Rain Gear for Haul Road Caribou Trip

[SKIHUNTFISH]

Do you guys have recomendations for rain gear for a september haul road caribou hunt. We intend to archery hunt from the road with an optional spike camp 5 miles out in the rifle zone for a few days of the hunt. I would also like to use this gear on future backcountry hunts.

I called Kuiu and they recomended thier CHUGACH TR because it is light and packable. Does that sound right? Is it durable enough?

I'm open to first lite, sitka or any other brand not just kuiu. Just looking for the best solution.

Also interested in feedback on the HH stuff I hear the guides frequently use.

Any advise?

Thanks

 

[madcalfe]

i haven't seen the new redesigned chugach but the previous version is very light weight and packable.
i run the yukon series sheep hunting and love it. its super durable and never worry about wrecking it in the rocks or brush. its obviously quite heavier but i never have a issue with it.
personally i think the kutana line is a happy medium and when i buy raingear again ill probably switch to that.
or do a yukon jacket/ kutana bottom.

 

[stvnshnn]

I swear by the Helly Hanson Impertech stuff for everything Alaska. I have a buddy that got the Grundens Neptune jacket and pants too. I am fairly handy with a sewing machine, so I put full length side zips on my pants and my buddy paid like $25 for a seamstress to put pit zips in his jacket. The North Slope is all water, so plan on kneeling, crawling, and laying down in water while stalking.
My $.02


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[z987k]

I swear by the Helly Hanson Impertech stuff for everything Alaska. I have a buddy that got the Grundens Neptune jacket and pants too. I am fairly handy with a sewing machine, so I put full length side zips on my pants and my buddy paid like $25 for a seamstress to put pit zips in his jacket. The North Slope is all water, so plan on kneeling, crawling, and laying down in water while stalking.
My $.02


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ya. Impertech is real rain gear. For real rain. Everything else is you being wet after a bit. Dwr works for a couple hours. I wear dwr stuff to go from my truck to inside. Not in the rain hunting and fishing.

 

[Kronos]

I swear by the Helly Hanson Impertech stuff for everything Alaska. I have a buddy that got the Grundens Neptune jacket and pants too. I am fairly handy with a sewing machine, so I put full length side zips on my pants and my buddy paid like $25 for a seamstress to put pit zips in his jacket. The North Slope is all water, so plan on kneeling, crawling, and laying down in water while stalking.
My $.02

I've used the Impertech stuff for work. The backing fabric on the inside of the garments actually wicked water up the impertech pant and nearly soaked the entire pants I was wearing... I can't say I was impressed.

 

[smith3442]

LOTS of hiking. I would hate to be wearing HH Impertech (Moose hunt or fishing it is great) hiking that much. I was sweating like a pig while hunting haul road. I wouldn't go with light weight, but I would do kuiu or sitka rain gear that breathes well. I had sitka pants and kuiu jacket for my rain gear. worked great.

 

[stvnshnn]

What I did this year on my hunt was pack a Patagonia Houdini jacket. With a simple synthetic or merino base layer under it, it kept me pretty warm while moving even in light rain. When the rain/snow got heavier, I just shook out the Houdini jacket and I put on the HH jacket. When the temps are around 40 or lower, just the HH jacket, zipper down, with a base layer was comfortable to walk in. I really think having the zippers put in the pants and pit zips in the jacket help 100%. When things get bad, I want rubber rain gear. I have used the Kuiu Yukon stuff and for the first season it was good. But the DWR wears out, even following the washing instructions religiously. I got rid of the jacket before the end of the second season because the shoulders and cuffs were absorbing water. When the Yukon set did get wet, it took forever to dry. At $80-100 for the HH jacket and then the pants, plus putting in some zippers, you're so far ahead budget wise, you still have a couple hundred bucks to put into gas for the trip.

 

[Trey Arentz]

I am heading up to the NBR next year also and have been reading and trying to dial this in as well. So far, I am thinking the HH Impertech for my rain gear to carry with for when it gets bad. My active rain gear will most likely be a KUIU axis jacket with the waterproof panels and pit zips. Hoping this will cover the spectrum of what I would need up there and also have a wind proof layer with a little insulation.

 

[SKIHUNTFISH]

Thanks folks.

 

[Kobuk]

I've owned the Chugach rain gear for 7 years now and I have had great luck with it. I also own the HD Gurnman gear for when I'm on my boat and I have a set of HH Impertech for fishing and general use. I only use my Kuiu gear for hunting. I am amazed on how well it keeps me from getting all clamy while hiking in it. You will sweat like heck in the Impertech. Some of my buddies hunt in the impertech and it works too.

 

[Farmer79]

I was looking at the Blackovis hailstone as a budget rainwear but not much info out yet. I have worn rubber type rainwear in the summers in fields and it is always a debate if the sweat or wet from crops is worse.

 

[gdavis]

Chugach TR jacket and Kutana Pants. Chugach is great as a jacket, i like having the additional durability of the Kutana pants though.

Hiking over that muskegg for a period of time with a pack is a pain and you will sweat your butt off in rubbers.

 

[Jeffweaver4]

I did the same hunt and wore the Sitka dew point rain gear and it was just fine. It’s very lightweight. Quartered up 4 caribou from our group wearing it so I didn’t get blood on my other clothes and it held op just fine.

 

[Rural Alaskan]

Helly Hanson is the gold standard in Alaska.