Chime in with your opinions on best rain gear.

[pinofire]

Hey guys wanting to get some opinions on new rain gear. Things i'd like to know how quiet,durable and packable some of the gear out there is.Thinking about Kuiu or something like that but would like to hear others opinions on what they like.

[Jim Prawn]

The new heli Hansens all the way. Very light and flexible, and cheap compared to gortex type gear. They are 100% waterproof unlike a lot of expensive synthetic "raingear". Also easy to repair with aqua seal. I get a few years out of a set at about $80 each for pants and jacket. Downfalls; not super quiet, but not as loud as the older helis. Not breathable but when loosely fit they're fine. I have used them for several years on everything from week long sheep hunts to all day quad rides in west coast downpours. They may not be pretty but they work.
JP

[BCHunterTV]

go with the Chugach NX Rain Jacket and Pants,

[358mag]

X2 on the new Helly Hansen best bang for your $$$$ want ever you do don't waste your hard earned $$ on Sitka so called waterproof rain gear.

[pescado]

Another vote for HH.

[BigSlapper]

X17 on the Helly Impertech

[BCbuckhunter]

x2 on the Chugach NX rain gear from Kuiu.

[HarryToolips]

Army poncho...cheap, can camo em up the way you like, compact, and keeps you dry while your rifle is underneath and also dry..

[MOWITCH SLAYER]

x2 on the army poncho (g.i survival poncho), Great on the atv, and two can snap togeather to make a tent.

[Sitkaspruce]

HH is the best for beating the bush in the wet coast, just make sure you tighten the sleeves or water will work it way up....which will get to be a PITA. I have a set for quading and when chasing the grey ghosts.

I picked up a Core4Element rain jacket last spring and put it through it's paces last year and it worked well; waterproof, beathes well, pretty quite, fits well and so far is doing what it was designed for. Time will tell.

Just cannot justify the $$$ for the "elite" stuff.

Cheers

SS

[pinofire]

I appreciate the advice guys.

[Chopper]

Sitka storm front

[JLsteel]

I have the chugach jacket and pants. Great rain gear but not meant to be worn all the time bushwacking. They are very packable and they mainly stay in my pack and only used during rain or if i need as windbreaker. They will keep you dry for sure but they are loud. If you want bombproof raingear i would suggest the Yukon line from Kuiu but they are heavier than the chugach and less packable

[RockyMountainHunter1]

Sitka dew point for back pack trip. Super compactable and light shell. Gotta watch when beating bush with them though. I ripped mine on a dead snag but patched up nice. Compact to about the size of a baseball for each and essentially weightless

[decker9]

Wore my sitka stormfront every rainy day on the trapline last winter. Spent countless trips on the sled in pounding rain, never once soaked threw. Seemed to breath alot better then any if my HH stuff. HH makes me sweat, and freeze!

[Stresd]

I have the Hansens and also the Kuiu. Both keep you dry but the Kuiu just breathes so much better when in the heavy going. If sitting in a blind and not working up a sweat the Hellies are fine. But owning and having put both brands through their paces, and if I will be doing a lot of work, it is a no brainer to opt for my Chugach, NX or Yukon over the Hellies. On sheep hunts I wear Yukon bottoms all the time and the Chugach, or Chugach NX for the jacket as either model is easily packable on a warm day. The heavier duty Yukon pants have taken a real pounding and after a couple trips, except for showing some mild wear on the knee pads are as good as the day I bought them. As for the jackets, the NX breathes slightly better but I hate Larger floppy hood modification they made over the better fitting (to me at least) older model Chugach. So I wear the Chugach the most.

[digger dogger]

Taiga extreme weather jacket, is bomb proof!
The pants are awesome too. They dont fit as well as my sitka pants
But are better for really wet conditions.

[Fullcurled4point]

Kuiu yukon or chugach

dont waste ur money on shitka...20 year old technology will only frustrate you when u put it to the test

[Everett]

I have a new shell I bought from Vantage Point its a First Lite and the couple times I have been out in the rain with it been very impressed http://www.firstlite.com/product_detail/687/boundary-stormtight

[CBH]

Sitka Downpour jacket and pants have been amazing for me! The bonus is that they are much more quite and less expensive than the Cloudburst line.

[Quince]

Going off the board, my cabellas gear works great for me. Just dont buy the entry level models.

[pinofire]

I was looking at this jacket looks good. The only draw back and I could be wrong was they didn't have the pants in water proof. you may know more having it.


I have a new shell I bought from Vantage Point its a First Lite and the couple times I have been out in the rain with it been very impressed http://www.firstlite.com/product_detail/687/boundary-stormtight

[Everett]

I never wear waterproof pants so never noticed they don't sell a pant option. Seems a little odd you would thing it would be an obvious thing to produce a pant to match the jacket. The thing I have been liking most about the jacket is it breathability I sweat like a pig but so far its been pretty good.

[pinofire]

Everett ya they have pants that are water resistant but not waterproof. I like the asat pattern they have and know it's great for getting up close to animals. I do like the breathability it offers. glad to hear from someone who has tried it. Thanks

[BCrams]

Arcteryx Theta AR

Rain jacket. Use it for the mountain hunts.

[Iltasyuko]

Arcteryx Beta AR jacket and Beta SL pants. Waterproof, wind proof, light and packable.

[ryanb]

I've had an arcteryx theta ar for 5 years. Recently bought a Kuiu yukon jacket. The Kuiu has an inferior hood design to the arcteryx and some substandard stitching on the stormflap making it easy to catch the zipper on the flap. Otherwise it's a really solid jacket. The material on the Yukon is much softer than goretex, has a nice stretch and breathes about as well. The rubber wrists are nice cause this is usually where I get the wettest in a heavy downpour.

