Rain Gear

[44inchStone]

Hey Yeall,

Well I'm sure everyone here has there own experiences on the goods and bads of raingear. Have been on some REALLY wet hunts myself, either up sheep, elk, caribou or moose hunting, Rain is Rain and getting wet could put you in a life or death situation real quick. Your opinions on the "BEST" lightweight rain gear that would hol up in buckbrush country yet light enough to keep you dry. Thanks for the help

[bigwhiteys]

Personally I like to start off with clothes that can dry quickly and then layer my way out to the shell. My shell right now is a Helly Hansen "Packable" it's called. It works but could be better.

I've packed my rainpants along for most trips, but in the mountains I find that with them on I end up just as wet as if I'd never worn them at all, because of the sweat produced from hiking.

For pants I wear NorthFace convertibles. They dry incredibly fast if there is even a light wind, or a fire nearby.

Carl

[huntcoop]

What about HH Impertech.

[Tarp Man]

Sitka gear is the cat's whiskers, but you have to sell the dog to afford it. Browning has some lightweight packable stuff that is much cheaper, but I haven't heard of its durability and performance. Rivers West is pretty amazing, and has three different weights to accomodate different levels of cold weather. They also have a pretty incredible warranty. Anything Gore Tex is going to work well, and if it is the Pro Shell stuff it is lighter and breathes better than the three layer stuff. The Pro Shell is the newer generation stuff. Nearly any backpacking company makes solid rainwear, as the usual suspects of hardcore gear actually wear it out there. Common names are Arc' Teryx (pricey like Sitka but made locally in Vancouver), Patagonia, Helly Hansen, North Face, Taiga and of course Mountain Equipment Co-op for starters.

If you are in buckbrush country, then durability is at a premium? I would stick with the pricey stuff from Arc' Teryx, Sitka, and MEC. Remember that this stuff needs to be kept clean

[Big7]

Pioneer - they are lightweight, fairly durable and inexpensive (pants and jacket for $120) I am on my second set now in roughly 5 years so they seem to be holding up. I spend a ton of time in the bush as well so they have definately been field tested. They squish down to practically nothing which is nice for back packing.

[Mik]

I have not gone on any backpack sheep hunts, however lots and lots of quading then hiking up to my final destination and have and still do use "wetskins" from costco. I love them.

[frenchbar]

Pioneer - they are lightweight, fairly durable and inexpensive (pants and jacket for $120) I am on my second set now in roughly 5 years so they seem to be holding up. I spend a ton of time in the bush as well so they have definately been field tested. They squish down to practically nothing which is nice for back packing.
x2 .i use pioneer as well ...not the best but light and fairly durable.

[Deadshot]

Marmot Pre-Cip.
Full zip pants & vented pits.
Good $hit!

[Big Banger]

Montane available at Wholesale Sports, it is expensive but worth it.

[bruin]

I use mountain harware gore-tex raingear for sheep. Tried northface this past season and got wet around my shoulder straps and anywhere there was pressure on the jacket. I wear pioneer if I'm not backpacking but I will sweat in it too much if I'm hiking hard(definitely a durable product though). It is a little quieter than the goretex stuff. Heard lots of good things about Sitka this year, even that they have a really good warranty on their raingear.
Word of warning, don't buy browning or similar "lightweight/packable" gear if you are planning on being in any kind of thick bush. I had a hunter that wore it on a sheep hunt and by the end he looked like the tinman because of all the duct tape. It tears very easily.

[huntermike]

I also have used the pioneers for years and find them very light and easy to pack but also very durable!

[44inchStone]

Well all excellent info. I have Brownign Gortex however when this crap gets wet it seems like the dampness is in you for good. Having something that is packable, ligtweight and the BIGGIE....WATERPROOF is what counts. It all comes down to you get what you pay for.
Another real problem I had with last years hunt was waders of some sorts. In the wet country you certainly need something that is going to keep your feet dry however it is hard to find something that is NOT bulky, fits well as you are still required to put on the KMS.
Have looked at bog busters, and other waders but what really works??? And your feet don't pay the price. Hip waders is what I'm looking at.

