Rain Gear on a budget

[satchamo]

I'll be going to CO for an elk hunt the last week of September and I'm considering my rain gear options. Last year we had about 1 full day of nasty rain but otherwise it wasn't bad. I actually didn't hunt much that day due to a foot issue so I got lucky it coincided because all I had was a cheap poncho. So here I am procrastinating with a dropped jaw at the price of some rain gear....

That being said I'm trying to go alot more prepared. Does anyone have a suggestion for raingear that isn't going to break the bank? I'm talking gear that I can wear all day, not necessarily the most comfortable of stuff, just as long as it keeps me dry. I can tolerate some sweat. I've looked at frog toggs but they seem like they wouldn't hold up. I have also looked at marmot precip but the color options aren't the best. I don't need camo necessarily but I would at least prefer an olive or brown jacket which they don't seem to offer. Oh and it needs to be pretty packable.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[gmajor]

I hear the marmot precip line is good for the money, but you're right the color options are lacking. I think I'll just wear gaiters and my rain jacket (FL stormtight) this year and forgo rain pants (mid-sept CO), but sometimes I worry about what would happen in serious rain. If you can tolerate a little sweat, I'd look at any of the reputable backpacking companies. They all have cheap thin shells that will keep you dry from the rain, despite making you clammy.

For example, this is actually a pretty nice jacket from Sierra Designs on sale now and in a great color, but they just have small left: http://www.sierradesigns.com/product/mens-stretch-rain-jacket?colorname=militaryolive

Small tangent: I noticed in NZ they wear a lot of long jackets like: https://www.stoneycreek.co.nz/Hunting-Gear/Men/Above-The-Belt/Long-Bush-Coat If If I hunted in a super wet area I'd think about one of these. Seems to protect upper and lower without needing rain pants.

 

[KHNC]

Cabelas has a nice set of packable pants and jacket. Seem very quiet. you will still have 125-150 bucks in them tho.

 

[cuerro viejo]

http://www.columbia.com/mens-sleeker-rain-jacket-1580311.html

Or

http://www.columbia.com/mens-pfg-hydrotech-packable-rain-jacket-FM2019.html

 

[Tauntohawk]

I was searching a really long time for quality rain gear at a price I could afford, quiet, durable, and breathable are expensive features and nothing in the cheap category ever seemed worth it. I had some cableas dry plus which works fine for a shower or two in a deer stand but I tried to use in 9hrs of rain for a bear hunt and was soaked to the bone under and it was heavy wet and miserable. In the last few weeks I found the kryptek blockade jacket for $73 new and sitka doownpour $139 I also have the cabelas packable pants and while it weights nothing it wouldnt hold up to brush I really just plan to use to for walking through tall wet grass in turkey season.

Something that intruged me was the kings windstorm gear but I didnt find much review info on them and the sizing look like it would work for me.

 

[muledhunter]

I bought a carhart rain jacket off of camo fire and am overly impressed. It was like 40 or 50 dollars. A tad on the heavy side but it doesn't leak.

 

[Mike7]

This is a good deal below. I have had a Marmot Precip, which is a good jacket, but hoping this Plasmic Ion will be a little better even (it is a little lighter, and probably less durable though from the feel of the material).
http://www.sunnysports.com/p-mhwplijm/mountain-hardwear-plasmic-ion-jacket-for-men

For quiet stuff, the Core4 works pretty darn well especially if you wash it in the Nikwax DWR stuff. I have stayed dry for 1-2 days even in wet N. Idaho in the Core4 (it stays dry longer than my Kennetrek gaiters, which have the same soft exterior...but then again gaiters have to deal more frequently with wet grass/brush and so the outside "wets out" faster).

 

[KMT]

Before I ditched my soft shell jacket, I used cheap poncho from Walmart. And by cheap, I mean $1.98....about as durable as a sandwich bag. Never had a problem. I use a core4 rain jacket now as an outer layer over a down or synthetic puffy. But honestly, rain has never been a deal breaker for my comrade hunts.

 

[Terrapin]

Helly Hanson Impertech can be found cheaply on Amazon ($20 to $50 if you shop). This stuff does not breath, but it also never leaks. It has some stretch to the fabric and is pretty light. This stuff lasts forever. I use it for thick, waterlogged brush, snow blowing slush, ice fishing, crabbing, goose hunting flooded fields. My buddy borrowed the pants last year and a roll of duct tape and used them for waders. These things have kept me dry when my expensive goretex rain gear is sitting at home.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Also check out the Cabela's Men's Space Rain™ Full-Zip jacket & pants.

