Toughest Gore-Tex?

[oguruma]

I might consider replacing my USGI Gore-tex. I like the USGI stuff because it's tough as nails. I have ripped up countless thin rain jackets in the brush in my AO.

Can anybody recommend me a tough rain jacket/pants?

 

[blackdog of vt]

The Cabelas Mto50 is pretty tough, wicked heavy though. It is 25% for club members right now too.

 

[Beendare]

FWIW, I'm done with Gore Tex.

I said that after my second failed rain parka 25 years ago....then a decade later bought another thinking they worked out the kinks- NO!....and somehow I got sucked in again 2 yrs ago on a pair of Sitka rain pants in tall on Camofire cheap a couple years back. Those pants worked So-So on a Kodiak deer hunt when I first got them but now this year plowing through wet brush in Alaska the front of my legs were wet in 15 minutes. Oh, and I had silicone water proofed them refreshing the DWR before the trip....

There are a few good options I would choose over anything Gore Tex.

 

[blackdog of vt]

I agree, goretex is not king anymore. It was better than anything before it, but now we have options. Funny thing about perspective.

 

[oguruma]

Interesting, thanks for the input.

What are some other options I should look at? I stress the need for durability and waterproofness over weight savings. I will cut weight in other areas, it's very soggy on the Oregon coast.

 

[blackdog of vt]

Kuiu Yukon and FL stormtight are both designed for the conditions you mention. If camo isn't required you may want to look into arcteryx.

 

[HJ Handy]

The modern Gore-Tex is night and day apples to oranges compared to the old USGI issue Gore-Tex.

Simms Waders for example, you're in water waist deep all day and not a drop of water comes through. Gore-Tex has come a long way since it was first produced. There's different types of Gore-Tex too, made for different situations and lighter or heavier face fabrics and thinner or thicker laminates.

I'm not an end-all-be-all Gore-Tex proponent but the modern stuff is good. There are many options out there that are good. FL makes good raingear and Kuiu has some good raingear.

 

[duchntr]

Jherald is right. There are lots of different goretex waterproof fabrics i.e. c-nit, active, pro shell, packlite etc. Lumping all these into the same goretex. "category" is silly and misleading. Sometimes manufactures won't come out and say which technology they are using and it can tough to decipher whats what. This is something I think is fairly common with hunting clothing manufacturers. SO if you looking for a bomber shell that will last long time id look to a goretex pro shell with a heavy face fabric, like the arcteryx beta or alpha sv, kuiu chugach is a nice option as well if you like camo.

 

[Decker9]

I use to be a helly Hanson guy, they were cheap, when they tore, I duct taped them, then bought new ones for the next trip. Now since switching to sitka a few years ago (dewpoint jacket and cloudburst pants), Iv never looked back. I use them for everything, lots of goat/sheep hunts in the fall, winter goat hunts, sledding in the mountains, on the trapline, their tough as nails, and so far haven't had any leaks. Worth a look.

 

[bates]

I would take a look at the Arcteryx or arcteryx leaf line.

I just bought some of the Arcteryx Leaf Alpha pants.

Construction is top notch. Tough durable pant

Hoping they quiet up a bit once broken in

 

[Desk Jockey]

I had an old set of woodland ecwcs 3 layer goretex that I willed to my brother. They are still going strong after 20 years with some DWR retreatments. I will say that is mostly California hiking so they spend a lot of time in a pack and rarely see rain. I switched from a set of wild things multicam goretex to a lightweight Patagonia packable jacket. I used it in conjunction with a softshell and It worked fine. I swapped that for a set of original first light storm tights. They got a bit shredded after one or two hunts by some thorns. That sent me looking for something a bit more durable.

I caught a Sitka storm front jacket on sale and it is the bomb. I would say there are other jackets equal to it from TAD or arcteryx but none that I have found that are purpose built for hunting. The differences like less Velcro and slimmer arms for bow strings are pretty neat. I am sure you could get something less expensive that would keep you just as dry but if you are thinking about gong top of the line, take a look at Sitka.

 

[excaliber]

These kind of posts crack me up. Apparently after all these years people still do not understand what the Gore-Tex membrane is and how it works.
You can take this membrane and fold in into a hammock type container and it will hold water forever. Water will not leak through the membrane.
The pores are hundreds of times smaller than the water molecule and it's impossible for the water to get through it. Go to the Gore site and see for yourself. I worked with a clothing manufacturer for a while and had several samples of Gore-Tex to play with.

The reason people think the Gore-Tex built garments leak is because the seams in the garment are not sealed properly and initially or over time fail and allow water to get through them. No seam seal can be as good as the membrane. That's just how it is.

There are new membranes that have come out and some are said to breathe better than Gore-Tex, are lighter than Gore-Tex but Gore-Tex is still the standard all other waterproof breathable membranes are measured against.

If you want a garment that will not leak get something that is a welded non breathable material but good luck using these types of garments for any exertion type of activities.

 

[HJ Handy]

Sitka Coldfront is probably one of the tougher rainwear sets there is out there today, you can go through some brush with it. I'm talking about Kodiak salmonberry brush and alders, in other parts of the Alaska it's been willows and alders and devils club. Or kneeling on scree or jagged glacial moraine. It's tough.

Downside, it's heavy and a little bit on the hot side if you're doing a lot of moving around. I'd wear it with just light layers underneath in mid season hunts. But the stuff is tough. I do like it for colder weather hunts though.

 

[Trial153]

Second the cold front set, my jacket and pants have been through the ringer and they are still intact.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I bought a Gen III layer 6 rain set. They are much lighter than the old Military Goretex. They are layered under a hardshell. So far, they have been bombproof, they weigh almost nothing, pack very tight for the set, (the size of a grape fruit), have stood up like a wall to the brush and thorns, have easy entry zippers for the legs, and offer a zip system on the jacket that vents it really well. I've been in some real down pours in them and they simple work and work very well.



They are a great shell to the wind too. All of this and, they do not absorb water once wet and sag like a lot of others do. Like all lightweight hardshell, they are noisy until wet but, if you wear them enough, they lose about 95% of the crinkle when wearing during dry weather. Try them. You can buy 4 sets for what one of the advertised brands named above. And, they are made of Gor-tex. Which is the BEST water proof'er on the market today. If you buy a more "breathable" option some companies are selling, prepare to get wet walking through brush and grass, or by wind driven precipitation. That's not my words That's theirs with their water proofing rating they give each garment. God Bless

 

[deadwolf]

Arcteryx leaf alpha has been great for me...top notch goretex with ripstop


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