I'm Glad I Didn't Bring Raingear To a Thunderstorm

No, really, I am! Let me explain myself. First I'll cover some technical aspects of rain gear but then I'm going to wax poetically about precipitation. You've been warned. 

Every year, a slew of people come into my store and ask me to show them the best waterproof jacket for tropical climates. The thing is, there isn't one. While waterproof jackets vary in how breathable they are (a post for another day) one factor remains constant, as soon as you put a barrier between you and the rest of the world, movement between your skin and the air is drastically reduced in both directions. This means that sweat has nowhere to evaporate and unless the temperature is under 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit you won't be releasing heat you otherwise could. In a tropical or east coast summer environments this means as soon as you put that jacket on, regardless of how much it is raining outside, it will start raining on the inside! You will get hot and sweaty and it would be better to just get rained on! "So what do I do Evan? Am I doomed to get wet?". Well, not exactly, if you really need to stay dry in that environment then it's time to get old school and snag yourself a poncho! The beauty of a poncho design is instead of hugging you it allows for a lot of ventilation downward out the bottom. It's not perfect but it is a heck of a lot better than wearing a rain jacket and you can even keep your gear dry too.

Now for me being sentimental. Rain is awesome. In the forest it smells nice, it sounds beautiful falling on leaves, and there is something so calming about an overcast sky. Now, if you're backpacking and will be out for days on end, don't have a place to dry off at the end of the day, or are doing a long activity it would be miserable to be wet for,  then it's important to stay dry, but if you're headed back to your hotel at the end of the day then embrace it! Frolic in the downpour! I promise it's fun, even for adults! Enjoy something different, being one with nature!