But if there is no risk of hypothermia, then it’s really only a question of comfort. Granted, this assumes that one has an assurance that they have anticipated all the possibilities in the five day weather outlook. If we pack clothing which is designed to dry quickly, then perhaps the “need” of a rain jacket is less important – especially since there are usually other things in our pack which can keep us dry in a pinch (tent fly, tarp, trash bag, etc. It seems that there are many items that I carry that I would prefer not get wet before myself (at least in the summer), so I have something for the pack. Thinking of it as a first aid item is a great idea, since I am sure many of us carry rain jackets because “that’s something we should bring.” Here in the mid Atlantic, rain on a summer backpacking trip is usually greeted with celebration and the removal of as many clothes as possible. Injured, Intense storm, need to get back to trailhead 20 miles away to get help, etc. I am trying to create a scenario where it would be really foolish to not have a rain jacket. If it remained light/moderate I wouldn't even need to stop at all, and I would stay pretty dry. At that point the Hexamid can be set up fairly quickly to either camp for the night, or even just temporarily. My windshirt could handle a moderate rain for at least long enough to pick out a campsite. So by the time the storm rolls through I have usually had my shelter set up. The majority of mileage to the 'next campsite' is covered during the morning/early afternoon before typical afternoon storm cells roll through (in my experience). The last few trips it has never even left my pack. My reasons for pondering this is I've worn my rain jacket for maybe 15 minutes in the last few years worth of summer high sierra trips. Lets just say a trip where covering a lot of miles to the next spot is not exactly crucial, but route/campsites can be easily adjusted. Does anyone do ever do this on non-thru hikes?Įxample: a 5 night hike in high sierra/ section of JMT, etc.

Hightail express quits upon opening