Waterproof clothing issue

[Barnoe]

So yesterday i went for a 15 mile hike in the hills and for the most part it was tipping it down.
As i got back to the car the sun came out... God hates me, the tosser.

Anyway, i was wearing a Berghaus a Gore-Tex over jacket and pants with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt underneath.
After about an hour of hill climbing i was sweating and not long after my t-short was soaked.
admittedly it was a cotton t-shirt which was a bad choice, but i thing a light synthetic would be the same but just dry quicker.

About half way i stopped on a dry stone wall for a break and after a short while i started to feel cold with my wet t-shirt.
It occurred to me that if this was a mountain side in winter i would be at risk of hyperthermia.
A search online brings up jackets with "Pit Zips" for ventilation, which is great but surely this will let rain in?
I cant imagine climbers on Everest opening pit zips lol

So what's the answer?
Better base layers, better jacket?
There must be a way around this, anyone else found a solution?

 

[Davey B]

You're sweating way more than the breathability of Goretex can cope with...I know it well. (Unless it is cold as well as wet, I'd rather cycle and get rain wet, than sweat wet)
Pit zips do work to degree (proper mountaineers aren't walking or climbing in rain, so their issue is generally managing sweat rather than keeping water out as well)
Good (in my case I wear merino) clothing helps massively, (cotton is the worse thing to wear, it gets wet, stays wet and you get cold)
I like long sleeve merino tops and try to slow down a bit so I don't sweat as much. For me, it has been trial and error. If it was 14/15c or higher, I'd have worn shorts and no overtrousers (taking them in a rucksack) My legs would not have got sweaty...or at least I'd not have been aware of it, they'd have got rain wet but would dry quickly.
Just my two penneth

 

[G&T]

Just think of that lovely dry towel & T-Shirt in the car when you get back. There is no solution other than pick your battles with the weather.

 

[Barnoe]

You're sweating way more than the breathability of Goretex can cope with...I know it well. (Unless it is cold as well as wet, I'd rather cycle and get rain wet, than sweat wet)
Pit zips do work to degree (proper mountaineers aren't walking or climbing in rain, so their issue is generally managing sweat rather than keeping water out as well)
Good (in my case I wear merino) clothing helps massively, (cotton is the worse thing to wear, it gets wet, stays wet and you get cold)
I like long sleeve merino tops and try to slow down a bit so I don't sweat as much. For me, it has been trial and error. If it was 14/15c or higher, I'd have worn shorts and no overtrousers (taking them in a rucksack) My legs would not have got sweaty...or at least I'd not have been aware of it, they'd have got rain wet but would dry quickly.
Just my two penneth

I started off in just my t-shirt and shorts as it was dry, it started raining 30 mins later and i opened my backpack and put the waterproofs on.
Interestingly i met another hiker coming the other way and we stopped for a quick chat he had waterproof cargo shorts on, which sounds like an idea

Only issue you would have in long rain showers with shorts is your socks soaking water up and then running into your boots.

 

[Davey B]

Yes...re socks and boots. It all seems to be a compromise. I manage a bit of cycling this Spring with a goretex jacket on....I simply slowed right down for an hour or two. It obviously worked...in as much as I wasn't wet on the outside and wet on the inside (Nowt worse than sitting down in a cafe, taking my coat off and my huge sweat patches steaming away....)

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

So yesterday i went for a 15 mile hike in the hills and for the most part it was tipping it down.
As i got back to the car the sun came out... God hates me, the tosser.

Anyway, i was wearing a Berghaus a Gore-Tex over jacket and pants with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt underneath.
After about an hour of hill climbing i was sweating and not long after my t-short was soaked.
admittedly it was a cotton t-shirt which was a bad choice, but i thing a light synthetic would be the same but just dry quicker.

About half way i stopped on a dry stone wall for a break and after a short while i started to feel cold with my wet t-shirt.
It occurred to me that if this was a mountain side in winter i would be at risk of hyperthermia.
A search online brings up jackets with "Pit Zips" for ventilation, which is great but surely this will let rain in?
I cant imagine climbers on Everest opening pit zips lol

So what's the answer?
Better base layers, better jacket?
There must be a way around this, anyone else found a solution?

My lightest GTX jacket (just a shell) has pit zips and they work well
Haven’t found a solution though
Did a brisk 3 mile walk on Saturday in just lightweight walking trousers and a wicking synthetic T shirt
Ok while walking - but once stopped and browsing in the visitor centre, my back was soaked and it wasn’t hot

 

[DJ123]

Davey has it bang on. Breathability. I'd argue that your skin/shirt being directly next to the Goretex overwhelmed it and turned you into a boil-in-the-bag. There's no air gap for you or the goretex to breathe and reduce the humidity. Having an intermediate layer should help create an air gap, absorb more moisture and allow you to be more comfortable.

Look for jackets with good breathing permeability. However the issue with this is in heavy rain/high down pours the jacket can wet out and leak.

pit leaks do/can leak. I'va had jackets with them before, and got rid of them due to this. The rain running down the sleeves/body run straight into the zips/openings.

