Quality Rain Gear Opinions

[Silver]

I am in the market to buy a quality rain jacket. I want something that REALLY keeps me dry!

Thanks in advance for any opinions!

 

[nybs]

I was talked into my first nice set this year...went with kuiu chugach. Fit is good...pants zip all the way up the side and they’re light so easy to pack if not wearing. Lots of positive reviews and customer service is excellent. I received a follow up email, hand written note and direct number to call if any problems. Their stuff is 100% guaranteed and my first trip to Alaska it kept me dry. No heavy rains but did run my arm under faucet right when I got for a minute and bone dry inside. Summer sale now and big one around Black Friday or end of year I think...

 

[Ruddy Duck]

Hunting or fishing? For fishing I have simms and really like it, hunting-I am also looking for a high quality set.

 

[Lycanthrope]

no reason you need different rain gear for fishing, than hunting, unless you just want something to match your sparkly boat... Ive got a DU goretex parka that goes down past my butt cheeks slightly with zip out liner that is totally waterproof and works good any time of year, no insulation when the liner is zipped out. Im not above wearing camo in my boat tho like some if you prissy bastards!

 

[Silver]

Thanks for the quick replies!

I would use it more for fishing than hunting.

I bought a Simms jacket last year after hearing good things about it. I wore it this Spring in Canada. When we are up there, we fish all day long.....rain or shine. I wore it through a solid rain for about three hours. It absolute "clung" to my body. There was no "bead up" of water drops. I was wet and cold though the whole ordeal. That's why I am looking for something else and am willing to spend a few bucks to stay dry.

Thanks again for the opinions!

 

[tsioux]

Thanks for the quick replies!

I would use it more for fishing than hunting.

I bought a Simms jacket last year after hearing good things about it. I wore it this Spring in Canada. When we are up there, we fish all day long.....rain or shine. I wore it through a solid rain for about three hours. It absolute "clung" to my body. There was no "bead up" of water drops. I was wet and cold though the whole ordeal. That's why I am looking for something else and am willing to spend a few bucks to stay dry.

Thanks again for the opinions!

Which Simms model jacket? They can very pretty widely. I've got a Simms Pro Dry that has kept me bone dry. The key to a solid jacket is breathability. Any old PVC rainsuit can keep you dry, but it wont breath, which is where the higher end stuff starts to shine.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Thanks for the quick replies!

I would use it more for fishing than hunting.

I bought a Simms jacket last year after hearing good things about it. I wore it this Spring in Canada. When we are up there, we fish all day long.....rain or shine. I wore it through a solid rain for about three hours. It absolute "clung" to my body. There was no "bead up" of water drops. I was wet and cold though the whole ordeal. That's why I am looking for something else and am willing to spend a few bucks to stay dry.

Thanks again for the opinions!

Which one?

 

[wjschmaltz]

Grundens or HH are what will really keep you dry. If you want “breathable” then Arcteryx is currently at the top of the market with Kryptek is second and then Kuiu, Sitka and FL right behind. I wear Kuiu Chugach on my backcountry stuff. I have soaked it through a few times (you would think that Chugach rain gear would hold up a little better while actually hunting the Chugach range) but it worked like it was supposed to and dried off by body heat within an few hours of the rain stopping. Just make sure to treat the breathable stuff a couple times a year.

If your use is fishing and you you want to be dry, Grundens or HH. If there is backcountry application and the trade off of being a little wet to save 3 lbs is beneficial - then any of the the brands stated make a good set.

 

[pluckem]

Grundens or HH are what will really keep you dry. If you want “breathable” then Arcteryx is currently at the top of the market with Kryptek is second and then Kuiu, Sitka and FL right behind.

Interesting to see you have Arcteryx at the top and than Kryptek, I haven't seen them up on the top of a list specific to rainwear before. Any details to expand on those brands?

I have been running HH Impertech for the past 10 years or so because I want to stay dry in any type of rain or activity. Would like a more packable set but for every 2 people raving about a $500-$800 set you have 1 person saying it lasted them 1-3 seasons before it started to get soaked through.

 

[nybs]

Grundens or HH are what will really keep you dry. If you want “breathable” then Arcteryx is currently at the top of the market with Kryptek is second and then Kuiu, Sitka and FL right behind. I wear Kuiu Chugach on my backcountry stuff. I have soaked it through a few times (you would think that Chugach rain gear would hold up a little better while actually hunting the Chugach range) but it worked like it was supposed to and dried off by body heat within an few hours of the rain stopping. Just make sure to treat the breathable stuff a couple times a year.

If your use is fishing and you you want to be dry, Grundens or HH. If there is backcountry application and the trade off of being a little wet to save 3 lbs is beneficial - then any of the the brands stated make a good set.

YES an $8 bottle of DWR spray applied helps a ton. I wore a pair of gander mtn guide series rain bids earlier this year and got a wet ass from the boat seat. Hadn’t wore them in a few years - washed them and applied the dwr per directions and much better.

 

[Wirehair]

Also have Simms Pro Dry jacket & bibbs & am very satisfied. Make the purchase after spending 7 days in Sitka in wind / rain and wet from morning til evening. They have been tested many times and perform well.

 

[Silver]

When I bought the Simm's, I thought that I bought a pretty good rain suit. Today, I found out that there are several different "levels" of Simms rain gear. I happened to buy a set that only had 22 psi water protection.

Thanks for the tip about Grunden's. After reading up on them and then looking at prices, I just bought a set (jacket & bibs) of Grundens with a 100 psi for about half what just the jacket of Simms would have cost.

Thanks again for the tips!

 

[JayKay]

(guy peeks his head around the corner, whistles, and throws a chew toy into middle of the room, among a bunch of dogs (NDA guys))

Now, let's get to the bottom of the Yeti debacle.

 

[Kurtr]

Brush busting rain gear and just keeping dry rain gear are way different. I defer to the guy from Alaska no one knows rain gear better than those folks

 

[SLE]

Brush busting rain gear and just keeping dry rain gear are way different. I defer to the guy from Alaska no one knows rain gear better than those folks

Very true! Fishingwise, I have a jacket and bid set of the Cabella’s guide-wear and have been very pleased. Pretty much lived in it for 5 days on my last Canadian fishing trip and it kept me dry and was very comfortable. Don’t know much about the other brands mentioned, my stuff probably isn’t even in the same category so I’ll default to others that have experience with multiple sets of different brands. I only know what I know, and so far happy with what I have!

 

[wslayer]

Blackfish with eVent look intersting. Got a nice price tag with them also.

Bought a set of gortex National Guard issued coat and pants off ebay that have keep me 100% dry. Cinched everthing up tight when first got and had the wife take the garden hose sprayer after me for 10 mins. Not a leak anywhere, even under the arms.

 

[KDM]

I would take a REAL HARD LOOK at what is given to Pvt. Umptiscrunch and Amn. Bagadoughnuts for rain gear. I've seen how both these individuals treat their equipment in camp as well as how they treat their equipment in the field. If rain gear can withstand what these two knuckleheads will do to it, it can withstand a couple hunting trips. I have the same equipment and I have ZERO complaints and the stuff has lasted for years. Just a thought.

 

[Brasmunky]

http://www.riverswest.com/mens-fish.html

This is the best of the best. I have the pack version and use it doing 75mph in nasty downpours on the bike and stay dry. The actual jacket and bibs are even better