rain gear
 

going to trinidad shortly, but that board has almost no activity so thought I would post this here.

What kind of raincoat do you take for nature type activities? we have a regular lightweight microfiber. Also have bought (but may return) a large nylony waterproof poncho type - this appears to be very full and 3rd. just a plastic raincoat.

curious as to how much needed and what type if any people take along when birding or sightseeing - will not have our own car. so would go in a back pack. none are that big.

thanks

I've never been to Trinidad, but just returned from Costa Rica. We took along very light weight REI rain jackets and I don't think we wore them once, mostly because we weren't in any torrential downpours. There was one instance where I wish I had it with me, but I didn't. I survived.

One of our tour guides on a wildlife/birding trip said if you are caught in a downpour you'll get wet no matter what so why worry about raingear, but I noticed on a couple of occasions he had raingear on.

A heavy rain jacket would be too hot, so whatever you go with keep it light. I have read that whether it's a poncho or rain jacket, to make sure it's roomy so camera, binoculars, waist pack or possibly a small backpack fits underneath.

I bought a very lightweight, breathable rain jacket at LL Bean. I scrunch it up and keep it in my backpack. It has a hood, so I don't bother with umbrellas or hats. Make sure it's waterproof -- I made the mistake of bringing a "water resistant" jacket once, and I got caught in a downpour and was miserable the rest of the day. I was soaked through all of the layers of my clothes down to the skin. Heavy plastic would be too hot for a tropical climate.

Sandy

I recommend going to any travel store and buying one of those fit-in-your-pocket throwaway rain ponchos. Also, buy one of those tiny little umbrellas with the handle that telescopes. It'll fit in your pocket,too. That's all you'll need - even in the heaviest part of the rainy season. In fact, the ONLY time I ever see anyone wearing a raincoat here is when they are tromping about deep in the rainforest for days on end. In which case, you best also bring some high rubber boots!

I do a fair amount of traveling, camping, kayaking in rainy weather including two weeks in CR this Oct which was pretty wet.
I use a breathable raincoat that packs inside itself. It gives me pockets for camera, bird guide, etc is plenty comfortable and serves as a windbreaker if I hit any cooler temps. I find it far more comfortable than one of those minimal vinyl ponchos and it's only a little bigger and heavier.
Finally, I hate wearing a hood which makes constant noise against my ears, and blocks my peripheral vision so I bought a waterproof hat made by Outdoor Research that I really love. It's a sombrero style...comfortable, breathable and crushable. Great hat!