Best rain gear-Hunt on Kodiak upcoming

rsp1761

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Leaving April 21 for a 10 day hunt on Kodiak for bear...need some serious rain gear apparently. I have a full Sitka gore tex set (pants, jacket) but am wondering if this will hold up? Anybody with any real world experience with this gear in these sorts of conditions I would be interested in hearing from.

Txs!
 
Helley Hansen make's light weight rain gear, its a stretchy type material, its fairly quite as far as rain gear goes. The nice thing about it is you can fold it, then roll it up to a small roll, then put an elastic band around it to hold it together. It barely take's up any space in your pack and you will have an extra set of rain gear if your sitka fails.
 
I personally wear gore tex for everyday use, i find it cut winds well and protects from rain. Depending on how much wear and tear you've already put on your current gear (if lots I would pack a second set) and how long your planning to hunt bear ( the longer period of time would in my opinion require a second set). I'm also not really familiar with meteorological conditions on Kodiak Island. Therefore you might want to factor in those three variables (wear and tear on current gear, length of hunt, typical meteorological conditions) in your equation in helping you decide if you need a second set of rain gear.
 
The Sitka pants and jacket are brand new...very lightweight which makes me question it's durability although they have a great reputation for extreme usage. Hunt is 10 days as noted and I am told to expect high winds and rain/sleet/snow almost daily...I think a second set of gear is likely a good idea to have just in case...
 
I use arcteryx gore pro stuff all the time and I would highly recommend it for durability and warranty. if you wreck their stuff and they can't fix it, they just send you a new jacket/pants whatever...
 
Outfitter has indicated that Kuiu rain gear is what he uses which is similar to Sitka. I think a traditional type rainsuit (Helly Hansen) for sitting and glassing (worn over the gore tex Sitka) may be a good idea that can be easily removed if we need to hike any distance or move quick to get after a bear we spot...

All input is appreciated!!!
 
I really like my light Helley rain pants, but they snag and rip easily.

From my experience hunting black bear on northern Vancouver Island (and believe me, it is wet there) , nothing but the thick old-fashioned Helley Hansen gear is really waterproof, no matter what the ads about the other stuff claim.

If you have to do any hiking though, you will sweat.
 
Sitka gear fits fairly snug, get helley hansen a size larger and go right over top. As already stated, if your hiking you will sweat and get wet from the inside out and there's nothing thats going to work anyway.
 
I've worn my Sitka gear in some pretty snotty weather and wouldn't hesitate to wear it on any hunt. If it's good enough for your guide, it's probably good enough for you. However, if weight isn't an issue it wouldn't hurt to take something extra.
 
If you are going to be wearing a pack you can forget Goretex..........Helly Hansen regular heavy gear with wool long underwear and nothing else, I actually prefer 1 piece wool underwear and suspenders on my rain gear pants. Real warm and easy to move, hike and move fast if necessary.
 
If you are going to be wearing a pack you can forget Goretex..........Helly Hansen regular heavy gear with wool long underwear and nothing else, I actually prefer 1 piece wool underwear and suspenders on my rain gear pants. Real warm and easy to move, hike and move fast if necessary.

You could just braid your back hair into a poncho...
 
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