 

[landmarkjohn]

Interesting. I’m doing a bit of TET in the Italian Alps at the end of September on the little Honda. Apparently the temperatures could range between 5° and 38°

A few minutes off road has me sweating like a pig. I am going to wear armour. Without spending fortunes in Adventurespec.com I'm kind of resigned to getting soaked through if it rains. And soaked in sweat either way.

 

[Barnoe]

Ok while walking - but once stopped and browsing in the visitor centre, my back was soaked and it wasn’t hot

I was wearing a cheap backpack because my proper hiking pack has been sent for repair.
This one was on my back and the whole of my back was a sweat patch lol
not an issue as i know its temporary while my Freeflow 30 returns

Davey has it bang on. Breathability. I'd argue that your skin/shirt being directly next to the Goretex overwhelmed it and turned you into a boil-in-the-bag. There's no air gap for you or the goretex to breathe and reduce the humidity. Having an intermediate layer should help create an air gap, absorb more moisture and allow you to be more comfortable.

I will buy a long sleeved merino wool baselayer and see how i get on

pit leaks do/can leak. I'va had jackets with them before, and got rid of them due to this. The rain running down the sleeves/body run straight into the zips/openings.

That was what i expected too, not ideal.
Although some people swear by them.

 

[Barnoe]

Interesting. I’m doing a bit of TET in the Italian Alps at the end of September on the little Honda. Apparently the temperatures could range between 5° and 38°

A few minutes off road has me sweating like a pig. I am going to wear armour. Without spending fortunes in Adventurespec.com I'm kind of resigned to getting soaked through if it rains. And soaked in sweat either way.

Wet by rain or by sweat, you cant win lol

If its warm, wet by rain is less smelly and if you wear the quick dry synthetics you should be ok.

If its cold though getting any kind of wet is a problem.

 

[Thejoybringer]

Wet by rain or by sweat, you cant win lol

If its warm, wet by rain is less smelly and if you wear the quick dry synthetics you should be ok.

If its cold though getting any kind of wet is a problem.

And the solution to this problem……..check the weather forecast and don’t go out if there is any rain in the area forecast you intend to walk……no, there’s no need to thank me

 

[RedRick Esq.]

Goretex is waterproof and it is breathable

Sadly it cant do both at the same time in my experience

 

[MartinK]

Definitely layer up without cotton. It holds your sweat and then makes you cold when you stop. Merino is much better. Even in a warm room, a damp cotton T shirt will make you cold.

Reed Transpire is amazing, I wear it kayaking (and on the motorcycle). It makes you feel warm even when the material is soaked.... https://www.chillcheater.com/collec...layers/products/transpire-fleece-l-sleeve-top

Merino or "wicking" base layers work well too.

Paramo "waterproofs" breathe way better than GoreTex too...

If your base layers get wet wearing GoreTex, they will stay wet the whole time you have your Goretex on, because the breathability (as others said above) is maxxed. Paramo will actually let your base layers dry out!

 

[Barnoe]

Definitely layer up without cotton. It holds your sweat and then makes you cold when you stop. Merino is much better. Even in a warm room, a damp cotton T shirt will make you cold.

Reed Transpire is amazing, I wear it kayaking (and on the motorcycle). It makes you feel warm even when the material is soaked.... https://www.chillcheater.com/collec...layers/products/transpire-fleece-l-sleeve-top

Merino or "wicking" base layers work well too.

Paramo "waterproofs" breathe way better than GoreTex too...

If your base layers get wet wearing GoreTex, they will stay wet the whole time you have your Goretex on, because the breathability (as others said above) is maxxed. Paramo will actually let your base layers dry out!

Interesting.

Not heard of Paramo before and that Transpire Fleece looks good, I will order one.
along with these shorts

 

[Oldrat]

Interesting.

Not heard of Paramo before and that Transpire Fleece looks good, I will order one.
along with these shorts

That website has some great deals. I wonder what the quality is like?

Have you bought from them before Barnoe?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Interesting.

Not heard of Paramo before

Where have you been ?

 

[Barnoe]

That website has some great deals. I wonder what the quality is like?

Have you bought from them before Barnoe?

Not bought from them before but the reviews look good.

Will let you know

 

[Barnoe]

Where have you been ?

Under a rock, sheltering from the rain

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Under a rock, sheltering from the rain

Can’t believe you’re not a Paramo fan

Some people swear their clothing is worthy of deity status

I have a friend who is a keen hill walker and he swears by it, rather than at it

 

[RedRick Esq.]

Can’t believe you’re not a Paramo fan

Some people swear their clothing is worthy of deity status

I have a friend who is a keen hill walker and he swears by it, rather than at it

I have a paramo fleece and TBH i am disappointed for the price

The pockets are utter shite and not deep enough so stuff falls out if you dont zip them up ( yes i know)

I think as fleeces go, as good or better can be bought for way less cash