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What’s your Rain solution?

Hunter260

Hunter260

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2019
Messages
1,585
Location
Ash Flat, AR
I think I know what I want, But I don’t know what it is or if I really want it. You know?

I need something to put on during a rain, I’m envisioning a good Rain suit kinda thing. I want something I can get on while in a saddle on a platform and I’d like it to be quiet and camo. I need it to be lightweight and packable, or I won’t take it. What do you all use?
 
Hunter260 said:
I think I know what I want, But I don’t know what it is or if I really want it. You know?

I need something to put on during a rain, I’m envisioning a good Rain suit kinda thing. I want something I can get on while in a saddle on a platform and I’d like it to be quiet and camo. I need it to be lightweight and packable, or I won’t take it. What do you all use?
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i've spent over a thousand bucks on experimenting with rain wear

but the most solidly waterproof for all day medium rain is rivers west outlaw jacket and bibs or pants......and great warranty and customer service

it doesn't breath great but has arm pit and thigh zips to release moisture and you can play with the zipper to release humidity....

the exterior is fleece but like all rain wear the loudest part is the inner membrane rubbing...not bad though, no way i believe it would spook a deer if i was more than 15 feet away from them
 
Nutterbuster said:
My new for 2022 solution is to not hunt in the rain.

pre-2021 solution is a Browning Hells Canyon parka shell paired with Yoders hip boots that I can roll up when needed. Works a charm and has for several years, but the deer I see in the rain do not outweigh the unpleasantness of being out in the rain.
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Couldn't agree more. I can't stand how long it takes for all my gear to dry afterwards. My backpack, ropes, harness etc screw that
 
The first week of my Florida archery hunt was pretty much a monsoon. My solution was be ready to get wet or stay home! And I have done multiple sits in the rain and and must agree with above, actually come to think of it I can't think of one time I have seen a shootable buck in the rain. What was I thinking.
 
This is a topic that is timely to me. I have been feeling guilty about not hunting on days with light to moderate rain and have been planning to get some gear before the fall. I am leaning heavily toward Rivers West. John Eberhart has a very good video detailing rain gear and I have watched it several times. If for no other reason, hunting in the rain will lower competition from other hunters. I also think that deer, and bucks in particular, feel more at ease walking around in the rain. I think they feel almost as comfortable as walking around after dark.

I don't look forward to hunting in the rain when it gets cold. I think it would be a good tactic around here early season when we have those 80 degree heat waves early season and then we get a few days of rain. I think that would get the deer up and moving and not be too bad to sit in with some good rain gear.
 
I try to avoid hunting in heavy rain but I’ve seen some big bucks and had some of my best sits during light rain.

I have a set of Kuiu Chugach rain gear. If the forecast is calling for lots of rain, I’ll just go ahead and wear the pants in. They aren’t overly noisy and actually breathe really well. If there’s only a slight chance for showers then I’ll just pack my jacket and not worry about the pants.

I’ve found that leaning usually keeps my legs from getting too wet unless it’s really coming down or blowing rain even without the rain pants on.

The Chugach jacket isn’t as packable as something like the Cabelas space rain stuff but but it performs. It’s the best rain gear I’ve tried so far and nothing else comes close. It breathes really well, comfortable to wear hiking in, and I’ve never got wet in it. It’s expensive as heck but it’s paid for itself over the last 5 years during some unexpected down pours.

I’m looking forward to hearing what other folks are using. I’ve never tried the Rivers West stuff. I’ve also always been intrigued by those tree umbrellas. I feel like they’d stick out like a sore thumb but I bet they’d help keep your ropes and stuff dry.


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I have been very impressed with the Badlands Gear "heavy" raingear set! Very durable and quiet, although not super breathable, but it has plenty of venting. I've actually made it my outer shell a couple of times with a full puffy layer underneath, and it's pretty awesome. I have yet to try the First Lite stuff, but the breathability/moisture-management intrigues me... I don't get enough days of hunting to not hunt, if it rains one of those days. The best day to hunt is always when you can lol.
 