[eaglesj]

If you are in buckbrush country, then durability is at a premium? I would stick with the pricey stuff from Arc' Teryx, Sitka, and MEC. Remember that this stuff needs to be kept clean

MEC is the only place I get my stuff. While they are expensive, they are much cheaper than other stores, and exactly the same quality. It has already be mentioned about the importance of wearing wicking layers and then your middle layers that dry quickly.

[Deadshot]

I use the bog busters. Have wore them for all day hunting & the feet were OK. Just have to watch you don't puncture them when in the timber.
I'm using those neoprene gaiters that come with fishing waders over my raingear cuff with a Schnee pac boot now.

[Up&Out]

I agree don't buy the Browning "lightweight/packable" gear, I still use it but it didn't take long on my sheep hunt before I had three holes in the ass of the pants. Don't even think of wearing the pants without gators. I felt the sitka lightweight rain gear and it didn't seem much more durable but I could be wrong.

[boxhitch]

Have looked at bog busters, and other waders but what really works??? And your feet don't pay the price. Hip waders is what I'm looking at.I have a set of Cabelas neoprene hip waders, lite and comfortable, but I wouldn't count on the boot for much hiking. Maybe a breathable fabric wader with a stocking foot, then a pair of stout lace-up rubber boots ?

[boxhitch]

With any rain gear, best to practice the warm-when-wet credo.
Wet from the outside or wet from sweat, it all happens.

Or think along the lines of my Kiwi buddies, who chuckle when ever I an bundled up trying to stay dry. They like to run the mountains in shorts and merino wool when it gets colder.
They say ' skin is waterproof , why mess with that ?'

[Johnnybear]

I guess it depends on what you are doing and what kind of hunting you are doing. HH Impertech is what I use when the stuff starts coming down cats and dogs.

[gibblewabble]

When it rains I wear MEC Goretex cause I stay dry and they cant hear the branches rubbing on it and when the bush is wet I just put a pair of brushed cotton camo pants over them to quieten them down. I have a mad dog gore-tex knock off jacket which is pretty good as long as I am not hiking hard, if I am in for a good hike I just throw on the hiking gear from MEC. I have been on some pretty good hikes in heavy rain and stayed pretty dry as long as you have neoprene long johns and layer well. The MEC goretex I bought 16 years ago is still water proof with only a few holes in it that I have sewn up and used a repair glue to reseal the repair, I have to say I'd buy it again it is worth the money.

[ryanb]

Arc'Teryx Goretex. Theta AR jacket and Beta AR pants in goretex pro shell. Got the two at 50% off for $500. Really puts all other outdoor gear to complete shame, but is obviously not the quietest. For high country hunts I wear quiet fast drying camo, fleece and polyester, and use the rain gear only when required.

[MikeH]

Gore tex beats a rubber suit any day.

[Gateholio]

I am stil using my top of the line (for then) gor tex parka form MEC, circa 2000

Gor tex for the top, with BIG armpit vents for when you are moving...

Raingear bottoms I only wear when stationary, riding a quad, or walking through really wet brush. Hiking up a mountina in raingear pants just turns your legs into a sweat bag, so I just stick with something that dries out fast...

PS good rubber beats all , when you are getting wet, dirty, or sitting in one spot

[BearStump]

Tarp Man Browning has some lightweight packable stuff that is much cheaper, but I haven't heard of its durability and performance.


Ive got the browning light weight packable pants, and they're great but the dont hold up to the thick stuff very good. They rip in the thick stuff pretty easily.

