I actually don’t have a set of rain gear for any occasion. If it starts raining, I generally either head for the truck, or if it looks like it’s gonna blow over, head for thicker cover. I’ll hunt in some pretty wet weather. Deer don’t seem to mind the weather, so why should I? I just wear warm clothes that keep me insulated (little or no cotton).

Michael.

I have Kings Climatex rain gear. I’ve only used it this year, but I like it so far. It’s much more quiet than more traditional rain gear I’ve used in the past. Price wasn’t to bad, under $100 for the set. Early in elk season this year I had one day of off and on heavy showers and it kept me warm and dry. During light rain I usually don’t drag out the pants just the jacket. It fits well in my day pack and doesn’t add too much of weight. I’ve also used the jacket on days wen the wind is cold and cuts through other layers, it works well and doesn’t add any extra noise when I draw my bow.

I’ve been looking for a good solution myself. I’m wondering if a poncho might be the answer. You can get real lightweight ones that take up hardly any room. You can still wear a backpack and have your poncho cover all, and you can throw it over your shoulders to take a shot.

I’ve seen some sweet lightweight rain gear that looks very good though to.

Looking forward to the posts on this topic.

todd

I have tried it all. Well almost. But the best rain gear out there for bow hunting is the G.I. poncho. It rolls up small and goes on quickly also keep you and the bow and the feathers dry… You can use it for a ground cloth on damp ground or a sleeping bag for a mid day nap. A good used one at the surplus is about thirty dollars. Alot less and more convient than a goretex slicker. Also is you ride a horse it traps the body heat off of the horse and keeps you warm.

You’re gonna laugh, but I use this for both a portable blind, and when it’s raining hard. I can still wear breathable clothing, while it’s pouring, so I’m not boiling in my own juices. It’s worked great so far, but I’ve just begun using it this year (for hunting). Got the idea from a backpacking/hiking guru:
http://www.blind9golf.com/gustbuster-golf-umbrella-camouflage.html

As an aside, I don’t like the idea of being cooped up in a blind. It works perfectly for that.

RAGMAN wrote: Also is you ride a horse it traps the body heat off of the horse and keeps you warm.

Keeps you warm, but when the horse farts or poops…well, it also traps that and funnels it right to your olfactory senses…ALL of it…

Michael.

Military Goretex Rain jacket with a hood. Just bought a new one Ebay 80 bucks, drawbacks? Noisy. I also use the camo Military Poncho already mentioned, works well.

Glad to see the positive feedback about the oncho. G. Fred Asbell, in his book Stalking and Still-Hunting, mentions the poncho. I used to use them but got all caught up in more ‘advanced’ systems.

Looks like I’ll be testing the poncho again!

Thanks all!! todd

Hiram wrote: Military Goretex Rain jacket with a hood. Just bought a new one Ebay 80 bucks, drawbacks? Noisy.

that’s been my experience with anything that works well

I have had very good luck with Gander Mountain’s TecH20 line of clothing. It’s quiet, windproof, rainproof, warm, and relatively inexpensive. The only downside is that the soft outer layer will pick up burs, so I only use their pants when it’s raining. For dry weather, I’ll wear one of my two TecH20 jackets and a pair of camo soft denim insulated bibs.

Yo montanaford I never had a problem with my pocho trapping any horse gas or poop. The poncho covers the back of the saddle plus alittle of the horse. It stops a good bit from the tail. I must admitt that was quite an reply from someone who has no experience with raingear.

Hey Todd the book is great ain”t it? Fred has it down on hunting gear. I use the bean boots too. I just do not shoot a Bow like he does, I use the arrow and shoot three under.Wealth of info in his Book!

RAGMAN wrote: Yo montanaford I never had a problem with my pocho trapping any horse gas or poop. The poncho covers the back of the saddle plus alittle of the horse. It stops a good bit from the tail. I must admitt that was quite an reply from someone who has no experience with raingear.

I guess I was thinking of a longer poncho, perhaps even a rain slicker. I never said I don’t have experience with rain gear. I just said that I don’t carry it. It serves its purpose for some people. Personally, I have no use for it. I get too hot with it on, especially if I’m hiking or doing anything active. I’ve used ponchos, slickers, pant/coat combos. I work outside for a living, building fences. We generally don’t stop working just because it starts raining. I generally don’t go hide in the work truck or look for a rain coat (because I don’t have one). I figure that eventually, I’ll dry off. Until then, I’ll be wet. It’s usually only the first five to ten minutes of being wet that bothers me. After that, I don’t really give a hoot. Keep moving, stay warm. Stop moving, cool down. Start moving, warm up again. Also, growing up, my dad worked for an outfitter and my grandparents were also outfitters, so I spent plenty of time around horses in all sorts of weather. With too long of a rain jacket/slicker, you can (and sometimes do) get a good wiff of the horse’s gaseous passings. Anyway, I didn’t mean to start an arguement, but I did figure that I should offer an explanation as to where I was coming from. Good hunting, RAGMAN.