If I didn't hunt in the rain I'd lose almost half of my hunts each year. I use an HME treestand umbrella. It packs down into a 2" Dia. x 20" pouch and it fits perfectly nested in the standoffs of my climbing stick in my pack. Weight is 1 lb. It works great as long as the wind isn't blowing too hard.

The one thing it doesn't help with though is keeping your tether dry. To that end I only climb and hang off a short tether and leave the rappel rope in the bag until its time to get down. I also have several tethers so I can swap them out to dry them between hunts.

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I am looking for a solution for this as well. I deal l attributes in my mind:
thin, breathable, quiet, packable, have a hoody, and could quickly slide over my upper layers.
I found a pair of waders I think I will be able to get away with if I sit in a .5 and climb with the short double step sticks. I feel like that would keep me extremely dry.
 
If it’s not just a steady downpour I go. I have great hunts in rainy conditions. But I am usually soaked, so I’m here for the recommendations. I have a frog togg top, but it’s not durable enough to wear walking in.
 
Between work and coaching youth football any chance I get I hit the woods rain or shine. I've seen and killed many bucks in light rain. Not a heavy downpour. I grew up with old hand me downs and no real rain gear and just went out hunting anyway. Didn't matter because I didn't know any better. Now I still don't spend big dollar on rain gear because I'm hard on my gear and put holes in everything going threw briar patches. What I've done the past few years is wear frogg toggs over my base layers and under my jacket. If it's early season "warm out" I would just wear my light wick baselayer and suck it up or have the frog togg in the pack. I know rain gear technology has come a long way and I'm sure it's amazing now but I just can't justify spending sitka prices the way I hunt. If it was a backpack trip to Alaska that would be different story but any day hunt I can make due just fine with my frogg togg system.
 
I invested in sitka downpour jacket last year...very packable, quiet,100% waterproof, decently breathable and lightweight.Its pricey but it will last a long time I hope. I like taking advantage of rain storms and getting set up during them before it stops so to me the price was worth it because I will be using it quite a bit. Ive always had good luck being set up at the end of a storm with catching a buck on his feet. Ive had other brands but they always leak. Hope this helps
 
boyne bowhunter said:
If I didn't hunt in the rain I'd lose almost half of my hunts each year. I use an HME treestand umbrella. It packs down into a 2" Dia. x 20" pouch and it fits perfectly nested in the standoffs of my climbing stick in my pack. Weight is 1 lb. It works great as long as the wind isn't blowing too hard.

The one thing it doesn't help with though is keeping your tether dry. To that end I only climb and hang off a short tether and leave the rappel rope in the bag until its time to get down. I also have several tethers so I can swap them out to dry them between hunts.

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Best answer here so far...dont see it getting beaten any time soon either...jmho
 
$20 tree umbrella fer sure!...also blocks out you silhouette from below...have a look see sometime
 
CSBowHunt said:
I invested in sitka downpour jacket last year...very packable, quiet,100% waterproof, decently breathable and lightweight.Its pricey but it will last a long time I hope. I like taking advantage of rain storms and getting set up during them before it stops so to me the price was worth it because I will be using it quite a bit. Ive always had good luck being set up at the end of a storm with catching a buck on his feet. Ive had other brands but they always leak. Hope this helps
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i have one also

something that helped mine:

any opening in the jacket (cuffs mostly but also bottom and hood), i rubbed some gear aid seam sealer into the fleece just on the very edge where the fabric bends and just enough to saturate the fleece exterior so water doesn't move through that area

otherwise, the fleece being continuous from the outside and curving into the interior (unbroken by a barrier) allows water to wick into the inside of the jacket in a decent rain

i figured this out after water wicked into the cuffs and my polypro top absorbed like 1/2 gallon of water
 
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