Rain Gear????
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: bigbuckODY
16-Feb-17
what is a good light weight rain gear to purchase or is there a good high quality Jacket and pants combo that can be for walking glassing and rain proof and still be quiet to semi quiet been looking at sitka gear because it is breathable and dries fast but what specific style name should i buy
From: wyobullshooter
16-Feb-17
Cabela's Space Rain Gear.
From: txhunter58
16-Feb-17
The tops might be Ok, but get some heavier duty gear for the pants. Space rain will tear. Most people take duct tape in their pack to patch it. Save up and get some better pants at least. I wait for a sale and buy Rain suede. Those generally last me 6 plus years.
From: Jaquomo
16-Feb-17
Whatever Sitka you can afford.
The thing to remember is that a bluebird morning can turn into a horrible ordeal with hail and a 40 degree temperature drop by afternoon. So if you plan to be out all day buy something extremely light, compresses well, that will ALWAYS be in your pack. For me that's the Cabelas Space Rain gear.
Do you promise to give us a full hunt recap, with photos, after you get back? Otherwise a bunch of us are going to go on strike and quit offering advice. :-)
From: bigbuckODY
16-Feb-17
promise to give recap details full on. i 1000% appreciate ALL the help im getting i hvae done so much research and watched hundreds of hours of Gritty Bowman podcasts Elk Shape Randy Newberg and many more but the more i gather and write in my notebook the better chance i have of surviving and maybe get a shot an ELK either way its a success
From: PoudreCanyon
16-Feb-17
Vapor storm light from First lite looks pretty badass. Haven't tried it, but an XL jacket weighs 12 ounces...
From: idacurt
16-Feb-17
I've been extremely happy with kuiu Chugach.
From: txhunter58
17-Feb-17
Be sure and consider the fabric rain gear is made from. I bought a Sitka top in a killer sale (stormlite) that is light and very packable, but it is very loud. I use it only for summer scouting trips
From: elk yinzer
17-Feb-17
For elk in the Rockies, unless you're not working off an unlimited budget, I'd honestly save some money on raingear and allocate that elsewhere. Cabela's Space Rain is really good stuff for the price point. King's Camo also has a nice jacket that used to be the Russell APGx line. I have both. The non-camo stuff in the Marmot Precip class is honestly fine too. Space Rain is really quiet for a rain jacket so it doubles as a wind breaker and would be my recommendation of the three. Only complaint about the space rain is I would prefer pit zips, and a zipper guard. But I got mine for less than $50 so I can't complain.
Yeah the sitka, kuiu, first lite stuff is made of superior fabric, and for a hunt in a climate where you expect a ton of rain or safety becomes a significant factor, spend the extra money there. Not likely a safety factor in the Rockies, you are likely to see only passing showers, and if you get some unrelenting rain like my 2013 CO trip, just hunker down and wait it out, because that's what the elk are doing too.
From: ElkNut1
17-Feb-17
Both in our rain gear!
Both in our rain gear!
When I'm choosing rain gear for our Sept elk hunts I want super light & keeps me dry over whether it makes a bit of noise or not. If I'm wearing it it's because it's raining & conditions are sucking. It's noisy out there anyway with all the dripping off the trees. Staying dry is # 1. Most the light weight stuff under 2 # will fit the bill for most of those elk hunts! At present I'm wearing the Kryptek Poisedon rain gear & my son is wearing the Core4 Torrent stuff. Both perform just fine for our style of hunts & we've worn them many times, they pack up to the size of your fist so take little room in our packs.
I did check out the space rain at cabelas a couple of weeks ago & it is a similar fabric & lightweight as we presently use, it no doubt would also fit the bill. Choose a light weight set & stay dry my friend! (grin) The photo shows us in our rain gear here!
p.s. don't wait till your wet & put your rain gear on, it works best while you're still dry!
ElkNut1
From: cnelk
17-Feb-17
Heck, Ive carried some $40 FroggToggs in my pack, put them on and waited out the afternoon rainstorm under a blow down or big spruce.
When its over, put them back in the pack and go hunt
Dont over think it.
