Rain gear that actually works: shells, pants, and gloves

Here’s a fun fact about mountains: they make their own weather, and they don’t check the forecast first. They defintely don’t run it past you before deciding what to do. You can start a day in sunshine and end it in sideways sleet.

And here’s another fun fact: “water-resistant” does not mean “waterproof.” One is a marketing term. The other keeps you dry.

The rain shell

Look for these features:

1. A truly waterproof, breathable membrane, such as Gore-Tex or a brand’s own version. A “water-resistant” windbreaker will give up the moment a real storm shows up.
2. A solid waterproof rating. 10,000mm is a good minimum; 20,000mm or more is better for sustained rain.
3. The right construction. “3-layer” shells are more durable and breathable. “2.5-layer” shells are lighter and cheaper, and fine for occasional use.
4. An adjustable hood with a brim that fits over a warm hat.
5. Pit zips. These underarm vents let you dump heat without taking the jacket off.
6. Room for layers. It should fit comfortably over a fleece. This is critical.
7. Packability. It’ll live in your daypack most days.

Your shell is also your windbreaker. On a cold, windy day at altitude, you’ll wear it even with a blue sky overhead. On most treks, you’ll more often wear the fleece/rain shell combination than your puffy down jacket.

Care tip: The water-repellent coating on the outside wears off over time. When rain stops beading up and starts soaking in, wash the jacket with a technical cleaner and reapply the coating.

Rain pants

• Waterproof and lightweight. No insulation needed. Wear base layers underneath if it’s cold.
• Side zips, either full-length or three-quarter, so you can pull them on without taking your boots off. Trust me, balancing on one foot on a narrow trail, wrestling rain pants over muddy boots while a yak train approaches, is not a skill you want to learn.
• Adjustable cuffs to seal around your boots.

Gloves

Think of gloves as a system, not a single pair.

1. Liner gloves. Thin merino or synthetic, ideally with touchscreen fingertips. These cover chilly mornings, evenings in the tea house, and taking photos without frostbite.
2. Insulated, waterproof gloves or mittens. These are for cold, wet days, high passes, and summit nights. Mittens are warmer than gloves because your fingers share heat. For something like summit night on Kilimanjaro, mittens are your friend.
3. Put them together. Liners fit inside the insulated pair, so you can peel off the outer layer for a quick task without exposing bare skin.

A few extra tips:

• Bring a spare pair of liners. Wet gloves are miserable.
• Don’t buy them tight. Snug gloves restrict circulation, and restricted circulation means colder hands.
• Toss a few chemical hand warmers in your daypack for the coldest days.

Good rain gear is like good insurance. You hope you won’t need it, but when the sky opens up at 14,000 feet, you’ll be very glad you paid for the real thing.