Michael.

Ive used like a flannel lined pvc hooded coat bfore, up northern wi. last year, it rained all day for 3 days. it was ok when it was not cold. When it gets cold it gets hard. I have pvc poncho now, still in package, seems soft, but I need to unpack its tight littl fold job to try it during drawing the bow…but then it will be bigger when packed… cost is low enough.$2bucks I’m encouraged by the poncho posts though, optimistic it may just work. Will report on what I find out. with images. BobRay

Bowhunting in the rain sure stinks! If it’s raining when the alarm goes off before daylite, I go back to sleep! Not just the uncomfort but the game seems to stay in bed to! If I have to hunt in serious rain I like a comfy serious gord-tex sute that don’t make so much noise. If it mite rain and I don’t want to dye of hippotherma, I relly like Peter Storm’s lightest sute — from England, cheap and will roll up with a top in on pocket and bottom in the udder, other other! But don’t breath so no good for hot walking. How they do it in AK and Pac. NW where it always rains? We trying to have fun, after all. My 48 pens. bb

Ok its like this.Hunting season is usually wet, or snowy, or both. I love to hunt. If it is pouring down, I will wait it out in the camp. If it is drizzeling I will put on the poncho and head out to the hunting spot, and hope for better weather. If it gets worse I will go back to camp. I don’t ever remember shooting at a deer in the hard rain. What ever kind of rain gear I have on it will be difficult to get a shot off.So the chance of killing a deer with rain gear on is very slim. I wear a poncho because it goes on easily, and is not hot like a slicker. When it stops raining it comes off easily, and with little movement. A top of the line G.I. poncho is around thirty dollars.A top of the line gortex slicker is about three hundred dollars. This my friends is only my opinion.

Rivers West.. The best, but expensive. You get what you pay for though…

burpo — can you give us a link to riverswest? Thanks, d

clay google uo ponchos and at the army navy store site they have all kinds of new army rip-stop ponchos, wich is what I use.

David Petersen wrote: can you give us a link to riverswest? Thanks, d

They have a very clever website URL (LOL!):
http://www.riverswest.com

Looks like very good stuff. I have my eye on the Spider Jacket

I justed stopped at Jay’s Sporting Goods yesterday, and checked out their rain gear. I heard so much about Sitka clothing and had high expectations. In my opinion, it is EXTREMELY overpriced! If Rivers West and Sitka were the same price, I’d buy Rivers West…and it’s not. Sitka is WAY more. As usual I come away slightly disappointed. Neither are as quiet as I hoped. Rivers West is quieter. I ended up buying a Rivers West vest. Used it this morning, and I love it. I’m definitely going to at least buy some Rivers West bibs. Maybe a jacket eventually, but I just have a hard time with the noise level with movement while using one of those jackets.

I have a set of Cablea’s MT050 coat and bibs rain gear. This is good stuff but takes up a good amount of space in my back pack. When I am on stand I find myself using the coat like a poncho. My conclusion, I am going to get a poncho and just keep it in my back pack and leave the rain gear at home.

I use the Helly hansen green 2 pc rainsuit, not too noisy, works well, fairly light. Doesn’t breathe though, it’ll make you sweat if you are hiking in it.

I’m like MontanaFord and usually head for the truck. I refuse to shoot at any game while it is raining.

If I happen to be a fair distance from the truck I put on an ’emergency poncho’ from Wally-World, basically a trash bag with a hood. Cheap and it works.

Dennis

I had a blood trail washed away by a sudden “frog strangler” some years ago and that makes me avoid taking a shot at game if rain is eminent. However drizzle is another matter. The woods are quiet and good for hunting. I’ve used a military poncho I’ve had for more years than I care to admit. Also have a 10x Goretex suit I purchased in the mid 1980’s. Still a great suit but not as packable as the poncho. The poncho can also double as a shelter if needed. I’ve hauled many a deer on that poncho to keep the mess off of the inside of my truck bed. Cleans right up with the garden hose. Definitely a versatile and inexpensive piece of equipment.

hmmm, never thought of it like that, I purposely hunt in the rain because it is quite. I hunted all day monday in the rain/snow mix, saw 16 deer! I would bet that if you put the metal where it needs to go in the vitals, it really wouldnt matter if you had blood??? But can I really say that I can do that every single time???