Rain Skirts/Kilts/Aprons

[Jeff Crawley]

The weather in the UK has been variable recently - extremely hot or extremely wet - so when I checked the weather forecast for today's walk and it said low chance of rain I immediately packed my trusty Altus into my day bag.
Sure enough, half way through, it started to pour with rain.
While I was donning the Altus a figure emerged from a side path in the woods and appeared to wrap a blue towel around his waist. As I was heading that way, and being incredibly nosey, I stopped to see what it was.
He (or rather his wife) had made what he called a "rain apron" - essentially they'd taken a very thin polytarp (£, $, € Store) and trimmed it down to size (removing the margin with the grommits), hemmed it and sewn a length of velcro into the waist band to form a wrap around apron or kilt if you will that can be put on faster than a pair of over trousers.
Like this


I'd heard of rain kilts on the Forum before but never seen one in action so when I got home I Googled and found that they are indeed a "thing" although at vastly higher prices than this man's £2 plus a foot length of velcro.

He wore his with the vent to the rear and I must admit that he had freedom of movement albeit rather noisy movement.
Anyway I thought I'd offer it up to the group - you might fancy trying your hand at making one or follow THIS GUY'S example.

I'll confess to having worn a tubular sarong in the far east but I was a lot younger, much thinner and a long way from home but I'm not sure I'd wear one trudging across a rainswept Mesata.

 

[Geodoc]

I used one on my last camino. Got it off Amazon. Liked it a lot

 

[trecile]

The weather in the UK has been variable recently - extremely hot or extremely wet - so when I checked the weather forecast for today's walk and it said low chance of rain I immediately packed my trusty Altus into my day bag.
Sure enough, half way through, it started to pour with rain.
While I was donning the Altus a figure emerged from a side path in the woods and appeared to wrap a blue towel around his waist. As I was heading that way, and being incredibly nosey, I stopped to see what it was.
He (or rather his wife) had made what he called a "rain apron" - essentially they'd taken a very thin polytarp (£, $, € Store) and trimmed it down to size (removing the margin with the grommits), hemmed it and sewn a length of velcro into the waist band to form a wrap around apron or kilt if you will that can be put on faster than a pair of over trousers.
Like this

View attachment 81225
I'd heard of rain kilts on the Forum before but never seen one in action so when I got home I Googled and found that they are indeed a "thing" although at vastly higher prices than this man's £2 plus a foot length of velcro.

He wore his with the vent to the rear and I must admit that he had freedom of movement albeit rather noisy movement.
Anyway I thought I'd offer it up to the group - you might fancy trying your hand at making one or follow THIS GUY'S example.

I'll confess to having worn a tubular sarong in the far east but I was a lot younger, much thinner and a long way from home but I'm not sure I'd wear one trudging across a rainswept Mesata.

I think that the wrap style with Velcro makes more sense than the one in the video that's open on the backside.

 

[C clearly]

Definitely interesting. I am a bit reluctant to give up my rain pants, which serve in an emergency as pants, and I don't find that sweating is a problem for me. However, the donning and doffing aspect of the kilt is very attractive, and its use as a ground sheet.

 

[Deleted member 61803]

My wife has just made me one out of some 1oz ripstop. Elasticated waist with velcro fastenings suitably placed for waist shrinkage or the opposite. In the hem she put some 12gram lead rope normallyused to weigh curtains to make it less flappy in the wind. Doused the whole thing in fabsil gold waterproofer just to be on the safe side. Total weight about 150 grams. Packs away into my trouser pocket, used it in our English Summer rain today for an hour and it is perfect for me (so far) I will use it with gaiters which I tend to wear anyway to protect my trousers and boots.

