When I priced the hydrogap, I found a true rainscreen with 3/8 strapping and coravent to be cost competitive. Maybe it's come down. If you want to cheap out on a rainscreen system, by substituting for a drainable housewrap, tyvek stuccowrap is tough to beat for price and performance.

@Springtime Builders - thanks for your response. Several questions:

1) Would you consider Benjamin Obydkye's HydroGap® Drainable Housewrap and Tamlyn's TamlynWrap® Drainable Wrap a true "rain screen"? (isn't that the purpose of these products?)

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/all-about-rainscreens

2) Are you suggesting that Benjamin Obydkye's HydroGap® Drainable Housewrap and Tamlyn's TamlynWrap® Drainable Wrap is a "cheap" way of implementing a rain screen?

3) Does Tyvek StuccoWrap® function the same as the Tyvek DrainWrap®?

Thanks!

No, I don't think drainable housewraps can be considered a rainscreen, just a massive performance upgrade in housewraps. With a true rainscreen gap (3/8"-1.5") drainable housewraps aren't needed.

Yes, so cheap I think they should be considered mandatory if not doing a real rainscreen.

I think drainwrap is the commercial version of their regular wrap and its smooth, so not the same. Get the stucco version or something with wrinkles for the "drainable" effect.

Thanks, @Springtime Builders. Of the following products, which would you (or wouldn't you) recommend?

1) Tyvek StuccoWrap®

2) Benjamin Obydkye's HydroGap® Drainable Housewrap

3) Tamlyn's TamlynWrap® Drainable Wrap

If not implementing a real rainscreen system, I think your prioritized list is good. I would recommend any drainable housewrap over a smooth one with no true rainscreen gap involved. Thanks for bringing this issue to light and researching better building practices.