Helly Hansen or ?????
Equipment
8 days in the Brooks end of September. I have KUIU rain gear but it’s 10 years old. My outfitter suggested possibly taking a Helly Hansen suit to wear over it in case we get into heavy, prolonged rain. I’m fine with that, just wondering if there are other name brands of that type of rain suit to look at as well. Suggestions??? Thanks!
We use the lighter Helly Hansen bib and jacket when we want to stay totally dry, stretchy thin rubber one and it works mostly great for low activity hunting, sitting etc. Or we just wear the bibs on heavy dew days with no rain coming down. Works great! I say mostly great only because it’s not super durable, thorns or a pointy sharp branch will tear it open. The heavy helly hansen is much more durable and completely waterproof but it is really heavy and zero breathable. Kuiu, Sitka goretex type stuff is breathable but as he says heavy rain will soak through and bushwhacking will push the water through the knees at least for sure! We have found the first year you use any goretex type rain gear it works amazingly well, then is half crap no matter what treatment stuff you use.
Pretty tuff to beat the west coast standard for loggers and fishermen. I’ve had the same Impertech bibs and jacket for twenty years and still going. The bibs don’t fall down either.
Rivers West makes good rain gear. They offer three weights, light, medium and heavy. Mine is great for stand hunting but you’ll want to check out the light for a stalk hunt. Good luck.
I have the impertech as well. You'll be 100% dry from the elemtns, and 100% wet from the sweating.. but I'll take Helly Hanson over all other for AK...
If its really wet nothing beats a pair of Simms G4 waders. All other pants will fail at the boot/pant transition.
For normal rain I like the Kuiu Yukon pants
I can’t imagine hunting in imperTech.
If it’s raining hard enough for that stuff you probably shouldn’t be bow hunting anyway or probablyor any other hunting for that matter.
Kuiu Yukon and chugatch will be fine thanks
Impertech for me. You only have to wear it when it’s raining. Not all the time
Mine will be worn in Alaska in 5 weeks
cnelk can play cowboys and Indians all by himself. lol.
Big hawgleg on his belt! Wish we could carry them here…although I’ve grown to like spray.
Frogg toggs maybe. I like my Impertech.
I have had Impertech for a number of years, told Carcus about it and now his expensive Sitka stays at home. I hunt in it and have zero issues with it, seriously a life saver on our moose hunts.
Impertech is awesome stuff, inexpensive as well, I find it comfortable with multi layered wool worn under
I'm on my second set of Impertech pants and at one time owned 6 sets of the heavy stuff for my fishing boat.
What hasn't been mentioned about the Impertech is that the lining will dry in a few minutes. Basically it's just a layering on the inside to keep the cloth slippery. \
As for not hunting in the rain, that would mean I would have stayed in the tent during a couple of very successful goat hunts.
Never been wet in Kuiu. Multiple 7-10 day moose hunts in soggy weather. Love that stuff. I’m not wearing a rubber bag. Guaranteed wet for me, no thanks.
APauls, what Kuiu jacket are you running? I've got a sheep hunt next fall and I keep going back and forth between Yukon and Chugach. I've gotten by with a soft shell so far out west, but next year will be a different story.
Wool underwear is the key no matter what brand of raingear.
Never been wet in Kuiu. Multiple 7-10 day moose hunts in soggy weather. Love that stuff. I’m not wearing a rubber bag. Guaranteed wet for me, no thanks.
Helly Hansen Impertech for use on the quad when riding in muddy conditions, crossing rivers on them, for not getting bloody skinning/deboning bears and moose out (Ambush taught me this).
For backpack hunting I love KUIU Chugach NX rain coats and pants. Pretty well wore out my 10 season old set made in Vancouver and still use it some. But I like the new(er) off shore stuff I bought in 2017 even better. Light at about a pound a piece each for the top and bottoms, easy on and off...zip-off design on bottoms so you leave your boots on at all times, great hood, tough zippers, pit zips for ventilation, etc. Good stuff, especially above treeline. I have had it wet through at the knees beating through willows.
The two things we talk about on our moose hunts have been our inflatable rubber boat and our rubber bag rain suits. The rubber bag is a life saver, the boat rides on our lake sometimes feel like your a commercial fisherman. Plus, you get it oversized a bit so you can layer with wool which helps in keeping you dry from sweat. Easy to take on/off and pack. Been using this stuff since 2012 guiding and hunting in the north.
And you can use the jacket to patch leaks in the boat! =D
I’d never go to Alaska without Impertech. I took it on my honeymoon. Lol
Thanks guys! Impertech on order