Will be fully trialling it and my new rain jacket on the North York Moors next week. If it fails I'll let you know, otherwise take it for granted that it suits me.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

The weather in the UK has been variable recently - extremely hot or extremely wet - so when I checked the weather forecast for today's walk and it said low chance of rain I immediately packed my trusty Altus into my day bag.
Sure enough, half way through, it started to pour with rain.
While I was donning the Altus a figure emerged from a side path in the woods and appeared to wrap a blue towel around his waist. As I was heading that way, and being incredibly nosey, I stopped to see what it was.
He (or rather his wife) had made what he called a "rain apron" - essentially they'd taken a very thin polytarp (£, $, € Store) and trimmed it down to size (removing the margin with the grommits), hemmed it and sewn a length of velcro into the waist band to form a wrap around apron or kilt if you will that can be put on faster than a pair of over trousers.
Like this

View attachment 81225
I'd heard of rain kilts on the Forum before but never seen one in action so when I got home I Googled and found that they are indeed a "thing" although at vastly higher prices than this man's £2 plus a foot length of velcro.

He wore his with the vent to the rear and I must admit that he had freedom of movement albeit rather noisy movement.
Anyway I thought I'd offer it up to the group - you might fancy trying your hand at making one or follow THIS GUY'S example.

I'll confess to having worn a tubular sarong in the far east but I was a lot younger, much thinner and a long way from home but I'm not sure I'd wear one trudging across a rainswept Mesata.

Another bonus of this 'style' (walking get-ups already being a fashion statement & all...), no more muddy boot deposits on the inside of rain pants!

 

[Viggo]

Always looking for weight reduction, I came upon these from Enlightened Equipment in U.S.
It weighs nothing and packs into a few inches. Looks kinda funny though, on men. Always buried deep in my backpack just in case.

 

[Geodoc]

The thing I liked about my rain kilt was the ability to get it on and off without having to take off my rain jacket, and the fact that it kept me dry from just below the knees up (which, if you've ever had soaked pants, you know how important that can be, especially on cold days). Fashion on the Camino? Bah!

BTW, don't bury it deep in your pack - top pocket with easy access. Ask me how I know this

 

[Deleted member 34316]

Those kilts may be a little problem during windy weather (not uncommon on the Camino)

Or when the children are around...

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Those kilts may be a little problem during windy weather (not uncommon on the Camino)

Or when the children are around...

Wear a thong at thigh height?

 

[trecile]

Those kilts may be a little problem during windy weather (not uncommon on the Camino)

Or when the children are around...

Well, your first pictures answers the age old question of what is worn under a kilt.

 

[Walking Lover]

The weather in the UK has been variable recently - extremely hot or extremely wet - so when I checked the weather forecast for today's walk and it said low chance of rain I immediately packed my trusty Altus into my day bag.
Sure enough, half way through, it started to pour with rain.
While I was donning the Altus a figure emerged from a side path in the woods and appeared to wrap a blue towel around his waist. As I was heading that way, and being incredibly nosey, I stopped to see what it was.
He (or rather his wife) had made what he called a "rain apron" - essentially they'd taken a very thin polytarp (£, $, € Store) and trimmed it down to size (removing the margin with the grommits), hemmed it and sewn a length of velcro into the waist band to form a wrap around apron or kilt if you will that can be put on faster than a pair of over trousers.
Like this

View attachment 81225
I'd heard of rain kilts on the Forum before but never seen one in action so when I got home I Googled and found that they are indeed a "thing" although at vastly higher prices than this man's £2 plus a foot length of velcro.

He wore his with the vent to the rear and I must admit that he had freedom of movement albeit rather noisy movement.
Anyway I thought I'd offer it up to the group - you might fancy trying your hand at making one or follow THIS GUY'S example.

I'll confess to having worn a tubular sarong in the far east but I was a lot younger, much thinner and a long way from home but I'm not sure I'd wear one trudging across a rainswept Mesata.

We met a man from Belgium last year who wore a skirt every day.

 

[Deleted member 34316]

As Maria Cheda said on Twitter:
Cada uno hace el Camino como quiere. Lo importante es ir ligerito.
Everyone does the Camino as she/he wants. The important is to go LIGHT!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1283763033978920961

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Well, your first pictures answers the age old question of what is worn under a kilt.

