ZPacks Challenger Rain Jacket and Pants Review

June 2017 update: ZPacks has discontinued the Challenger rain jacket and pants. I have not tried their new products and, based on my past experience and knowledge of waterproof breathable fabrics and construction, I don't plan to. Rather, I have extensively used and highly recommend the Patagonia M10 Anorak rain jacket (7 oz) Arcteryx Beta SL rain pants (9.9 oz). There are lighter options, but these will stand the test of time, even in extended travel through thick brush. Buying versatile and durable products like these deliver the best long-term performance and value.

ORIGINAL POST:

I used to lead outdoorgearlab.com's hardshell jacket testing and have used over 30 different top-of-the-line waterproof breathable jackets. The ZPacks Challenger Rain Jacket and Pants are widely regarded as the best ultralight rain gear available. This summer I tried the latest iteration on a five-week trip in the Brooks Range. Although their design and fabric are much improved since I first used them in 2012, I found them to be significantly less impressive than expected.

Sarah used the Challenger pants and a Patagonia M10 jacket. I used the Challenger pants and jacket.

Fabric

The fabric has an impressive tear resistance. Even with a lot of brush, we only had one puncture in one pant leg. The face fabric, however, delaminated (bubbles) in many large areas. Another serious flaw is the poor DWR; the face fabric wet out near instantly (the jacket and pants were brand new when we started), which reduces breathability to zero. Also quite uncomfortable: unlike 3-layer waterproof breathable fabrics, the inside of this material becomes very sticky. Rather than sliding over them, it caught on my shirt, fleece, and long underwear.

What could this fabric be good for? The top half of a climber style bivy sack. That's all I can think of. 

Construction

ZPacks' lamination leaves some adhesive exposed, or it becomes exposed after use, and this also catches on baselayers and fleeces, which restricts your body and pulls your clothes apart. The inside seams were covered with green from my fleece. Black bits from my long underwear were stuck on the of the pants. Even after being washed, the seams are still covered with fleecy bits! Bottom line: ZPacks' makes many very fine products (their Twinn Quilt is one of my favorite gear items ever), but their waterproof breathable construction quality is far from that which Gore-Tex requires from manufacturers. (Gore-Tex products require style approval and must be made in Gore-approved factories.)

Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, Kobuk Valley National Park

The face fabric delaminated significantly under the armpits, on the arms, the hood, and all over the legs.

Fit and features

I found the arm length to be several inches shorter than a normal men's medium. My fleece and baselayers stuck out beyond the end, which forced me to fold them back into a big clump that nonetheless got wet. The cuffs would benefit from being slightly wider, too.

Like on the previous version, the pattering on the jacket is quite poor at allowing you to raise your arms overhead. This, combined with the not helmet compatible hood, makes the jacket ill-suited to vertical endeavors.

The drawcord on the bottom of the pants frequently caught on branches. This should be moved inside the leg like is common on many climbing and skiing pants (see the design of the Arcteryx Alpha SV bib, for example).

The chest pocket works and is a welcome addition compared to previous versions. It would benefit from a zipper garage to prevent dripping water from entering the pocket.

The pants are the better product
Rain pants are used less frequently and have less of an impact on your comfort than a rain jacket. For many ultralight hikers, the drawbacks to the Challenger pants (low breathability due to the face fabric wetting out, poor ankle closure design) will be overcome by the weight savings. My pants only weigh 3.8 oz.!! Relative to the competition, I feel the Challenger pants perform better than the jacket.

Bottom line

I recommend the pants to ultralight hikers with the cash required to save a few ounces. I only recommend the jacket for short duration use on trips that are primarily on trail AND have a low probability of short duration rain. The jacket is suitable for dry places like the high sierra and desert southwest--where you carry it 95% of the time. For long trips, off trail travel, and use in wet climates I recommend a jacket with a better fabric and better construction.

Long-term best value rain jacket suggestions
August 2016 update: My favorite jacket for backpacking is the Patagonia M10. It has proven to be much tougher than the Challenger jacket and it's fit and features are far more comfortable. I'm confident the M10 is the best available all-purpose ultralight rain jacket on the market. I have the Anorak version, which only weighs 7.3 oz in men's medium.

If you're looking for something considerably more durable, both the membrane and the face fabric, I recommend the 11.2 oz. Arcteryx Alpha FL. Only has one small tear after a huge amount of use, including a lot of alpine climbing (lots of abrasion on rock) and horrendous bushwhacking in the Southeast Alaska rainforest.

The Patagonia M10 (8.8 oz in medium, h2no membrane, 15d face fabric) is arguably the best hardshell for backpacking; it's lightweight and functionally durable. Photo: Chris Simrell crossing the Elwah River, WA.

The Arcteryx Alpha FL (11.2 oz in medium, Gore-Tex Pro membrane, 40d face fabric) remains the best all-purpose hardshell and is tough enough for long-term use in abrasive environments, such as climbing, and when carrying a heavy pack. I wish I had brought this jacket to the Brooks Range and I wish Arcteryx made pants without side zips out of this material. Photo: On top of Mt. Huntington, AK.

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