New Article up on Hard Core Rain Gear

[Piscatory_4]

Dang.. Of all the gear tested in this review the Koldo seemed the toughest. I concur, either reinforced (i.e. double knees) or an exterior cap of some sort would be nice on these heavy duty series. I'm not sure I would want knee pads on my rain gear if I am wearing integrated knee pads on my main pants. How does the hood on the Koldo jacket work for you? Just curious if they have modified it much from the version I tested. ??.

As for the hood, I don't like hoods, it seemed too big until I tightened up the draw cord on the back of it. This decreased the v volume enough that it didn't fall all the way over in front of my face. The fold of the hood still trends to poke me in the ear. I was enjoying it during heavy rain and wind though. I always prefer removable hoods. The main bad/undesirable thing I have heard about the koldo set is weight, and that is from the pack-in guys trying to reduce weight to the minimum.

 

[robby denning]

Is this the same hunt that Sitka spiffied you with their $700 parka? Hmmmmm, sounds a lot like an infomercial.

bivouaclarry

Robby Denning, Rokslide Editor here. High Country's job is to keep these threads current if new information comes up that can benefit members. Yes, same hunt that he reviewed the Sitka Blizzard Parka on, since you asked.

If you have a problem with a $700 parka, maybe you better find another website. We review gear at all price points, low and high, written by prostaff and members.

If you can't contribute in a productive way, I'll be glad to show you the door.

 

[KevBowSlice]

Additional Thoughts on Rain Gear...

I've noticed a series of threads on rain gear performance and thought I would throw a few things out.. I'm not an expert, but I have been blessed to have had an opportunity to handle and use a large variety of rain gear. Hopefully you find my journey helpful.

Rain gear is a tough animal. As hunters we often buy gear and expect it to be more versatile than it was designed to be. Extreme pursuits require extreme gear. Such gear, while it may work, is overkill for less complex pursuits. If I was a gear manufacturer my biggest goal would be to educate my consumers on exactly what I designed each piece of gear to work in. Look at Sitka Gear for example, they make 6+ rain jackets! Buying one and expecting it to work across a variety of pursuits is a tough request. They make 6+ jackets because each jacket has been specifically designed for a specific activity. When KUIU started the Chugach jacket was supposed to be the "one jacket to rule them all." It was pretty darn light, breathed well, and is great performer. Yet at some point KUIU realized burlier gear was needed for guys who spend lots of time in wet, rougher conditions.

While the Chugach may perform well in a tree stand, Sitka's Downpour jacket is going to be quieter because it was designed for that use. However, you go hit the Brooks Range with your Downpour and epic failure will result. I think First Lite has a great versatile jacket in the Stormtight. Its not going to survive punishment like a KUIU Yukon or a Sitka Stormfront, but that is not what it was designed for. First Lite is in ID and that jacket is perfect for such hunts. Quiet enough for the treestand and it performs pretty good in the mountains.

I have used my Stormtight here in Alaska fishing, rafting, ATV'ing and hiking. The Dry Earth option and loose fit make a it great daily wear rain jacket. I'd call it my 80% jacket. However, when I head to sheep country on an extended expedition I want light weight, durable gear that can be punished. A complete set of Sitka Dewpoint is 23-24ozs! Is it as quiet as the Stormtight? No. But, the design intent of each is drastically different.

I can't speak for First Lite, but my assumption is that their goal was to make a versatile rain jacket that works for most uses. I think they succeeded and its a great jacket. I am sure there are guys out there using it beyond what I am describing, but like all gear it does have limitations. Using it outside of its design intent will result in mixed results.

While I like the Dewpoint, its a minimalistic design. Less pockets and features make for a lighter product. If I am headed to Kodiak and know that I am going to spend days in my rain gear I want something that is designed for that purposes. There is where the design intent of the KUIU Yukon and the Sitka Stormfront really shine. You can debate the effectiveness of each, but these products were designed for extended wet pursuits and if such a trip is encountered this is where the dollars you paid for these products starts to make sense.

