Rain Gear for Early Aug in CO for Archery season

[bz_711]

I would suggest carrying some ultralight rain gear - particularly jacket. I've had the Cabelas Space Rain gear in my pack for 9 straight seasons...I probably have pulled the jacket out to wear about 6 times, and the pants maybe twice...so not very often which is why I suggest ultralight only. But, those few times could make or break a hunt and potentially be life saving as it can be 35 degrees and raining in a hurry which is no way to be caught miles from truck/camp.
Good Luck!

 

[carsonkeys]

I underestimated the importance of rain gear until I went on a 9 day hunt in MT where it snowed, rained, or sleeted every single day. Thankfully, I brought rain gear, however it was the almost fleecy-feeling cabelas rain gear and it just couldn't dry. At that point, cost-be-damned, I immediately upgraded my rain system. Nowadays I consider rain gear and down top and bottoms essential survival gear and both sets stay in my pack all-season regardless of forecast.

 

[LandYacht]

I used to never carry rain gear, but after years of getting rained on every day and having to hunker under trees I’ve carried it the last few years. Sometimes there aren’t trees big enough to provide shelter and sometimes it’s dangerous to be under the ones that are because they are the tallest thing out there.

For less than a pound and a half of weight in my pack, I’m able to be my own pine tree.


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[jmez]

Rain gear is one of those things that you never need, until you do. The few times that you do makes it worth carrying for me all the times that I don't.

Depends on the year as well. We had a year in Co that you would have left the mountain, drove to town and bought some had you not brought it along.

I always have a rain jacket in the pack.

 

[sodaksooner]

I would suggest carrying some ultralight rain gear - particularly jacket. I've had the Cabelas Space Rain gear in my pack for 9 straight seasons...I probably have pulled the jacket out to wear about 6 times, and the pants maybe twice...so not very often which is why I suggest ultralight only. But, those few times could make or break a hunt and potentially be life saving as it can be 35 degrees and raining in a hurry which is no way to be caught miles from truck/camp.
Good Luck!

Pretty much my experience. Sure nice to have. My space rain has held up pretty well in the 7 or 8 years I have had it.

 

[Jqualls]

I only carry a jacket if there is a good rain chance in the forecast. Which 30% or better is a really good chance of rain in the mountains but will likely be brief (atleast in the southwest). I typically day hunt only and live 30-60 minutes from where I hunt so if weather is that bad I probably wont hunt, mainly because I don't want to try and track an archery elk in rain. If I was rifle hunting or coming from out of town I would definitely atleast have it in the truck and pack it in depending on forecast. If I only had a week or so to hunt I would be hunting rain or shine.

I always carry a piece of Tyvek and trash bag for quartering game and I always have an SOL emergency bivy so I am not worried about life saving ability of rain gear as I will use other equipment if needed in an emergency.

 

[SaHunter]

have heard conflicting stories back and forth. yes take it no its not worth carrying around
what are some of you guys opinions.
have a list of clothing picked out for the early season and the rain gear is the biggest thing I'm skeptical on getting.

 

[SaHunter]

It will rain on you some days. It will rain on you when not planned. It will rain and not rain on you on clear days. It will not rain on you with rain around you. My point is you just can't tell. So take a lite set and you have planned for anything. Plus you can wait out lite rain under the tree. Rain gear adds another layer so you don't have to wear or carry a heavier layer unless you know that bad weather is expected. This is my archery season based suggestion and likely different later in the season (and should be factored in from those hunters).

 

[fngTony]

I’m perfectly happy with my 13oz jacket and 8oz pants, even if they never come out of my pack.

 

[kansasmuley]

I went to New Mexico Oct 1 last year for elk, and sat under a tree in a downpour for 3-4 hours. I was happy I was wearing rain gear. Another thing I was happy about, after the rain it was cloudy and humid. Nothing dried out after the storm. Walking through trees that are still dripping wet and brush that’s soaked, I had the rain gear on most of the day. Play the forecast though. 4 out of my 5 days called for rain, so I packed it.

