Rain Gear

[mconway951]

Looking for some good rain gear for this falls moose hunt been getting by with the cheapo gear that is like $20 for the set.
Plan on staying out there for 2 weeks and that time of the year it can be real rainy. Looking for the best rain gear I can get with a budget of about $300. Leaning towards the cabelas gore-tex packable stuff. Also love the sitka gearr but have heard it isn't the most durable. Have heard good things about rivers west as well.
Any advice or reviews of these products.

 

[Big Fin]

Mike - River's West will be really hot and sweaty if you do much hiking. It is known for good water repellant and equally poor vapor transfer from the inside.

Knowing where you will be hunting, I am not sure you need the bomb proof rain gear of Helly Hansen PVC/Rubber. The Gore-tex stuff might be more than enough.

The best raingear I have used, when combined with breathability, is the stuff I tried in SE Alaska this spring. The fabric is called eVENT. The product I used was made by Westcomb, but I see Integral Designs is using eVENT as well.

It is not as quiet as I would like, but as far as lightweight, water repellant, and breathable, it makes Gore-tex look like a garbage bag. The stuff made by ID might be more quiet than the stuff by Westcomb. I will use it a lot and deal with the noise factor, which when it is raining hard, is usally less of and issue due to the noise of the rain.

Here is a link. Might not be in the budget you mentioned, but it was very impressive stuff.

http://www.highcalibergear.com/site/xdpy/ssgc/Mens Clothing/Mens Jackets & Vests/Waterproof

 

[1_pointer]

FWIW, REI has a few pieces made with eVent as well.

Fin- Would you say the eVent jacket you used is too loud for general use? In a perfect situation, I'd only have to pack one jacket that is waterproof, breathes well (sounds like eVent nails these two), but is quiet enough to use when it's not raining. Would the Westcombe stuff fit that bill?

 

[Big Fin]

Fin- Would you say the eVent jacket you used is too loud for general use? In a perfect situation, I'd only have to pack one jacket that is waterproof, breathes well (sounds like eVent nails these two), but is quiet enough to use when it's not raining. Would the Westcombe stuff fit that bill?

Not sure exactly of the question. If you are looking for that one piece that is packable and meets the needed criteria of breathable and very water resistant, Yes.

If you are looking for a jacket that is packable and one you would use even when it is not raining, then I would not go that route. I would get something quieter.

But, I only use my raingear when it is raining and pack it away when it is not raining. So with that, my packable raingear will be eVENT and when it stops raining, I will put it back in my pack.

I know of hardly any really good raingear that would meet the "quiet enought to use when it's not raining" criteria. IMO, if it is really quiet, it will not be as waterproof or will not breath adequately for active hunting.

 

[1_pointer]

I know of hardly any really good raingear that would meet the "quiet enought to use when it's not raining" criteria. IMO, if it is really quiet, it will not be as waterproof or will not breath adequately for active hunting.

In my searching for "The Grail" of hunting jackets, I'm finding that to be the case...