High quality rain gear?
 

Hello all,

I have used the same gore-tex rain suit for over 20 years. Sadly, it appears the pants finally suffered one washing too many and lost all waterproof functionality. They were super quiet yet very rugged. The company that made them is no longer in business. I am looking for a high quality replacement and am willing to spend the money on a good set. Any thoughts on a replacement brand and model?

Things I liked on my old set and am potentially looking for - Quiet, rugged, pant legs with side zippers, pockets on either the jacket or pants that are large enough for gloves and a thin stocking cap. I don't pack the rain gear all of the time and take breaks a couple of times a day and can leave them in the truck if I don't need them, so weight and bulkiness aren't really a concern.

Camo pattern/color - I think I would lean towards darker fall colors. The reason being is that I use it as an extra outer layer on early spring hunts where there isn't much green, even if it is green I always sit up against a tree, and if it is going to rain hard for a long period of time I sit in a blind.

Thanks in advance!

I have a set of Sitka rain gear for the last 4 years which is the best I've ever had. It's the only gear that has kept me dry on the inside and dry on the outside. It's not super lightweight or super silent, but it is tough. I've done a lot of hands and knees sneaking of turkeys and its held up perfectly.

ya try scotchguard?

That is an idea I hadn't thought about. It's coming right through the material, not just seams, so I'd have to spray the whole thing. It's already a bit warmer than I would like. I assume if I sprayed it I would lose the breathing abilities of the Gore-Tex?

Sitka is definitely on the list. Sneaking on my knees is one of the ways I found out the pants weren't waterproof anymore. My knees were soaked!

It sounds like you're looking for a durable and reliable replacement for your trusty gore-tex rain suit. For a high-quality option with features similar to your old set, I recommend checking out brands like Sitka Gear, First Lite, or KUIU. These brands specialize in hunting apparel and offer quiet, rugged rain gear with features like side zippers on the pant legs and ample pockets for storing gloves and hats. Their camo patterns often include darker fall colors that would suit your needs for early spring hunts.

Thanks all for the advice. I ultimately looked at First Lite, Forloh, Killik, Kings Camo, Kryptek, Kuiu, Pnuma, and Sitka as all were known for quality and durability. I admit I am a bit of a research junkie. I looked at numerous outdoor, fishing, and hunting forums, product review sites, product videos, etc to try to gather the pros and cons of each. I also reviewed camo patterns at Camo Matrix's site (Camo Matrix) and their youttube channel (Camo Matrix Youtube) to see the camo in different environments, compare different brand camo patterns side by side, and see how it looks with "deer vision" which may be a gimmick, but offers another perspective. Here's what I found:

• First Lite - Very strong reviews across the board. The Stormshelter was one of the highest on my list of final contenders. They have ample pockets and vents on the Stormshelter (features not available on all other First Lite lines). Ultimately I felt their Fusion camo pattern was just a bit too brown for me so I passed.
• Kilik - I couldn't get enough review data to trust it, although what I did find was very positive. Their Summit camo pattern was a good mix of browns, blacks, grays, and greens. Their pants didn't have pockets at all, which was disappointing.
• Kings Camo - This was one of the cheapest. I felt their XK7 and KC Ultra camo patterns were too gray. They did offer a Realtree Edge pattern which certainly has a history of success in the field. There wasn't a ton of review data on this one either, although again what I did find was positive. They had ample pockets and full length side zippers. However, they had no vents, and given I couldn't find a ton of reviews, I passed on this brand.
• Kryptek - This brand had numerous positive reviews, but when people posted negatives, it was usually about the noisy material. They had ample pockets, full length side zippers, and under arm vents. I liked their Obskura camo pattern. Unfortunately, the feedback on noisy material made it a no for me.
• Kuiu - One of the most widely used and tons of positive reviews. They were most often compared to Sitka. There were a few posts from people that noted they weren't as quiet as Sitka. They were the most expensive, so given the price, I wanted them to be perfect. I felt the Valo camo had a base vanilla color was just a bit too light. Given a few comments on being noisier and my opinion on their camo color, I didn't want to spend the money.
• Sitka - This is probably the cream of the crop given reviews. To my eye just looking at their site, it looked a bit heavy on the lighter brown and cream colors, but when looking at it in the field and on camo comparison sites, it actually blended in the best of all of camo patterns across varying backgrounds. They were the 2nd most expensive after Kuiu. Just like Kuiu, for the price, I wanted them to be perfect. Unfortunately, they had no vents and only one pocket on the pants which was disappointing, so I passed.
• Forloh - This brand became one of my final contenders. There wasn't quite as much review data as Kuiu and Sitka, but there was a fair amount and everything was very positive. They have ample pockets, full length side zippers, and vents on the Allcliema 3L model (not on all lines). However, I was really disappointed in their Caza camo pattern when looking at it in pictures and videos of it in the field, as well as on the camo comparison sites. The lighter yellow-green base color was too light and predominant and it stuck out like a sore thumb. If they had a better camo pattern, this would have been my top pick.
• Pnuma - This one I kept going back to after comparing them all. There were very positive reviews across the board, although not as many reviews as Sitka and Kuiu. They have ample pockets, vents on both the coat and the pants, full length zippers, etc. I felt the camo pattern was one of the better. All around, they checked every box for me so this is what I purchased.

If anything strikes me when the Pnuma arrives, I will follow up on this post.

Great breakdown!

I've been using Element Outdoors lately.
I do like that

JW