Right as rain

It was whilst on the Grassington and Mossdale Scar walk, back in August, that I discovered my wet weather gear was far from ideal.  In fact, it would be fair to say it was useless!  All I had up to this point was a so-called waterproof and breathable jacket which I discovered was neither.   

And so it was the day after getting soaked at Mossdale that I bought myself a "proper" waterproof jacket and, a few days later, a pair of overtrousers.

These days there's a huge and bewildering selection of waterproofs to choose from and I didn't know where to start looking.  As it happened though, a little outdoor clothing shop in Grassington had a jacket I liked the look of on special offer and, having read its specification and tried it on for size, I knew this was the jacket for me.

 

The Rab Momentum ladies' jacket is made from eVent fabric , which employs a waterproof and breathable membrane. Its unique composition allows millions of tiny pores to breathe at their full potential.  It was originally designed for Alpine climbers and weighs just 310g and so packs up very light for carrying in a backpack.  As with most items of Rab clothing, the hood is designed to fit over a helmet if necessary (useful for when I go cycling), and the strong "Aquaguard"  zip is fully water proof, as are the zipped pockets.  I bought mine in the rose colour (as shown) which is very nice without being too gaudy.  

When it came to overtrousers, I wanted a pair that were completely waterproof, breathable, light to carry and easy to put on in the event of a sudden downpour.   After a little online research, I chose the Berghaus Deluge .  These are made from waterproof and breathable AQ2 fabric and come in a women's specific fit, with a shorter leg length available (a deciding factor for me).  Having an elasticated waist and three-quarter zips means these trousers can be taken on or off with ease and the zips also provide additional venting if required.   They are comfortable enough to wear over a pair of shorts on rainy summer days and the articulated knees mean movement is very easy, even when climbing over stiles.

I got the chance to try out my new wet weather gear the day after my ascent of Ingleborough.  About half way round a proposed eight mile circular walk from Ingleton it began to rain.  The coat and trousers were quickly removed from the rucksack and on in literally seconds, which is just as well, as the gentle rain steadily increased into a full blown cloudburst!  We continued to walk for a while until visibility got so bad we decided to abort the walk and made our way back down to Ingleton, where the roads were flowing like rivers.  In spite of all this my new gear kept me as dry as a bone and very comfortable indeed.  The temperature was quite mild and we walked at quite a fast pace, but even so I didn't overheat at all and I'm therefore happy to be able to recommend both these items of clothing.