 

[Planopurist]

I would suggest carrying some ultralight rain gear - particularly jacket. I've had the Cabelas Space Rain gear in my pack for 9 straight seasons...

Exactly what I’m carrying.




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[5MilesBack]

For me it's a waste most the time. In general it doesn't rain in CO enough in Sept for me to warrant taking it, and when it does rain enough (like 2013) I'm soaked either way with rain or sweat so it still does me no good. In an average year it might rain for a short time in the afternoon, and then it's done......sun is out.......and you dry either way. But some folks might be more sensitive to getting wet.

 

[sneaky]

I'm just curious what you're going to be hunting in early Aug in CO? What's open in early Aug? I carry a Marmot minimalist jacket. Bought it on sale for about $100. It's a step up from the PreCip.

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[5MilesBack]

I'm just curious what you're going to be hunting in early Aug in CO? What's open in early Aug?

There are a few sheep hunts that start in early August.

 

[AndyB]

I've always carried it early Elk season, in 5 trips I've used it on 2 occasions, as others have said when you need it, you need it.
We were at 11,000ft in 2013 when the same storm we got caught in washed part of Boulder away. Without decent rain gear we would have been goosed. Storms rolled in everyday at 2pm like clockwork

You may just need a good windblocker too if the temp drops and wind picks up, rain or no rain.

 

[5MilesBack]

I remember one afternoon in 2013 that started raining "after" I'd already hiked in a couple miles. I tucked myself into a tree well with good overhangs and sat there in hopes that it would pass. Half hour later I couldn't see 50 feet it was coming down so hard. With no signs of letting up, I hiked out. I crossed stream after stream (literally) coming out of every drainage that was dry when I went in. When I got to the truck, there was 4" of small hail stacked up on top of the already flowing water. I keep a towel in the truck and stripped down to nothing and got in and drove to base camp. It was hard to even stay on the road in places as you just couldn't see it with the river of water flowing across every part of it. Actually, there were a few days that year like this. On another day I was only 1/2 mile in when it dumped.

For me, rain gear just doesn't work in those situations. However, that year was extreme. The norm is dry.......or perhaps an afternoon shower for just a bit. In those cases, a rain jacket can keep you mostly dry as you wait it out. But I see those so infrequently, that I normally don't take the rain gear.

 

[chasewild]

What I’ve gathered from a few years on Rokslide is guys hunting in the southern portion of the state don’t like bringing rain gear and guys who hunt the northern part of the state typically bring rain gear. Of course there are exceptions, but that is the trend I’ve seen on here. I don’t take rain gear on day trips that the forecast has a 0% chance of precipitation. To each their own.

I hunt southern part of the state and I bring it. It's essential at 13k whether its raining or not.

 

[KHNC]

If you hunted the month of September in 2013 in Colorado, you found out what rain gear was needed.
The entire state was wet

Damn! Thats the truth!! Me and Jeff packed in mid sept a few miles for 8 days. Some of the NASTIEST thunderstorms ive been a part of while hunting. The whole sky lit up like daylight a couple of nights.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I always carry a rain jacket, but not typically pants. No reason really not to, for rain, wind, and occasionally an extra layer if the weatherman is wrong. I stay away from the super light weight stuff, try to go with a good in between. FL Stormtight or KUIU Northridge are good options. For pants, I am usually wearing something that is semi rain resistant, or if really hot something that dries really fast so shouldn't matter. If really worried about keeping legs dry and not in a lightening storm, put jacket on and huge a tree on the downwind side.

 

[Phaseolus]

A Marmot Precip jacket costs less than a hundred dollars and packs to the size of a fist, It weighs just a few ounces. It is silly not to have somthing like that. They are not very tough so brush will rip them pretty easily. I have a syl nylon poncho that packs to a fist as well and I could overnight in it if I had to.