Thoughts on waterproof pants for CO elk?

[MallardSX2]

Packable rain gear. It’s the only way..

 

[MallardSX2]

In 40+ years of rifle and archery season elk hunting in Colorado, I have worn waterproof pants one time. And I rarely use a rain jacket either.

That’s because you shoot them all from your dry truck cab at the road!

 

[dtrkyman]

One year in Colorado I ran into the same situation as described, to get into a basin I hunted a few days I had to bushwhack a mile or so, everything was covered in dew, hell I might even have been wet above the waist!

I would say a packable set, I have Cabelas space rain, it’s ok but something from KUIU or Sitka or another high end option would likely be better.

Could have worn it just to push through, then strap to outside of pack to dry!


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[Bump79]

Pnuma 3L is my favorite I tried that was within my price range. It's quiet enough for bowhunting, has some stretch and gets it done.

 

[Poser]

I've had a pair of Kuiu Chucaghs for ~12 years or so. I carry them with me about 2-4 times a year, usually summer backpacking during monsoon season, but maybe 1 or 2 times during Sept depending on weather. I usually end up using them 1-2 times a year. I did wear them for a full day during archery season last year: Heavy rain, freezing rain, grapple, wet snow all day. They are nice to have for specific conditions, but not necessary.

 

[rayporter]

rain chaps work well for long walks through high grass. they can also be worn all day because they ventilate moisture out the top.

 

[180ls1]

Packable rain gear. It’s the only way..

This is what I would bring and probably only the top half.

 

[patagonialuke]

Doing just about any activity in CO, I very rarely end up wet because of precip; it's almost always from sweat. Given that, I view waterproof outerwear as a last resort — I avoid wearing it as much as possible, and I generally favor packability over other traits because it will spend the vast majority of its life stashed away.

CO is generally pretty dry, we don't get a lot of long, sustained rain storms, and September in particular is often pretty toasty, even at high elevations. Even the most 'breathable' waterproof fabrics are way less breathable than non-waterproof alternatives, so mine don't see much use apart from winter when breathability is less of a factor.

I still keep an ultralight 2.5L rain jacket in my hunting pack, but I end up using it more often as a windbreaker or extra insulation when the sun goes down. I don't bother bringing pants since a jacket / backpack keeps most precip off my legs if I'm standing / moving. In the event of a rare, long storm, I have a small tarp with me; I only used it once over 20 days of hunting last archery season, but it's easier to justify since it can serve multiple purposes and is cheap.

You can get wet from morning dew while bushwhacking through tall grass / bushes, but that's never really bothered me because my regular (non-waterproof) synthetic hiking / hunting pants dry really quickly as soon as the sun comes up. Dry time here is dramatically quicker vs. a much more humid locale.

I'd bring a pair of ultralight rain pants if I knew I'd somehow be dealing with a ton of precip. But if it's just the usual afternoon storms in the mountains (most of which are pretty brief), I'd prefer to let my legs get a little wet from the outside (and then be able to dry quickly afterward), rather than get really wet from sweating inside waterproof pants.

 

[Hnthrdr]

So like the kuiu katana pants that I have or some of those types of models that guys wear hiking around in Alaska (30-50 degrees so granted Colorado in September could be warmer mid day) aren’t suitable/different application ya think?

Midday Co will likely be 50-80 degrees at 9-10k ft. And really even 50 is warm in the sun at elevation, I tend to run hot, but when I’m running around the mountains chasing elk in September generally I wear a maybe a vest or light jacket in the mornings but when the sun is up I’m usually in pants and a t-shirt all day till the sun leaves again.

 

[CMF]

I start September in Colorado with Kuiu Tiburons, they dry quick if they do get wet. I have the fleece zip off bottoms to sleep in sometimes where them til mid morning depending on the situation.
Later in the month or if colder temps are expected I'll switch to Attacks.
I only pack rain pants and gaiters if expecting a good rain or snow. And that's only been once in 4 years in CO.