Foul Weather Gear, what do you use?

[burmjohn]

Foul Weather Gear, what do you use?  This year I think almost all of my clothing is now water resistant, however, I never trust that.  I'd like a nice camo low noise rain jacket that I can fold up and keep in my backpack.  Nothing sucks more then being cold and wet.

[nyslowhand]

Funny you should mention this !!!

When I was working, I never owned specific gear for rain, hunted 'til I couldn't stand being soaked or cold.

Now that I've retired and the potential of hunting more days and varied conditions - I've looked into rain gear.

The low-end gear may last a few seasons with intermittent use and for still/stand hunting only.

The better quality gear is sooo damned expensive, can't justify that much $$ for occassional use.

Got a Rivers West jacket w/hood on eBay for under $40. Supposed to be highly rated stuff.

No pants/bibs this year. BassPro has ~$50/60 StormTex rain gear that gets okay reviews. Maybe next year!?!

[Doc]

I have an old Army pancho that I keep rolled up in my pack. It is strictly for a case where the sky opens up with a downpour, and I need some protection to get home. I can't shoot with the thing on, but when it's raining to that extent, shooting is absolutely not a requirement that I'm worrying about ..... lol.

Doc

[sweet old bill]

if it snow I put on my wool green pants and wool coat and go out hunting. If it is just a showers I have in my back pack a tree umbrella that folds open. Now if they aare calling for all day rain, I put on a pot of coffee, and just go over my archery items as I watch the hunt channel or read a good book. To many times in the past I have been cold, wet, and never saw a thing when it a old day rain. Now if they are calling for clearing late in the day I will be out there to see if the deer come out to feed...

[Lawdwaz]

Helly Hansen Impertech in camo or olive.  I've been using the olive colored stuff for 5-6 years and very happy with it.

https://www.hellyhansengear.com/s-2-impertech.aspx

[wztirem]

The morning of opening day of the gun season in the southern zone two years ago; it rained so hard you would have thought God (excuse the analogy) was an anti hunter. Despite wearing a rain suit which kept the rain from penetrating my clothes, the problem always is you become an atrium and get wet because the suit does not breathe enough despite claims by the manufacturer. I was lucky enough to kill a six pointer in the pouring rain that morning. The drag out was a nightmare. Thankfully, I brought along a complete set of dry clothes to change into which made the long ride home enjoyable.

[Lawdwaz]

If your humping along, not much will keep you dry.  If on stand, like a couple years ago on that horrifically dreary day  I had my screw in umbrella up and full rain gear.  No problem when your geared up correctly.

When it's time to go, your going to get wet unless your just mooching your way back to camp/car/check station/butcher.

[MountainHunter]

Water proof and quiet are next to an impossible combination.It depends if you are concerned about moisture from vegetation as you wal through it or from rain itself. There is a fabric valled wolfskin that is really water resistant,and dry's really fast when walking,the heat your body generates will dry it out. For rain,I used to be concerned about rain gear beign quiet. In a hard rain game is not going to hear you,their hearing will be impaired with all the noise the rain makes in the forest. All I care about now is that it is light and packable and will keep me dry.I use a rain Shadow Jacket from Patagonia and I typically don't wear rain pants,I do wear gators some times. I have a pair of goretex light rain pants and a pair of light dutch harbor (PVC Helly Hanson type) rain pants.

I hunt whitetails every year in Idaho,and it can be very wet.I struggled for years finding the right combination of rain wear for out there.