Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Gear Questions, Information, Reviews and Competitions => Topic started by: andy1984 on February 01, 2010
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Hi all,
At the moment the only waterproofs i have is the crappy non breathable ones but as you can imagine you cant really wear them unless doing next to nothing!
I'm after a light weight 100% waterproof jacket and trousers but breathable!
I need a set for me and one for my partner... trouble is money is tight and couldnt really spend much more than £50 each!! ;D
any suggestions?
cheers
Andrew.
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You could try Regatta Isotex 5000 stuff. Its supposed to be breatheable and is reasonably priced.
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Have you checked out M&M Direct they have a sale on some Berghaus jackets that are full goretex and very reasonably priced around £50-£60 although as usual the range of sizes are not great.
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I wouldn't get hung up on trying to stay 100% dry If I were you. All day in the hills in the driving rain you'll get wet eventually! A good set of water proofs is a must (and something I don't own! just never got round to buying them!) But i would be more inclined to look at things that will keep you warm when wet and also dry quickly, I.e a good base layer wool is best for this, thin socks etc
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thats interesting chris, so would my cheap non breathable waterproofs do for now then?
would i be better spending the money and getting a good base layer?
at the moment i just use a normal cotton t shirt but this of course gets wet with sweat then can get cold when i stop?
what is the best base layer?
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Its up to yourself to be honest. Waterproofs are just something I never got round to owning, I always found it hard to justify spending so much money on something I might not use on the majority of trips! Cotton is one of the worst things to wear because it holds moisture and does not insulate when wet. You should try and get into the system of a good wicking baselayer (I use a helly hansen one which I find good but when I'm getting a new one it'll be wool), and then something over that (avoid cotton). That should be fine warmth wise for general walking. If you get a decent waterproof then you can throw that on when you stop to block the wind.
I'm not trying to tell you how to spend your money or anything mate but in my opinon I think you'd be better off looking at base layers etc and sticking with the waterproofs you have for now, especialy since the better weather is on the way(fingers crossed!)
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So what do you do if you're out for a whole day in the rain?
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some good points there... i did know that cotton was the worst you could wear but didnt have anything else.
will a wickable base layer make a big difference then? something like this:
http://www.millets.co.uk/clothing/men/baselayers/product/011465.html
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Andy if your on a budget and with 3 kids and nearly 4 in few months I always am go have a good hunt around in tk max normally can get some cracking bargains boots trousers jackets, just go have a goo hunt around
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some good points there... i did know that cotton was the worst you could wear but didnt have anything else.
will a wickable base layer make a big difference then? something like this:
http://www.millets.co.uk/clothing/men/baselayers/product/011465.html
A baselayer was and still is the best bit of outdoor gear I got. It keeps you warm when its cold and cool when its warm. Plus for a sweaty git like me its essential to have something that wicks well and baselayers really do.
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well i'm a bit of a sweaty git myself so i think a baselayer is going to be my next purchase!!
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So what do you do if you're out for a whole day in the rain?
Get wet? ;D
Getting wet isn't really that big an issue as long as you're comfortable and warm. On the move I can't wear anything more than a base layer or I overheat and if I wear a waterproof I generally get as wet as I would if I hadn't put it on.
Cotton ain't great in the cold, but when you're in really hot places it rocks at keeping you nice and cool! If you have a footy top from the last 5-10 years, they will most probably be made from a similar baselayer fabric to Helly Hansen
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interesting about footy top.. i do have some... i think they are nylon?
i do run pretty hot aswell when under load!! ;D
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Anything made of polyester will work as a wicking baselayer as far as I know. I have a black, skintight, longsleeved baselayer from Helly Hansen that I got in the Cotswolds sale. Its a year old and is still going strong after dozens of washes. Only downsides are its so tight that unless you're proper fit it makes you look like bleedin' Father Xmas and since it's black on a really hot day its like being in an oven...
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I think it would be worth your while heading down to Lindsays in Coleraine. They have a warehouse bunged full of gear and loads of Berghaus & North Face really cheap. You will also get trousers, base layer, stoves etc. Plus loads of other useless crap you dont need.
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where abouts is lindsays in Coleraine?
cheers
Andrew
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So what do you do if you're out for a whole day in the rain?
