Raingear? newbe NARick

[NA Pete]

:eek:Rubber, Goretex or other,
Kodiak last week of Oct. First week of Nov.
Brownies w/(much respect)/ Blacktail
Help me out please AKer's.:confused:

[nibenza]

Helly Hansen

Most up here prefer HH Impertech. Do a search and you will find tons of info/opinions.

[Cap'n Ron]

Only Gortex...

will live up to the breathability claim, I've tried a bunch of others and the waterproof works, but nothing IMO breaths like the original Gortex. There are some really nice high-tec rainwear brands with Gortex, but for the price it is hard to beat the Cabelas Guide Wear (in Gortex, they also make it in their own brand of waterproof (yes) breathable (maybe). It pays to buy the tougher stuff if you are moving through a lot of brush.

If you are not hiking a lot, that HH Impertec is nice and light and somewhat flexible and great as long as you don't catch it on a branch and tear it. Also, it you plan on it being dry (ha ha) then a packable rain gear might be the ticket. But, at that time of year, you'll need to be wearing something warm anyway, and high quality gortex rainwear can be a great outer layer to add fleece, under amour etc. to as you need it.

[shphtr]

Kodiak....I would recommend http://www.swazi.co.nz/

[millsymojo]

Helly Hansen Impertech

The only potential advantage to Goretex raingear is breathability. You will find great debate to that claim and its value under Alaska style wet conditions. Goretex certainly has its place, but if you want to stay totally dry in monsoon weather (ie Kodiak in the fall) you will probably want a PVC type. The reason that the HH Impertech is popular is because it is waterproof, lightweight, and stretchy/flexible even in the cold. It is so versatile that alpine sheep and goat hunters use the same raingear that the coastal bear hunters and the float hunters for moose and caribou use. One set (pants and coat or bibs and coat) of the HH Impertech and you've got your all around raingear for nearly every hunting/fishing adventure. Good luck and enjoy your Kodiak experience!

[muskeg]

rainwear

You can't go wrong with HH Impertech or Peter Storm or Kool Dri ...

and in combo ... I have been wearing Swazi for over a dozen years.

[H_I_L_L_B_I_L_L_Y]

HH Impertech

100% HH Impertech

[BRWNBR]

are you gonna be guided or un guided?

[buckmark]

impertech vs. goretex

This past fall hunting on POW (which is located in southeast Alaska and gets a ton of rain) all the guys who had gore tex raingear from Cabelas were wet. All the guys wearing HH were dry, unless of course we were walking alot and worked up a sweat. So my vote would be to go with the impertech.

[Fuse]

My trip

When I did Kodiak last fall for bear I took my Gore-tex Pac Lite pants and jacket from Bass Pro. Worked great, didn't rip no matter how hard I tried, and if I dressed down before hiking up the hill I stayed dry, even in the pouring rain. Layered up when I got up top and stayed warm and dry in the slow soaking rain (though only 2 of our 10 days did it rain, I'm lucky.).

Fuse

[irishlord]

Gortex will eventually get saturated through in heavy rain or multi-day trips without a warm cabin to dry out. Then they become really heavy and then you'll be wet. If you can dry it out at night and day triping from warm cabin or boat, it a good option. (I've hauled around a soaked gortex coat before and won't repeat that mistake)

HH Impertec will keep you dry from the outside, not the inside during physical activity.

I usually wear quick drying pants (Northface paramount pants) with smart wool long undies (if cold), when Hiking and when I start glassing I put the HH Impertec on to warm up and stay dry, layered with wool sweaters or fleece.

The nasty truth, unless you get brilliant weather plan on getting wet, either inside out or outside in, take your pick. But that gortex will not dry off, your better off with the HH impertec for multi-day trips in the field.

BTW- swazi gear $600 rain coat? That's crazy. If it actually solved both problems listed above, I'd start saving.

[Montana Native]

Gortex will eventually get saturated through in heavy rain or multi-day trips without a warm cabin to dry out. Then they become really heavy and then you'll be wet. If you can dry it out at night and day triping from warm cabin or boat, it a good option. (I've hauled around a soaked gortex coat before and won't repeat that mistake)

I'd have to agree with the above comment regarding GoreTex, however, my HH did leak. Those who own the HH garments hold them up to the light, they're pourus and you can see light through them. If light can get by, then so does water (which is why I get wet aside from prespiration).

Still looking fro the best-of-the-best w/o taking out a 2nd mortgage to pay for it!

[alaskadianhunter]

nother vote

another nod to the HH. I works the best to keep you dry. gortex is not the way to go.

[NA Pete]

By Law I will be guided, By brains I will be guided.
Mike Munsey.
Pete