Rain jacket test fits and travails
BTW, having just returned from trying on every dang rain jacket in REI I can confirm your observations about Outdoor Research XL and XXL sizing. And I did some comparison test fits between identically sized jackets that was revealing.
I made the trip to REI this morning. Good part #1, I had no problem returning the Marmot Precip.
Good part #2, I spent a good hour trying on every dang rain jacket and waterproof hardshell in the store.
Great part #3, mid-morning weekday the REI was not busy, and I had an excellent sales guy helping me. He actually knew his stuff about various Gore-tex, E-vent and etc materials, breathability, durability, propensity to flake, design features and etc. And he kind of laughingly acknowledged the under-sizing phenomenon of off-shore garment manufacturing.
Every once and a while REI turns up a winner on staff. And customers notice.
Steve Beck in the REI clothing, come on down. I’ll happily spend 5 minutes composing a Kudos e-mail to REI Timonium and cc Corporate. I do that for service or retail hirelings who impress me with personable and knowledgeable customer service skill at their job.
From my University days I know those letters or e-mails do go into the personnel file, and are recognized when it comes to considering salary and promotion. For folk who go above and beyond even a simple e-mail kudos carries more weight than you might think
Back to REI. They had a dozen different rain jackets and hard shells in stock in my one-over-size.
I went full MacGrady analysis and tried on dang near every one. The various test fit observations were so revealing that the Steve kept coming back to talk about sundry fit and features, and when I narrowed it down he found them in size, including one stock room inventory retrieval.
Observations:
Just for funsies I tried on a couple of identically sized Marmot Precips. None fit as I would have liked, but there was noticeable difference in the fit between “identical” sizes of the same Precips, especially in my problematic shoulder span. Methinks that the fabric patterns sewn together in Chinese factories are not, um, precisely cut to laser exacting dimensions. Just sew that crap together and put an estimated size label on it to fill the order.
Even a 3XL Precip was too narrow across the shoulder, and didn’t provide any difference in restriction of movement from an XXL. It did have room for my gut and for donning under layers. And enough room for my arms to be four inches longer if I actually wanted my hands to extend out from the sleeves.
Therein lies the garment curse of the Endomorph.
http://www.britannica.com/science/endomorph
Dammit, even the Encyclopedia Britannica called me fat.
I nixed any Precip, and tried a couple of different Outdoor Research jackets and shells. Same issues, although at least the sizing cut was more consistent, and they were better designed than the Precip.
I tried on an Arcteryx jacket. Well fitted, well made and better designed, with reinforcement at the shoulder and neck areas that wear out first. And. . . . Hahahaha. . . . $350. I don’t know which Arcteryx jacket it was, one of the least expensive I guess:
http://www.rei.com/search.html?q=Ar...size=90&ir=q:Arcteryx+mens+rain+jacket&page=1
HAHAHAHA. . . . . next.
Northface sizing was a little better, but I would still need to move up to an XXXL to use it for torso movement when paddling or with under layers and down vest.
Skipping similar failures the two brands that actually fit comfortably for super-size me and allowed a good range of motion were the two least expensive, the Columbia and REI branded rain jackets.
The fit best was the least expensive REI branded jacket. Unfortunately it was also the most simplistic; no liner, no storm flap over the zipper, no cuff closures, no hideaway flap for the hood. But it was inexpensive, it fits with layers on underneath, and the arms don’t hang down to my knees.
It also had no stuff-pocket feature, which I do not need or use. I use small (Sharpie labeled) ditty bags sized for my rain pants and jacket. The awkwardness of the stuffing/zipping business with an integral storage pocket is just one more bit hassle and zipper wear I don’t need.
That thin and simplistic REI jacket, sans storm flaps, cuff Velcro and etc fits in a teeny ditty bag, and if I ever find a reasonably priced, feature designed and well fitted “waterproof hard shell” I may go (back to) the Marten technique.
What I have learned is if you have rain gear that that keeps you dry only put it on when you need to. An extra windbreaker can be used to take the abuse instead. I have had a variety of brands but they all trapped moisture. Like others here I am not buying another expensive rain jacket. If it is pouring rain put on a cheap waterproof,if windy and cold put on a cheap windproof.
For some years I did something like that, carrying a cheap nylon windbreaker as well as raingear. But I found myself wearing the WP breathable jacket 90 percent of the time, “just in case”, and stopped bring the simple nylon windjammer. I am considering that again, but using something like the simplistic REI jacket for breathable drizzle, wind and light chill protection and a more feature laden waterproof hard shell for occasions of hard rain or colder conditions.
I’m not a light packer by any stretch of the imagination and could equalize the addition of a simplistic, light-weight and packable everyday rain jacket providing adequate protection, and a warmer, more durable hard shell for fuglier conditions by leaving one book or beer at home.
The downside dilemma is of course finding a well designed WP hard shell that isn’t the equivalent of a mortgage payment. I’m not at the age yet where I’ve stopped buying green bananas, but a $400 rain jacket better be a family heirloom or have magical powers.