I've heard comments around how Gore-Tex sucks or that it will fail. Sure, it might, but more often than not its because we have not maintained the product properly. 30 days in a garment is going to start plugging up the pores. We can't expect breathable laminates / materials from ANY maker to stand up to that sort of continued abuse without proper maintenance. I'm not sure what the magic days a field is. The reality is that it varies based on individuals and the nature of the trip itself. How you use the product, what it is exposed to, etc. all effect how quickly you push the fabric to failure.

Sweaty hands, abrasion, campfire smoke, all push materials into pores that are designed to breath. So while the jacket may be keeping you dry on the outside, the condensation on the inside is unable to escape. I was once told that many times so called "failure" isn't rain coming through, but is a result of condensation or the result of convective cooling (wet face fabric) and the sensation is only that...a sensation. Not true wetness. Heavy sweaters might beg to differ.

Outerwear is much more complex than it seems. If you want rain gear that performs for your chosen pursuit you really owe it to yourself to research and understand the DESIGN INTENT of the product you are considering. A phone call to the manufacturer is a great idea. Of all people they are the best resource for understanding exactly what they designed the garment to do. You can follow up with reading reviews and research on performance, but evaluate each review with a grain of salt.

MADE UP Example: Matt takes his Sitka Downpour on a SE Alaska bear hunt. He spends 15 days in the rain with no relief. Matt comes back and throws up a forum post / review. Jacket completely failed. Sitka sucks, Gore-Tex sucks, Matt is only running Helly Hansen from now on!! Matt tried to make a round object fit in a square hole and then blamed the round object for not fitting. If this made up "Matt" had called Sitka they probably would have suggested the Stormfront, reminded him of the impact of not maintaining his gear, and perhaps even suggested bringing back up rain gear in case the fabric got clogged.

Very few of us have the ability to do an extended test in a product and benchmark that. Reviews help some, but conditions and differences in people make rough measuring points on pushing the failure point. The trick is to find a product designed for what you intend to do. At some point you have to trust (but verify) that the manufacture knows what they are doing. Short trip, low chance of rain is a much different animal than a 30 day jaunt in a rainforest.

I've put a ton of time into using, testing, researching, and questioning rain gear. I get asked what one do you like best? My best response is, "it depends." Of all your gear, rain gear demands time and effort in picking the right product for the right task. I can point you to the gear I have tested and my results, but in reality I'm better off understanding what you expect of the rain gear and then pushing you toward an option or two. You owe it to both the manufacturers of the gear and your self to buy and use gear as it was intended. Letting folks know it failed is great, but explaining how you pushed the gear to its limits helps us all as we seek to define the outer limits of our gear and define how we plan to utilize it.

This is why I have several sets of rain gear. Each has their place, I just need to ensure I wisely utilize the gear.

Hi,

I'm looking to buy one single set of rain pants and a jacket (doesn't have to be the same brand) strictly for backpacking use. I won't be busting through brush, so they don't need to be bulletproof, but I don't mind paying extra on a durable "buy-it-for-life" (or almost) set. I'm not an ounce-counter, but also not looking for unnecessary weight. These wouldn't be used for hunting, so I don't nind if they aren't the quietest. I definitely want breathable full zip pants and a jacket with vented pits. I bought the Stone Glacier M5 pants in Medium 31-33 which is my normal size (31), but they are slightly snug over my regular pants and are slightly restrictive in movement in the crotch, so I'm leaning towards sending them back. I'm concerned I'd be swimming in the Large 35-37 size. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Matt W.]

Hey, apologies for the delayed response. I missed this somehow. My review is a bit dated, but the methodology and mindset of using gear for it's design intent is, in HMO, still a valid approach. I have no experience with Stone Glacier's rain gear. They seem like a pretty solid design. For ounce counting I'm still a big fan of the Dewpoint line. If weight doesn't matter there sure are a lot of options for us to explore.