Last month I found myself in LL Bean’s flagship store in Freeport, ME purchasing supplies for an extended fishing trip I had planned that weekend on Moosehead Lake.
The forecast called for heavy rain, but my buddies and I were just stubborn enough to go ahead with our trip anyway! I had a good quality Gore-Tex® rain jacket that had proven itself countless times, but I knew if I wanted to maximize my comfort I would need to purchase a pair of new rain pants as well.
I approached a sales associate about my needs and he was more than happy to answer my questions.
After explaining what I wanted, the associate showed me several different rain pants ranging from the $39 TEK2.5® rain pants to the most expensive $139 Gore-Tex rain pants. With such a difference in price, I asked the gentlemen if there was any performance difference between the TEK2.5 pant and the more expensive Gore-Tex.
“Well, it’s a matter of personal preference really.” He said. “Both fabrics are guaranteed to be 100% water proof and offer excellent breathability”.
He went on to say that “some people” have come to trust the performance of Gore-Tex over the years and are willing to pay a premium, while others prefer the “status” of owning a “Gore-Tex” jacket.
I assured him that I wasn’t after “status”; I just wanted the cheapest pants that would keep me dry without having to wear a plastic slicker suit.
“Well then sir”. The associate said. “I recommend the TEK2.5 Rain Pant”.
$39 later I was walking out the store!
So the question remained:
Does LL Bean’s TEK2.5 Fabric really compete with Gore-Tex? It wasn’t long into my fishing trip that this question was answered!
The second day into my camping trip (June 12th, 2009 for those who care), I woke up to the steady sound of rain bouncing off my tent’s canopy. Ever the optimists, my buddies and I had hoped that all of the weather forecasts we had heard the previous day were incorrect and we would enjoy fair weather, but that was not to be…
Regardless, nothing was going to keep us off the water so my buddy Dan and I geared up and headed out onto the lake.
We were in 14’ open aluminum boat totally exposed to the elements for three hours in some of the heaviest rain I had ever seen. I expected the seat of my pants would be saturated since I had been sitting on a wet aluminum bench seat the entire time, but even my “arse” remained dry! I was simply amazed! I was glad that I hadn’t wasted my money on the more expensive Gore-Tex brand even thought they did look a little “cooler”.
Only time will tell if the material holds up as well as my Gore-Tex jacket has, but so far I have been very impressed with the performance TEK2.5 material! And if there ever is a problem, I always have the assurance of LL Bean’s 100% satisfaction guarantee!
Related Articles:
Cooler Packing Tips
Electric vs Propane Camping Lanterns
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
The Tek2.5 is actually more waterproof than the GoreTex, but the GoreTex breathes water vapor a lot more. Your sitting in water example would favor the Tek2.5. It does pass some vapor, since it’s siliconed, but if I am shoveling snow, for example, the inside gets wet from condensation from my skin. Working hard in the cold is the best scenario for GoreTex. Drenching conditions, less exertion, moderate temps suit the Tek2.5