Seems silly to write about rain gear, when there's snow on the ground, but I'm already dreaming of next years elk hunt. We had a fairly (more like very) wet 2013 archery season here in Colorado. It became obvious that my rain gear is now suitable only in church (it's "hole-y", har har ). Sorry for the bad joke... Anyway, I'm looking for recommendations.

As for my needs; I spend most of my time in a tree stand, but several miles on foot isn't uncommon either (especially when scouting). I'll sacrifice a little in the "pack-ability" department, to gain in the way of durability. I'm primarily an archery hunter, so the stuff can't be noisy. Finally, I'm not wealthy, so the big dollar stuff is out... it's crazy what people will spend on fancy hunting clothes. That being said, I won't buy junk, so I will spend up to $200 for the set (pants and coat).

So, let's hear your recommendations; good, bad or otherwise...

I think there's lots of good rain gear that you can get for $200, but not lots of good rain gear that's quiet and durable for $200. I guess that depends on what you mean by quiet though.

I used a set of Marmot Precip this year during the ML season in SW Colorado, and it worked fine. Got rained on every day, most days twice. It's not the quietest, but then again, I found that when it was raining enough to be suited up, I wasn't really putting stalks on animals anyway.

One feature I wouldn't do without is side zip pants. IMHO, you really need to be able to put the pants on or off without taking your boots off.

Also, get some quality gaiters that cover the tops of your boots, your feet will stay much drier.

I have tried the packable rainwear from Cabelas at $90 each for jacket and pants. I does not hold up well. It's fine if you are stationary. My 2nd pair from Cabelas even developed holes in the knees just from kneeling in grass. Just walking around, it tears and develops holes pretty easy from snags on limbs ,etc.

I now have a set I bought at Bass Pro for about $35 each that looks better, although it is not packable in a small stuff sack.

As Smokeploe states though quiet and rain gear don't go together unless you are into the big buck stuff and even then I don't think it is al that quiet. I'll take dry over quiet any day.

I've got Russel rain gear that I've had good luck with for 3 seasons now

No such beast exists. Get Helly Hansen "rubber" rain gear to stay dry and deal with it.

NOTHING goretex works, or works for lone, that I can guarantee.

If I want to bowhunt in the rain, I get wet.

That being said we tend to run rain ponchos, I can drape it over when it comes, and yank it back off right away.

If your rain gear needs to double as your wind gear (and it does in the mtns so it's not silly to talk about it with snow on the ground) I think you're better off with pants and a jacket than a poncho, ponchos can be hard to control in the wind.

I just use camo colored Frogg Toggs. they are a little louder than I like, but not by much. They are very lightweight/packable and serve as excellent windbreakers

They also make a great top/insurance layer if you get out in the field and realize you wish you'd have put on one extra layer of clothes that morning.... (happenned to me when a surprise overnight snow hit last year).

I think I got mine for about $50 for the set. you can get them cheaper if you hold out and wait for a dept store special.

I echo the anti-pancho opinion. I dont like them becoming a "sail", and they dont cover your arms effectively either.

DOUBLE echo the zip up pants requirement too!

Not anything to do with archery hunting.

One nice thing about a pauncho ( and I'm talking about the heavier ones that are rubberized nylon or such that were also shelter halves) is they make dandy riding gear. You put them on and then throw the front up over the horse or mule's neck and drape the back down over the rump and you have a 1100 pound heater under you. I also put the pauncho over the saddle with the horn sticking up thru the head opening and spread it out over the gear and tack. Then I climb on with a full rain suit. This keeps everything totally dry.

very valid point on the ability of a poncho to cover up more than "just you".

when I'm wearing my pancho, I put it over my backpack too, to help keep all my gear (somewhat) dry.

I think the perfect rain gear topper would be a poncho with full-length sleeves. unfortunately, I've never seen one for sale (or at least... havent recognized it as such.....)

Thanks for the responses. I like the idea of the leg zippers - my old raingear did not have them, and while I did manage to get them on over my boots, it wasn't a pleasant experience.

There have been times that a poncho would be just the ticket, but I think I would prefer to stick with the coat/pants option.

As for quietness; I realize rain gear is not typically as quiet as, say, a fleece jacket, but I'm probably more concerned with the noise of the fabric to my ears, than the animals. Sure, if the fabric is super noisey, the animal may hear me draw, but what I really can't stand is turning to look a different direction, and having that "abrasive fabric sound" fill my ears... I don't want to miss noises from an approching critter.

Has anyone tried the regular Cabela's Rain Suede (not the super packable space rain vesion)? If so, how did you like them? Are they worth the money (~$175 for the set)? Looks like they have the leg zippers too...

Re leg zippers. On the Cabelas gear I had, the pants had leg zippers, but still did not open far enough to facilitate getting them off without ta struggle.

Cabela's MT050 works great for early season elk hunting. Been using is for 10 years. Gore-Tex is one of the few true breathable fabrics. The MT050 is comfortable to wear even when you have a few miles to hike while wearing it.

On some, including the Marmots, the zippers are full-length. That really makes it easy.

That would be he cast's meow, rather than those calf length ones that just end up frustrating a guy.

