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Backpacker Magazine – September 2008

Extreme Layering: Rainy-Weather Clothing

Don't let a crappy forecast keep you home for the weekend. Just pack this deluge-tested system.

by: Annette McGivney, Photos by Sethhughes.com

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REI Shuksan

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Mountain Hardwear Hooded Compressor

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EMS Thunderhead

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The North Face Impulse 1/4 Zip

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Mountain Hardwear Stimulus

All weights are for men's large (unless otherwise noted), on BACKPACKER scales.

For more in-depth apparel reviews, check out our exclusive online Apparel Guide supplement.

Extreme Cold | Extreme Heat | Extreme Rain | Extreme Versatility

Shirt | Insulation | Pants | Baselayer | Hat

BASELAYER

The North Face Impulse 1/4 Zip
This poly top easily handled our wettest hikes. "Sweat and rain dried fast," reported one tester after an eight-day Grand Canyon trek. "And it never felt hot or sticky under a shell. It breathed well in warmer temps, fought off nighttime chills, and at the end of the trip I didn't smell like an old sock." The impressive moisture management and stink fighting come, in part, from carbonized bamboo that's blended with polyester. Body mapping boosts breathability and insulation; there are vented panels where you sweat most–on the torso and arms–and a warmer, denser knit around the torso. Female testers loved their hoodie-style version. $60; men's S-XXL, women's XS-XL; 9 oz. (m's M); thenorthface.com. Reader service #115

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READERS COMMENTS

this sounds like a great rain jacket. how does it hold up under backpack loads? does the material wear?
Posted: Dec 23, 2008 giniajim

Sure, the March '08 issue
Posted: Oct 23, 2008 Andrew Watson

bausch723@hotmail.com
Posted: Oct 21, 2008 Stephen Bausch

I was turned on to your magazine when I came across a March 2007 "Gear Guide" issue.
Is there a more recent issue of Backpacking magazine, "Gear Guide" and if there is how can I get a copy of it?
I just subscribed for two years and will receive future issues of your magazine.
Posted: Oct 21, 2008 Stephen Bausch