Isle Royale Forums

What's the consensus on the AMOUNT of rain gear to bring to I.R.?

Is a great jacket enough, or are rain pants a must also? Just trying to conserve weight if need be...

I always bring rain pants as well. I've been on IR when I thought the lake level was going up along side the trail next to me, so I wanted to be prepared. If you have the room and don't mind the weight, pack it. Dry pants in camp and not hauling wet ones is for the win indeed.

I hate rainpants.

Raingear will keep pants dry andact as a second warmth layer if you are traveling to the island when temps dip into the 30-40's at night. They usually weight nothing and will keep you warm even if its not wet out.

I always pack rain pants to wear in camp after the day's hike. The long pants keep bugs off and serve as a waterproof garment in camp. I almost never wear them on the trail because I sweat so much as it is and I hike in shorts. I would recommend them as a lightweight comfort item for camp. Greg R.

I always include a pair as my standard gear. If you're our early and there's heavy dew on the trail, they keep you dry. In colder conditions, with a a pair of synthetic long underwear, they keep you nice and warm.

Depends on the time of year. Summer you can do without them but spring and fall you better bring them to help keep you warm. You might have wicking clothing that drys quickly but if it turns cold and windy you can get hypothermia while it is drying. You can also wear them to bed if the temp drops unexpectingly.

I always bring a rain jacket and pants. Quite a few years ago, in the middle of a 14 day trek on the island, bad weather unexpectedly showed up. It had been in the high 80's for a week; new hikers to the island were showing up with minimal clothing. I was camped at Little Todd when the temperature dropped to 42 degrees with gale force winds. I put on a down sweater (yes, I carry a down sweater in the late summer) and used the rain gear to block the wind. Otherwise, I would have been forced to spend the day in the tent, like the people camped next to me. All they had were shorts and t-shirts. I also use the down sweater as a pillow; makes for nice sleeping.

I loved my rain jacket. My tried and true hiking pants/shorts dry fast so I didn't care if they were wet because they dried quickly. Overall, it depends on the weather and personal preference. I get to hot and sweaty hiking in raingear and if I'm conoeing I get really warm when I'm paddling (I usually take the jacket off and sit on it while the rain comes down). I bought some decent gear, but I'm glad I brought the jacket because I didn't want to be cooped up in my tent all day while it drizzled.

I always carry a rain jacket and a pair of rain pants. Marmot Mica jacket, Marmot PreCip pants.

Just got back, and ended up only taking a packable Red Ledge jacket. I couldn't stand the pants. It sprinkled on two mornings, but neither one was enough to bust out the rain gear. Still glad I had it though--you never know when IR will get nasty!