The Shockingly Cheap Outerwear Hikers, Bikers, And Golfers Swear By

If you love the outdoors, you must also accept the weather. Heat, cold, wind, humidity, sun exposure — and rain. Nothing complicates outdoor adventures like a heavy downpour, and a weather forecast might fail you. In much of the world, storms can arrive unexpectedly, dumping water onto hikers, golfers, and anglers, and there's little you can do but seek out shelter and grit your teeth.

Rain gear is helpful, and plenty of sportists muscle through showers with a sturdy polyester shell. But this kind of protection usually comes at a daunting price: The Men's Antora Rain Hoodie from the North Face costs $120. The REI Rainier Rain Jacket is $99.95. The Urbanaut Trench from Cleverhood costs a whopping $289. Understand, all of these are quality products from respected companies. Each item should last years, sealing out rain and ventilating your body inside the masterfully engineered fabric. They're all lightweight and compact. But not everyone wants to shell out that kind of money, certainly not for the occasional drizzle. 

Enter Frogg Toggs, a company that specializes in rainwear for outdoor adventurers. The Alabama-based brand markets mostly to hunters and fishermen, and you'll find a lot of waders and camo-patterned outfits in its catalogue. But anyone, from boaters to gardeners to backpackers, can benefit from their wide variety of vestments. Thousands of Amazon reviews have extolled the virtues of Frogg Toggs products. The best part: A waterproof rain suit can cost as little as $20. You could easily add it to a list of the best budget hiking gear.

The basic Frogg Toggs rain suit is a coat and pair of trousers, which you can wear on their own or pull over your regular shorts or pants. Each item is double- or triple-layered in a variety of ways, and all Frogg Toggs rain gear is designed to be waterproof as well as breathable. The design is usually baggy, which provides ventilation and cuts down on that "stuck to your skin" feeling. From there, Frogg Toggs sells a remarkable range of outfits for men, women, and youth: jackets, ponchos, vests, bibs, headwear, and even footwear. The price does go up considerably depending on what you buy: A set of men's deep-current stockingfoot fishing waders will set you back $229.99. But the most basic rain suit will cost little more than a good hoagie. And according to YouTuber The Trail Hunter, the Frogg Toggs were still going strong after 600 miles of rigorous expeditions. As many well know, picking the right jacket is a pillar of hiking.

One of the Frogg Toggs' most valuable assets is its weight: A standard rain suit weighs less than 13 ounces. This is extremely helpful in dry or variable weather, when you may not even wear the suit most of the time. Be aware that some customers have reported splitting seams, especially on the pants. Some would say that you get what you pay for, but for most customers, it seems Frogg Toggs gives you considerably more. An added bonus? Frogg Toggs work great in more than just rain; you can use it for layering in cool to cold weather.