The original Rainskirt was a good idea and it actually worked very well… depending on conditions. When it was not only rainy but also cold and, all the worse, windy, I wouldn’t even consider using it. When travelling to places where such conditions were expected, I wouldn’t even take it with me.

The idea behind the rainskirt is to protect your shorts and let your lower legs get wet: human skin is truly waterproof and breathable and it dries fast… and for that to work we obviously need to be wearing shorts; maybe not the best idea in an exposed place in bad weather.

So, yeah, the rainskirt is not perfect but it still works if the conditions are right (warmer temps, more protected areas) and it’s full of advantages then.

The first version I made was meant for lowest weight and bulk and it turned out maybe a tad too short. Apart from the odd looks I’d get when doing laundry in town, coverage on the trail was barely enough and it was clear I should invest a few more grams in a longer version.

Commercial versions of the rainskirt have appeared lately in the UL world and current trail fashion seems to favor longer lengths. This was actually the main reason while a Rainskirt II was in order.

Waterproof skirt, waterproofed shorts

Construction

It couldn’t be easier: just a rectangular piece of fabric, form fitted at the waist so it doesn’t look baggy: backpacking and style need not be mutually exclusive.

Apparently big piece of silnylon… that’s what it takes to cover a fat ass

Silnylon wears nicely and I actually find it quite stylish! Matching hook & loop for closure. The skirt can be opened completely back into a rectangle so it’s easy to put on and take off. The lateral slit could be fitted with some more hook & loop but it’s not really needed. Should the rain insist in getting in through there, the skirt can be turned around so the slit falls at the back where it gets protection from the pack directly above.

Fabric

30 denier silnylon (standard, 1.3 oz/sq.yd. silnylon) is perfect for the task: lightweight, reasonably durable and slick so it just slides over bush, thorns and whatnot. The old Rainskirt is still in perfect condition after some moderately serious use.

Specifications

Raw piece of fabric: 125 x 58 cm

Final product:

  • Closed skirt, laying on a flat surface:
    • Width at the waist: 40 cm
    • Width anywhere else: 54 cm.
    • Length: 54.5 cm
  • Perimeter
    • Waist: 88 cm.
    • Anywhere else: 121.5 cm.

Final weight: 37 gr.

The new and old rainskirts

So the formerly sexiest hiker on the trail has become more modest… must be something about getting older…

2009 fashion for the trail