of the yarn.
Waterproof breathable jackets have pores that are too small for water to sneak through, but just big enough to let out water vapor from your sweat.
What’s a membrane? It’s the waterproof breathable layer. In three-layer jackets, it’s sandwiched between your jacket’s outer fabric and interior lining, and the layers are bonded together to create the illusion of a single piece of fabric. In two-layer jackets, the face fabric is bonded with the membrane, which is protected by mesh or a taffeta fabric. A 2.5 layer jacket incorporates a “print” on the exposed membrane that adds the protection it needs, and is light weight and more packable.
water sneaks in through the tiny holes sewing puts in the fabric.
What are PFCs? Perfluorocarbons. They're man-made greenhouse gases that are released when making many common DWRs. They can stick around in our atmosphere for thousands of years. Look for PFC-free formulas to reduce your impact.
What is PVC? Polyvinyl chloride, also known simply as vinyl, is a plastic synthetic often used for waterproof gear like thick rain coats and rain boots. It’s less breathable than lighter weight fabrics.
What’s air permeability? What is “waterproof breathable?”
What does it mean to have “taped” seams?
We know that might sound counter-intuitive, but trust us—it’s a thing, and you need it.
Jacket seams are often sealed with waterproof tape that binds with the fabric to make sure no
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It's the fabric's ability to allow air to pass through it. A jacket with higher air permeability can push heat and humidity out easier.
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S ECTI O N 1
What’s a hydrostatic head? It’s a way to test waterproofing. A test tube of water is placed on the fabric and filled with water until the water pressure becomes too much that it seeps through it. The higher the number, the more waterproof the material is. Fabric is waterproof at 5,000mm. Most basic, entrylevel jackets can withstand 10,000mm of water pressure. You’ll want a jacket with at least 20,000mm to combat heavy, persistent rain.
How can I keep my rain gear in good shape? Protect it and keep it clean. Dirt and oil can degrade your gear’s waterproof capabilities. Wash and dry it after you go for a hike (make sure you’re using soap safe for the jacket, like tech washes specifically made for waterproof gear), and don’t leave it out in the sun for an extended period of time. If you
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have a super-thin rain jacket that relies on a membrane, avoid brushing up against sharp objects or rough surfaces like rock walls.
Why might I still feel wet when wearing a shell? A common problem is that DWR wears out through abrasion, laundering, UV rays, or a combination of the three. When that happens, rain doesn’t bead up and roll off the same way; instead, it starts soaking into the outer fabric. That fabric eventually gets saturated, which blocks some or all of the perspiration vapor that’s coming through the inner membrane (or trying to come through) from escaping. When the vapor can’t escape, it condenses inside the jacket and makes you feel wet—which gives rise to the false conclusion that a jacket has lost its waterproofing. Most times it hasn’t.
My jacket is wet on the inside, but it’s not leaking. What’s going on? The same way warm water vapor turns to droplets on the side of a cold glass, your sweat can condense into vapor inside your jacket. It’s called “wetting out.” It can happen when your jacket’s face fabric becomes overwhelmed and saturated— and moisture vapor has built up inside the jacket’s interior. Combat it by opening your jacket’s pit zips to vent excess heat—and wear layers that pull moisture away from your skin.
OK, so if my jacket leaks, is it ruined? Not necessarily. Check for holes, and patch them with waterproof repair tape. If there are no holes, clean it with an after-market tech wash to revive your jacket’s waterproofing. Don’t forget to put it in the dryer; it helps bake the DWR onto the fabric face.
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WEAR YOUR RAIN GEAR
LIKE A PRO S TAY I N G C O M F O R TA B L E W H I L E H I K I N G I S A B O U T W AY M O R E THAN PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM RAIN. IT’S INCREDIBLE JUST H O W M A N Y H I K E R S H A V E T O L E A R N P R O P E R L AY E R I N G T H E H A R D W AY — T H I S O N E I N C L U D E D . H E R E ’ S E V E R Y T H I N G Y O U N E E D TO KNOW TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE SETTING YOURSELF UP F O R M A X I M U M C O M F O R T W H E N T H E W E AT H E R T U R N S W E T.
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S ECTI O N 2
Fabric matters.