Ask any Scotsman and he'll tell you nothing is worn under the kilt - it's all in perfect working order . . .

 

[AlwynWellington]

... I've ... found ... rain kilts ... are indeed a "thing"

I'm a disciple of @SYates: her teaching is for every item you carry to have at least two (if not more) functions wherever possible.

I purchased my big things (pack, tent and sleeping bag) from Zpacks of Florida, USA. They also offered a rain kilt: I purchased one and for me found it had at least two functions - rain kilt and good to cover ground to sit upon. But is was another item to carry, to worry about and find when needed while on underway. And it was doffed by stepping into and pulling up.

When I bought my tent it had, as an option, a detachable ground sheet that doubled as poncho. This was generous enough to cover the back pack as well as me. From Le Puy-en-Velay there were only two times when I needed rain cover.

The first was approaching Navarennx. First came the strong wind: that was alright as it was behind me and was not chilling. A few minutes later came the rain, increasing in intensity. Getting the multiple function poncho / ground sheet over me in strong wind was impossible. A velcro closed rain kilt would have been infinitely easier, but would have meant I was also carrying three items: a parka for me and a rain cover for the pack as well as the rain kilt. Without any cover the rain and wind combined and I started to shiver. My day was saved by a young woman driving an old car who picked me up, putting to shame the many sports utility vehicles that went as far as they could to the other side of the road. So my wet weather gear had not yet been tested.

That happened on the second occasion, half-way between Leon and Hospital de Orbigo. This was rain without wind, so donning the poncho was easy. What I now found was it did not fall far enough to cover the kilt-type garment I was wearing and it was, from the bottom up, becoming increasingly wet. Again hypothermia was impressing itself on my mind.

Keeping to the Sy Yates mantra, I wanted the simplest mode possible: one item which not only keeps we dry and warm but also acts as a blanket when needed.

My gear now is a handy Altus that covers me to below the hem of my real kilt and my pack.

And I used it for the first time, since those episodes some four years ago, on Thursday this week. I was on a formed shared path through a farm-park when the threatened rain arrived. It was a few moments work to stop, doff the pack, take the Altus from the large outside pouch, put the pack back on, cover everything and carry on. Despite a strong wind I was as warm as a bug in a rug, and dry.

@Jeff Crawley, thank you for the opportunity to review what works for me.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I'm a disciple of @SYates: her teaching is for every item you carry to have at least two (if not more) functions wherever possible.

I purchased my big things (pack, tent and sleeping bag) from Zpacks of Florida, USA. They also offered a rain kilt: I purchased one and for me found it had at least two functions - rain kilt and good to cover ground to sit upon. But is was another item to carry, to worry about and find when needed while on underway. And it was doffed by stepping into and pulling up.

When I bought my tent it had, as an option, a detachable ground sheet that doubled as poncho. This was generous enough to cover the back pack as well as me. From Le Puy-en-Velay there were only two times when I needed rain cover.

The first was approaching Navarennx. First came the strong wind: that was alright as it was behind me and was not chilling. A few minutes later came the rain, increasing in intensity. Getting the multiple function poncho / ground sheet over me in strong wind was impossible. A velcro closed rain kilt would have been infinitely easier, but would have meant I was also carrying three items: a parka for me and a rain cover for the pack as well as the rain kilt. Without any cover the rain and wind combined and I started to shiver. My day was saved by a young woman driving an old car who picked me up, putting to shame the many sports utility vehicles that went as far as they could to the other side of the road. So my wet weather gear had not yet been tested.

That happened on the second occasion, half-way between Leon and Hospital de Orbigo. This was rain without wind, so donning the poncho was easy. What I now found was it did not fall far enough to cover the kilt-type garment I was wearing and it was, from the bottom up, becoming increasingly wet. Again hypothermia was impressing itself on my mind.

Keeping to the Sy Yates mantra, I wanted the simplest mode possible: one item which not only keeps we dry and warm but also acts as a blanket when needed.

