Yesterday it happened again: I got caught in the rain, put on my trusty Marmot Precip rain jacket, and proceeded to get so sweaty that the inner layer of my coat got almost as wet as the exterior (which actually dried out faster when the rain let up).

The Precip is one of these so-called “breathable waterproof” jackets. Well, it’s waterproof, for sure, but it ain’t worth a drip for letting enough air in to dry out those inner layers (it’s not designed for this purpose, but I had to get damp many times before my dumbness wore off). This is not a totally terrible situation, because it obliges me to go on an obsessive gear hunt to find the miracle products designed to address the problem of soggy inner layers.

Awhile back I learned about these “soft shell” jackets that are supposed to cast off rain, deflect the wind and allow enough airflow to let sweat evaporate, providing just enough insulation to keep you warm but avoid hypothermia caused by the wind cooling wet clothing. (Nice guide to soft shells here).

The problems of soft shells are twofold: There are way too many to choose from, and they’re way too expensive. They’re also a bit more warmth than I need around here. I’ve never hiked at sustained temperatures below 50 degrees; the most I ever need is one base layer, a fleece top and something to stop the wind, which does get pretty beastly above 3000 feet.

I did some poking around and figured out I needed a wind shirt, which is really just a windbreaker with snazzy new fabrics that keep the wind from getting in but let the air inside get out. Wind shirts are lightweight — lots are available between 3 and 6 ounces. Some have water-resistant coatings, but these coatings tend to decrease the breathability.

Wind shirts are also considerably cheaper than softshells — most are in the sub-$100 range, while most soft shells start at $150 (the good ones get really pricey at $350-plus).

After poking around all afternoon, I settled on the Montane Lite-Speed, which oughta show up in the mail just in time for winter to start really kicking in. This jacket weighs in at a mere 5 ounces and is said to have great breathability. We’ll see.

As long as I’m on the subject of gear: I finally broke down and ponied up $24.95 for a one-year subscription to BackpackingLight.com. The site’s got reams of reliable info on gear and it’s written for gear buyers, not gear sellers. Sooner or later you’ll get sick of googling your favorite gear and finding the BackpackingLight info you need is safely nestled behind a subscription wall. Well, $24.95 won’t break you.