Gear Review – Zpacks Vertice Rain Gear
Zpacks Vertice Rain Gear
10
FEBRUARY, 2023
Rain gear and my first aid kit are probably the only two items in my gear kit that I hope to never use, but will never leave at home. Part of the learning curve of backpacking is to do a ‘post-mortem’ after each trip to determine what gear worked, what didn’t, and what you never used. The ‘never used’ stuff is typically left at home on future trips as part of the inevitable pack weight reduction journey. Not with rain gear. It’s one of the only items that when you need it… really need it… rain gear will quite literally save your life.
Long and winding path to the Zpacks Vertice Rain Gear
My first backpacking trip was in the fall of 2010, and I’m now on my 6th version of rain gear. I started with the Marmot Precip. In 2010 the Precip was ubiquitous among the Appalachian Trail thru-hikers I followed on trailjournals.com. The days before YouTube videos. Then I went through a period using the ridiculously cheap ($30) and flimsy Frogg Toggs DriDucks. They worked well and were highly breathable, but they never lasted more than one trip. In 2015 I bought the Zpacks Challenger rain gear. It passed with flying colors on the rainy 2015 Four Pass Loop hike. But breathability means everything to me with rain gear. So when Zpacks came out with the ultra-breathable Vertice line of rain gear, I bit the bullet and bought it in 2020.
“Could be the best rain jacket on the market. Keeps you dry from the rain outside and dry on the inside as it is very breathable.” – Craig G. Review
Materials and Weight – Zpacks Vertice Rain Gear
Vertice rain gear is constructed from proprietary 1.5 oz/sqyd three-layer material that has a tricot lining to wick moisture away from your skin, a waterproof vapor permeable membrane in the middle, and 7-denier ripstop nylon on the exterior. The Vertice fabric boasts an incredible breathability rating (56,000g/m^2/24hr). Water resistance is outstanding. The Zpacks website shows the weight of the 2023 Vertice jacket as 198 grams and the pants as 85 grams. I weighed my 2020 Vertice gear, and the jacket weighed 173 grams, and the pants weighed 93 grams. I pack my Vertice rain gear in a gallon ziplock bag to compress it plus offer a little protection while in my pack. My entire rain gear ‘kit,’ packed in the ziplock bag, weighs 280 grams. I’m not sure what they’ve changed on the current model of the jacket to make it slightly heavier, but the Vertice gear is very lightweight.
Features – Main jacket body and zippers
The jacket has far more features than the pants. The zipper is full-length and waterproofed. All seams are taped. There is a small vertical pocket with a waterproof zipper in the left chest area. It is small (8″X9.5″) but large enough to hold a cell phone, wallet, keys, etc. The pocket can also be used to store the jacket by folding it upon itself into the pocket. (Note – I don’t store the jacket that way to avoid putting stress on the pocket or pocket zipper). There are zippered armpit vents on both sleeves for additional ventilation. The fit is pretty generous to accommodate a variety of warm clothing worn under the jacket. During trail use I’ve found the jacket to be comfortable – not too tight and not too loose.
Features – Jacket Hood
The jacket has a fitted hood with a visor. The visor is formed by somewhat-rigid plastic. In actual use, the ‘visor’ gets distorted when stored (you can see what I mean in the picture to the left). I have to ‘re-shape’ the visor after pulling it from the ziplock storage bag. An adjustable strap on the back of the hood allows for vertical adjustments. The strap also allows the hood to be rolled up and clipped when not in use. I don’t usually roll the hood up when I’m not using it (I just let it dangle in the back) but that capability does come in handy in windy conditions. Per the Zpacks website, the hood is large enough to accommodate a variety of helmets though I’ve never tried that.
Features – Jacket Sleeves and Pants
The Zpacks Vertice jacket has adjustable elastic at the wrists and hood that can be cinched tight or let loose with one hand. There is also elastic at the hem to seal out drafts. I rarely use these features but they do come in handy when it is especially windy. The rain pants are very simple. There is an adjustable shock cord at the waist. The shock cord can be cinched down to any size to tighten up the waist if required (my waist is ‘grande’ enough that I haven’t used the adjustment often!). The ankle area of the pants is tapered wider to accomodate hiking boots. Zpacks says the pants can accomodate up to size 12 – I wear size 12 hiking shoes and the ankle area is plenty large enough for me. There are also dual adjustment ankle snaps.
Cost, Field Experience and Durability
As of this article (February 2023), the Zpacks Vertice rain jacket costs $299, and the rain pants are $149. When I bought mine (January 2020), the cost was $259 for the jacket and $149 for the pants. Hmmm… pretty good on the price inflation. Yes, $450 is expensive for a set of rain gear – especially when compared to $30 for a complete set of Frogg Togg DriDucks! But after three seasons of use, my Vertice rain gear still looks and performs like it’s brand new. I expect to use it for many years to come. Rain gear is one item I will pay dearly for. I’ve been in multiple situations where my rain gear could have saved my life. At a minimum, it made the difference between being miserable without it and being relatively comfortable.
Conclusion – Zpacks Vertice Rain Gear
In my 13 years of backpacking, I’ve used many types of rain gear. With my purchase of the Zpacks Vertice, I’ve now settled on the rain jacket and pants that are ‘it’ for me. They are lightweight and simple yet have all the features I would want in rain gear. Breathability is outstanding – you won’t find yourself poaching yourself from inside the rain gear. They don’t take up much room in the pack. The fit is spacious enough to accommodate a variety of clothing options underneath. They’re comfortable and allow excellent freedom of movement. Yes, the Zpacks Vertice rain jacket and pants are expensive. But if you’re looking for rain gear that will perform for you in the field and last for many years, I recommend you check them out.