My gear now is a handy Altus that covers me to below the hem of my real kilt and my pack.

And I used it for the first time, since those episodes some four years ago, on Thursday this week. I was on a formed shared path through a farm-park when the threatened rain arrived. It was a few moments work to stop, doff the pack, take the Altus from the large outside pouch, put the pack back on, cover everything and carry on. Despite a strong wind I was as warm as a bug in a rug, and dry.

@Jeff Crawley, thank you for the opportunity to review what works for me.

Some very good points Alwyn. The Altus is still my "go to" - just wish I could find a way to keep the condensation down. I know somebody suggested adding punched eyelets to the arm pits but are they effective?

 

[Kanga]

Yes, I'm with you on the Altus, Jeff. Still my go-to, as well, even if not perfect. I wear the large size - it's huge on me but gives me more air flow. I often take my arms out of the sleeves and only have it zipped a short distance at the bottom. That helps with the condensation.

 

[VNwalking]

I'll confess to having worn a tubular sarong in the far east but I was a lot younger, much thinner and a long way from home but I'm not sure I'd wear one trudging across a rainswept Mesata.

No youngster here and I do. The saving grace is that the hipbelt keeps everything snugly in place.
I go minimalist for rain - on top of the sarong, an Altus if the rain is moderate, and a plastic cinch-tie garbage bag with the bottom slit open if it's torrential.

 

[mick...]

I'd wear one, apron style as in the video but with gaitors.i dislike having wet feet. Water can get into waterproof boots by running down legs. An apron which comfortably overlapped the gaitors could be a better idea than overtrousers

 

[Deputy Dan]

Still untested I'm afraid, but based on the many strong arguments posed by Davebugg in the past, I've acquired a poncho and a kilt. The theory (as I say - untested!) is these eliminate the need for an extra pack cover, allow you to cover up without having to take the pack off, and are much better ventilated.

My morning spent in an unventilated rain jacket was akin to taking a steam bath and I'm not convinced any amount of under-the-arm ventilation would have helped. The sweat-suit nature of a jacket might make some sense in cooler weather but it was torture on a rather warm day. I accumulated puddles of condensation at the elasticized cuffs at my wrists. Clearly not the right jacket - but my more technical rain jackets are considerably heavier and are only marginally better ventilated.

I acquired a rather inexpensive rain-kilt on Amazon, $13. Silnylon with Velcro tape fastener, and on my 6-foot frame it falls just at my knees. The material overlaps in front so there's a bit of a "slit" off to one side, though I suppose you could rotate the kilt to put the slit anywhere. I haven't done enough walking (around the house) to determine where the slit should fall, but in back doesn't seem right as it seems it would restrict your forward stride.

As previously noted by others, the kilt and poncho each serve a multitude of other purposes, so fit in well with the overall theme of every bit of gear serving many uses.

 

[Geodoc]

I haven't done enough walking (around the house) to determine where the slit should fall, but in back doesn't seem right as it seems it would restrict your forward stride.

It was my experience that putting the slit at the back still allowed one free motion, but served to prevent water from getting onto your legs, as your legs didn't create the gap in front while walking, usually into the rain (ask me how I know ).

 

[Jeff Crawley]

So . . . . made the mistake of discussing this with a dear friend who is not only a Pilgrim but who has spent a fair amount of her career as a doctor in South East Asia.

Her suggestion - to forget about all the velcro straps and snap fasteners and just go with what she called a "longi" or "lungi" - the tubular sarong beloved of south east Asian males. As she said "If you can pedal a bike in one you can hike the Camino in one"

(see How to wear a lungi if you don't know what I'm talking about)

After a rummage around I found some bright red rip-stop material (left over from making a sail for a kayak) and soon had a tube of material that reaches from what I laughingly call my waist to about mid-calf.