[BCRiverBoater]

For pants I have a pair of Gor-tex SWAZI pants. Absolutley bulletproof. I would say as light as any other top end super tough pant. Would not consider a packable package like the brownings but I still find them light and packable enough for my sheep hunts. I wear just my light underwear (longjohns) on hot days, warm wet days just my SWAZI and on cold days I wear the longjohns and SWAZI. I have yet to be wet from the rain. I find they breathe better than other gear I have worn in the past. They were about $300 6 or 7 years ago but I still have them without a single hole. I do wear gators but they have some kevlar re-enforced knees, bum and ankles. Awesome gear!!!

As far as a coat I have yet to find a perfect one. I have tried several different ones and I have a few that are decent and seem to work fine but they are a little bulkier than I would like but they keep me dry. I will most likely be breaking down and buying a SWAZI jacket at some point.

[Fox]

Arctery'x proshell The face fabric they get from Gore is exclusively sold to them and is better than the products used in the Gore Mec jackets and pants. Micro seam tape is used, the smaller the tape the more breathable the garment. Pit zips on the jackets for venting and some of the pants have full length zips on the pants that can be opened up to add a little venting when your really moving.etc. They are now producing a brushed gore in multicam pattern for there military product line and it is much quieter. Unfortunately civilians cannot purchase those products. I have tried a lot of different rain gear and spent a lot of time working and playing in the rain and this is the best yet just expensive as hell.

[twoSevenO]

If you want the best then Arc'teryx wins hands down. However, the best comes at a price ... in this case around $650 for a shell.
It's a hefty price tag, but you asked for the best :)

[Up&Out]

I was reading another forum and one guy was complaining about the Sitka Stormfront leaking around the seams. He was pretty unhappy. Before that I wanted the stormfront but now have second thoughts. Sitka's warranty isn't anything like rivers west. How well does River's West light weight stuff breath? If it has a 10 year waterproof warranty and a 1 year rip/tear warranty it must be decent.

[Devilbear]

I started wearing GT in 1978, have worn out a few shells and have a few now. I disliked the MEC GT shell I bought in the mid-'90s and replaced it with a "Jack's Wolfskin" in 2000. Arcteryx is the single, most over-hyped gear made, it is made in various factories throughout the world and is far too costly for what you get. Their "military" gear is a whole different issue, but, you cannot buy it as a civilian, so.....

I use and much prefer Integral Designs eVent shells, a "Through Hiker" and a "Pullover" in garbage bag green, my favourite hunting top in wet weather. I have come to think that ALL pants made from ANY of this costly fabric are a waste of cash in BC bush and Helly Hansen "Impertech" pants with the ID shells are my choice. I do not like "pit zips" when carrying a heavy pack and I size my gear so that it will vent as it is loose...this works VERY well, btw.

I always carry an OD coloured ID "Silponcho and have coated nylon chaps from Cabela's, bought "on sale" for $19.95 each. I actually prefer this to almost all shells for most hunting and it is lighter, cheaper and the most compact. I wear wool and with this rig, I never get really wet or cold.

[steelheadSABO]

i got a new green carhartt jacket now im hoping for rain so i can try it out.i wont have to worry about it wearing through its pretty thick but definetly not the lightest:)

[digger dogger]

i'm tellin ya's again, if you heard me say it before, i'll say it again TAIGA.. some body buy a set on this site, so someone else will know what i mean.. and i mean dry.. it has stood up to, the tat, moody lakes, spatsizi a few times.. i bought it in 02 and its starting to leak now. the pants are still water proof. no rips in either, jacket or pants.. $350 jacket\$150 i think for pants.... well worth the $

[bigwhiteys]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned anything created out of eVENT fabric. By all accouts I've read this stuff blows gore-tex away as far as waterproof breathability.

Integral Designs makes an eVENT jacket called the "Thru Hiker" It's lighter than my Helly Hansen packable jacket and by the reviews I've read it's unmatched by other top $$$ gear.

Anybody used the eVENT gear? I am thinking about dropping the $260 on the jacket.

