Molon Labe
WKR
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2017
- Messages
- 649
So I was in need of new rain gear for mountain hunting this year.
I did an objective comparison between:
Sitka stormfront, Sitka dewpoint, Sitka downpour, Kuiu Chugach NX, MTN hardware quasar, HH impertek, Cabelas, and whitewater outdoors.
These jackets/pant combos were all I could get my hands on...couldn't get FL or Kryptek because I didn't know anyone that had those pieces.
I tested for mobility, stretch, noise, pitzips, time to dry, durability, H2O resistance, breathability, weight, "features", H2O absorb, cuffs jkt, cuffs pant, pant pockets, jkt pockets
For example I spent 20 minutes in a shower with all suits...5 minutes standing 5 sitting 5 standing backwards 5 sitting backwards. I weighed all tops and bottoms before shower then after shower then after 1 hour of indirect wind from 2 fans placed on either side of the clothing rack. Also measured wetspots that formed on my absorbant under layer and tested water in from hood and cuffs etc.
I weighed clothing before shower, then right out of shower and then after 1 hour dry down.
Another test I built a little jig to put jackets in tight and then put 8oz and 16oz weights on and then measured stretch of fabric.
Another test I waited for rainy days wore same base layer then hiked 1.5miles with heartrate at 110+ then tightened hood and put glass up timed the fog time...for "breathability"
I ran several small objects across the surfaces recording the sounds to test noise and then walked with legs brushing together and tested dBs.
The only part of the testing that was subjective was "features" like cuffs and design etc.
After doing all this over several weeks and probably 20+hours of testing I settled on:
Chugach NX jacket and Sitka dewpoint pant...these were the best value per dollar by far.
The Sitka stormfront actually had the best point total at the end...but I cant spend that much on raingear for the little extra benefit from it.
The biggest eye opener for me when doing these tests was the weight of some of the clothing wet...the Sitka downpour jacket was 28oz dry 68oz wet and 41oz after 1 hour dry down. pants were 24, 40, 32. That is 3.5lbs of water added on when soaking wet...
I did an objective comparison between:
Sitka stormfront, Sitka dewpoint, Sitka downpour, Kuiu Chugach NX, MTN hardware quasar, HH impertek, Cabelas, and whitewater outdoors.
These jackets/pant combos were all I could get my hands on...couldn't get FL or Kryptek because I didn't know anyone that had those pieces.
I tested for mobility, stretch, noise, pitzips, time to dry, durability, H2O resistance, breathability, weight, "features", H2O absorb, cuffs jkt, cuffs pant, pant pockets, jkt pockets
For example I spent 20 minutes in a shower with all suits...5 minutes standing 5 sitting 5 standing backwards 5 sitting backwards. I weighed all tops and bottoms before shower then after shower then after 1 hour of indirect wind from 2 fans placed on either side of the clothing rack. Also measured wetspots that formed on my absorbant under layer and tested water in from hood and cuffs etc.
I weighed clothing before shower, then right out of shower and then after 1 hour dry down.
Another test I built a little jig to put jackets in tight and then put 8oz and 16oz weights on and then measured stretch of fabric.
Another test I waited for rainy days wore same base layer then hiked 1.5miles with heartrate at 110+ then tightened hood and put glass up timed the fog time...for "breathability"
I ran several small objects across the surfaces recording the sounds to test noise and then walked with legs brushing together and tested dBs.
The only part of the testing that was subjective was "features" like cuffs and design etc.
After doing all this over several weeks and probably 20+hours of testing I settled on:
Chugach NX jacket and Sitka dewpoint pant...these were the best value per dollar by far.
The Sitka stormfront actually had the best point total at the end...but I cant spend that much on raingear for the little extra benefit from it.
The biggest eye opener for me when doing these tests was the weight of some of the clothing wet...the Sitka downpour jacket was 28oz dry 68oz wet and 41oz after 1 hour dry down. pants were 24, 40, 32. That is 3.5lbs of water added on when soaking wet...