What neither of us had considered is that rip-stop nylon is significantly more slippery than the loose weave cotton that lungi are usually made from and the ease of tying it was dramatically reduced so a length of 4mm shock cord was introduced into the upper hem pocket (defeating the object altogether)

It works, after a fashion, but apparently makes me look, in the words of my daughter "heavily pregnant" leading my brother to christen it my "maternity smock" (family can be so unkind when you need support) so no photographs of me wearing it will be provided (I don't want to give you bad dreams).

On the plus side it only weighs 130g and is multi-usage: in addition to being a rain kilt I can use it as a picnic blanket, something dry to sit on, a (large) red flag to signal rescuers in an emergency or a matador's cape should I ever get back to Spain.

I can hardly wait for it to rain!

 

[David Tallan]

(see How to wear a lungi if you don't know what I'm talking about)

I think something went wrong with your link.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I think something went wrong with your link.

Thanks David, I've corrected it (again)

 

[trecile]

Thanks David, I've corrected it.

I still can't get the link to work.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Link:

How to wear a lungi - Google Search

 

[David Tallan]

Thanks David, I've corrected it.

It still seems to be trying to go to "How%20to%20wear%20a%20lungi" which isn't a valid URL.

But I did do the same Google search that Rick did to figure out what you were talking about.

 

[linkster]

I took an Enlightened Equipment Rain Wrap on my first Camino. It packed down to the size of my fist which was great. I just kept it in my rain jacket pocket. The con was that the silnylon flipped around too much in the wind. In addition, it is semi-transparent. The latter made me uncomfortable on wash days when all my other clothes were in the washer and dryer.

I have since switched to a Zpacks Vertice Rain Kilt. Packs down to the size of my fist, and I keep it my rain jacket pocket. It does not flip around as much as the EE Rain Wrap, and the biggie ... is that it is NOT semi-transparent. Much more comfortable on wash days with my kilt and puff jacket while everything else is in the washer and dryer.

I also carry a pair of Zpacks Vertice Calf Gaiters. They pack down very small, and they provide good coverage in the rain. I think the combo is better than rain pants. Much more versatile, and breathable.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Kilt encountered, Burgos Bus Station May 2017.


Worn by author Prioleau Alexander, author of Dispatches Along the Way

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

A thought just occurred to me. For extra protection on the legs but with ventilation you could wear leggings/chaps under the kilt. That is to say, separate rain pant legs with open tops and bottoms that can be attached to a waist belt. The kilt should keep rain from entering the pant tops but the openness of everything should keep your legs ventilated better than traditional rain pants.

 

[linkster]

A thought just occurred to me. For extra protection on the legs but with ventilation you could wear leggings under the kilt.

I pair the rain kilt, and gaiters with running tights if It is cold out.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I still can't get the link to work.

I plead stupidity and an ailing computer . . . to get the ( sign I now have to type 9( and then delete the 9!

Overnight thoughts:

Perhaps if it wasn't so RED - but it was left over material from a sail making project - the guy I saw while out walking had it in blue which wasn't as bad.



It's now tucked into my daybag, if it rains hard enough it might see the light of day but at least it's easier to step into than rain pants/over trousers.

 

[David Tallan]

Thanks David, I've corrected it (again)

This time it worked! The video was much better for understanding than the Instructables page that the Google search led to, which seemed to show wrapping a rectangle of cloth rather than a tube.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

I remember when I was a kid reading about backpacking equipment, I read a book about ultra lightweight backpacking. The authors suggestion, whose name was Dennis Sugar, I think, was to forget rain gear entirely and hike nude. Much easier to imagine in the wilderness, then on the Camino. But he was quite serious.

