Reliable rain gear ranks high on my “most important item”
list. When I first began to paddle wild Canadian rivers, I relied on a heavy
bright yellow foul-weather rain suit, like those worn by sailors and
fishermen. Later, I switched to
lighter weight Gore-tex, often wearing two ultralight jackets, one over the
other with my PFD sandwiched inbetween. But I’ve long been on the prowl for a lightweight
rain coat that works as well as my old yellow rain suit—one that keeps out
water no matter how hard and how long it rains, and doesn’t become a sauna when I’m working hard.
I recently field-tested a Bergans Super Lett Raincoat. I was
quite impressed. It is very light, reasonably quiet (not too crinkly) and in
more than four days of near continuous, hypothermic quality rain, it didn’t
leak a drop. This is the first lightweight rain coat I’ve used that is
absolutely waterproof in sustained rain over the long haul.
 |
| Rainy days make me smile--that is, as long as I'm dry! |
The jacket is constructed from three bonded layers of
fabrics: polyester, nylon and polyurethane. The inner layer, called Dermizax®,
is similar in function to Gore-tex (repels water, eliminates perspiration) but
there are no pores that can clog with oil or dirt. The manufacturer defines
Dermizax® as a “hydrophilic, non-porous membrane—i.e., a water loving film with
no holes in it. It breathes by
absorbing vapor molecules on one side and releasing them on the other side. The
claimed advantage is that during high activity, it can reduce condensation on
the inside of the garment. When sweat is transported away from your body, it
reaches the cold surface of the outer-shell. If the sweat-vapor condenses to
water before it gets there, it will stay on the inside and make you wet. At
least, that’s the theory.
The hang-tag
reads:
·
Waterproofness and moisture permeability even in
extreme cold.
·
Superb moisture permeability for comfort even in
warm weather.
·
Minimizes condensation on the fabric’s inner
layer, preventing rapid heat loss.
·
Superior flexibility for improved freedom of
motion.
·
Durable fabric which stands up to wear from
frequent use of backpacks.
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| Kopka River, Ontario. Near flood water and constant rain. June 2014 |
It rained 4.5 of the 7 days on a recent (June 13-21) Kopka
River canoe trip in northern Ontario. Not normal rain, mind you, but icy,
hypothermic rain that continued through the nights. Day temperatures were in the 40’s and 50’s; night temps in
the 30’s. My seven friends all wore Gore-tex rain coats—different brands and
weights. By the end of the first day, they were all were wet. I was completely dry in my
Super Lett jacket. Really! This scenario was repeated daily. They were wet; I was dry. I’ve never used a lightweight rain
coat that worked so well. My wife Susie
and I have about a dozen different lightweight rain shells—most of them
Gore-tex, but all will leak if it rains hard enough and long enough. Even more
impressive is that I wasn’t just sitting around on this trip: I was constantly
paddling and portaging and sloshing through wet vegetation. No rain touched my
skin. It was quite remarkable. To be honest, I still can’t believe it.
 |
| Rain...nearly every day! |
Time will tell how this Dermizax® jacket will hold up over
the long haul. And, I’ll need some warm summer rains coupled with tough
portages to see how well it dissipates sweat. Look for a long term review next
year.
And now the bad news. Retail price on this jacket is around
$300—a function of the high cost of everything in Norway. Still, if you’re going in harm’s way
and can expect long, icy rains, this jacket is worth the price. But for warm summer Boundary Waters
trips, there are many less expensive jackets which are adequate.
Cliff Jacobson
www.cliff-jacobson.com
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