Rain Gear

[gkempf]

OK guys, If you were going to spend 10 days on Kodiak, What rain gear would you trust your life on.

 

[BRobertson]

Helly Hansen Impertech, if you can find it. They seem to be going the stylish, yuppie route and I have not been able to find the Alaska style fishing and Yakutat real raingear on the internet.?? I am hoping our local stores still have it!!

Grundens is another brand that we use here,

Bob

 

[bcimport]

Impertech for sure. Marks Work Wearhouse in Canada always has it in Stock and will ship to the US.

 

[BRobertson]

I just checked on Amazon and thankfully it is still available!! The Guide length jacket is my all time favorite!!!


Bob

 

[land cruiser]

+1 to the rest, note though that hiking in it is going to get you wet. It's completely waterproof, but not breathable.

 

[bcimport]

Hiking in any rain gear will make you sweat, none of them are going to pass more Vapor than you can produce. At least you can trust the HH to keep you dry from the outside. I've yet to use a set of "breathable" rain gear that didn't sweat me out in a hurry when exerting even with the pit zips wide open and just a t shirt underneath. Lots of fancy marketing hype in my experience.

 

[BRobertson]

Hiking in any rain gear will make you sweat, none of them are going to pass more Vapor than you can produce. At least you can trust the HH to keep you dry from the outside. I've yet to use a set of "breathable" rain gear that didn't sweat me out in a hurry when exerting even with the pit zips wide open and just a t shirt underneath. Lots of fancy marketing hype in my experience.

AMEN to that

 

[Kevin Dill]

An option: KUIU Yukon Pants worn as your everyday hunting pants. Extremely flexible and very warm. Tough enough for Kodiak. For a jacket go with the Yukon carried in your pack. If you want a lighter weight top, go with a Chugach Jacket which is around 60% the weight of the Yukon. The difference is still ounces, not pounds. I have both sets and do a mix-match as desired.

 

[go4thegusto]

Peter storm

 

[SHTF]

Never been to Kodiak Island Alaska but have spent couple days straight in all conditions of rain light drizzle to heavy downpour and the Sitka Stormfront 3 layer Goretex performed perfectly for me. I would trust my life in that stuff for sure. Definitely not the lightest stuff but it kept me dry.

 

[AK Troutbum]

OK guys, If you were going to spend 10 days on Kodiak, What rain gear would you trust your life on.

What are you going to be doing for 10 days?

 

[gkempf]

Hunting Blacktails

 

[shaun]

I ran the Sitka Dew Point in the AK Yukon this year chasing moose. Pissed on us everyday for 2.5 weeks and I was dry. I can say I was thoroughly impressed. Between that system and OR Gaiters over the top for protection I swear by it

 

[AK Troutbum]

The last few years I've been using Chugach NX and have nothing but good things to say about them. Like what was stated earlier, if you're working out and sweating a lot, your going to get a little wet inside regardless of what your wearing, but the Chugach line seems to dry pretty quickly. I usually carry an UL set of rain gear for backup and, in the past it's always been Marmot Precept, but this year I purchased a set of the Teton's, so that will be my backup.

 

[Lindley]

I usually carry an UL set of rain gear for backup and, in the past it's always been..., but this year I purchased a set of the Teton's, so that will be my backup.

I did the same during the last big sale. My main rain gear is now the Sitka stormfront jacket (newest model) and the Kuiu Yukon pants. [although the kuiu Yukon jacket is just as nice and slightly quieter by a touch].

I got rained on in Kodiak for 27 days straight one fall. I too was wearing Helly Hansen back then. (2002) yes, it makes you sweat.

 

[kodiakfly]

For absolutely waterproof, I wear Impertech. But if I'm hiking or moving or packing it, I wear Stormfront or Dewpoint. The Impertech is great stuff, just not as packable and not all models have pit zips. Kinda depends on the type of hunt you're doing....fly in, pack in, boat in, day trip...

 

[Kotaman]

Sitka Dew Point if you want something lightweight to carry.

Sitka Cloudburst or Storm Front if you want something bombproof to wear all day everyday.

Kodiakfly gives great advice...

 

[cocky84]

Helly Hansen Impertech. I also have Kuiu nx and it is pretty awesome.

 

[luke moffat]

If you can swing the weight I always try to bring two sets of rain gear on my Kodiak fly out hunts. It usually involves flying in a Beaver rather than a super cub so I take an extra 1.5-2 pound splurge for an extra set of rain gear so I can hang the other set if I soak it through.

 

[IChaseCoues]

My buddy and I took Yukon gear to Kodiak last fall and were mostly happy with it.
Mine did get wet inside one day but I sweat like a race horse and we were packing meat a ways in the rain. It took a day to dry it in a tent with a propane heater while raining outside which makes it almost impossible to dry stuff out.
I think its about 4 pounds for the set so not ultralight but it is tough enough to use as an outer layer so that is a bonus. After hearing the backup suggestion many times I did take an older Columbia rubber rain coat for use around camp and as backup. That thing has been to AK several times and is ready to go back!
We did however discuss a few times whether or not to have the gaiters on top or underneath the rain gear and never reached a consensus. I liked the gaiters on the outside if it looked like it would rain all day to keep the pants cleaner and protected. If they were just getting thrown on for a short downpour then the gaiters stayed on and underneath. Josh preferred the rain pants outside of the gaiters all the time.