Quiet Rain Jacket for Elk Hunting

[sivart]

I have Kuiu's packable rain gear for backcountry hunting. I love it other than it's a little noisy.

I'm looking for a little quieter rain jacket for day hunts and stand hunting. What do you suggest? I'm ok with spending money on rain gear, as I look at it as a priority.

 

[Deadspace]

Sitka has some pretty quiet stuff. It’s their thunderhead jacket and pant. It has a brushed fleece face on it. I have the gaiters and really like them and after this year in northern Idaho, I plan on getting the jacket.

 

[sivart]

It will also be used for stand hunting. Mainly looking for the quietest option of the premium clothing lines.

 

[KeatonMullenix]

Just ordered the downpour set bc it has a harness pass thru. I’ve heard good and bad. I got rid of my kuiu bc it was too loud and had no pass thru.


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[sivart]

I'll look at the thunderhead.

 

[Matt W.]

I've spent some time in the rain in the Thunderhead series from Sitka. Its not the lightest stuff, but it is certainly the quietest rain gear I own.
Tony did a review on it here, it might help as you consider the Thunderhead line.
Review: Sitka Gear Thunderhead & Flash Rain Gear - Rokslide

 

[gbflyer]

We get 100” of rain a year where I live. I work in it most days. I’ve never owned rain gear that is quiet, even though marketed as such. As they are laminated products, a manufacturer can certainly put some sort of fleece on the outside, but the inside will still be crunchy. It will also eventually get you wet, starting at the shoulders. Sitka, Kuiu, Patagonia, Arcteryx, all of it. Better have a good synthetic or wool layer beneath it. The closest thing to quiet I’ve seen is the Impertec from Helly Hanson, and it can’t really be considered as a performance product. A distant second was the old Rivers West,but it soaked and got so heavy it was like wearing a lead vest.

I’ve come to accept that it will be noisy. My theory is that the sound of the rain does a lot to muffle the crunch of the gear. If I’m sitting, it’s the good heavy commercial fisherman’s Helly’s, Grundens, Guy Cotten’s, etc. If I’m moving, it’s wool or synthetic pile. Wet but warm.

Whoever comes up with the first quiet, breathable lightweight rain gear that works gets an automatic free pass to Heaven as far as I’m concerned

 

[Dhbwa]

Downpour.....

 

[Kotaman]

Sitka Down Pour and Sitka Thunderhead are probably you best options for "working" quiet rain gear. Like anything else "quiet" they will eventually wet out and take some time to dry, but I've found they are as good as it gets for quieter rain gear. The Cabelas MT050 "quiet" rain gear I had soaked up water like a sponge and took forever to dry.

 

[KeatonMullenix]

Sitka Down Pour and Sitka Thunderhead are probably you best options for "working" quiet rain gear. Like anything else "quiet" they will eventually wet out and take some time to dry, but I've found they are as good as it gets for quieter rain gear. The Cabelas MT050 "quiet" rain gear I had soaked up water like a sponge and took forever to dry.

How long does it take on downpour? I know that’s dependent on rain fall rate.


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[Kotaman]

How long does it take on downpour? I know that’s dependent on rain fall rate.


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ANYTHING with brushed fleece is going to wet out and how long depends on the rate of rain. If you have a place do dry down at night, these options work great. They are worthless to me in a mountain tent camp. The Thunderhead and Down Pour will both take quite a bit.

 

[Bro Mo]

I've spent the last couple years of trial and error with rain gear here in western WA. Here are my observations:

1. Highly flexible and quiet gear leaks
2. Soft, quiet gear soaks up water and becomes heavy
3. Polyurethane coated keeps the rain out but the sweat in
4. Thin, ultra-packable tears easily
5. Less than 3 layer construction wears the membrane and will leak
6. Loud rain gear is likely not loud about 10 yards away, even less if it is raining
7. Anything less than 10,000 MM/24 gets water pushed through from brush
8. DWR is like a driveway gate preventing a burglar from getting to the locked front door
9. Breathability matters more on top than on the bottom

Here's what works for me:
After trying over half a dozen styles and brands, FL SEAK jacket performs. Schoeller pants with DWR and a base layer can handle a lot via body heat evaporation but the Nomad Hailstorm pants will be worn all day over a base layer instead for late season.