Use your pit zips.
Choose layers that work together to channel perspiration and condensation away from your skin so you don’t feel clammy and gross. Don’t wear a cotton tank under a wool midlayer, for example, or vice-versa: wool wicks moisture away from your skin, and cotton doesn’t. Mixing these layers inhibits wool’s natural wicking and insulating properties.
Unless you’re hiking in horizontal rain, keeping your pits unzipped isn’t likely to expose you to too much, if any, water. Don’t use these vents sparingly. They’re there to keep you cool and allow water vapor to escape before you drench your layers in sweat. You’ll stay drier if you use pit zips over the main zipper on your rain shell, and you’ll find them to be more comfortable and less noticeable than you might assume at first.
Half-zips are key. The more opportunities you have to vent, the better. Choose layers with half- or quarter-length zippers to release heat from your core so you don’t overheat.
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Get a cold start. If you’re warm and cozy when you start your hike, you’re doing it all wrong. The minute you take your first few steps,
you’ll overheat and have to shed a layer or two. Better to start off a bit cold and motivate yourself to get moving than to have to stop five minutes into your hike to expose yourself— and the inside of your pack—to the rain.
Waterproof breathables are everything. Make sure you choose a rain shell that breathes as well as it keeps you dry, like Marmot’s EVODry Eclipse jacket. Bonus: its fabric comes with enough stretch that you’ll feel like you’re just wearing another light layer rather than a rain shell you want to jettison as soon as possible.
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Bring a drybag for wet layers. Remember that anything wet you put into your pack will make everything else damp, too. No one wants to change into wet layers—so separate your rainy clothes from your precious dry ones.
Wear water-resistant gloves. Find a lightweight pair that’s waterproof, has decent water resistance, or is at least made of a fabric that insulates while wet. You don’t want to end up walking around with sponges for hands.
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Wear wool socks and gaiters. If you’re hiking in super-wet places where you’ve got to stomp through a bunch of puddles, you might have to accept that your feet will get wet. That’s where wool socks come in, as they’ll keep you warm no matter how wet your toes get. Mitigate the moisture by wearing gaiters to seal out the bulk of muddy water.
Tuck in your shirt. Longer layers that hang below the hem of your rain shell will soak up water—and allow it to travel up the fabric and damp-
en your other layers. Tuck layers into your rain pants or tighten the hem of your rain jacket to make sure the rain can’t reach them.
Don’t turn your hood into a bucket. When you don’t want to wear your hood, flip it up or tuck it in to keep water out.
Cinch your sleeve tabs. Tighten the cuffs of your sleeves to keep from sliding up your arms.
Predicting the future is hard. That's why we created it. EVODry is rainwear reinvented at the molecular level.
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S ECTI O N 3
S T AY D R Y
ON THE TRAIL A LITTLE RAIN NEVER HURT ANYONE. W I T H T H E S E T I P S , T H E R E ’ S N O S U C H T H I N G A S B A D W E AT H E R .
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S ECTI O N 3
CHOOSE THE
RIGHT LAYERS
CHOOSING A SHELL
1. Don’t skimp on these
plague. Pack synthetic baselayers, a featherless puffy for insulation, and a rainjacket to stay dry.
key features: a threeway adjustable hood with bendable brim for better protection and visibility, and a cinchable hem that covers your butt.
2. Don’t over-insulate.
2. You want a jacket with
What you really need to do is stay dry, and over-layering will make you sweat.
cuffs that are comfortable and adjustable, so you can seal out rain from running up your arms.
1. Avoid cotton like the
3. Bring an extra base-
layer. If you know you’re going to sweat on your approach, you’ll want dry layers to change into. 4. Know what kind of ath-
lete you are. What’s more important to you, being comfortable, or packing ultralight? Choose your layers accordingly.
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WEARING A SHELL
1. If you see clouds
rolling in, don’t wait for the rain to put on your waterproof layers. Put them on right away.
2. Avoid raising your
arms. In a downpour, water will enter at your cuffs and seep up your sleeves. Shorten trekking poles to minimize wrist exposure. 3. Transform your jacket
into a vest by sticking your arms out of the pit zips if conditions allow.