Kuiu Chugach served me well on my Dall sheep hunt this year. Highly recommend it.

For $200?

I have used both cabelas packable rain suede and MT050. MT050 are definately quieter because they have actual fleece on the outside. Which is great when it is dry, but you don't wear it to be dry. When it gets wet, it holds moisture which makes it heavier and cold. So I don't like it much. I guess you could try spraying the fleece with something like scotchgurard, but not sure what that does to the goretex.

The rain suede gives up a little on quiet, but is still OK and they have lasted 6-8 years between sets. If you watch for sales, you can do a set for under $200.

I suspect the cabelas mentioned that were not tough are the "space rain" ones. Very light and packable, but not much on durable.

The MT050 I have has no fleece. It has held up really well and is quiet.

I second the leg gaiters advice. Keeping your legs dry is huge for staying warm.

I used a Cabelas Dri-Plus rain suit for over 10 years. For an inexpensive rain suit, it was amazing. It never did leak, and I still have the parka. I tossed the pants this year because I tore too many holes in them.
Just before 2013 archery season I invested in a Sitka Gear Cloudburst parka and pants. The finish to the fabric makes them surprisingly quiet, and in a week of steady rain they performed perfectly. Only wish my boots had done the same.

I was wrong to say fleece on the MT050, it isn't fleece, but it has a soft knap that absorbs water. Probably a DWR spray or treatment would be helpful but as a new product I didn't like it due to the water retention. It feels cold when wet if you are only wearing the rainsuit.

I've never hunted in pouring rain and really haven't worried about it much. Light drizzle is about it.

That said, I do have lightweight rain gear that I pack sometimes but have yet to wear.

Something I ALWAYS carry with me is a large plastic trash bag. They are useful for carrying straps and fillets back to the truck, something I've done multiple times. More important, and the reason I carry them, is they do double duty as emergency rain gear and shelter. For rain gear just cut a neck hole. For shelter, slit the side and top and use as a wind break on a lean-to. Never needed to use one for either purpose - and hope I never have to - but it is there in my pack if I do.

Edited to add: Note that I don't archery hunt elk - just rifle.

I try real hard to not hunt in even a drizzle,but in ML season,after it does rain, the grass and weeds will drench you to the belt line in about 100 steps.

They also provide dry place to sit. I use them in rifle season too when there is snow on the ground if it is not too cold.

Yup. I call them my "butt-be-dry'. Throw some pine boughs or, as I did here, handfulls of sage tops under them for insulation. This from last November when I took my cow 487 yards to the left shortly after snapping this picture.

My rain suit functions as a lot more than just a rain suit, it's part of the total layering system. It stops evaporative cooling from wind, also adding another significant layer of insulation through the dead air space it creates.
I used to use water-proof nylon rain suits, but they don't breathe and get cold and clammy quickly. They also wear quickly and become leaky anyway. For a while I was using an ultra-light gore-tex pac-lite rain suit. It just didn't seem to work that great either. The Sitka Cloudburst suit I'm now using worked great in a week long archery hunt with rain every day, and in the first rifle hunt where we were getting snowed on almost every day.
The old Cabelas Dri-Plus suit worked great, but it was bulky and heavy... too much crap to carry.

Great advice for southeast AK, otherwise disregard, lightweight rainwear will serve you fine for 98% of all lower 48 archery elk hunting.

You will look like a idiot and will most likely NOT kill a archery elk wearing rubber rain gear.

I've heard the "nothing gore-tex works" line before. IME it works very well.

I have had 4 pair of Gore Tex lined boots. They work great for two years and then leak like any other.

Don't buy Danners.

My experience with boots has been similar. I don't buy "hunting" boots, I buy my boots from mountaineering equipment manufacturers, usually Asolo. They work great for two or three years, but by then I have worn them to the point they are done anyway. To me, they beat any "waterproof" boot that sweats and ends up wet from the inside.

My latest are the Asolo also.but Being as old as I am I don't wear them out so they just start to leak.

Thanks for all the insight, fellas! I just ordered the Cabela's Rain Suede (dry-plus)... I checked them out in the store, and I think they will serve the purpose quite well. They do have leg zippers, but only to the knee. I would have rather had longer zippers, but seeing as my old ones didn't have them at all, I think this will still be a major improvement.

Rain gear is always a tough discussion. Tried lots of different things. And here in Western WA you can get soaked on a beautiful morning with all the dew on the brush.
If it is relatively warm, ie above 45 and I'll be moving a little I wear long gaiters long jacket and marmot, north face, ex-officio type synthetic pants. I find that even though your thighs and knees get wet they dry out so fast from body heat that it works.
Other than that I usually just carry Frogg Toggs that I've broken in riding my motorcycle so they are a little quieter. Plus, they do give you a decent safety factor for very little weight and space.
I don't bow hunt but do muzzleloader hunt. So YMMV.
I agree with the dry butt theory, too. Have an ancient Thermarest pad that is about 18" square that works great and is easy to carry.

Hope your rain suede experience is better than mine. Mine leaked around the shoulders everytime it rained. Tried washing/treating that cabelas suggested when I called, but not luck. When it quits raining and the wind starts they feel like a refrigerator. Kick my self for not sending them back.