Carl

[Devilbear]

Read my post, #28, posted an hour ago. I HIGHLY recommend the "Thru. Hiker" in "garbage bag green" and, another VERY fine maker of eVent clothing is "Wildthings" of New Hampshire. Marie of WT WILL do custom work far beyond what EVan of ID is comfortable with and her products are OUTSTANDING.....but, she caters to the serious mountain crowd and they are not "cheap". So what, how many will you buy in your life IF, you reserve them for hunting and don't wear your gear to the bar to look cool.

Marie called me one morning awhile back, she KNOWS her sh*t about mountain clothing and she just wanted to tell me that she had possibly located some eVent fabric in that digital camo that everyone is going bonkers over. I did not order another jacket as I have enough stuuf now, but, I had mentioned it to her MONTHS before and she took the time to call long distance and let me know.....THAT is WHY I buy from these small "carriage trade" outfits.

I think that you well love a "TH" from ID and eVent is SO FAR beyond GT, that there is no comparison.

[bigwhiteys]

Read my post, #28, posted an hour ago. I HIGHLY recommend the "Thru. Hiker" in "garbage bag green" and, another VERY fine maker of eVent clothing is "Wildthings" of New Hampshire.
Thanks DB! I should have paid more attention. I don't understand the price people pay for Arcteryx, Mountain Hardware, Sitka, Riverswest etc... When there is a much better waterproof breathable material on the market, it's just not really catered to hunters.

And it's cheaper than some, @ $260 the Thru Hiker does lack frills though, including Pit Zips. But by the reviews I've read you don't really need them.

General Electic owns eVENT.

Carl

[Devilbear]

Most outdoor gear is sold by "image" advertising and bullshit. Most of it is over-priced, pooely designed and of shoddy manufacture and it really is intended for "looking cool" on campus or at the "pub".

Pit zips will work, IF, the entire jacket is designed around them; this is not USUALLY the case as it requires FAR more skilled labour to do the extra fabric marking, cutting and sewing involved and this is what makers do not want as the profits are small enough in the gear industry, after "overhead".

My original GT "Marmot Mtn" parka from Grand Junction-CO., had PZs that worked and was a work of art, it cost nearly $300.00 in January, 1978 and it lasted me until January, 1982. But, NO other parka I have ever had has been so carefully cut, shaped and stitched and thus the PZs inhibit proper pack fitting. This leads to uncomfortable carrying and why spend $1000.00 and more on a pack that you cannot fit to YOUR body perfectly?

ID is, quite simply, among the BEST gear makers in existence and NOBODY makes better stuff. Even other highend makers have told me this in conversations and on several occasions.

I have Riverswest, yawn, good for sitting and waiting for a deer, have examined lots of Sitka and talked to them from before it came on the market. I like it, but, I feel it is too costly for what you get. For colder backpacks, I wear Filson's whipcords, the raingear I posted, carry an ID Rundle jacket and an MEC vest with Primaloft and wear layers of thin Icebreaker and MEC merino and I have never been uncomfortable from Sept. to Dec.

I like those HH Impertech bibs for really wet days and the ID Pullover in eVent and am totally satisfied. I have some other super stuff, but, it was discontinued, so, is not relevent now.

I seldom buy "hunter's" clothing, there are cheaper and better alternatives.

[MidnightRun]

DB, I just read the product description on ID's website about the thru hiker jacket. I have a few questions after reading a comment that mentions the fabric quietens down with use, is it loud, did it quieten down, what other fabrics would it compare to for loudness? By no means am i expecting it to be whisper quiet, but can you at least hear yourself think if the hood brushes against brush with the hood on, or turning your head, moving your arms etc ?

[Mountain Hunter]

I like those HH Impertech bibs for really wet days and the ID Pullover in eVent and am totally satisfied.

I seldom buy "hunter's" clothing, there are cheaper and better alternatives.