 

[peregrino_tom]

I tried a rain skirt last year out of curiosity. It was a simple white silnylon number. I was wearing it under my poncho/raincoat high on the Offa's Dyke path on a morning of heavy wet mist. My head recently shaved short. Eventually got chatting to a couple walking the same way who'd assumed I was part of a religious order, and that the rain skirt was part of my white robes....
Back to the solution I should never should have trifled with - poncho/raincoat over shorts with legs rolled up if necessary (but remembering to unroll when entering cafe/bar..) adding MLD rain chaps in cooler or extremely wet conditions.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I tried a rain skirt last year out of curiosity. It was a simple white silnylon number. I was wearing it under my poncho/raincoat high on the Offa's Dyke path on a morning of heavy wet mist. My head recently shaved short. Eventually got chatting to a couple walking the same way who'd assumed I was part of a religious order, and that the rain skirt was part of my white robes....
Back to the solution I should never should have trifled with - poncho/raincoat over shorts with legs rolled up if necessary (but remembering to unroll when entering cafe/bar..) adding MLD rain chaps in cooler or extremely wet conditions.

A kind of Hairless Krishna?

 

[Dael]

A kilt is my preferred wear when walking. I managed to ‘acquire’ a length of genuine goretex material and made myself a lousy weather kilt cover. It works a treat. In passing I would also report that a woollen kilt has built-in air-con if things get hot.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

A thought just occurred to me. For extra protection on the legs but with ventilation you could wear leggings/chaps under the kilt. That is to say, separate rain pant legs with open tops and bottoms that can be attached to a waist belt. The kilt should keep rain from entering the pant tops but the openness of everything should keep your legs ventilated better than traditional rain pants.

Rick, I can't quite envision what you propose for a man's undercarriage. Does it keep "everything" ventilated? If not, good luck dealing with all that when nature calls...welcome to my world.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Rick, I can't quite envision what you propose for a man's undercarriage. Does it keep "everything" ventilated? If not, good luck dealing with all that when nature calls...welcome to my world.

Tsk-tsk CC, did you not watch the training video?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Nope, I thought the video was about wrapping a sarong. If it was about dealing with a gentleman's chaps and kilts, and how to properly wrap the undercarriage, I might have taken a quick peek.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Nope, I thought the video was about wrapping a sarong. If it was about dealing with a gentleman's chaps and kilts, and how to properly wrap the undercarriage, I might have taken a quick peek.

Sorry, cross purposes. My clumsy attempt to post the longi video eventually succeeded but I'm now referencing the one about ladies/women (I don't know, I got it wrong last time) peeing in the woods.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Rick, I can't quite envision what you propose for a man's undercarriage. Does it keep "everything" ventilated? If not, good luck dealing with all that when nature calls...welcome to my world.

Perhaps this should be discussed with @KinkyOne

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Tsk-tsk CC, did you not watch the training video?

Nope, not yours, but I watched the "Braveheart" video; a favorite epic movie of mine. I enjoyed seeing Mel Gibson in his Scottish kilt.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Nope, not yours, but I watched the "Braveheart" video; a favorite epic movie of mine. I enjoyed seeing Mel Gibson in his Scottish kilt.

My dear friend Ben, an ardent Scots Nationalist, came away from seeing Braveheart almost as blue in the face as the Australian portraying Wallace.

If anybody wants to tease him they only have to say "That Braveheart, great film eh?"

After he has calmed down he will explain that Wallace was a vicious thug; that the Scots never wore kilts to battle (mainly because the kilt as we know it wasn't invented for another 300 years or so) they stripped down to their shirts (there's a name for them but I can't remember it) because the great kilt would have slowed them down and would have been impossible to fight in; they never painted their faces blue and that "Braveheart" was actually the nickname of Robert the Bruce, not Wallace.

Scottish history as portrayed by Walt Disney, Ben calls it.

We then remind him of the fact that the Clan tartans are essentially an English invention from the time of Queen Victoria's infatuation with the Highlands and that starts him off again.

Works every time!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

the great kilt would have slowed them do

That's why they added pleats to the kilts...worked a charm for running, squatting, and fighting.

 

[AlwynWellington]

Works every time!

I had wondered where you got you knowledge of things kilt: winding people up can be a good technique.

So you don't get too discombobulated I am writing about 7 am on Wednesday, 9 September 2020.