From: LBshooter
17-Feb-17
I have used frog togs also and have no complaints. Cheap enough that they can easily be replaced if needed. As long as I don't walk through the thorns they last.
From: midwest
17-Feb-17
Space rain top....packs down to the size of a beer can and is ALWAYS in my pack. Makes a good wind break for sitting and glassing, too. I have a pair of Sitka bottoms at the bargain cave I'll take if I'm going to be a long ways from camp.
From: txhunter58
17-Feb-17
I have a little different take on raingear. The times I have been wet, I have been miserable, especially if it is cold too. So I don't worry about saving a few bucks on this item. I buy it like I may need it if I get lost or hurt and have to spend the night in the woods in a rainstorm. Not all terrain allows you to get under a spruce or behind a blowdown. Not as much of a deal if you go with other people, but I have done a lot of solo hunts and I want to feel comfortable I can survive overnight in the elements if need be.
From: joehunter
17-Feb-17
Spacerain- always in my pack! It packs very small and is super light. Rain gear does no good if it is back at camp because it was a nice day!
From: MPN
17-Feb-17
Frog togs are garbage if we are talking about true hunting rain gear. Kuiu chugach has worked well for me.
From: jims
17-Feb-17
If you want the best go with Kuiu or Sitka. You can usually find a great deal somewhere. If you are pinched for $ possibly go with Marmot Precip. I've used Marmots in Alaska many times and it's almost as good as the other 2. You can likely get them for around $50 at Sierra Trading. No matter which rain jacket you purchase make SURE the jacket has pitzips. If you don't have pitzips and do much hiking you are bound to get wet from the inside out!
From: MonkeyEyes
17-Feb-17
Cnelk nailed it. I'm a mail man and walk 12 miles a day. After more than a thousand dollars spent on the "best" rain gear on the market. I now only buy frog togs. They last for a long time, far longer than any gortex I've had. Then even when I trash a pair of pants or jacket it's 30 bucks and I'm good to go another year or two.
From: Cheesehead Mike
17-Feb-17
One thing to realize about frog toggs is that water will soak through and get your butt wet if you're sitting on something like a boat seat.
From: wyobullshooter
17-Feb-17
"So I don't worry about saving a few bucks on this item."
I understand your point, but I don't think you understand ours. As others have said, regardless of how good or expensive it is, rain gear's worthless if you don't have it with you. Most people dislike hauling bulky, heavy rain gear day after day when the weather's nice, which is generally the case when elk hunting in September. It ends up being left in camp when you again head out in bluebird weather. That's what makes rain gear like Space Rain so appealing to many...it's light, small, and always with you. Expense isn't a part of the equation.
From: Teeton
17-Feb-17
I'very been using the space rain gear for many years. Elk hunting , deer hunting, bear hunting turkey and so on. I love the why they pack to almost nothing. Weigh almost nothing. They are always in my pack. I have patched them 2 or 3 times with duck tape on the inside as stated above. I do have so called better rain gear, but they are heavier bulkier and don't pack anywhere near as good as my space rain.
From: txhunter58
18-Feb-17
You guys must take more stuff in your hunting daypack than I do. the heaviest thing is water, then a survival kit, food for the day plus a little extra, some light weight meat bags, and raingear. Space rain jackets weigh .75 lb and bottoms 0.55 lb, so total of 1.3 lbs. My tops weigh 2 lbs and bottoms weigh 1.5 lbs. Yes, they are bulkier than space rain, but not enough that it makes a dent in the room in my daypack. So, for me the extra 2.2 lbs in my day pack is not an issue, and I don't need the extra room.
However, I would see nothing wrong with the spacerain tops and heavier duty bottoms. Maybe it is my age, but hiking up a wet mountain I generally slip and go to one knee from time to time. And when I stop for awhile, I go to one knee or sit. I like knowing that the pants will hold up to that.
Also, when I was young, and for probably the first 5 years I hunted in the mountains, I took nothing more than a plastic poncho and I survived!
