Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Some Alaska pics and gear thoughts....

Agree with Trav'........

lucky guy to get to see Alaska in that way.......

AWESOME!

Thanks for sharing

That, and for keeping the Neoair from getting punctured by sticks, rocks, roots, etc...

Glad you had a good time! There's nothing quite like guiding up north, hey?!

Congratulations on a great experience. Too few young people really stretch themselves and do the necessary planning and preparation for an adventure such as this. I would like to get a Dall Sheep more than any other trophy in the world, maybe a cape Buffalo second, and I don't think I will even get the Buffalo.
You need more legs and lungs than I have left to get the sheep.

I encourage your continued energy in these types of expeditions, just don't forget to plan for your old age so that you don't have to worry about continuing your outdoor pursuits in your later years, as you will still want to hunt and fish past your limited abilities when you are older...

Awesome report and great pics!! I always appreciate a good gear report like this. Thanks for sharing and congrats on a really cool experience!

Eric

I'd guess your ruint now, nothing down here will ever feel as wild again.

Next stop NWT?!!!

Hey Tanner -

Corey Piersol here with Sitka Gear. Please have your 'boss' reach out to our Customer Service Team ASAP : 877-748-5247. Please understand that we design gear with intended uses. One thing to note is that the Downpour Series lives in our Whitetail Category and is designed for a static hunter, specifically hunting from a tree stand. Its intended design is minimal to be packable, and quieter. We used a GORE-TEX Paclite Construction to achieve this design. The Downpour more than satisfies it's intended use but it is not durable enough for a spot and stalk hunter. We blame ourselves for not communicating this message more thoroughly and so offer a few options to get the individual into something more appropriate for their style of hunting.

As for GORE-TEX I have to ask, how old your GTX jacket is that you�re comparing your brand new eVent jacket too. Have you washed your GTX jacket lately? GTX material has pours that allow the garment to be breathable but those pours can be clogged by smoke, dirt, blood, etc. If you do not maintain or wash your GTX gear you will lose performance. It's a common misperception to never wash your GTX gear. PLEASE WASH IT!

If anyone ever has any concerns do not hesitate to contact us at 877-748-5247. We aren't your typical customer service team. We are here to help!

He was using year old Stormfront; I just spoke with him.

If he hasn't ready been in contact, he will be soon. I believe he's still brown bear hunting.

I've had brand new Gore Tex shells leak too, but what do I know...

Hey Tanner -

Good to know, we will figure out what piece he has when he calls. Please make sure he calls us! We have had guys wear our Stormfront Gear over 100 days chasing sheep, goats, mountain lions; still waterproof and breathable. There is some damage from punctures but that's normal wear and tear and easily repairable with a Patch Kit.

In regards to your GTX leaking right away never hesitate to contact GORE-TEX : 1-800-GORE-TEX. They have the best warranty in the market. It's rare but defects happen. If it's a Sitka Garment call us direct!

Don't discount your knowledge and expereince, your out there more than I am. We just ask that you consider other variables that could be in play when it comes to poor experiences.

Also, I hope you guys know of our Guide/Outfitter Discount Program? If not give us a call!

That looks like much more fun than the construction job I had in college! Thanks for the write up.

One of the problems we've seen with goretex is the fact it needs to be washed. And if you get down and dirty in the field cleaning an animal and get the goretex dirty, it will start transmitting water and will wet out. It can even get that way from sitting in mud/dirt.

I have not used Sitka yet... but other brands of gore.... they are good for light rain and we wash the stuff often that has gore, but I simply do not trust it for real rain.

Like they say, "Gore-Tex ain't waterproof". But it can be highly water resistant. But there certainly can be better stuff out there also.

I have 4 rain shells from Cabela's I bought in the 90's, with the "Stealth Cloth" (yeah, I liked 'em so much I bought 4 jackets, 2 for archery and 2 in a larger size for later rifle hunts).