HH Impertech is the best I have found from riverboating trips to backpacking the mountains - when really wet anyways!

I've had Integral Design gear before and found their gear to be very well-made. I'm going to look into the the eVent Pullover. Thanks.

[SHACK]

i'm tellin ya's again, if you heard me say it before, i'll say it again TAIGA.. some body buy a set on this site, so someone else will know what i mean.. and i mean dry.. it has stood up to, the tat, moody lakes, spatsizi a few times.. i bought it in 02 and its starting to leak now. the pants are still water proof. no rips in either, jacket or pants.. $350 jacket\$150 i think for pants.... well worth the $


I dont know if TIAGA's stuff has improved, but the wife and I both had there parkas about 6 or 7 years ago and it was just crap!!! Didn't even maintain any sort of water resistance after one season in the rain. Not worth the 250 each we spent on the stuff!! 2 parkas found there way into the Big Bros hamper in under a year!

[Devilbear]

DB, I just read the product description on ID's website about the thru hiker jacket. I have a few questions after reading a comment that mentions the fabric quietens down with use, is it loud, did it quieten down, what other fabrics would it compare to for loudness? By no means am i expecting it to be whisper quiet, but can you at least hear yourself think if the hood brushes against brush with the hood on, or turning your head, moving your arms etc ?

My "Thru Hiker" is pretty quiet for a synthetic fabric and my "Pullover" hunting shell in garbage bag green, is heavier and slightly noisier, but, it is a skookum fabric and VERY functional in rainy alpine hunting, which is what I bought it for. I would buy eVent pants made of this if Evan would make them, but, he won't, so.....

All in all, I would choose Impertech as being a very good rainwear for hunting and even backpacking, when cost is considered, but, I like my ID eVent shell, Silponcho and chaps/gaiters rig and now use it most of the time.

[pappy]

I use the H/H packable jacket on the island coast and in the northern mountains. for pants I use the pioneer ones that fold up nice and small. both have served me well. Both are not way over priced, I only carry the pioneer pants with me in case I need them. I too always wear the quick drying convertable northface pants, there good for crossing water when you could use a pair of shorts quickly.

[digger dogger]

well shack, i don't know what yer doin in your jacket? like i said mine has stood up to some ugly backpack hunts. and this year it has started to leak at the pits.. i paid 350 for mine 8 yrs ago. my pants still don't leak. different model of jacket maybe? i will buy another taiga jacket for next season.. you are the first person to have a bad experience with taiga i have heard of, i'm sure there are others aswell, but i am pretty hard my gear and i very happy with it..

[bigwhiteys]

Yesterday a long awaited package finally came in the mail...

It was my new rain gear.

Integral Designs eVent "Thru-Hiker"
Integral Designs eVent Rain Pants

Initial quality...? Wow. This is incredibly nice stuff! I was hoping the rain would stick around so I could go test it out. I'll be posting a full review on my website in the coming weeks.

For the cost of this rain suit ($600) anybody looking at Gore-Tex needs to rethink their plan! Gore-tex simply cannot compete in the performance dept... They are MUCH better at marketing though, with an enormous jump. Now that GE (General Electric) owns eVent maybe we will start to see it in more quality outdoor products.

Carl

[BabineGuide]

Warmer weather in more active hunting situations anything made from Gore tex paclite is excellent. Breathes very well, is super light and will keep you dry with proper care. Sitka and Mountain Hardwear have been my favourites.

For river or horseback hunts where breathability and packability aren't AS important I like Helly Hansen Imperetech. This stuff is basically a rubber rainsuit with a thin mesh like lining to prevent rips. This is the quietest rubber you can get, even in cold weather.

Late season, where the chance of rain and snow are equal I like to switch to a Softshell. Sitka Coldfront in Gore Softshell has proven itself many times. But at over 600$ its not for everyone.