VENTING A SHELL
1. Limiting perspiration
is critical to comfort and staying dry, and helps membrane performance. It’s best to stay slightly cool when hiking in rain, so layer down, slow down, and use zippers and vents to release body heat. 2. Wear a synthetic, wick-
ing base layer to pull the
moisture off your skin so the membrane can release it as vapor.
DRYING OUT
1. Assess your comfort
and the conditions when you have about 30 to 60 minutes of hiking left. Overheated? Slow down, so you start drying on the trail and don’t reach camp with sweaty (read: cold) inner layers. 2. Tap body heat. Dry wet
socks and gloves while you hike. Stow them between your layers, not balled up in a pocket. 3. Keep warm with aprèshike chores. It will give your clothes extra time to dry before you relax.
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S T AY D R Y
AT C A M P MAKE YOUR CAMPSITE A SANCTUARY WITH THESE TIPS.
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S ECTI O N 4
PACKING FOR SUCCESS
SITE SELECTION 1. Keep your tent out of
ditches or depressions where water can pool.
1. When hiking in wet
weather, load your pack to minimize the number of times you’ll have to open it — and how much gear will get exposed when you do. Place your shell and snacks in outside pockets, and the tent at top of the main compartment. That way, it’s the only thing exposed when you arrive at a rainy camp. 2. Use waterproof stuff-
sacks, and for very wet conditions add a pack cover.
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2. Use natural surround-
ings for rain protection. A stand of trees or a rocky outcropping can help weather the storm (though you should be extra cautious if lightning is present).
TENT PITCHING 1. Keep your inner tent
dry. Pre-pitch it in a sheltered area without stak-
ing it, drape the fly over, then move it as needed. 2. Tighten sagging
rainflies; you want a taut pitch that separates fly and tent, which increases air circulation and reduces condensation.
PACK A PORCH 1. When heading into
extremely wet environments, like the Olympics or Smokies, pack a small, ultralight tarp. Pitch it at lunch breaks to stay dry, and create an extended vestibule for changing clothes and stowing soaked boots, shells, and gear by stringing over the front door of your tent.
STAY DRY 1. Divide your clothes
into “sacrifice” layers and “sacred” layers. Hike in your sacrifice layers and store them wet, in your vestibule. Keep your sacred layers dry. Always. 2. String up a clothesline
inside your vestibule to dry clothes. 3. Bring small water bottles you can fill with boiling water. Put hot water bottles inside your socks to dry them out, and tuck one inside your sleeping bag at night to drive out moisture.
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PR E D I C T I N G T H E F U T U R E I S H A R D.
T H AT ’ S W H Y W E C R E AT E D I T. R A I N W E A R R E I N V E N T E D AT T H E M O L E C U L A R L E V E L .
Marmot’s new EVODry tech shatters performance norms for PFC-free rainwear. It's bonded to the fabric at the molecular level so it’ll never wash out or need reapplication. Each EVODry jacket and pant saves 1.5 gallons of water thanks to a process that reduces the use of dyes by 85 percent. It also features bluesign-verified sustainably produced materials, a commitment Marmot is pursuing across multiple product lines. This spring, five men’s and women’s jackets and pants hit stores in a variety of styles and colors. Stay dry: visit a Marmot store or REI.com before your next adventure.
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S ECTI O N 5
WEIRD WET W E AT H E R T H E R E ’ S M O R E T O R A I N T H A N F A L L I N G W AT E R . H E R E A R E T H E W E I R D E S T W E T W E AT H E R F A C T S Y O U D I D N ’ T K N O W .
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S ECTI O N 5
The wettest place in the world is Mawsynram, India. The tiny village holds a Guinness record with 467 inches. It rains so consistently there that locals have shaped rubber tree roots into living bridges to cross waterways. Graupel, aka soft hail, looks like Styrofoam balls and forms when super-cooled water droplets freeze on falling snowflakes. It’s distinct from hail, which is more like a solid piece of ice.
Double rainbows happen when light is reflected twice in the same water droplet. The second rainbow’s colors are inverted.
Catatumbo lightning is a phenomenon unique to Venezuela’s Catatumbo River. There, over the river’s mouth, lightning flashes up to 280 times per hour, for 10 hours at a time, roughly 260 days a year. That’s a max of 728,000 bolts. Twinned rainbows are much rarer than double rainbows. That's when a single rainbow splits into two arcs. It can form when different-sized water drops interact with light.
