Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Rain Gear: dedicated vs multi purpose outerwear ?

In trying to further downsize my kit and lighten up, I pose a question on rain gear. The rain gear I have been packing is a Cabela's set of packable camo gear of some sort. It packs into it's own pocket, but each peice is still as large as maybe a small loaf of bread.

I saw some Marmot PreCip stuff at REI the other day. Seems as though this stuff would be pretty small and compact, and the upper has pit zips.

My query is: is it smarter to have just one outer layer, like a Gore-tex(camo if you choose)Thinsulate Parka

OR

Have some fleece/wool/ other choice of a warm outer layer and pack a dedicated set of rain gear.

I am guessing it would boil down to how confident one is in the funtion of the Gore-tex and the seams of the garment. But it would make the pack smaller having a multi-tasking set of outerwear.

I can't like much about GoreTex, save in boots sometimes.

Lately I've taken to wearing fleece and carrying a compact pair of lightweight rain gear. The PreCip stuff is great for this, and Oracle might even be better. The Oracle pants have built-in suspenders.

A guy can go pretty light on the fleece, under the rain gear shell, if he's halfway active.

I do much as Dave does. I carry light, packable rainpants and jacket that I wear over my normal hunting clothes. Though my partner complains about the noise a bit, I do break them out sometimes just to cut the wind. I've been down below freezing in nothing more than a base layer top/bottom, nylon pants, fleece top, puffball vest and my rainjacket. If I do get cold a short walk remedies that.

However, I would LOVE a rain jacket of quiet material that; a) doesn't weigh a ton and b) does soak up tons of water when it does rain.

I just backpack a light rain jacket and put it on over my fleece clothing. Unless it is predicted to rain hard, I don't carry the rain pants.

I have a number of different sets of rain gear, but, just bought a Sylponcho from Integral Designs in OD, this worn over thin layers of merino wool and Filson whipcords will keep me dry enough in almost any rain. It is super light and doubles as an awning for my bivy.

I have some insulated Gore-tex type outerwear. The nylon stuff does ok in rain, but I only hunt waterfowl with it, since it's so noisy. The GTX fleece can get really heavy in rain, so I only wear it for colder conditions where it'll snow instead of snow.

For big game rainwear, I have Herter's Fowl-tech, which is a pretty light micro nap polyester and relatively quiet. It came with a mesh and nylon liner which I cut out, reducing it's bulk. I also wear this waterfowling quite a bit and it's worked well over as a windblock down into the teens.

Another set of rainwear that I got last December and looks promising and is a tad lighter is Gander Mountain's Guidewear Tech 2.5. It is a similar micro nap polyester with no liner. Neither of these seem to absorb much water and they are quiet enough for big game hunting. The Tech 2.5 stuff is about 1/2 lb. each for the top and bottom and the whole suit will fit into a Nalgene bottle. I believe it's very similar to Cabela's Space Rain stuff, except, the Gander Mountain stuff has pit zips.

The Marmot Precip stuff is great when you don't need to worry about being quiet.

New gear for me this year was the River's West jacket in LAW version.

I'm sold on it, I'm not big on hoods anyway, unless caught in a downpour.

Had held off on RW due to the weight and warmth, but the LAW stuff kicks azz IMO.

Steelheader jacket and some of their pants are gonna find their way into my stocking unless they show up at my birthday first.

Quiet, warm enough (though it was a warm season) , the pants may end up being too much, gonna have to try some on, but definitely gonna have a Steelheader jacket w/hood.

HH Impertech or Dutch Harbor raingear was good for two seasons at most, this stuff is built to last from what I can tell.

Haven't been this impressed with a piece of gear in a while!

I carry a set of Red Ledge raingear. The jacket rolls into a pouch 3" x 6" & the pants pouch is a bit smaller. I don't use them often in this dry country, but when I do need them, they've been very good. I've used them for wind as much as rain.

