Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Gear Reviews Rivers West ???

Any opinions on this hunting apparrel? I am looking for warm and waterproof, with light weight.
Jim

Bought a set just the other day. It was being demonstrated at a sporting goods store. Was under a shower all day long. Set up in the store to show how waterproof the stuff is. Worked great. Tried mine out yesterday in the field. It is quiet and makes no noise. Have not actually tried mine in bad weather yet but am confident that it will be great. Light weight and warm. Pockets have magnet snaps so just watch out for compass or GPS in pockets. May cause inaccurate readings.

Thanks, Huntergeorge.
I just tried them on for size today. I was impressed, but they didn't have everything in stock. I will call Rivers West (Cascade) Monday to order just what I want. I feel that it is good stuff!

tried them out in South East Alaska on an alpine overnight deer hunt. I got my money back. I was soaked within 4 hours. They might be OK for Texas or Pennsylvania but thy do not cut it in the rain we get.

Woody

smwwoody, I had the same situation here in WA with Gamehide "drizzle" pants. Soaked within 2 hours, and cold. Should have stayed with Gore-Tex.
When the Gamehides get soaked so do your long johns, which trickle down to your socks, and when your feet are cold and wet; it's time to get back to camp.
Good to know RiversWest is of the same ilk.

Gore-Tex. will soak through after a few hours of hard rain. I've had way too many days soaked while wearing Gore-Tex. I'm going to check out REI after work Mon. and look at the Marmot Oracle.
The only thing I've used in a all day hard rain that kept me dry has been PVC rain gear.

Impertech

Impertech or Peter Storm if you can find it to stay dry in the worst weather. A quiet Cabela's GoreTex product for lighter drizzle and snow.

I have been told by several people that once Rivers West gear is wet it is impossible to dry out.

I didn't have it long enough to try to dry it out. my pard tried it on a goat hunt. It basically cost him half of the hunt trying to dry it out!

.99 cent disposable poncho.

2 or 3 yeers ago field and stream named River's West their top gear choice for apparel. One of the editors wore it on an Alaskan hunt during miserable conditions and just rave about it.

I just have the pants and hat but I couldn't be more impressed.

Well, dude if field and stream says its good, I better run out and get rivrswest.

I purchased the RW and so far they are good. I sat on a wet cushion in a deer stand for about 7 hours while wearing the pants and was dry as a bone. I havent't worn the outfit in a driving rain, however. I would probably add true rain gear to make sure.

If your going to be walking forget it is too warm for stand hunting it would probably be fine

If you believe anything you read in field and stream. Rivers West will work just fine for you!! I have personally used it and a good friend has personally used it. We both returned it and got our money back. IT DOES NOT WORK in the se alaska mountians!!!!!!

Or anywhere that it rain alot.

This is about what I guessed, and what I keep hearing. I haven't tried it myself, and likely won't, since you have.

Now, what about Sitka gear...same?

Quiet, waterproof, breathable....mutually exclusive concepts in hunting clothing, IMO.

You can get quiet and breathable in the same gear, but waterproof is the odd one out...especially waterproof and quiet...

Brother Dave, take a look at the Sitka Gear 90% jacket. I have a friend that used one during his September moose hunting near Anchorage, it pretty much rained everyday and that is what he wore so I asked him how it handled the rain. He told me he never once got wet BUT, he did require a light fleece jacket underneath to keep warm on the cooler days. He also wore it during his sheep hunt without a fleece as it didn't get as cold. I asked for one for Christmas andcan't wait to try it out this spring. Sitka Gear also has the Down Pour Jacket but they are quite spendy and I don't know how they hold up to rain but I figure if the 90% jacket keeps you dry the Down Pour should too.

BD

The rivers west stuff bit me so hard I am scard to spend the money on the sitka gear. I have not heard any real reviews of it yet. A friend of in from Kodiak got some for Christmas. He will let me know how it works. He will be down here for black bear in the spring that should give it an OK test.

I'm with ya smw its seems high priced & I haven't seen a review where someone has tested it for more than a day. There is a big diff between a day or two elk hunting & a week straight of staying in a tent in the SE where it doesn't have a chance to dryout every day. I plan to take the better half down that way to find a nice bear this spring & thought about picking one up for her. However the impertech is proven & I can buy a bunch of dissposable frog togg tops for the price of one downpour for the breathable layering. Let us know if its the real deal, however I am unware of any new miracle fabrics so I'm not holding my breath.

I'll likely try the Sitka stuff, but still don't believe those 3 elements can be combined in one fabric. As many different types as I've tried, I'm skeptical that Sitka will finally be the ticket. The various manufacturer's claims of 'waterproof, breathable' are pure BS...

A September moose hunt in the interior isn't likely a good test for what I think I need...but I try to remain open minded...grin.

Yeah, it definitley wasn't raining like it does down in SE but it rained pretty steady nonetheless. I plan on using my 90% jacket this spring bear hunting, probably won't rain much but i'll give it a whirl anyway and see how it responds.

I have RW pants that I have BEAT on for 3 or 4 seasons now and they still work great. I've been in the rain in them all day many times.

I have a RW jacket that I have had for 2 seasons. It will leak at one of the chest pockets by the end of a day in the rain. The fabric itself doesn't leak. It's quiet, warm, stretchy, and durable.

I've been real happy with my RW gear... not saying it's the best (dunno what is) but it's worked real well for me, especially the pants.

-jeff

Want waterproof? Frogg Toggs. Spent a week up in SE Alaska for a mntn goat hunt. I had Cabelas finest and my friend had Frogg Toggs. I was soaked. He was dry. Of course that dam cactus stuff they have up there (devil's club/claw?) will tear anything up. We're heading up there again this year for some more pain (lol) and I'm taking Frogg Toggs. Now if I do shoot a goat I'm taking the FT off as they are not picture worthy haha. But they are light weight and keep you dry.

I have the stalker ATJ that I bought for hunting. The first time I wore it out in the field it was 20'F with a 20 mph wind. I wore carhartt medium weight thermals, carhartt flannel lined pants, and a redhead long sleeve shirt otherwise. I was completely comfortable all day until I shot a deer just before sundown 1-2 miles from my truck. I then spent I don't know how long packing it out. By the time I made it to the truck I was soaked. I don't think they breathe well enough for heavy rigorous activity. If you are able to pace yourself it would work better for you.

On the other side though, right now I am working in Browning, MT. Look it up on weatherunderground.com . I have worn it several times with the same setup as above with the only addition being a pair of insulated covies. I don't like using my hunting gear to work with because we use several chemicals that are damn near impossible to get rid of when washed or cleaned. The residual smell always remains, I inspect powerlines by the way.

As an act of desperation I started using my stalker ATJ about four weeks ago. It was 15 deg F that day with a 35mph constant wind with gusts up to 60mph. I tried the aforementioned setup with the addition of the covies and have worn it every day since + or - the covies. With that jacket on it is almost like their is no wind and not snowing. I never feel anything other than the actual temp. and any body heat I generate. I have since convinced several other foremen that I work with to buy similar jackets. They all love them.

A friend of mine is a outfitter here in Idaho and they put him on their pro staff,he raves about the how good the product is.This guy sang it's praises long before they added him to their staff.We don't get the rain you guys in alaska get in terms of volume but we have our days,as far as hiking and being able to sit in driving snow storms it works well. Sitka gear will be my next big purchase since it is not inexpensive.

While I haven't hunted in the RW jacket I bought recently, I have been working in it, outdoors. It's well made, and the concept is great, but I find it just too damn warm, if you're at all active. Should be fantastic for waterfowling, and stand hunting, but I won't be hiking/packing in it.

Jeff