Agreed, HMP3, tomorrow is another day, go to bed.

Hi

Feeling sorry i asked......can i be arsed to wash it, screw it up several times, tumble dry with a wet towel on cold setting et al ?

.....but i did ask... so thanks for responding.

WUW

Julie,
I'm not going to fall into that trap, everyone has got their opinions.
I would suggest that vapour permeable membranes are a pretty mature technology these days and there isn't a great deal of difference between different brands. Some work better in colder conditions or with different humidity conditions inside and outside. You are probably going to benefit more by thinking about the practicalities like fit, hood design, number of pockets etc. They are the sorts of things that are going to bug you the most if you get them wrong.

What I would suggest though is, don't forget, if you are doing hard work you are going to sweat (even ladies do, I know). We all sweat liquid not vapour, sweat cools us by being warmed up and evaporating. The discomfort is caused by failing to get that evaporation going and we get that familiar rivers down the back between the shoulder blades feeling. That is why it is more comfortable working in the desert at 40degC than it is working in a humid rain forest at 30degC.

For trying to maintain comfort when you are working hard and the outside of your shell layer is dripping wet with rain is to concentrate on what is touching your skin. I would suggest that you would be far better off concentrating on your base layer, you want something that will wick that liquid sweat away from you and deposit it as water vapour on the inside of your shell layer where it stands a chance of being driven through the membrane.

You need a temperature difference between your skin and the outside world and a way of getting the liquid sweat away off you skin and turned into vapour.
You would probably get more bang for your buck spending a few quid more on a good base layer and mid layer than spending hundreds more on a top of the range outer shell.

You can, or could, buy Tyvek groundsheets from Bob at Backpacking Light. I have two of different sizes. They are excellent as a footprint if you want one. They did not need washing or scrunching up to make them useable. They do get softer and more pliable with use. But they are NOT completely waterproof and I would not, therefore, rely on Tyvek as a groundsheet in Scotland in May.

Thanks David,i got one when i got my scarp 1 in 2009/10 ish but never used it.It's been hiding in my garage forgotten about ever since and it never got used.
I have just purchased a duomid and was toying with the idea of trying the tyvek out, just wanted some views on it.

Cheers.

Yes, I've used Tyvek up until now.

Used a sheet direct from the builder's yard and it's tough stuff. Not noisy and easy to clean and waterproof.

Also bought a sheet from Backpacking light, bit crinkly, but you can peg it out and is water resistant enough.

Now bought a tub from Oookworks.