I don't typically like to hunt in the rain but there are times when you just need to be in a tree (no blinds or shooting houses). Looking for suggestions on some quality rain gear.
Rain gear
- Thread starter Tn Joe
- Start date
Cabelas MT050 used to be THE best..... now the quality has dropped off since Bass Pro bought them out.
If you REALLY want to stay dry sitting in the stand, cheap PVC rainsuits will keep you dry. They are heavy and noisy though. They also don't breathe so sweat accumulates and gets you wet from the inside if you are moving.
I got a set of Magellan rain bibs (gor tex) for fishing and they do a good job keeping me dry so I wear them hunting as well. After about 40 minutes of constant rain and they start to leak around the knee patch seams while sitting.
If you REALLY want to stay dry sitting in the stand, cheap PVC rainsuits will keep you dry. They are heavy and noisy though. They also don't breathe so sweat accumulates and gets you wet from the inside if you are moving.
I got a set of Magellan rain bibs (gor tex) for fishing and they do a good job keeping me dry so I wear them hunting as well. After about 40 minutes of constant rain and they start to leak around the knee patch seams while sitting.
DomG
Well-Known Member
An acquaintance has an bonafied affinity with staying dry, he wears the KUIU rain gear, and swears by it (on a stack of Bibles).
I have the Tennier, Ind MILSPEC suit and poncho in Multicam (edit: OCP). In the tree-stand (back in the SE), I wore both; the poncho helps to keep the weather off the weapon.
My current gear cost half of KUIU and is 100% affective for me.
I'm not affiliated with Venture Surplus, but I visited the store last year, the owner is a patriot who escaped Longview, WA 40 years ago.
https://www.venturesurplus.com/category/clothing/cold-and-wet-weather-clothing/wet-weather/
I have the Tennier, Ind MILSPEC suit and poncho in Multicam (edit: OCP). In the tree-stand (back in the SE), I wore both; the poncho helps to keep the weather off the weapon.
My current gear cost half of KUIU and is 100% affective for me.
I'm not affiliated with Venture Surplus, but I visited the store last year, the owner is a patriot who escaped Longview, WA 40 years ago.
https://www.venturesurplus.com/category/clothing/cold-and-wet-weather-clothing/wet-weather/
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DomG
Well-Known Member
Walmart frog tog about$40 you'll sweat if you wear ANYTHING under it but stay dry. I've used my a few years rain and snow
I will say this with confidence. After YEARS of trying cheap rain gear then years of using quality rain gear it is a night and day difference. Rain gear is just one of those you get what you pay for so how dry or comfortable do you want to be and how much is that worth to you.
Yes you can get cheaper stuff like Frog Tog and some bass pro base brands and for the most part they will keep you dry in a lot of cases but you will sweat to death in them because they dont breath or they will leak in heavy rain or over saturation times.
For me being wet = being cold and both of those are the most miserable experiences I can have while in the woods. You dont have to get the highest end stuff thats built for hunting alaska but GOOD quality rain gear will pay for it self over the life of it.
First Lite, Sitka, Badlands and Kuiu all make really good rain gear and various prices and levels from packable gear to the heaviest of the the heavy. Those are all good options with a lot going for them. Ive used both First lites Vapor Storm and Sitkas Dew point gear for many years and they have worked flawlessly. There are other options but those 4 I have experience with and would recommend them to anyone. I find rain gear to be in that category that once you buy a GOOD set you wont have to replace it for the rest of your hunting life unless you gain or drop a weight :)
Yes you can get cheaper stuff like Frog Tog and some bass pro base brands and for the most part they will keep you dry in a lot of cases but you will sweat to death in them because they dont breath or they will leak in heavy rain or over saturation times.
For me being wet = being cold and both of those are the most miserable experiences I can have while in the woods. You dont have to get the highest end stuff thats built for hunting alaska but GOOD quality rain gear will pay for it self over the life of it.
First Lite, Sitka, Badlands and Kuiu all make really good rain gear and various prices and levels from packable gear to the heaviest of the the heavy. Those are all good options with a lot going for them. Ive used both First lites Vapor Storm and Sitkas Dew point gear for many years and they have worked flawlessly. There are other options but those 4 I have experience with and would recommend them to anyone. I find rain gear to be in that category that once you buy a GOOD set you wont have to replace it for the rest of your hunting life unless you gain or drop a weight :)
DeerMan66
Well-Known Member
Good decision TN Joe. The good thing is about good rain gear is you don't use it enough to wear it out if its only used for hunting.