 

[optimusprime]

I've spent the last couple years of trial and error with rain gear here in western WA. Here are my observations:

1. Highly flexible and quiet gear leaks
2. Soft, quiet gear soaks up water and becomes heavy
3. Polyurethane coated keeps the rain out but the sweat in
4. Thin, ultra-packable tears easily
5. Less than 3 layer construction wears the membrane and will leak
6. Loud rain gear is likely not loud about 10 yards away, even less if it is raining
7. Anything less than 10,000 MM/24 gets water pushed through from brush
8. DWR is like a driveway gate preventing a burglar from getting to the locked front door
9. Breathability matters more on top than on the bottom

Here's what works for me:
After trying over half a dozen styles and brands, FL SEAK jacket performs. Schoeller pants with DWR and a base layer can handle a lot via body heat evaporation but the Nomad Hailstorm pants will be worn all day over a base layer instead for late season.

Just looked at the Nomad Hailstorm. Looks like a good piece of gear and ridiculously cheap. Have you used it yet and if so, what are your thoughts ?

 

[Bro Mo]

Hasn't rained on me yet this year. The fit and construction are top notch though and the reason I bought them is for the reinforced seat. I'll update this weekend as I'm sure we can't keep all this sun for too much longer in the PNW.

 

[optimusprime]

What part of the one are you in? I’m in western wa. Rains pretty much everyday forever lol.

 

[Bro Mo]

I do most hunting in Gifford Pinchot NF.

Now that it finally started raining I was able to get some time in the Nomad Hailstorm pants. They were awesome except they have too many seems in the knees to make them "articulated" and they leaked a little right there. Not too bad considering it was warm and humid busting through a bunch of ferns and sitting for a while directly in the rain. I really like the reinforced seat of the Hailstorm pants though and I can't find that in any other pants I like so I don't know what I would try instead. The jacket would probably be better due to less seems in a vulnerable area.

 

[optimusprime]

I do most hunting in Gifford Pinchot NF.

Now that it finally started raining I was able to get some time in the Nomad Hailstorm pants. They were awesome except they have too many seems in the knees to make them "articulated" and they leaked a little right there. Not too bad considering it was warm and humid busting through a bunch of ferns and sitting for a while directly in the rain. I really like the reinforced seat of the Hailstorm pants though and I can't find that in any other pants I like so I don't know what I would try instead. The jacket would probably be better due to less seems in a vulnerable area.

So would you recommend these over the SEAK pants?

 

[Stingray]

I’ve tried half a dozen brands. I finally settled on Kryptek Koldo. Not the quietest but durable and keeps me dry even in serious weather. Before settling on this set, I tried; Patagonia with Goretex Pro, Marmot, LLBean, Under Armour, Sitka and others. Various jacket and pants combinations with Goretex and other laminates. Kryptek turned out to be the driest and most durable.

That said, I’ll probably be adding a jacket and pants from Swazi in New Zealand soon as the stuff doesn’t leak and it’s quiet. I have been debating Swaziveraus the Kryptek Altitude (good but expensive) and the rain gear from Pnuma with the Porrelle membrane. Not sure which one I’ll settle on.

My experience is that all rain gear works for some period of time in most conditions. But it’s rare to find stuff that truly keeps one dry and is durable.

 

[Bro Mo]

So would you recommend these over the SEAK pants?

Only if cost is an issue.

 

[Piscatory_4]

I see First lite has the SEAK Stormtite jacket on closeout if you want ASAT for $255 discounted from $425. They also have the Vapor Stormlight for $180 in asat also. I have KUIU Ultra NX and it has worked pretty good for me this past week which is the only time I've had rain here while I was hunting on Olympic Peninsula in Western WA. I don't think it's very noisy at all. I worry about durability though with briars and such. Otherwise I wear the Kryptek Koldo set which is a little heavier and a little noisier but still quiet IMO and definitely tough.