Cheers

[huntcoop]

...... How well does River's West light weight stuff breath? If it has a 10 year waterproof warranty and a 1 year rip/tear warranty it must be decent.

RW gear does not breath nor is it advertised as breathable. I had a pair of Stalker ATP pants, wore them on one 10 day hunt in the interior and they leaked, also put a small rip in the arse. Needless to say I have returned them and bought another brand.

One of my hunting partners has gone through 3 pairs of RW Trail pants, all have leaked. The only good thing is that RW has replaced all 3 pairs on the warranty.

[bigwhiteys]

Warmer weather in more active hunting situations anything made from Gore tex paclite is excellent. Breathes very well, is super light and will keep you dry with proper care.
Gore-tex had it's day in the sun... There are far better materials being used in outdoor gear today and eVent is a shining example.

The only other fabric that comes close to eVent performance is "Entrant GII XT" from Toray. eVent still beats that by 20% more MVTR (moisture vapor transfer rate) eVent beats Gore-Tex MVTR performance by 100% or more and also carries a 30,000 mm water proof rating.

My old Helly Hansen "packable" a $180 jacket has a waterproof rating of 10,000 mm and I can definitely attest to it's lack of breathability!

http://www.eventfabrics.com/we_sweat.php <-- the little testing tool on the top of the page is pretty slick idea!

Carl

[bigwhiteys]

After further research on the eVent fabrics as a waterproof breathable I came across a few tests on YouTube. One of which was put out by Gore-Tex with a test that would show the breathability between the two fabrics. It was hardly scientific or a fair comparison.

I spent a few minutes today and created my own version of the test using two cups of boiling water, my eVent jacket and a Gore-Tex gaitor.

You can clearly see the difference in performance... It was VERY clear for me doing the test, but doesn't come through on the video as well. I have to play with the lighting to really catch the steam.

Anyways...

http://www.bchuntingblog.com/2010/02/event-vs-gore-tex-waterproof-breathability/

Carl

[Slime green cat]

I have found that if it breathes ..... it leaks (eventually) If its 100% water "proof" it doesn't breath, so you get wet from sweat instead of rain .

I have tried everything from the high end breathable stuff all the way down to the cheap rubber suits and found that best rain gear of all ..... is the cab of my truck with a coffee :mrgreen:

Screw rain gear .... when its wet, stay home or in the truck :wink:

[dana]

Living and working in the Interior Wetbelt, I wear raingear pretty much daily. In my opinion, there is nothing made that keeps ya dry. Maybe if you sit still and don't move, but I've never tried doing that. I have tried all major brandnames and I refuse to spend money on it anymore. I buy all my raingear from Value Village. Don't care about fashion. All I care about is the cheap price. Why would I spend several hundred bucks on raingear that I will just tear to pieces in a matter of a few weeks? Much rather spend less than 20 bucks and buy it often.

[Ubertuber]

i'm tellin ya's again, if you heard me say it before, i'll say it again TAIGA.. some body buy a set on this site, so someone else will know what i mean.. and i mean dry.. it has stood up to, the tat, moody lakes, spatsizi a few times.. i bought it in 02 and its starting to leak now. the pants are still water proof. no rips in either, jacket or pants.. $350 jacket\$150 i think for pants.... well worth the $I'll throw in a plug in for Taiga as well. Good quality zippers and well thought out vents. My gear is 16 years old, gets used all the time and still keeps me dry (except for a small rip in the right arm.The secret to any authentic Gor-Tex is to keep it clean and to steam iron it after a washing, otherwise it will leak. I steer clear of rubber rain gear, it doesn't breath at all and wears out in one or two seasons. Cough up the extra $ and buy good quality Gor-Tex, it'll be worth it in the long run.
I'll add that wool is what I normally wear for small showers and light rain.

[Toad Hunter]

Jenelco; the stuff is awesome.

BC made and cheap; great and light.

[leadpillproductions]

what about rain gear while riding a horse whats good