Rain gear?

[jake1455]

I’m new here and am looking for some input. I’m getting a new outer shell this year, a Sitka Jetstream jacket. It has water repellency but is not water proof. How crucial to YOU is it to bring rain gear? I’m thinking with this jacket, and seeking a little cover if necessary, I might be ok? Any input is appreciated, thanks!


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[Salmonchaser]

Don’t know where you’re hunting. I grew up in Oregon and Alaska so I don’t drive to the store w/o rain gear. I really like the Jet Stream jacket, I always have my rain gear available maybe not always in my pack. Jetstream won’t keep you dry very long.

 

[jake1455]

Thanks for the response, I’ll be in Colorado mostly and maybe some Montana here and there too. Info on the jetstream is appreciated too. What rain gear do y’all use?


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[easilyamused]

I have a jetstream and its really only water resistant for the lightest of rain or to keep the morning dew off. If im 99% sure its not going to rain ill still throw in a frogg toggs emergency jacket (4oz, $10, but far from durable). The thing with any of the dwr soft shell jackets is theyre water resistant right up until they arent and then you have a jacket that you wont be able to dry out in any reasonable amount of time.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I have Sitka. Don’t recall the model name but it’s their most packable model. No pockets, don’t like that. Next model up in price has ample pockets, very packable, much more convenient.

 

[madcalfe]

kuiu yukon is top notch. little heavy for early season hunts though.

 

[07jkjeeper]

I normally just carry a inexpensive rain parka. I wear good gear but have never seen the point in spending that much on rain gear.

 

[madcalfe]

I normally just carry a inexpensive rain parka. I wear good gear but have never seen the point in spending that much on rain gear.

obviously haven't been stuck 5+ days in constant rain while hunting in the mountains. puffy jacket under rain jacket and your good for the whole year. soft shells do nothing but provide a decent pillow..IMO

 

[Two Roads]

My wife and I both really like our Sitka Cloudburst jacket and pants. We find the jacket is our first choice for a shell as well. It is a little noisy but we make it work. Plus it is pretty low weight. Also we are also offshore sailors so fair amount of hi-tech latest greatest rain gear experience besides mountains to reduce moisture misery. Our trick is to stay warm and dry and the Cloudburst has delivered both in all day rain and shined in heavy wet snow. Make good choices with this as you can quickly skip to a big problem once wet and cold miles from truck.

 

[Decker9]

The cloudburst set has treated me well, I use it year round, from the trapline to mountain hunting. As mentioned, toss a puffy underneath and your golden.

 

[MNBill]

I watched the sales for several months. I ended up with a Kuiu jacket (can't remember the name) and Kryptek Koldo rain pants. Very happy with both. I am 6' and 225lbs., and ordered 3x on the Kuiu and 2X on the Koldo so I could layer under them if need be. I wore the Kuiu jacket and a Kryptek puffy most of the winter here in NW Minnesota and it worked well, especially with wind chills around -20 and below.

 

[tntrker]

My Cloudburst set was my most "optional" choice to buy. But during the first downpour, I figured out it was the most important one.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

I like my badlands exo kit. lifetime warranty, not a bad investment. Has held up to rain and snow just fine. I have a FL Seak for a bomber hardshell. Works just as good as any other goretex set up.

 

[cavu]

I just back form Kodiak last Friday, I would have been miserable absent my Sitka Stormfront jacket and Pant...they performed flawlessly.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I’ve been very happy with the Kuiu lines. I have 3 sets (Yukon, Chugach, and Teton), they don’t all perform the same way, but they all have a place, and serve a particular purpose.


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[NZhunt&fish]

Highly recommend Swazi, designed and made here in NZ for wet conditions (we measure rainfall by the meter in a lot of hunting areas) also Stoney Creek designed here makes some good wet weather gear

 

[Jimss]

I live in Colorado and there's no way I'd leave home without a rain jacket just about every month of the year! Even in the high alpine in July it can turn nasty in a flash! If you don't want to pay a bunch for a camo jacket and pants you can buy a set of Marmot Precip jackets and pants for around $50 each from Sierra Trading....maybe even cheaper with a discount code. I've used and abused my marmots a bunch and they've taken pretty good punishment and in most cases have kept me super dry. They are super compact and light. The jacket has pitzips which are a necessity for me. I usually wear camo Sitka raingear for hunting but Marmots come in green or brown and would work fine.

 

[mcseal2]

Kinda depends for me what the hunt is.

For a lot of lower 48 hunts I'm either day hunting or I can walk to the truck in a few hours. I watch the forecast and make my decisions from there. I have a Marmot Precip jacket and some NX Kuiu pants if I want to have something but don't think I'll need it. I have a Go Lite Poncho tarp too I sometimes take instead. That stuff is for when I don't think I'll need rain gear, or think if I do need it I won't need it for long or be very active while wearing it.

Before going to Alaska last year I got good rain gear on the big sales. I'd been watching and waiting as the trip got closer and technology improved. I got a First Lite SEAK jacket when ASAT was discontinued, and Kuiu Yukon pants from the outlet. Both worked great on my trip. Going to AK again next year after caribou the Yukons will be my primary pant, I won't take a softshell.

I also bought a Sitka Cloudburst jacket before the AK hunt when I found one at an awesome price "used" but still new with tags in reality. We took it on the moose hunt as a back-up. I have worn it a lot working and fishing since, it's worked very well.

I have Helly Hennsen also I use on the ranch. Great stuff but not breathable at all. I get pretty hot pretty easy in it. Wearing the HH bibs and the Sitka jacket helps quite a bit if I'm not worried about destroying the jacket that day.

I've been wearing solid colored Kuiu Peloton 240 hoody as my fleece and a Sitka Jetstream lite vest instead of a softshell working a lot lately. I add a Kuiu insulated snap shirt to that if it gets colder. That has been a really versatile set-up that is as light as a lot of softshell jackets. For hunting I have a Sitka Mountain vest instead of the Jetstream lite. Some of this stuff is expensive to buy even on sale, but it lasts so dang long I think it pencils out in the long run. It's sure comfortable to wear working too.

Might be a better option to look at the whole layering system with rain gear as the shell instead of a softshell jacket that will ride in the pack when the rain coat is on.

 

[ridgefire]

I bring my rain gear every time I go elk hunting. I have gotten caught without it and was wet to my underwear in a hurry. My Simms Paclite Gore Tex shell has always kept me dry but it can be fairly loud when your walking and the fabric rubs against itself.

 

[1shotgear]

I’m new here and am looking for some input. I’m getting a new outer shell this year, a Sitka Jetstream jacket. It has water repellency but is not water proof. How crucial to YOU is it to bring rain gear? I’m thinking with this jacket, and seeking a little cover if necessary, I might be ok? Any input is appreciated, thanks!


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It all depends on where you are going. On a hunt in Colorado the Jetstream will work just fine I personally do not use a Gortex set up anywhere in the Colorado. If I go any where west or north of Colorado I usually take a Gortex jacket. Most likely my cloudburst jacket. If I go anywhere in Alaska or Canada I take my Kodiak jacket. It just all depends on where you hunt now and where you plan on hunting in the future. I would suggest possibly look into getting a Gortex jacket just for the future.