marmot precip

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hikerfast

hikerfast

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who sells these vaunted marmot precips besides campmor? i was thinking of driving to check them out. ems doesn't appear to have them.
 
REI usually has a bunch on sale, especially with winter coming. Every manufacturer seems to have a similar product - the REI and EMS ones are probably just as good. Their products have improved tremendously in the last 10 years.
 
thanks Audrey...I was thinking of buying jacket and pants but I just read a bunch of reviews online and a lot of people said they weren't waterproof at all. What a confusing world. Maybe I will request all rain be stopped when I hike, or just stick with my 1 dollar ponchos..hmmm. I could try it out I spose
 
Hikerfast, I don't find them very waterproof either. They are OK in a drizzle. I bought one that's too big (on purpose) and it serves very well on a damp day when it's not cold - I put it on over my pack like a poncho and stick my arms through the pit zips and it's really comfortable with some protection and minimal sweating.
 
I think that anything that is supposed to be "breathable" will eventually wet through if you spend enough time in a drenching downpour. The folks on this board that saw me walk into Crag Camp a few weeks ago will attest to that! Even though I was soaked to the bone I was warm - as long as I was moving. I had warm clothes to put on as soon as I stopped. My point is that unless you are wearing something that is totally impervious to water you will eventually be wet. An then if you are wearing something totally impervious to water - you will still be wet because you will be sweating so much.
 
Bob,

Why not try the EMS Thunderhead II jacket that you always saw me wear when we hiked and it rained or poured? It's actually now on sale at EMS and they also have the pants to go with it. I really have never tried any other rain jacket other than this one but I can attest that this one (that I actually bought in mens size and style) is completely waterproof, is very light and has many zippered vents for comfort. Remember our hike down from Zealand Hut last summer when it poured hard? Well, I was completely dry in the end. :)

Marmot's appear to be nice...more expensive though and from what people say above, maybe not all that effective.

Check out the EMS Thunderhead II here: http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_...older_id=2534374302878066&bmUID=1163072152966
 
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Precip

Suprised to hear some of the comments regarding the Precip - I have found mine to be better than my REI Gore tex equivalent jacket in the waterproof department...and as anyone who knows me has read, I have been in the monsoon!

You do have to read teh care instructions...no liquid detergents...only powder...also, you should dry it in a dryer on a low setting to rejuvenate the waterproofing.

Nothing is perfect, but I find this is the best one I have used. I only wear the heavier jacket when I know it will be really cold and I will be wearing it all day.
The Gore Tex weighs a lot and it is not more effective for me except in above treeline conditions in rough cold weather.
 
I have a Marmot jacket with a zip-in soft-shell and a waterproof outer jacket that I LOVE. I bought it for a ridiculous price at the end of last winter at LLBean. Bean still carries them (I saw one just a few days ago at the store in North Conway) but sizes and availability will be hit and miss from store to store. I believe the price was $180. The basic Precip jacket is also one that I have seen regularly at LLBean (I do work there, one day a week, in addition to my real job :) ).
 
My Precip has survived major downpours, too. I think the 2005/2006 models are a cut above the previous generation. The breathability isn't bad either, as long as you use the pit zips and shed layers when you get warm.

I LOVE my Precip.
 
I have noticed my new Marmot Precip (2005) is quite a bit beefier than my older model (2001ish). I still keep my old model in my truck as a spare, but I have been deluged in downpours in Alaska in 2003 and was quite pleased with my Precip.

The newer material is ripstop and stiffer and the interior material is a bit different, which means it doesn't sick to your arms and back as much as the older model did if you were sweating inside it - The older Precip had no inner material other than the white smooth PTFE membrane (if that is what it was) and it seemed to stick to your bare skin and always feel clammy.

Unlike the older Precip, I have only worn the new one in passing showers, so I can't tell you what it is like to be in a 6 hour downpour with it.

As a comparison to GTX, I can't say what breathes better, my old TNF Middle Triple Goretex Jacket or the Precip, (which is around 12 oz lighter) but I do find I take the $50 Precip with me on every non-winter trip and leave the $200 jacket in the closet. :)
 
what a confusing world. Maybe the new precip is better than the old precip. Last night I hiked in the fells in the pouring rain. I used my llbean all conditions shell. I read a lot about winter goretex shells being too hot for summer use. It was 57 last night. I don't recall being hot in the rain in the mountains actually. This jacket seemed ok. l wore my goretex winter shell pants and they didn't get soaked as I feared. I was out for a while, but I think I'm going to go out some night in those two items for a few hours in the rain as a further test, before I spend more money. Thanks for the input.
 
Not waterproof? Not in my experience. I have a pair of Precip pants-full zip. I wear them skiing and hiking. I've worn them in fairly heavy rain and snow and they kept me dry as a bone. If the Precips are leaking, my guess is they've been mistreated somehow. They are really popular with lightweight hikers. I have seen a few complaints on the lightweight board I post on (www.backpacking.net), but most seem to be from people who have had them for a while and use them a lot. The newer ones seem to be better made. For the price, replacing the jacket every couple of years of heavy use doesn't seem unreasonable.

I have an old Goretex jacket and it hasn't been waterproof for years and it didn't get that much use. I'd be careful about how I washed anything like that and be sure to follow instructions regarding type of detergents and so on. I'd never put one in the dryer.

I also have an REI Element jacket (similar to a Precip) and really like it too. Totally waterproof, but it's pretty new.
 
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I posted a thread asking about rain gear that works this past spring and the Marmot Precip got glowing reviews. Based on that, I bought one and have been very happy. It seems like the lightest, best protecting while still offering a decent degree of breathability jacket you could want. It's not flimsy either. In fact, I'm thinking of using it this winter in place of my heavy Gore-Tex hard shell. It's lighter, windproof, and will stand up to the snow or rain. What's not to love???
 
Here's another happy Precip owner. Keeps me very dry and I've been happy with it in winter conditions as well.
 
Waterproof breathables keep getting better, but I have yet tio hear of any that never wet out. My Precips are quite old and they wet out quite easily. The newer Precips I've seen on others are definitely better than the old ones ever were (i.e. its not just about wear and tear). Although the old ones were worth it (I'd rather get wet from the outside in than the inside out), I've decided to stash my old Precips in the car for unexpected mad dashes through the rain and pick up something new.
 
hikerfast said:
and how do you like this coat?
Click to expand...

I bought it last may so its kinda new, but i like it a lot so far. I find the jacket nicely minimal, the pockets are in good places and keep my stuff dry. I like the stretchy panels, and the hood seems like it can fit a helmet but also cinches down securely without, plus the bill works wonderfully.
I worried that the jacket was a bit short at first but i don't think about it anymore; guess i was just getting used to newer styles. As usual with anything the DWR wore of surprisingly fast but the jacket and my Red Ledge TH-4 rain pants http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=3192620&memberId=12500226
worked much better than i presumed while working outside in last Wednesday's rain. i am quite satisfied.
 
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