Rain pants

ABSOLUTELY, COMPULSORY GEAR ON EVERY TRIP IN NZ.... IMPORTANT FOR STOPPING COLD WIND AS MUCH AS THE RAIN. DEPENDS WHAT YOUR BUDGET IS, WHATEVER YOU CAN AFFORD, IDEALLY FROM A REPUTABLE OUTDOOR SHOP. THERES 2.5 LAYER AND 3 LAYER, 3 LAYER ONES LAST LONGER BUT MORE EXPENSIVE. I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT PAIRS OF RAB 3 LAYER ONES, ONE HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED A HEAVIER WEIGHT ONE. THE OTHER IS FIREWALL LIGHTWEIGHT PANTS. GET THEM WITH AT LEAST THREE QUARTER LENGTH OR FULL LENGTH ZIPS SO YOU CAN TAKE THEM ON AND OFF OVER THE TOP OF FOOTWEAR EASILY. THE MOST RELIABLE MATERIALS ARE GORE TEX, PERTEX, EVENT, NEOSHELL. BUT THEY COST MORE.

What's up with the capital letters? I personally have never taken rain pants or pants of any kind on any trip in New Zealand. I have a pair of long johns for evenings but use them as back up in freezing gales on the tops. But that's only been a handful of times. It's rugby shorts for me.

anyone from a warmer climate , i would recommend rainpants if you're not used to NZ cold..

Hi waynowsky. Thanks for your reply. This where I read more contractions regards how to use them... Do you put your rain pants on top of your hiking pants or you just put it on with nothing underneath?

depends on a lot of things, if its cold with showers then you put them on over whatever you have on when it starts raining. i've always got at least shorts on underneath if i need to take them off while i'm walking.

My two cents- They're like any other piece of gear: use it when you need it. I almost always carry mine, unless it's warmer weather and the forecast is fine. I find them most helpful when wet and cold is mixed with wind. Tararua tops trips come to mind when I've worn them. They're also a good insulating layer when you're camping. You can do whatever you want with them, but usually they're worn over your tramping clothes just like a rain coat. I suggest you get a pair with full zippers down each leg for quick, easy wearing and removal. Can't really overthink this. If you find yourself getting cold on your tramps in whatever weather, they're a good addition to your tool box. I would say mandatory gear on winter trips.

I always carry my rain pants but they are of a lower waterproof value than others are suggesting and weigh almost nothing. I have used them 5 times in 6 years. One of those was an alpine skills course. One was a ongaonga bush bash one was because of a bad decision on my part. Big climb on a 5C day in moderate rain t shirt and shorts as I get too hot otherwise but get to the top and the flat and there was water everywhere so I didnt stop to drop pack and put proper clothes on 30 minutes along the top soaked in 5C and a light breeze and by the time I put stuff on I needed to put on everything I had and even then it was a 30 minute jog to the car without warming up. I know where that could of ended. My way of thinking is we normally wear shorts unless its very cold. There is not a pot of point wearing rain pants over bare legs. Often we dont even put coats on unless there is a chill in the air. If its cold enough to need thermal trousers then obviously if its wet then they are a good idea. If I am doing alpine stuff I will take my ski trousers which do rate with the better overtrousers

Very lightweight. With a zip to help get them on without taking off boots. Not for wet weather, but as an extra wind-sheild layer. Possibly over merino long johns apres-tramp, particularly if tenting in sandfly country. Handy if there's a patch of rough weather in the forecast, such as brief evening snow on tomorrows Pass ?. Unless you're headed for more challenging conditions as Waynowski may be alluding to ?.

I thought so....my last experience last March in the Matukituki Valley was quite wet...and I didn’t have them. So after my new gore tex jacket it’s time to think about the pants. Thanks heaps for the advice