Tear-shaped raindrops are a myth. Raindrops are actually spherical, hamburger-shaped, or somewhere in the middle, depending on their size. To spot a triple or quadruple rainbow, you have to look toward the sun rather than away from it.
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Petrichor is that fresh, earthy smell you notice right after it rains. It’s airborne organic material.
Rain shadows are dry areas caused by mountain ranges that block precipitation. Think: California’s Death Valley, which sees roughly 2.4 inches per year.
Freezing rain isn’t sleet. Freezing rain and sleet both start as snow, then melt and refreeze. Sleet freezes into ice pellets, while freezing rain turns to ice when it hits the ground (or your tent). Dust creates colored rain. The Sahara Desert’s sand produces scarlet rain, while the Gobi Desert’s sand creates yellow-hued rain. In 2015, milky-colored rain fell in eastern Washington, the result of dust blown in from south-central Oregon’s Summer Lake.
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One of the world’s driest places is… Antarctica. The southernmost continent receives only 6.5 inches of precipitation each year. It's rained frogs. Waterspouts can suck water—and its inhabitants— into the clouds above them. In 1873, it rained frogs in Kansas City, an event echoed in the movie "Magnolia."
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Aleuts made traditional rainwear out of guts, while some South American tribes used to waterproof their clothes with tree rubber.
Ball lightning is an unexplained electrical phenomenon where luminous, spherical balls of electricity seem to hover in the air. Until the 1960s, most scientists didn’t believe it existed.
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Rainforests are considered the world’s largest pharmacy. More than a quarter of natural medicines have been discovered in tropical rainforests.
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Monsoons aren’t technically an insane rainstorm, though that’s how the term is commonly used. They're traditionally defined by seasonal reverses in wind that are typically accompanied by rain. One of the oldest known collapsible umbrellas was used by the ancient Chinese, and was a sign of status. It’s raining cats and dogs. No one knows for sure the origin of the popular phrase. One theory: The obsolete English word “catadupe,” which means waterfall. It’s that, or from dead animals picked up by storm waters.
Virga, also called phantom rain, is precipitation that evaporates before it hits the ground. It often appears as wispy, gray streaks radiating from clouds, and is most common in desert environments.
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PREDICTING THE W E AT H E R Y O U ’ R E AT T H E T R A I L H E A D A N D R E A D Y F O R R A I N , B U T H OW H A N DY S H O U L D YO U K E E P YO U R S H E L L? W AT C H T H E C L O U D S T O P R E D I C T P R E C I P I TAT I O N .
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S ECTI O N 6
Cirrostratus clouds:
Altostratus clouds:
wispy cotton candy clouds that signify that wet weather is on the way within the next 24 hours.
heavy-looking, dark clouds that block the sun and cover the whole sky typically indicate rain or snow is en route.
Cirrocumulus clouds:
BY VALENTIN DE BRUYN / COTON VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
white streaks, like those that planes leave in their wake, may mean a tropical storm or hurricane is on the way in tropical climes.
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Stratus and nimbostratus clouds: low-hanging clouds that block visibility and sunlight and have little definition usually mean rain is coming in short order.
Altocumulus clouds:
Cumulonimbus clouds:
these fluffy balls often dot the morning sky when afternoon thunderstorms are on the horizon.
super fluffy, cotton-like balls, shaped into an anvil, are a harbinger for lightning, hail, and tornadoes.
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10 W E T-W E AT H E R ADVENTURES I N T H E S E B AC KC O U N T RY PA R A D I S E S , R A I N I S PA R T O F T H E A DV E N T U R E .
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S ECTI O N 7
N O. 1
I C E L A N D Hesteyri to Latrar to Straumnes Iceland’s Hornstrandir Nature Reserve is far less traveled than the Ring Road and Golden Circle, but it’s no less epic. It’s just harder to get to, which is why you want to be here. Constant rain and snow makes for neon-green meadows you have to see to appreciate. Backpack the 26 miles from Hesteyri to Latrar to Straumnes within the reserve for a good shot at seeing an arctic fox dart across the trail in front of you. Keep an ear out for the massive flocks of birds that nest along the cliffs in Hornstrandir (it’s hard to miss).