Can't go wrong with the arcteryx either.

[pinofire]

I was at wholesale today jackets and pants 40% off. They're pushing the scentblocker a lot. I'm skeptical at best. The tags say water proof? Its $70 taxes in with the discount anyone ever use it?

[Good2bCanadian]

I bought cheap Rocky gear my first year and sweat my bag off hiking in it.

Was a waste of money.

You get what you pay for....

[BigSlapper]

Arcteryx Theta AR

Rain jacket. Use it for the mountain hunts.
Have the same ... as a result I have sold all my Sitka Jackets. These fit so well and are truly waterPROOF

[Pre '64]

I was Dall Sheep hunting last summer and my guide wore a Chugach Rain Jacket all the time, in fine weather and the rain. It is the best I've seen. I had the HH green rubber ones which are good as well, but the Kuiu is the best.

[Captainkf]

I have used HH ones for years of daily wear commuting on atv, getting wood, hunting, etc. they are durable and stretchy but not as breathable as my gore but are truly waterproof.

[dak0ta]

Arcteryx Theta AR

Rain jacket. Use it for the mountain hunts.

+1 Very happy with Arc'teryx Theta AR

[combine pilot]

There are a few different options that have not been mentioned. Was looking at a newer light packable River's West jacket at the Dawson Creek gun show the other day. Tough to argue with a 10 year water proof guarantee for $125. I have used their gators for 4-5 years now and still water proof. Others that are worth mentioning are the MT 050 and Rain suede gear from Cabelas. Have used both they are a little warm for August but great for September and later. If you watch the clearance sales and are not to worried about camo pattern they can be bought fairly cheaply. I bought MT050 pants and coat this winter for $150 on a discontinued camo pattern. These two items usually go for $400. I got 5 years out of last pair of MT050 pants and I spend 30-40 days in the mountains. Just my 2 cents.

[Brett]

If you are wearing your pack , hiking in the rain I ASSume anything not 100% waterproof, that is a poncho or HH will wick through around your straps?? Anyone actually have experience with this

[Brett]

If you are wearing your pack , hiking in the rain I ASSume anything not 100% waterproof, like a poncho or HH will wick through around your straps?? Anyone actually have experience with this? Walking around or hiking is one thing which of these jackets have you worn with a pack in the rain and still not gotten wet ?? Thanks

[ryanb]

I've spent long days in wet weather with my pack on in good goretex gear. You usually end up a bit wet from a few spots. Rain coming in around your face rain coming in around you wrists and sweat. Once breathable rain gear wets out it doesn't breathe much. Good goretex will rarely fail to keep water out. Never been wet under straps except from sweat.

Unless you need to move, better to wait out the worst of the weather.

[E.V.B.H.]

Watch this video for a good demonstration on breathability. Not hunting gear but the same fabrics and membranes. They also have a good one on differences between hard and soft shells.

http://www.ProLiteGear.com responds to a viewer request to test Gore-Tex Pro Shell vs. Active Shell, eVENT & NeoShell.

[grizzly550]

I don't have an opinion on what is best but I just wanted to give a heads up you can score the Sitka Cloudburst pants and jacket at 40% off right now at Wholesale...I snagged a set and am pretty stoked on how its fitting. I'll found out sometime this season if it lives up to the hype, im sure.

[Rattler]

I have the Arc'teryx Sidewinder jacket for mountain hunts and HH Impertech for bushwacking/lowland hunts. Recommend Cabelas rain swede rain gear as well, especially the bib pants. They have been very durable and quiet, but like others have said they are tad warm, so recommend using for Oct/Nov hunting.

[geoskier]

Pretty much any arcteryx pro shell is great. Have Kuiu Yukon too and it is nice since it is a soft shell. Not quite as waterproof as goretex once the DWR wears off. You need to regularly maintain these and goretex jackets.

[pinofire]

Thanks I went there but they only had the jacket and not my size.

[pinofire]

I ordered some core4elemnt off of camofire. Ill let youo guys know what it's like when it arrives.

[broncoo]

for cheapness and packability you cant beat frog toggs i have been in some wicked rain storms always as dry as a bone underneath


bass pro sells em around the $30point for a complete set

[Camp Cook]

I have the chugach jacket and pants. Great rain gear but not meant to be worn all the time bushwacking. They are very packable and they mainly stay in my pack and only used during rain or if i need as windbreaker. They will keep you dry for sure but they are loud. If you want bombproof raingear i would suggest the Yukon line from Kuiu but they are heavier than the chugach and less packable

I also have the Chugach NX rain gear from Kuiu it is always in my pack great gear but I've also been thinking of scoring the Yukon rain gear as well but do not want camo want OD green so I'm holding off for now.

I'm also looking at the Delta Green Simms rain gear looks pretty impressive but I would go Kuiu again if I have a choice.

[Superdeuce]

If open to non-camo solids, their are tons of options from non-hunting oriented outdoor companies who make high end gear and now is a good time to pick it up for cheap as winter season ends.

I suggest checking out Westcomb if you are looking at the more breathable eVent or Neoshell materials. Made in Vancouver and founded by some former Arcteryx guys who went on their own when Arc moved their manufacturing from Van to China. Well respected in the ski/mountaineering circles for making high quality gear.

[Buck]

WEstcomb Neoshell jackets are great.Bone dry and no sweating Love mine.