Choosing Rain Gear

Hi, I'm Kevin Callan and today on Body Gear we're gonna talk about rain gear. Rubber, it's not that bad but if you run around and you get sweaty, yeah. The rain might stay out but its gonna be wet inside from your own sweat. So really, it doesn't really work. For a light rain to moderate rain, choose something that's lightweight and breathable. There's a whole pile of products that are breathable and waterproof like this guy here. Ta ta! Like that. Just look for...well make sure it says water proof on it. Make sure it says breathable on it and also look for tape seams.

I like a whole drawstring on the hood to tighten on the hood up and I really like a drawstring on the waist to make sure I can close it around the waist. And this is really a light weight. Great to throw in the pack in case, you know, it might rain, it might not. You're not sure, throw it in the pack and no big deal. And I'm still dry.

For more moderate rain, or if you're gonna be out there for longer periods of time, you're gonna want a bit heavier jacket. This is a light weight material, breathable. But what it does have, its got a reinforced shoulder, reinforced back because you're gonna be wearing your backpack all day, it's gonna be rubbing against it. You want a more durable jacket.

Look for things like a tight hood enclosure because you don't want the rain going down your back. And look for wrist enclosures, that's really good to have. And make sure you have a really big hood with an adjustable cord on the back like that to tighten it up. But more important, look for zippers. This is what's gonna create ventilation. This is what's gonna keep you from sweating or from heating up and getting wet inside. Yes, it's a breathable fabric and its gonna work with the sweat. But if you're really working and really working on that portage and it's just hot out and you're sweating, open those zippers up and it's really gonna help you out here. Really important to look for those zippers.

You need rain pants as well. Not like these, you need rain pants like this. And the same idea, they're breathable, very lightweight, extremely lightweight. These guys, I love these things. But again, ventilation. Zippers along the side. Why? It's really cool to have zippers along the side too. Also, wide openings along the ankle is that if you've ever tried to put those rain pants on over your boots or off your boots, there's no way you're gonna do it. Those cheap ones, they don't come with this. You can't do it, you gotta take your boots off. Well, you don't wanna take your boots on and off, whatever, when it's downpouring rain. This is a huge advantage. Not only for ventilation, which is really cool but also to put them on and off when you want to.

And a rain hat. Sounds silly because you have a rain hood. Why would you want a rain hat? Well, if it's just moderately raining all day, you don't wanna wear the hood all day. So what I'd suggest is you get one of these hats like this. And yeah, you can look around and not worry about it. Well, the idea of having a hood on, you feel confined, you don't even know what's to your left or right.

So let's say you're out for seven days straight and it's cold and it's rainy. Well, that's why you should maybe think about getting a jacket and the pants just one size bigger. Because you gonna wanna put layers on underneath. Layers like this. This is water resistant, breathable fabric and this is gonna keep you warm inside and it's actually gonna take the water or repel the water away from your body as well. And yeah, if it's really nasty for days and days on end, you're gonna have to up the ante when it comes to rain pants. Just get a heavier material. A little bit hardier material than lightweight stuff and zippers as well.

Wide openings right here. Also, really good material right along the cuffs here where your pants just rub back and forth. And if you have gear like this, it doesn't matter what weather hits you, you'll be dry and comfortable out there.