So you can understand my walk yesterday was on Tuesday and we are about to enjoy Spring.

It was the last section of a 70 km walk I had begun early last month and disrupted by wind (over 20 km per hour) on most days. This section was about 15 km from a northern suburb down to the south coast of Wellington. Much of this 15 km was between 150 metres above sea level to 300 m asl.

Tuesday was brilliant and views of the surrounding hills (most around 400 m asl) both to the east and west and north and south were grand.

But I digress. I was wearing, as always, a kilt. When amongst speakers of English, the kilt is a conversation starter.
On one occasion on Tuesday one woman of a certain age chased me up a street to take my photo. Turned out she had walked Le Puy-en-Velay to Lourdes and from Saint-Jean to Compostela.

Earlier a younger woman came across to chat: turns out she had been born in Edinburgh and shortly after her family moved to Surrey, but Wellington was now her home, she said.

So, @Jeff Crawley, as you say, a different technique works every time, but with a very pleasant outcome.

And, from my Sovereign I echo Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui tatou katoa (May you all be strong, courageous and patient - and get going when you can)

 

[Swirly]

Well, your first pictures answers the age old question of what is worn under a kilt.

I've heard it stated that nothing is worn under a Scot's kilt.
Apparently it's all in perfect working order.

 

[Robo]

Definitely interesting. I am a bit reluctant to give up my rain pants, which serve in an emergency as pants, and I don't find that sweating is a problem for me. However, the donning and doffing aspect of the kilt is very attractive, and its use as a ground sheet.

Same here. My rain pants are very light. 237g. Have full length zips which aid putting them on and off, (though the kilt would be easier) are 100% waterproof (well tested on 3 caminos) don't get condensation on the inside and...... can we be worn as pants on their own along with the jacket, when I want to throw 'everything' into a washing machine

But the kilt is certainly a clever idea......

 

[Anhalter]

I am a big fan of my rain kilt.
I got one of Aliexpress from 3F UL Gear for like 15€.
It weighs around 75g.
I can put it on whithout sitting down, taking shoes of or even taking of the backpack. Actually, i dont even have to stop walking.
Since i use light trailrunners anyway, my feet are getting wet no matter what i wear.
The only thing that would be better with a rain trouser or a poncho might be, that my shins would not get wet. I can live with that downside.

 

[linkster]

The only thing that would be better with a rain trouser or a poncho might be, that my shins would not get wet. I can live with that downside.

You may want to check out the Zpacks - Vertice Calf Gaiters ... solved the problem for me.

 

[Anhalter]

You may want to check out the Zpacks - Vertice Calf Gaiters ... solved the problem for me.

They might help, but i personally see no need for them. Unless it's really cold, wet feet are not that big of an issue for me. If I'd go on a "most likely lots of rain" camino i would rather take some water resistant socks.

And for wet shins, i really don't care about them.

Other people might have different preferences however.

 

[linkster]

They might help, but i personally see no need for them. Unless it's really cold, wet feet are not that big of an issue for me. If I'd go on a "most likely lots of rain" camino i would rather take some water resistant socks.

And for wet shins, i really don't care about them.

Other people might have different preferences however.

Agreed. I only wear them when it is cold instead of rain pants. I have worn SealSkinz canoeing or rafting with sandals to keep my feet warm and dry.

 

[Deleted member 61803]

I find that gaiters are useful when wearing my rain skirt. Stops the water dropping into the hole at the top of the shoe.
Not a fan of sealskinz since they stopped doing quality control.
To be fair bare legs tend to dry out very quickly and certain trail runners do also.
As in everything, it's all down to personal choice, what you can afford or what you have that can be used anyway. If you're satisfied with your gear that is all that matters. A few ounces here or there doesn't truly make a huge amount of difference on most of the ways to Santiago.

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

I used one on my last camino. Got it off Amazon. Liked it a lot

Same here and it’s with me now, didn’t bring it out once as we never were rained on. Lucky us!