From: oldgoat
18-Feb-17
I like my rain gear to be quiet because it's also what I use to stay warm early and late in the day, it pulls a lot more duty keeping me warm than keeping me dry. My First Light Corrugates did so well keeping me dry in normal conditions being encountered that I quit taking my rain pants out. If it was an all day d deluge, I probably won't be hunting anyway, but if I was I would have the pants on too. So try to figure out something that can double duty for you!
From: GDx
18-Feb-17
after 20 years of elk hunting in Colorado, I can only recall 3 years where having good rain gear really mattered. one year I had coated nylon rain gear. while it was lite, I was always wet. most of the time you can wait out the rain storms. good boots and gaiters or pants to keep out your feet dry seem more important to me. that being said, I purchased 2 sets of space rain gear when it first came out. the first pair lasted me about 10 years. yeah, it has some duct tape and seem grip. hard to beat the cost to value. the new space rain gear is a little heavier than the original stuff. partly due to the full length zipper. I think this year I am going to try my precip rain gear. I also like the pit zips. I have learned to carry a 5x6 sil tarp with me. good for rain and shade.
if your gear starts to loose its effectiveness, you can always retreat it.
From: Ermine
19-Feb-17
Sitka dewpoint is crazy light weight! But quality rain gear
From: Bou'bound
19-Feb-17
How about Sitka downpour
From: Barty1970
19-Feb-17
Sitka Downpour for me...brushed finish is super quiet...wonder if the new subalpine Thunderhead will have the same finish?
From: cnelk
19-Feb-17
All I know is that anyone who hunted Colorado in 2013 knew if their rain gear worked or not
From: wyobullshooter
19-Feb-17
Rain gear? Heck, there were times I wished I had scuba gear! lol!
From: bigbuckODY
19-Feb-17
thanks guys i appreciate the help but im going to just buy cheap cabelas space set and spend money on good sitka down jacket for cold days if needed and sitka gear pants and jacket
From: 320 bull
20-Feb-17
2013 was the wettest I have ever been. Always wondered why I brought back up gear.
From: Cocoon Man
20-Feb-17
As a lot of others I usually have the Cabelas space rain in my pack. I ordered some heavy duty stuff from England years ago ,I believe it is Peter Storm really good but bulky. Sitka is coming out with some new rain gear this year called the Thunderhead. It is touted as having a quiet outside layer with Gore-Tex. Anyone put their hands on a set? (Charlie?) This will be on my radar.
From: caribou77
20-Feb-17
I've had great results with the first lite storm tight boundary. (Which they don't make anymore. It's heavier than their vapor line and lighter than the seak. Very durable. Fairly quiet. And dries out quick.
From: bigbuckODY
21-Feb-17
I've ordered my hunting pants. Sitka 90% pants (optima back country pattern)these will be the only pants I will be wearing on hike into spike camp and entire trip I'll bring along a pair of inner layer ( under Armour cold gear) for just in case situations but I still can't decide on jacket/outer layer well be on the move tons till we locate ELK I'm bringing my Under Armour hunting hoodie to save a little money by not buying a down vest I know also I want ASAT jacket camouflage pattern First Lite Woodbury Jacket is one jacket I'm looking at but not sure it'll work good bow hunting does anyone use this jacket during bow hunts? What jackets would best fit our style of on the move hunting? I was also just thinking of buying a vest for chilly mornings putting it over my inner layer but still having a jacket in my pack at all times for cold weather/snow and windy glassing spots?
From: Cheesehead Mike
21-Feb-17
In the past I always packed a Sitka 90% jacket and either a Celsius or Jetstream vest and it worked well but it seemed like I only wore the jacket around camp. Once I started moving and chasing elk it didn't take very long and I was getting too warm and stripping the jacket off and stuffing it in my daypack. I ended up packing it around all day and hardly ever wore it. Last year I packed a Kryptek Aquillo hooded puffy jacket instead and although I stripped it off just as quickly once I started chasing elk, it provided a much better warmth to weight ratio than the Sitka 90% and it compresses down better in the pack. I'd much rather be sitting and glassing or sitting around camp in the cold evenings wearing the puffy versus the 90% jacket.
