Growing up in the Santa Cruz mountains, I have always been an avid hiker and camper. Only recently however, I have evolved into a backpacker. I started backpacking about two years ago. Since then I have done many trips throughout California and I also spent five days packing in the Grand Canyon which fueled my love for the sport even more. I try to backpack as often as possible, I think I may be addicted, and I am constantly looking for more efficient and lightweight alternatives for the gear that I own.

Product Information:

URL:www.froggtoggs.com

Manufacturer: frogg toggs outerwear

Measured weight: (Parka and pants combined) 15.5 oz (439 g)

MSRP: $84.95 (U.S.)

Fabric: Polypropylene

Size: Medium

Color: Blue

Field Information:

I tested the Frogg Toggs Pro Sport suit in several different conditions. My initial test of the rainsuit was done in my yard under the sprinkler for about ten minutes. I wanted to make sure that when I took this suit into the backcountry it would work. The first backpacking trip I tested the Sport suit on was at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where the elevation is about 4000 ft (1200 m). I recently took the Pro Sport suit on a ten day backpacking trip to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks in Utah.

My backpacking trip to the Utah desert involved elevations that ranged from 4500 ft (1372 m) to 9000 ft (2743 m). I experienced a wide variety of temperatures on this trip, some days the temperature reached 100 F (38 C) but on other days it dropped into the low 40's F (4 C).

Test Information:

My initial test of the Sport suit brought a few concerns as I stood in different positions in my sprinkler. I found that the hood was hard to keep in place to cover my head adequately. When I pulled the drawstrings tight, the hood bunched up and was less effective, which resulted in the collar leaking water down my front. Aside from getting wet down my front, the rest of the Sport Suit worked and I was dry everywhere else. I was ready to try it out on my next backcountry trip which would be at Hetch Hetchy.

On the drive into the Sierra mountains, where Hetch Hetchy is located, it rained on and off and even down poured until ten minutes before I made it to the entrance. To my dismay the weather was sunny and clear by the time I hit the trail. I was pleased when I came around the corner to Wapoma Falls and saw that I would have to walk through the pulsing, overflowing waterfall. I hurridely pulled on the parka and the pants. I had forgotten that the pants have elastic adjustable cuffs and instead pulled them on over my boots without opening the leg, which was no problem. I didn't have to roll the waistband as much as I did when I originally tried on the Sport Suit, due to the added height from my hiking boots. The velcro on the parka is so strong that I had trouble with it sticking to the fabric, but aside from that, the suit is easy to put on quickly.

Once I was suited up, I stood in the waterfall for about twenty minutes. I would liken this experience to having several people throw multiple buckets of water on me. It was exciting. I was even brave enough to put my camera in one of the pockets as I got drenched. I had the same problem with the velcro on the pockets, it was hard to open and stuck to any fabric it touched. Once again, I got soaked down my front, but this time I had water leak into the parka cuffs as well. My camera fared much better than I did in the sealed pocket and came out no worse for the wear.

When I finally reached camp, it began to sprinkle lightly and I suited back up, just in case. The little sprinkle didn't last long but I was able to test the Frogg Toggs Pro Sport Suit in another way when the mosquitos came out. While my companions were bug bait, I had no problem while wearing the suit.

My next test trip was to Zion and Bryce National Parks. I embarked on a dayhike into the Zion Narrows when I glanced at the clouds. I wasn't sure if it would rain, but it looked like it might, so I grabbed only the parka just in case. Within ten minutes after I got on the shuttle that would take me to the trail head, it was raining nice big desert raindrops. I made it a couple hundred yards before I found myself stuck in a desert downpour. I put the parka on over my small hydration pack which I was using as a lightweight pack. With the pack on, I wasn't able to close the zipper of the parka. I had to settle with using just the velcro to keep the parka closed, which again gave me trouble by sticking to the fabric.

As my hiking compainions ran to hide under a rocky outcropping, I settled in for the storm. I had the same problem with the hood, cold water dripping down my front. The cuffs also leaked as I kept trying to adjust the hood. Only using the velcro to close the parka seemed to work as well as having it closed with the zipper. I walked up and down the trail while waiting for the storm to end and my friends to come out of hiding, it took about an hour for the rain to stop. I took off the parka as the sun came back out, shook the water off, and packed it away. Three hours later I pulled the parka out at camp and found it to be mostly dry.

I didn't experience any more rain for the rest of the trip. I was able to test the Pro Sport Suit in a different way when I took it on my last overnight back country trip on the Riggs Spring Loop trail in Bryce Canyon. For most of my trip, I had hot weather, so I was surprised that night when the temperature dropped into the low 40's F (4.44 C). I had to use the Frogg Toggs Pro Sport Suit as a windbreaker and extra layer for warmth. The suit gave me just the extra warmth I needed to avoid hiding in my tent all evening. When I returned home I washed the Sport Suit according to the directions on the label. The Sport Suit accidently made it into the dryer on the medium heat setting, the drying directions say do not heat dry. The fabric, aside from a few small spots that look a little melted, seems to be pretty much intact. The stitching and seams all seem to be holding well, I see no signs of wear. The next time I use the suit, I will be testing to see if washing and drying it changed how this suit works.

General Impression:

I find that the Frogg Toggs Pro Sport Suit works well in heavy rains, aside from the leaky collar and cuffs. These leaks could possibly be remedied with a smaller size parka, a better adjusting hood and some Velcro on the wrist cuffs if they need to be tightened. The Pro Sport Suit works as an excellent barrier for mosquitoes, but could be on the warm side in higher temperatures. When it is cold and windy, the Pro Sport Suit comes in very handy, adding extra warmth. I continually have a problem using the Velcro, it sticks to the fabric and is hard to open. The Polypropylene fabric that the Pro Sport Suit is made from tends to pick up debris like leaves and bits of grass, which can be irritating to remove. The Sport Suit seems to fit well over my clothing, whether I'm wearing shorts and a T-shirt or sweats.

The Good Things:

> The Sport Suit adds a considerable amount of warmth when used as an extra layer

> Lightweight and packs easily

> Dries quickly

> Provides a good bug barrier

The Bad Things:

> Hood and wrist cuffs leak

> Velcro is hard to use and sticks to the surrounding fabric

Read more reviews of Frogg Toggs gear
Read more gear reviews by Shandra Hunt

Field Report

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