Looking at buying some rainwear for elk season. Here in W Wash, November is almost always a downpour. My hunting area's only road is in a valley, so I'm always walking uphill. So, PVC/ real raingear is out as I've be soaked in sweat 30 min into the day. What have you had good luck with that is breathable? Any of the North Face/etc companies make a shell that would work for hunting? I'd love to find something that actually will keep me dry AND breathe for $100 or so for the jacket, but I understand that may not be do-able.

Thanks in advance.

I use a gox-tex shell from cabela's: tops and bottoms. It doesn't rain here like washington but we have very wet blowing snowing during hunting season. A few weeks later the snow is dryer but you are still out in it hunting.

You will probably get a lot of replies, and many of them will either be extolling the virtues of the more well-known breathable fabrics such as Gore-Tex and eVent or cursing these fabrics as being worthless and exclaiming the virtues of non-breathable HH Impertech, instead.

Just to provide something a little different, I will mention Kool Dri rain wear as a possible alternative, which has been around for years but rarely gets attention on the Internet.

I've never used it, but my dad bought a set when I was young (I'd say close to 40 years ago). He probably still has it. Supposedly, it is breathable, and the thing I remember most about it is that it is very tough for rain wear. It's like a thin Cordura nylon-type material (think packcloth but thinner) with a urethane coating on the back.

I'm not sure how breathable it is, but it stood up well to many days of brush-busting small game hunting. I don't think it's very quiet, if that's important to you.

Here is a link:

Kool Dri

Over a 30 year period I've not had good results with waterproof breathable garments. Well my kids did get me Arc'teryx shell that I've been pretty impressed with but it was North of $500.

I just don't think the breathables can work when you have high humidity and the temps are in the 40's, which is the time when you really want them to work. Sure you have a light sprinkle or the temp is higher they work alright.

The real key is you need whicking layers to keep the moisture off your skin, you need choose base layers appropriate to your level of exertion and add and subtract base layers as your level of exertion changes.

BT/DT.

Honestly, the only thing that worked for me was to get in really good shape, with good strength. Then the PVC will work "better" and soaking in sweat wasn't as big of an issue even when hiking up mountains.

I've got 2 snow machining jackets, 1 is made with Gore-Tex (Klim) and the other from eVent (Motorfist). The Klim was great for about a season or 2 then it started soaking through and I have to retreat it annualy with Revivex. The Motorfist has been doing much better, I've had it for about 3 years and it has yet to let water through. Given the choice I would take the eVent treated rain gear over anything else except HH Impertech.

At your stated price point the Marmot Precip is a great buy. I found my most recent one for $60.00 on Amazon. There are better jackets but they are much more expensive.


mike r

Instead of considering all the various brands and models, it may be helpful to consider the type of rain wear technology out there and choose that 1st...

There are two primary types of water proof/breathable fabrics; Laminated or Coated;
1) Laminates are the Gore-Tex, eVent types and are layers of different fabrics - a shell (or outer or face layer), the breathable 'membrane' and a liner of some sort
2) Coated jackets have a waterproof/breathable coating which can be abraded and lose their properties. These are the Marmot Precip, Columbia Omni-Tech and similar

I prefer the laminates and have used nearly all of 'em in the various brands except the ArcTeryx brand.

I started out with The North Face "Mountain Guide Jacket" about 100 years ago and currently use a Cabelas "Guide Wear" parka. Though it's heavy, it is the most waterproof jacket i've ever had. It's 6 years old now and about due for a Revivex treatment.

I'm beginning to consider using an ultra light weight shell and a heavy wool layer for insulation (depending on temps and wind). I love my wool vest for more active wear, but when the precipitation starts it's important to stay dry.

breathable is not waterproof. I've seen it way to many times. Depends on what your thoughts are on the word waterproof, but I"ve just never seen it work out right. Especially Gore Tex.

I've seen this discussed many times over on the Internet, but I don't believe it. I've spent countless hours wading in bone-chilling waters wearing breathable waders made from Gore-Tex or other breathable materials and have stayed completely dry. I have also spent many hours wading in non-breathable waders and have stayed dry, but there is no doubt in my mind that the breathable waders actually do breath and stay dry at the same time.

When Gore-Tex and other breathable rain wear fails, I think it is because of reasons other than that the material is not waterproof.

I've got a Gortex dry suit (Kokatat) that I use whitewater rafting . My sport cataraft has no floor in it. In other words the water comes up from the bottom over the top of me. Been in that suit for days at a time floating rivers like the Owyhee in late April through snow, rain, and ice. Stay bone dry in it.

I have been using the stuff that the military has.

It has vents that you can open under your arms.
The coat and pants worked well in a monsoon down in MS.
The only thing welt was my gloves.

Buy one set of each water proof breathable type available. That way you have something dry to wear each morning. Hang the wet ones near the stove so they are ready to go the next day. Rinse and repeat as needed. It's Washington bro. Seriously, I've tried them all and everything will leak eventually.

If I was humping thru the Hump or Hoh river forest in November I'm covered head to tow in Grundens. I don't run when I hunt and if it's not bad strip down to a goretex layer. Nothing beats pvc. Don't wear cotton anything!

I've had the same experience.

.

Once I realised the performance limitations of breathable-waterproof laminates, I stopped complaining about them.
they have proven waterproof to a certain level and they have also proven to temporarily retain perpiration to a certain level.

Ive sweated in my Arcteryx GTX jackets and pants (both raining and non raining conditions) resulting in sweat saturated
underlayers simply because GTX rate of moisture disposal could not keep up with my level of activity. Atmospheric conditions
will also effect how well GTX works.

cyclists have complained about GTX 'leaking' especially at the knee region, but its much more likely that where the knee
typicallly stays in constant contact with the garment during activity is also where one can expect high perpiration build up.
Like wise in armpits- hence why so many GTX jackets have pit-zips to vent excessive perspiration from the region.

Co. like Simms are famous for GTX waterproof fishing waders -
I wonder how they can charge $800 and stay in the market if GTX supposedly doesn't work?

Best comparison chart I have seen. Page down under "How Waterproofing works" https://www.sierratradingpost.com/lp2/waterproof-guide/

Been disappointed with most every piece of rain gear I have tried with the exception of River's West (too hot for heavy exercise), or a Military Surplus Poncho with "waterproof" bibs. I'm too cheap/suspicious to buy the expensive gear!
I do use breathable waders (but not those ridiculous priced Simms) and have found that the key to comfort/moisture management is the undergarment, which should never, never be cotton!