Enlightened Equipment Visp Ultralight Rain Coat; Long-Term Review. Best UL Rain Shell?

[@gandordunar6489]

Thanks for this review. I got one a few weeks ago and i'm very happy too.

[@ShastaBubba]

Great to hear! Here's hoping for many dry miles. ;-)

[@z0uLess]

Seems like its out of stock right now and that they are not able to meet the demand for them. I wonder how well it performs as an ultra running jacket.

[@ShastaBubba]

Yeah, that's a real bummer. I recommend checking out the Zpacks Vertice as long as the Visp is unavailable.

[@pblount007]

Love your reviews & adventures . Thoughts on ‘wind-shirts’ vs light fleece vs Visp. How often do you wear the Visp? Just for rain or for wind-shirt or both? I like hunkering down with my rain jacket over my insulation

[@ShastaBubba]

Funny you should ask; I'm planning to do videos on the benefits of both wind shirts and a light fleece pullover! Short version: windshirts vent moisture better and dry quicker than rain shells, so more comfortable to hike in. Fleece is the best material IMHO for actually keeping you warm while wet (e.g., all-day rain) and they're great to hike in for shoulder season when it's too cold in the morning for just a shirt and coat/windshirt. Thanks for the question!

[@barondavis5692]

Thanks for confirming my buying decision. I wonder how long it’ll hold up. I guess time will tell.

[@ShastaBubba]

True enough. After a year+ of frequent use, mine seems like new, so hopeful on the durability question. Thanks!

[@froggyonthepct9947]

Another good job Dan. I have been looking for a new rain jacket. Your review convinced me to leave at home my anti gravity gear jacket even though it has worked. I get in the shower with flip flops a rain kilt and a jacket to test out water proof ability, don’t laugh…but I will go with your recommendation. Noticed you have the Showa gloves another good recommendation insulated or not. I use mine mountain biking. Stay safe and well. Froggy

[@ShastaBubba]

Thanks Froggy! Hope it works well for you.

[@tomnoyb8301]

Visp is awesome, but could be improved. First, the largest size is too small for this author. Second, who wants rain dripping onto their pants/shorts? Why not extend the skirt below shorts? Or charge extra for such a trench-coat design? Simply never been in rain where it made sense to shed water to the waistline? And what are the alternatives? A DCF skirt that sweats at the waist? Visp pants that overlap layers at the waist, (where every other layer overlaps as well?)? Zpacks makes an attempt at trenchcoating a waist, but Zpacks clothing is even smaller than EE and always seems to be misshapen to human anatomy? These are easy fixes, EE?

[@tomnoyb8301]

Noticed the EE sizing video lists 3XL, even though the chart for Visp only lists up to 2XL. So apparently EE knows how to make 3XL, they simply choose not to?

[@ShastaBubba]

Interesting thoughts, thanks for sharing them. Perhaps a poncho is what you're looking for? Something like the Gatewood Cape by Six Moons Design? amzn.to/3zOiXwj I've often been tempted to use a poncho due to the awesome venting it would provide.

[@tomnoyb8301]

@@ShastaBubba - I poncho everything. Groundsheet, bivy, even quilt is poncho'd. Simply sew-in a waterproof zipper over the head-holes. Nevertheless, there's still a need for a rain-jacket and that jacket should have a skirt. I actually sewed a skirt onto Visp, but am not nearly as pleased with the result as with the poncho head-holes.

[@CBne1997]

Love my Visp. I just wish it had pockets.

[@ShastaBubba]

I hear ya!

[@northtexashiker]

I've had my visp about 6 months. Love it. Keeps me dry and the sweating is minimal. I wear my visp as a windbreaker more than for rain since we don't get much rain in my part of Texas

[@ShastaBubba]

Glad you're enjoying the Visp!

[@shaggyterrell8460]

Hello! I’m in Texas as well but the Houston area, so lots of rain 😂 Where did you get your Visp? I’ve been looking everywhere and can’t find one, they aren’t listed on their website either

[@northtexashiker]

@@shaggyterrell8460 I guess enlightened equipment is out of them.

[@watts391]

Thanks for the review and follow up!

[@ShastaBubba]

Thanks for watching!

[@mikemorgan562]

Does it pack down into a pouch of some sort?

[@ShastaBubba]

No, it's a minimalist design, so no pockets to use as a pouch. I usually just pack it loosely in the pack though.

[@oldunion]

I've had my new visp on two outings recently here in the NE, same results, DRY! not clammy. I am worried about it holding up as its tyvek-suit-feeling thin but I applaud that it kept me feeling nice and dry and doubled as a wind jacket. I put a some cobra knot zipper pulls on with Dutchware micro-cord. That and some Showa 282-02 gloves and rain's no pain!

[@ShastaBubba]

"Rain's no pain!" --like what you did there. ;-) Loving my Showa gloves as well. Wore them the whole first day of the Dawson-Pitamaken trip and stayed warm and dry.

[@horsedog713]

What are those rain gloves you had on??

[@ShastaBubba]

They are Showa Japanese fisherman gloves: amzn.to/3FamHZY Really great for these conditions, stayed warm and dry all day hiking in driving snow.

[@horsedog713]

@@ShastaBubba Thanks!!

[@DrJohn493]

Good follow up on the jacket.

[@ShastaBubba]

Thanks, hope it's useful!

[@DrJohn493]

@@ShastaBubba Your reviews always are! As soon as EE adds those pockets I'm in. EE are you listening!?

[@oldunion]

Yeah, I’ll sell and rebuy for some pockets.