 

[blutooth]

I just picked up a pair of kryptek Poseidon pants (I think they had the pullover jacket too) from Sierra trading post for something like $70 with a 40% off coupon (coupons are easy to find with a Google search). Haven't used them yet though. Here is the rockslide review: http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-...let-it-rain-light-weight-rain-jacket-shootout

 

[Vids]

I have a pair of Cabela's Tech H2O pants for sale if you're interested. They were $100 new, I'll sell for $50 shipped in the continental US. Size XL, I am 5'10" 190 and they are too small for me now (I used to be 240 lb). If you're a little bigger than me they would work.

They're in perfect shape, I only took them out of my pack when it rained.

PM me if interested.

View attachment 28322

 

[satchamo]

I just picked up a pair of kryptek Poseidon pants (I think they had the pullover jacket too) from Sierra trading post for something like $70 with a 40% off coupon (coupons are easy to find with a Google search). Haven't used them yet though. Here is the rockslide review: http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-...let-it-rain-light-weight-rain-jacket-shootout

Damn they only have medium in the jacket now. I need a L. Bummer. Don't know how I hadn't noticed those before. I'm on STP all the time.

 

[tttoadman]

I have the C4E jacket. love the quiet and the fit. I agree with giving it a Nikwax treatment. It will get heavy and have a hard time drying out if rain keeps going and going.

I like the plasmic jacket. NOT THE PLASMIC ION. When they made the lighter ion version, they took the 3 way adjustment off of the hood. this is why I also don't like the Precip jacket.

they just had the plasmic jackets on steap and cheap for about $70.
I have a columbia jacket with good hood, zips,...It can be found on sale for around $100 or so if you look around.

To put my setup in perspective. I will take my C4E in sept Oct for deer. I plan to take the Columbia jacket for Elk in November.



I have heard if a jacket is event material, you can run without the pitzips. I don't think I would go without them.

 

[satchamo]

I have the C4E jacket. love the quiet and the fit. I agree with giving it a Nikwax treatment. It will get heavy and have a hard time drying out if rain keeps going and going.

I like the plasmic jacket. NOT THE PLASMIC ION. When they made the lighter ion version, they took the 3 way adjustment off of the hood. this is why I also don't like the Precip jacket.

they just had the plasmic jackets on steap and cheap for about $70.
I have a columbia jacket with good hood, zips,...It can be found on sale for around $100 or so if you look around.

To put my setup in perspective. I will take my C4E in sept Oct for deer. I plan to take the Columbia jacket for Elk in November.



I have heard if a jacket is event material, you can run without the pitzips. I don't think I would go without them.

I went with the Core4 Torrent pants and jacket. Which nikwax product do you recommend washing it with?

 

[ofl0926]

I just picked up a pair of kryptek Poseidon pants (I think they had the pullover jacket too) from Sierra trading post for something like $70 with a 40% off coupon (coupons are easy to find with a Google search). Haven't used them yet though. Here is the rockslide review: http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-...let-it-rain-light-weight-rain-jacket-shootout

i was thinking of purchasing these and then taking them somewhere to add pit zips to them

 

[Biggs300]

Don't overlook some of the cheaper gear. I have a LL Bean (lightweight, taped seams, packs in its own pocket) rain jacket that doesn't breathe worth a crap but, it has kept me dry for over 10 the years. For rain pants, I pair of TecH20 pants from Gander Mountain, of all places. This will be my 4th season using these pants and they have not let me down, even in heavier rain. I've also sat in snow for an hour or so at a time and have stayed dry. More importantly, they dry reasonably quickly. I like finding inexpensive gear that works.

 

[hooker]

Northface, or REI Fleece Pants under Columbia silver ridge hiking pants. Raining take the lower legs off.... Colder weather keep the lower legs off. Nice and sunny but cold, wear them in the morning. Cold at night? Like colder than your bags rated for? Sleep in them..

 

[JWP58]

Marmot Precip.

 

[mrbillbrown]

Marmot Precip from STP. Crazy cheap after the 40% off coupon