You just have to accept that your gonna get wet! If you spend upwards of £150 on a gortex jacket and are expecting to be bone dry then your gonna be mega pissed off when you get wet, you'll then get miserable and assuming you spent all your dosh on your coat neglecting the rest of your gear you'll no doubt get cold, a bad combination on the hills! On the other hand if you accept that getting wet is inevitable and focus on staying warm and drying quickly once wet I can gaurantee you'll have a far better trip! This is just my opion though so feel free to ignore my ramblings if you want but I've seen tons of people get really annoyed once their brand new top of the range gtex jacket starts to leak!
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http://www.yell.com/maps/MapAction.do?&nat_id=724847&businessType=INDUSTRIAL+PROTECTIVE+CLOTHING&location=BT522NL&storePC=BT522NL&ssm=&layout=&companyName=Lindsay%27s+Protective+Clothing&clarifyIndex=&clarifyOptions=&replayURL=
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Lindsays in coleraine is ok, but imo a little over priced for what it is, check out some of the outdoors places onlibe like blacks cotswolds or even ebay, I just seen the paramo vasco for just over 130quid and its fantastic jacket
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Either Lindsays in Coleraine really is the Mutts Nutts, or is giving people on this site some mullah to send peoples their way :D
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I think its awesome, I bought a North Face Prima Loft jacet, £130 in Cotswold and I got him down to £70. I also got craghopper trousers, £35 in Cotswold, £16 in there. Camelbak £34.99 in Cotswold, £23.99 in there.
They have rails of stuff, and some of it is last season, but, in my eyes, a black fleece is a black fleece. I have no time for people who have to have the lastest model. I see it with people buying cameras everyday.
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I think its awesome, I bought a North Face Prima Loft jacet, £130 in Cotswold and I got him down to £70. I also got craghopper trousers, £35 in Cotswold, £16 in there. Camelbak £34.99 in Cotswold, £23.99 in there.
They have rails of stuff, and some of it is last season, but, in my eyes, a black fleece is a black fleece. I have no time for people who have to have the lastest model. I see it with people buying cameras everyday.
I wouldn't be seen dead in a black fleece on the hills, thats so last season.
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And that hat, Its soooo 2009!!!!!!
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I hear what your saying dude but its still overpriced, i have priced a couple of paramo and wolfskin jackets and they were even more exspensive than Jacksons!!
but if you can bargain them down go for it
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Just a heads up for anyone thats interested, I saw a marmot precip jacket in tkmaxx lisburn today it was xlarge but some of the other stores might have more sizes.
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What price was it? they are about £70 usually arent they
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it was about £70 it said the rrp was £100 tho
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http://www.tiso.com/shop/marmot/precip-jacket/
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hope this link works just found it while looking for osprey bag
http://www.tauntonleisure.com/products/precip-jacket/4871/
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hmmmm.... not a good deal at all then! I wonder if you said would they lower the price? would they be required to by retail laws? They do advertise like a max of 60% of rrp or something like that.
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Either Lindsays in Coleraine really is the Mutts Nutts, or is giving people on this site some mullah to send peoples their way :D
They are quite good if you can get in on a regular basis then they know your face, Gary is spot on and if you want discout he is then one to ask...!!
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Andy, if you are wanting to keep costs down dont rule out the Target Dry "Mac in a Sac" (http://www.targetdry.co.uk/browse/mac-in-a-sac-classic/). I've used mine a few times in heavy rain and its been surprisingly good! I ended up buying one when my faulty TNF Gore-tex jacket was away getting repaired/replaced to keep me going in the mean time.
Think they cost around £15, weigh next to nothing and pack down into a tiny stuff sack (hence the name). The upper back/shoulder area is attached by velcro so it can be opened for venting and does quite a good job of stopping you sweating too much. Only downers I found were the short and narrow cuffs and the hood has quite a small volume.
I wouldnt recommend wearing one all day, but they are great to throw in your rucsac to pull on if/when the rain starts to fall. If you are on a budget then I would consider spending the money on a decent baselayer/insulating layer as has already been mentioned, and then just get something like a Mac in a Sac to keep the worst of the rain off when needed.
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They are quite good if you can get in on a regular basis then they know your face, Gary is spot on and if you want discout he is then one to ask...!!
Alan's good for a discount too.
I find if you go in knowing exactly what you want, with your mind set on a particular brand etc., you'll not get the best deal. But if you're willing to listen to the staff - and they really do know what they're talking about - you'll usually pay less money than you intended and get better quality stuff.