Best rain jacket that works??

[Hillstyle]

I have a sitka dewpoint and I have zero complaints. Good hood stays put and water runs off without getting too hot. I usually try to wear the pants because it runs off so good my pants get wet.

 

[NM13]

I use an ultralight Event jacket by Mt. Hardware along with an silnylon poncho for extra rain protection. It's wider and shorter than a typical poncho. Don't remember the brand - out of business anyway. If heavy rain is expected I bring a Helicon-tex military-style poncho for the second layer. Not that heavy but is waterproof. For riding/packing nothing works better than rubber. Also been looking at a Packa - zipped poncho/jacket/pack cover hybrid that may cover all the bases without the poncho shortcomings - https://www.thepacka.com/

 

[NRA4LIFE]

My best rain jacket is a cheap-ass Frog Tog. Only one I've tried that will keep me dry all day. I live in Western WA where we get a bit of rain.

 

[freezer003]

I'm another that has moved away from 'waterproof breathable' gear in the last few years. I've moved to a poncho and been way happier with it.
Even on boots. I had a conversation with a boot manufacturer about their Gore lining and he told me straight that it usually breaks down within a year. So I've moved to full waxed leather boots and just take a break or two in the day to air them out.

 

[JAshley73]

I bought an OR Foray 3L recently, and after some initial testing, and seeing some funny patterns on the face fabric, I called & spoke to OR about it. The customer service agent said they believed that this particular jacket had a defective membrane, and advised that I return it or file a warranty claim.

They were very helpful & knowledgeable, and I have a massive respect for OR for keeping their customer service local, using smart, knowledgeable, native English-speaking Americans to help customers... - I was very pleased by that.



I'm on the fence if I replace it with another Foray, or go a different direction.

I'm starting to question whether a Nylon face-fabric is wise at all, since it's hydrophilic by nature. I may be wrong about this, but it seems like Nylons are going to wet out quicker, once heavy rainfall overwhelms the DWR treatment.

Polyester by nature shouldn't be as hygroscopic once the DWR is overwhelmed, and I would expect them to recover faster.

And then of course, there's options like Columbia's "OutDry" that uses no outer face fabric at all, so there's no exterior fabric to wet out. These are looking better & better.




(I say all that with the self-admitted caveat, that "a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing," and I've barely acquired "a little bit of knowledge..." So take everything above with a grain of salt...)

 

[badjujuu]

Gore-Tex with huge ventilation pit zips to dump any heat buildup.

I sweat a lot underneath so being wet inside while preventing rain kinds defeats the purpose.

Ponchos work well

This is what I have in my kit now

Drilight Rain Jacket

Technical Features Durably Waterproof Totally Windproof Reliably Breathable Packable and Lightweight Highly Durable Design Details Built for Layering: Reduced Friction with Insulating Layers Dual-Slider Pit Zips for Added Breathability YKK® VISLON Self-Lubricating Center Front Zipper with Inner...

beyondclothing.com

 

[Luke S]

I tried an OuterDry rain jacket in 2016 and liked it a lot. I did a couple packrafting trips in Canada with it. Not as breathable but okay and it kept me dry. Unfortunately it was borrowed so I had to return it.
I bought another one and used it hiking in Alaska in 2021. I hiked off the Kesugi Ridge trail and by the time I reached the highway I was soaked under it. Not sure what happened but it was not sweating. I think I've been in the rain enough to say whatever happened was an unusually bad rain coat experience.
My Goretex raincoat is showing some age but still works better by comparison.

 

[NM13]

Another I'd like to try - https://timmermade.com/product/megazip-silpoly/
Zippered poncho with arms.

 

[ThreeOhSeven]

Another I'd like to try - https://timmermade.com/product/megazip-silpoly/
Zippered poncho with arms.

This looks like some legit made to order UL gear. Thanks for the link.

 

[JAshley73]

This looks like some legit made to order UL gear. Thanks for the link.

Before you get your hopes too high, Timmermade is all made to order, and I believe he has a constant back-log, to the point where he has very intense trivia to win a lottery slot. That is, unless something has changed from when I last heard about him...

Very sharp guy though, and no doubt, excellent gear.

 

[SonnyDay]

Another vote for KUIU Chugach. I have used a LOT of rain gear over the past 40+ years… including stints in SE AK, Kenai AK, western OR, and now the CO mountains.

Expect 2-3 years of use. Re-coat the outside at least every year (I suck at this… but the Chugach has kept me dry anyway).

Layers and pit zips are crucial.

I’ve considered a poncho but I tend to end up in deadfall hell often enough that I’d be soaked and the poncho would be ribbons.

 

[cq0302]

Rain gear should have a time limit rating for how long you can be in the elements until it's soaked though. "Breathable rain gear" is a conundrum. I've tried a couple of the main brands (kuiu/stone glacier) and have been disappointed. Does anyone have a rain jacket they'd truly recommend to stay dry? I only wash them once a year and use nikwax. Thanks for your input.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Which Kuiu? Rain gear technically does have a waterproof/time rating. The mm water rating is how much water it can sustain On the membrane over a 24hr period before soaking through. the question is what are you exactly trying to accomplish? Days on end in the rain, buy grundens, but they don’t breath. I’ve used a boat load of different rain gear. A true three or four layer system with. 30,000mm+ rating will keep you dry, most brands use a very similar or same membrane. Light and breathable means it will soak through eventually. I have a set of ultra lite Kuiu that is no longer made that I pack with on hunts where I would only want it on long enough to get me back to shelter. If I want to be able to hunt in it and stay out I have found the chugach to work very well. I have some older Sitka waterfowl stuff that is phenomenal but it’s heavy warm and doesn’t breathe well.

I haven’t had to buy any in a few years, but I think there was rumor of brands going pfa free and I saw that arcteryx had. I haven’t used it but I heard it was not going to be very good at this point

 

[cq0302]

I got away from breathable rain gear the last few years after using HH Impertech on a backpack hunt in AK. Now if I’m expecting real rain where I hunt in Idaho that I’m going to be moving around in I’ll take the heavy stuff that I know will keep me dry and just layer and move at an appropriate speed so I don’t overheat too bad.

If I’m not expecting much rain I’ll take a light breathable rain jacket that generally turns into more of a wind break, but it works ok for a sprinkle here and there. That being said if I wear it in any kind of real rain it will soak through and if I wear it hiking hard I will sweat a bunch anyway just not quite as much as in non breathable rain gear.

This is the only real answer. Although I avoid wearing my gear as a wind break to keep it fresh and it can certainly handle more than a drizzle for a half day or so, definitely not multi day