Rain gear

[Goneelkn]

What do you use for rain gear?? I'm talking walking through waist high wet grass rain gear. My best is Rivers West. Good stuff but sometimes it's to warm, and it's starting to let more water in.
While we are at it, how about boots. I use full leather and the coat with Obenauf's. If it's a wet few days in a row, seems i have to recoat the boots pretty often.

[WapitiTalk1]

Picked up a set (top/bottom) of the Russell Outdoors rain gear last summer. Used it in MT and at home in WA state in 2011. Packs down pretty darn well and is fairly light (around 30 ounces I'm guessing?). It's not extremely breathable but certainly does the job at keeping me dry. I like the full zip pants.. makes them much easier to get on/off. Top has a full hood and a few zippered/waterproof seamed pockets. Haven't tested them in extreme brush yet but I believe the RO stuff will do fine. Boots? I just have a pair of Danner's Pronghorns that work fine but like many of them, enough trudging through wet brush, and they eventually leak through.

ROtop.jpg (173.47 KiB) Viewed 7980 times

[ElkNut1]

We pack lightweight rain gear that crushes to the size of a big hardball or softball size! It's easy to carry & we use it when we are caught in it to help repel. We don't hunt in all day down pours so just need a little protection. I think ours is Timberghost or something like that, it's about the same as spacerain gear at Cabelas! I've used it once in pretty wet conditions & it kept me dry!

My boots are the Crispi GTX Hunters, no leaks to date in some pretty wet stuff too! They are very comfortable & nice to wear!

ElkNut1

[>>>---WW---->]

I have a set of Cabelas packable stuff. You can't buy it anymore. I think the jacket and pants used to run about the price as the SpaceRain junk and it is 10X more durable. I know I've had the same set for over ten years.

When it is really nasty, muddy, rainy out, I wear my Muck Chore Boots. They are like wearing a pair of house slippers. They could use a little better tred design. But they work OK in the mountains. Ice and hard pack is wear the better tred would be handy.

[dotman]

I picked up an outdoor research rampart rain jacket and will use gaitors for the legs. Pants always seem to dry fast and the llegs when wet don't suck as much as when the upper body is wet.

[ElkNut1]

For us raingear, is to help keep you dry to an extent, not 100%, we will put it on so we can get out of the rain and stay as dry as possible, not continue to hunt a miserable all day rain just because we have rain gear.This is why the light packable stuff works best for us! There have been times it was so miserable & windy/cold we stop & build a fire to warm up & then move on, you just do what you gotta do, mostly you just are uncomfortable, it's not going to kill you! (grin) You will dry out! (grin)

ElkNut1

[elkmtngear]

Like Paul, we use light packable rain gear. I also pack gaiters for the "wet grass" days, they really help keep the water from wicking into your boot tops, I would never go on a backcountry hunt without them.

Since we started using the SLIP System, it has really allowed us to hunt comfortably all day in the rain, with our elk decoys overhead; so we are sheltered, but instantly ready for any encounters we might have.

[slim9300]

What do you use for rain gear?? I'm talking walking through waist high wet grass rain gear. My best is Rivers West. Good stuff but sometimes it's to warm, and it's starting to let more water in.
While we are at it, how about boots. I use full leather and the coat with Obenauf's. If it's a wet few days in a row, seems i have to recoat the boots pretty often.

Rivers West is bar none the longest lasting and quietest rain gear on the market. Unlike the majority of rain gear, it's actually waterproof. The downfall is that it's hot (even the lightest weight models), bulky when packed and takes a century to dry out.

I would say that the Kuiu Chugach is the best compromise for a hunter like you who is walking through seriously wet stuff. It won't stay waterproof quite as long as the Rivers West but it's much lighter, way more packable and dries the quickest of pretty much anything else out there. It's downfall is that it's not as quiet as the Rivers West.

My old man told me that his Chugach pants started to leak a slight amount the other day. He has used them almost daily working in the woods of Western WA for about a full year. He still loves the pants and doesn't regret the purchase but can't wait for Kuiu to come out with their guide / commercial rain gear. On a side note, he's back to using his old Rivers West pants that he has had for three years now.

[jareed58]

I tried the Dry Ducks,(made by FroggToggs, I think), last year. Didn't last the first day. Tried to save some money. Picked up some SqualTec II from BPS this year seams a whole lot better. Littleless packable but quiet.

[JohnFitzgerald]

+1 on >>>---WW---->

It's a shame you can't buy it anymore.

[Moose-head]

I likw Wool cuz no matter how cold and wet you get you will stay warm and dry.

[mlauber]

I use the Sitka Gear Storm Front Lite. As pricey as it is the weight factor of being able to pack it tightly is the major reason.

It does as advertised & it drys out quickly if the pant cuffs, & sleeve cuffs get wet.

I don't ever expect to stay dry when hunting in the mountains. Rain is a never ending matter in early September it seems.

The gear works well. Rolls up tight. Weighs hardly a pound jacket & pants.

I have a River's West System. Love it also, but the system is heavy.

I also use the gators as keeping the water off, & out of your boots is a must.

Nothing is more misearbale than wet feet.