Indeed, you do have to wash Gore-Tex. I use Atsko Sport Wash, and each year before hunting season starts, I wash in NikWax TX Direct in all my Gore Tex stuff. It will last through from archery in September through elk hunting in November, and beyond. I often throw those rain shells on the ground for a "ground cloth" when glassing when the ground is wet, and in the past I was in the field a LOT between guiding and my own hunting.

But Tanner"s post is one of several testimonials I have heard about the eVent stuff. Only problemm is the eVent jackets I've looked at were too noisy for jump shooting elk in the timber......But I haven't seen the First Lite stuff.

Casey

I appreciate the willingness to help and you backing your products... that says a lot about your company.

For what it's worth, I wore a couple other pieces of Sitka throughout the trip and was pleased with them.

One question maybe you can help me with... Will GORE-TEX warranty my Lowa Tibets? I've had them for a year and they leak like a sieve.

Tanner

I'm wondering what the hell a guy's supposed to use for waterproofing (boots, jackets etc) if not Gore Tex?

I've had no problems with any piece of clothing that has it.

I posted what I wore that isn't Gore-Tex... there's quite a few alternatives out there.

I can't imagine that New Mexico is all that trying for the integrity of waterproof membranes... Not that it's easy country. Just very different than Alaska.

Tanner

Hey Rost495 -

You bring up a few great points regarding all Waterproof/breathable technology.

How fatty oils can contaminate a membrane.
How to avoid 'wetting out'. (Let me know if you meant forcing water through as we can touch on that?)

Fatty Oils, such as body oils can contaminate a membrane and will actually draw moisture/water in. I strongly urge you to look into the different constructions of waterproof/breathable membranes on your own and not just take my word but you will find out that this is what makes GORE-TEX more durably waterproof. They use a proprietary technique to bond an oleophobic layer to the waterproof membrane. This layer is resistant to oils. This layer prevents these oils from drawing in moisture. Check out eVent's construction compared to GTX and you will be surprised.

If you�re not able to rinse your W/B for weeks and keep it compressed you will get contamination. It takes a while for oils to contaminate a GTX membrane and the user takes on some responsibility. Dirt or mud will not cause the membrane to leak but will reduce the garments breathability. If you don�t wash a jacket for years, through abrasion dirt can rub small holes in the membrane. This goes for all different types of Waterproof/breathable membranes.

�Wetting out� is a term used by the mountain sports and hunting industry to identify when DWR is no longer effective. No matter the waterproof/breathable membrane all companies use DWR. It�s not what keeps you dry but what prevents the face fabric from holding moisture or �wetting out�. DWR increases a waterproof garments breathability performance. When a garment �wets out� it is simply time to revitalize the DWR treatment. You can check out our Care Instructions to learn more about DWR and how to revitalize or retreat it. http://www.sitkagear.com/care

I get it that waterproof/breathable membranes aren�t for everyone. We have hundreds of Alaskan Guides in GTX that will only wear GTX so it�s hard for me to relate with your experiences. I strongly suggest contacting GORE-TEX and discussing your experiences with their product. Their warranty is �Guaranteed to Keep You Dry�.

Sorry for the rant!

I wouldn't hesitate to give them a call regarding any GORE-TEX concern! They have the best warranty in the industry 1-800-GORE-TEX.

Hey Alpinecrick -

We will have to agree to disagree - kidding around here. GORE-TEX is waterproof and sets the bar for comfort. I can't urge you guys enough to contact GORE-TEX with your concerns and experiences with the product.

I don't mean to sound belittling but I want to make sure we are all on the same page when it comes to DWR (Durable Water Repellency) and how it benefits Waterproof/Breathable membranes. Please note that the washes you're using are to retreat the DWR coating and are not what keeps you dry from rain. They will keep the garement's face fabric from wetting out and maintain the garment's breathability. If the garment wets out it creates a water barrier that your body vapor cannot escape through. Your body moisture will build up and can give the perception of leaking. This goes for all W/B membranes.

No matter what I suggest contacting GORE-TEX.