I bought a Cabella's rain suit about 26 years ago. I have used it deer hunting and turkey hunting a few times. It is very quiet and actually not to hot to wear even in warmer weather. Of course this is no longer made but at the time it was the best $175.00 I have spent on hunting clothes.
I've got different rain gear, but I'm like you..i rarely hunt in the rain. I always end up using a frog togg poncho i bought years ago. It folds up into a tiny pouch, weighs a few ounces, and big enough i can cover weapon. I also carry a garbage bag to cover my packback. I keep these items with me all season. You never know when you might need them.
Kuiu Yukon is the gold standard. I have been caught in a thunderstorm/hailstorm that last 45-50 minutes and I was fully exposed. It kept me absolutely bone dry.
Savage
Well-Known Member
Those screw in umbrellas are pretty good too!
My buddy has one and swears by it, so that's the one I bit the bullet and ordered.
I'd say you'll stay dry. I've tried all the cheap ones and then bought the Sitka stuff. It's pricey but works.
Kuiu is having a sale so you might check it out for what you need
Huntaholic
Well-Known Member
Chevrolet makes a good one! Power shooting lanes that can be remotely activated, climate control, portable navigation system, just park it in the right place!
If the conditions are too bad to use that rain gear, I use my shooting house with HVAC, WIFI, Dish, working kitchen just like a good duck blind, etc......
If the conditions are too bad to use that rain gear, I use my shooting house with HVAC, WIFI, Dish, working kitchen just like a good duck blind, etc......
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UCStandSitter
Well-Known Member
I've had good rain gear and I've had cheap. Good/expensive keeps you dry, cheap makes you sweaty. In my experience, it all causes noise. I finally just decided that hunting in the rain once the weather turns cool isn't worth it for me. I've done it in rain gear and I've done it and just got wet. Killed a couple just gettin wet in early season. Gettin wet in the cold, I'd rather be home. Last time I did that I came home and sat in a chair with my feet propped up on an Infrared heater for about 6 hrs. Took forever to get warmed up. Decided then, never again.
Yep, and pretty well any of their lines that were gore tex or even most of the dry plus stuff. They were breathable and they kept you dry. Real shame their stuff isn't what it used to be.
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
I have the dewpoint jacket by sitka and the downpour. they're awesome!
DomG
Well-Known Member
One rain gear feature in particular that I've learned to insist-upon is the absence of a seam on top of the shoulders.
I don't care how many times or ways that a manufacturer states that a seam is tapped, welded, glued, or rolled, if it's on top of the shoulder, I believe it will leak.
I don't care how many times or ways that a manufacturer states that a seam is tapped, welded, glued, or rolled, if it's on top of the shoulder, I believe it will leak.
jejeffrries71
Well-Known Member
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- Nov 22, 2015
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Even with the "breathables" your choice - wet from the outside or wet from the inside if you are engaged in any activity at all.
East TN Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
Are they loud?
The last 2 sets of $100 frog toggs I bought were embarrassing… I swear the guy standing on the end of the production line with a spray can of water repellent.. must have been on Facebook when my 2 set came by.. literally within 5 minutes of being out in the rain.. my back will be completely soaked.. never seen anything like it…
East TN Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
I took advice on here a few years ago and tried the cabelas whitetail M050 and it leaked almost immediately in a extended downpour after a couple hrs. Can any of them you actually sit in a treestand all day without getting soaked and not sound like a bag of chips while bow huntn?
Thats all I truly care. Breathable is an added bonus
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
Neither are loud. They have a synthetic microfiber exterior that is very quiet for rain gear. The goretex liner makes more noise than the exterior but I feel completely at ease bowhunting in it as far as sound goes.
swampbadger
Well-Known Member
saw this on a clip from the news today. This person has rain gear.
East TN Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
Would yal pick sitka dewpoint, sitka downpour, kuiu yukon tr, or kuiu chugach tr for fairly quiet and all day sits in a steady good rain? I am leaning towards yukon tr or chugach tr because of their current sales. $279 for yukon tr, $229 for chugach vs $379 for dewpoint or $400 for downpour.
If you could own just ONE out of these two, which would you choose?
Several reviews on YouTube. I'm not sure there's such a thing as quite rain gear. Also I think today is the last day of the Kuiu sale.
tree_ghost
Well-Known Member
Downpour would be my pick.
Dewpoint is good in very light rain but will leak minimally at the seams in a flood.
Downpour will keep you dry from the rain in just about anything. If your stalking you will sweat no matter what.