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N O. 2
K A U A I Alakai Swamp Trail Kauai’s Alakai Swamp Trail snakes through the world’s highest swamp, where constant rain has turned the 3.5-mile hike into a slip n’ slide. The trail is nearly permanently shrouded in white mist and alternates between dirt—read: mud—and a wooden boardwalk. You’ll hike through Koke’e State Park’s verdant rainforest and soggy bogland to a vantage point that, if the clouds part, overlooks the island’s most photographed coastline: the Na Pali Coast State Park.
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N O. 3
W A S H I N G T O N
Olympic National Park Warm up at the end of a misty, rainy hike in Olympic’s moss-covered forest by getting even wetter: the 2.5-mile Olympic Hot Springs Trail crosses a suspension bridge leading to several hot pools of varying temperatures. The road to the trailhead is temporarily closed to vehicle traffic because of storm damage, which means you’ll likely find far fewer other hikers if you’re willing to go the extra distance. Call ahead before visiting, or check the park’s website, for road closure information.
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S ECTI O N 7
N O.4
A L A S K A
Deer Mountain Trail The remote Tongass National Forest spans 17 million acres and is the Earth’s largest intact temperate rainforest. Sitka blacktail deer, wolves, brown bear, and moose thrive here thanks to the area’s dense forests and sprawling alpine meadows, coastlines and peat bogs. The surrounding waters teem with humpback whales and sea otters. Hike the 10.7-mile Deer Mountain National Recreation Trail for one of the most iconic views of the Ketchikan area.
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S ECTI O N 7
N O. 5
O A H U Ka’au Crater Trail Oahu is one of the rainiest places in the U.S., so it’s no surprise that the Ka’au Crater trail features stream crossings, cascading waterfalls, and jungle foliage so thick it almost consumes the muddy path. It’s an aggressive, slippery hike to the top of the ridgeline where the Ka’au Crater hides. There, your likelihood of spotting a rainbow is high, thanks to the island’s legendary rainfall. It once rained 331 days in a row.
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S ECTI O N 7
NO. 6
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve COSTA RICA
Explore Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve via an 8-mile network of muddy trails and raised suspension bridges. This part of Costa Rica sees upwards of 120 inches a year here, mostly between April and November, which supports the forest’s 3,021 known species. Keep your eyes peeled for jaguar, ocelot, quetzal, and a dizzying variety of birds.
NO. 7
Via Francigena Trail ITALY
The Via Francigena is not your average backpacking trail. It’s a centuries-old trade route that extends from Canterbury, England, all the way to Rome. The trail connects countless towns and villages in western Europe, including 25 in Tuscany (you won’t want to go back to trail food after this trip, trust us). The real treat is Monte Amiata, though. Take the Via Francigena to San Quirico d’Orcia and hike 20 miles around the dormant volcano. When it rains, the beech forests here are lush with super-green moss that makes everything around you look enchanted.
NO. 8
Gregory Bald Trail NORTH CAROLINA
High volumes of rain and deep forest cover make the 7.4-mile
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Gregory Bald Trail one for the bucket list. Keep your eye out for the orange salamanders who live there as you explore the forest’s damp, dark pockets en route to the summit. There, spring showers make way for fields of flame azaleas come June.
overcrowded—Milford Track for its lesser-known sibling: the 37mile Kepler Track.
NO. 10
Mongui to Páramo de Ocetá COLOMBIA
NO. 9
Kepler Track NEW ZEALAND
Rain falls roughly 200 days a year in New Zealand, so your chances of finding only sunny days there are slim. Embrace it. Head for Fiordland National Park, where all that rain turns into roaring waterfalls around the glacier-carved valley. Avoid the country’s iconic—and
High in the Colombian Andes, rain is constant and trails lead you through countless bogs. But it’s warm enough not to be too much of a bother—even in December, low temps don’t drop much past 60—especially since the white mist presents a stark contrast with the moss and thirsty, bright purple and yellow flowers that grow in patches along the trail. The Lorax-style flora adds to the other-worldliness.
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