I don't know anything about the First Lite Woodbury jacket but I just looked at it on their website and it sounds like it's geared toward tree stand and waterfowl hunters. It might not be the best jacket for elk hunting in the mountains...?
From: BagginBigguns
21-Feb-17
I've found the Cabela's Space Rain to be about as quiet as raingear comes. Most raingear is crinkly and stiff, but the Space Rain is so limber that it tends not to make as much noise, even compared to varieties with an outer fleece coating (which tend to hold onto moisture). Just something to consider.
From: willliamtell
21-Feb-17
One thing about raingear is when I have it on I like to have as little clothing as possible under it and I try to slow down to control perspiration. Once you 'wet out' breathable gear with sweat it almost goes osmotic on you - that sucky translucent look where it's soaked on both sides and worthless as raingear. Tricky to find the right clothing/pace combo, since once you stop things cool off quickly. Do like zippits, although IMO manufacturers should spend more time designing them so when they're open water from your shoulders and arms doesn't get inside the sleeves.
Just treated a bunch of different waterproof gear with woolite and then Nikwax wash-in liquid. It helps restore that nice beaded-up look you want on the outside.
From: BC
24-Feb-17
Anyone use Rivers West? They offer a light version that is packable. My bud has the heavier version for late season and he swears by it.
From: WYelkhunter
25-Feb-17
I am also curious what the Rivers West weatherbeater rain gear is like. How does it compare to cabelas space rain gear?
From: donnybowhunter
29-Apr-17
I just bought cabelas space rain gear
From: jordanathome
29-Apr-17
Sitka hands down for me. Bought my rain gear in 2006 or so......after years of use and abuse there were a few issues, pocket welds started to fail......velcro closure at the wrists came loose......sent it in in 2015 and got a Brand New set at no cost. Buy it once. Have it forever.
From: carcus
30-Apr-17
I have older sitka rain gear, it held up great, its the packable kind, don't think they make it anymore, its not goretex, I think is called nimbus or something like that? Unfortunately its worn out and I'm looking for a replacement, I tried cabelas space rain pants, nice light, but couldn't handle the bush I hunt, tore em up in a few days, I wear them almost every morning as the morning due where I hunt is ridiculous, so I'm searching for rain pants as well, sucks the canadian dollar is worthless! Just ordered some helley hanson impertech, hope its not too hot or bulky
From: EJG
30-Apr-17
I had the older Sitka rain gear and recently upgraded to First Lite SEAK jacket and pants. It is awesome stuff so far. I honestly can't see how the other companies could better, the sizing, fit, details in cuffs and hood are great. Has been tough so far and seems quite durable. And seems very breathable when I have hiked a few hours with a heavy pack. Doesn't seems to hold water on the outer layer at all so drys very fast. Worth checking out
From: must@huntelk
30-Apr-17
Kuiu hands down
From: Ermine
30-Apr-17
Sitka The dew point series is very light and works well
From: jdee
30-Apr-17
About 6 or 7 years ago I bought a set of Sitka rain gear and never looked back. I can't remember what the name of them are but they sure do work good no matter how hard it is raining. Quiet too. Buy a good set once and don't worry about rain or getting wet !
From: jordanathome
30-Apr-17
ERG....contact Sitka......they may replace them with new stock. I bought my Sitka rain gear in 2006 or 2008...years ago. They no longer make it but when I sought warranty repair they gave me a complete set of BRAND NEW Downpour gear at NO CHARGE.
From: Brun
30-Apr-17
I like the First Lite stuff.... Digital camo is clearly unethical and will cause you to lose your hunting skills , so Sitka is out.
From: LesWelch
03-May-17
I disagree with you guys asking for new rainwear because yours wore out after 10 years of use. Defective yes I totally understand, but after 10 years, defective, still a reach IMO. That said Sitka has one of, if not the best Customer Service segments in the industry.
I have the new Thunderhead in Subalpine, its badass.
From: pachanga
03-May-17
Peter Storm rain gear. Go to the Alaska sites and ask. It rains all the time there