Dick

Raingears a tough subject what works in one situation isn't much good climbing out of a steep drainage and visa versa, I gave away my pre-cip stuff it was a few years back and it maybe better now,for hunting I dress to be semi warm when wet and use my ID sil-poncho alot, about 8 oz. and will stuff in about any pocket. Even when wearing a well maintained goretex drysuit I've used it many times during a lunchstop downpour or portage and and it provides a noticable amount of warmth.

Dang late at night posted about raingear and didn't even realize where I was at, the Backpacking forum.

Not sure RW will make the trip on sheep hunts, for serious backpack hunting, I use a Red Ledge top and Frogg Togg pants, that's what I've found works best for my needs, even though I have the complete set of both.

Rain gear is a tough one. I use different raingear for differenet hunts. I picked up the Precip this year from Marmot and officially dedicated it to sheep hunting.It worked great and packs small and weighs nothing. For most other really wet hunts the Impertech is the Bomb. I have the full suit, pants and jacket and then I have the long guide coat which i wear with hippers for certain hunts. I also use the MT050 from Cabelas when I am bow hunting as it is quiet and camo. All three of the above I listed work! I mean you wont get wet from the outside in wearing them. Trying to keep from getting wet from the inside out is an ongoing struggle.

Any thoughts on headgear while in the rain? Hoods suck for hunting.....................

MtnHtr

PS: Jesse, no reply on the PM?

So far, the best hunting headwear I have found is an original British "tanker" beret made by Kangol in "Merry Englande". It is green and almost identical to those worn by US Special Forces soldiers; I bought this in 1970 from Eddie Bauer in Seattle and have worn it in the bush extensively, it does not interfere with your scope as a cap bill might and it works well under a hood when one wears a poncho or cagoule.

I agree on hoods and just bought a couple Browing Gore-Tex camo caps to try out; very nice-fitting and a shorter bill. But, in really foul BC-Alaskan type weather, a hood is nice to have when hiking back to camp or vehicle, that's why I like these ultralight ID or Kifaru Sylponchos.

Mtn, agreed on the hood, but worth the pain when it starts to rain.

I was aparently a poet in my last existance. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Chuck

JJ, for going simple, and multipurpose, the Cabelas Revolution Dry-Plus is good stuff. It also cuts the wind as well.

Chuck

Chuck- Is the Revolution Dry-Plus too heavy/warm for early season stuff? Definitely might have to grab some for winter pursuits.

No, I wouldn't say so, But I layer and hunt the mountains in the earlier season so things are on and off quite a bit. I use it from mid September on.

Chuck

Kute, your "Cool Points" just went down. Having never met you, I can picture a Peter Capstick looking guy coming out of the bush in a beret. But seriously, a Beret ???

Hoods are certainly a pain in the ass, but I do not think I would look for a jacket w/o a hood specifically. Seems a fair option to just fold it back.

The "Sombrero" is a good option. I will have to look into one. Guessing they can be folded up and stowed easy enough.

Far as raingear, I have some decent stuff. I do have Helly Hansen Impertech top I really like. Not sure it is backpack worthy, far as size and weight. I have Rivers West original. Definately too heavy.

My Cabelas Rain Suede is nice, but I bought bibs and parka. As stated both could be a little less large and packable, and there is 1-2 pounds to be trimmed here.

Will looking into suggested Marmot Precip, RedLedge, and others.

My father in law likes his Tilley Hat in the rain.

Chuck

Jesse James, if you looking at Cabelas stuff for raingear thats quiet I would definately give the MT050 a good look. Its pretty lightweight and in my experience with a lot of the Cabelas Dry-Plus raingear the MT050 has been the best. I gave it the 30 minutes standing in the shower treament when I first bought it to determine whether or not I would keep it and it does what it claims. You can damn near shake all the water off it after its been completely drenched and its practically dry. Packs down into its own little pouch and is pretty lightweight. Only downside is it aint cheap, but it does work as claimed.