HH Rain gear

[LK2HNT]

Everyone should listen to the TUNDRA TALK Podcast with TYLER FREEL. He just did a sheep hunt in Alaska where he lives and has some things to say about the fancy Breathable "Rain Gear" on one of his latest podcasts. You should give it a listen. I'll sum it up by saying that any of the "breathable" Rain gear is NOT true rain gear, Sure a light rain for an hour or so and it may be just fine, but a real downpour hour after hour and it will fail you. Helly Hansen, Grundens full PVC rubber gear is the only way to be 100% sure you will stay dry.

 

[Short Track]

Dry & noisy...

 

[couesbitten]

I'll sum it up by saying that any of the "breathable" Rain gear is NOT true rain gear, Sure a light rain for an hour or so and it may be just fine, but a real downpour hour after hour and it will fail you.

I may have to listen to this podcast to get a better understanding on the perspective and context of this statement. The reason I say that is because from my experience, if you are exerting any physical effort while wearing rain gear (Kuiu, Sitka, FL, Kryptek, etc.), you're going to get wet from the inability of your "breathable" rain gear to allow sweat to vaporize and dissipate through the waterproof membrane as quickly as your body is producing it. Thus it builds up and you quickly find yourself wet and blame it on the failure of your "latest and greatest" rain gear.

 

[LK2HNT]

Cousebitten, Yeah I understand what you're saying with full rubber suits not allowing you to breath and sweat soaks you. In the Podcast he talks about how on his last sheep hunt his tent literally blew off the mountain in the middle of the night some 15 miles or so from his truck. He was forced to walk all night out of the mountains all the way to his truck. The winds were howling and rain was driving into him. He was wearing the Sitka gear, supposedly the best rain gear sitka has to offer, the $1200 set of pabts and coat. His pockets literally filled up with water and he found his cell phone in his pocket literally submerged in rain water. Rain was running down the inside of his legs filling his boots with water. He could feel the cold rain being blown right through his gear. Its best if you just have a listen.

 

[204guy]

I may have to listen to this podcast to get a better understanding on the perspective and context of this statement. The reason I say that is because from my experience, if you are exerting any physical effort while wearing rain gear (Kuiu, Sitka, FL, Kryptek, etc.), you're going to get wet from the inability of your "breathable" rain gear to allow sweat to vaporize and dissipate through the waterproof membrane as quickly as your body is producing it. Thus it builds up and you quickly find yourself wet and blame it on the failure of your "latest and greatest" rain gear.

Listen too it, it's a good time. To paraphrase, "I wasnt sweating enough to fill up my #$$###ing boots with water." Pretty funny, yet sobering listen. It was sitka stormfront that failed him. Sounded like maybe it was windy enough that it was pushing water through the membrane.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[hodgeman]

I spent several years in the Aleutians...if it wasn't Grundens or HH....it wasn't rain gear.

Raindrops at 80mph make "waterproof" a relative term. Several outfitters out on the Chain won't take you unless you have HH or Grundens. You can bring all the high end stuff you want, but you better have some HH in your bag.

 

[Short Track]

H & H makes rubber boots too.

 

[EastMT]

Has anybody tried the HH Anorak? Says packable but have never seen it in person


I have yet to be begin to procrastinate.

 

[Short Track]

Looks noisy.

 

[tracker12]

Well my NF moose hunt is a week away. Going to take my grunnens and a light weight set I have from REI that has served me well in the past

 

[Short Track]

I just got back. Rain gear is over stated. It rained once during my hunt. and driving around in a pickup truck all day.... you're not getting wet. The guide doesn't want to get wet either.

 

[EastMT]

Looks noisy.

Noisy vs Hypothermia in AK? I’ll take a little noise. I have all the fancy gear, sometimes rubber is what it takes.

We went to Sitka to hunt brown bears DIY a couple years back. After 5 days of 50 mph winds and rain, all our fancy gear (we all had different jackets) was either soaked or ineffective. After sitting on a streambank until we were shaking uncontrollably, we drove the boat 8 hours back to town, every single one of us were in HH. All the sparkly new hunting clothes sure is handy, comfy, quiet, but some times rubber is all that will keep you safe. 14 days later we were still dry.

We also all had different SS rifles, from Weatherby, browning, Remington, and an old ruger SS boat paddle ugly thing. The old ugly one was the only one that didn’t rust. Sometimes the basics are better suited to some environments than the high end stuff.


I have yet to be begin to procrastinate.

 

[Tylerstortz]

Having been a fishing guide and commercial fishing and hunting in AK for many years PVC will keep you dry. Working hard in it you will warm up and sweat No matter what but you can still get warm when it counts. HH (Impertech) and Grundens both make great waterproof gear! With that said I do own multiple other breathable rain jackets to this day the only one that has stood the test of time and never failed is Simms G3 guide jacket.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I won't speak for anyone but myself here. I've long felt like the high-end technical rain gear over-promises and under-delivers on performance and value. It does a serviceable job in average rain and temps, but falls somewhat short in the extremes of wind, high-velocity rain, heavy exertion & perspiration, and extreme prolonged use in severe weather. I must admit to liking the comfort and many features of my $500+ gear, but I can also attest it would not be what I'd want if my life (or expensive trip) depended on staying dry through prolonged bad weather. Which brings me to the crux of my limited thinking:

I can get by with tech rain gear when I know I won't be exposed to mega-rain for 10 or more hours. I can get by with it as my wearable umbrella if a rain storm or showers hit during the day. I can get by with it knowing....as a bowhunter....I won't be out hunting in a hard or all-day rain. I can shove a full suit of KUIU or Sitka into the top of my pack without needing much space. I believe the truth is that an extreme majority of hunters look upon their rain gear as protective comfort gear and not as something they'll be living and surviving in for a week or two. Exceptions will exist of course.

Most guys will never get to experience a 5 day hurricane at altitude. Most won't fear for what happens if their tent gets destroyed in a mega-storm. Thankfully, the extreme majority will never look at their rain gear and know they might soon need it to help keep them alive. Unfortunately I've been there and know what that's like. Clever rain gear is nice until things get bad-ugly....and that's when I want something that's bully-tough and brainlessly waterproof. I'll contend with sweat if necessary. I've sweated more than my share while wearing my pretty designer rain gear.

 

[rayporter]

noise?

come on, it is raining! only you will hear the noise.

 

[Short Track]

noise? come on, it is raining! only you will hear the noise.

Are you serious? Are you taking off your rain coat when it stops raining ? My quite rain get was on the entire week. Cabela's rain gear was great.

Talking about H&H, one of the guides had H&H boots.

 

[bcimport]

HH for me. Work or hunting it’s the right mix of 100% waterproof and not so expensive that I am upset if it gets wrecked. I’ve had the expensive gear in the past, I would still sweat and get wet. At least in the HH I only get wet from sweat. If I know I’ve gotta hike hard in it I make sure to wear just base layers and keep the other stuff from getting sweated out.