Best Hunting Rain Gear
As uncomfortable as it might look, hunting in the rain is the best type of hunting for some.
Hunting in the rain is more challenging and what kind of a hunter are you if you can’t take a little bit of rain?
But, it is challenging not only for you, but for your hunting gear as well. You need to find specific rain gear that gives you freedom on the move and keeps you dry, above everything else.
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How is hunting rain gear supposed to be like?
There are some specific things to look for when shopping for good rain hunting gear.
Good rain gear for hunting is, stands to reason, waterproof. Take care when you look for this label as nowadays this is used too often and doesn’t specifically mean it’s true. Along with the term “waterproof”, your hunting gear has to be “water repellent” and “water resistant”. Only when you see all of these features on your gear you may be sure that it is indeed waterproof.
If you look at a jacket that is water repellent coated, then it means this jacket is chemically treated so that it keeps water away from absorbing into the fabric and makes the water run off. This is temporary though and in time a lot of leaking might happen.
When your gear is labeled “water resistant” it means that your gear is made of tightly woven fabrics with some polyurethane coating. You are protected in light rain but you get soaked wet in pouring rain…
Only “waterproof” hunting gear keeps you 100% dry. This kind of gear keeps you dry in extreme conditions and high pressures and is also able to stop the water entering your gear at seams, hems, sleeve openings and so on. This is the true waterproof hunting gear. This kind of waterproofing lowers the comfort level though, and you need to give a good thought on what’s the most important thing to you: comfort or staying dry.
If you typically hunt, hike or trail run, you know that “breathable” is another quality to look for in your hunting gear. This feature is essential to any kind of gear worn in physical activity and it means it keeps you comfortable and dry even when you sweat. The “breathable” hunting gear lets your sweat evaporate through fabric into the air. Traditional rain gear is not very breathable and finding good breathable rain gear is important when hiking or hunting in warm weather.
Don’t forget that your camo/hunting rain gear also needs to be quiet. Whereas a typical rain jacket is tough and it crinkles, cracks and pops, this is not something you want when deer hunting, for instance. So the manufacturers struggled to apply special fabrics on top of the rain shells to soften down the sounds. You need to test your hunting gear both in dry and wet conditions. You don’t want to startle your prey after waiting in pouring rain for hours…
Your hunting rain gear has also to be packable. When you wear many layers, last thing you want is carry around your rain jacket as it’s too heavy. So you need to have a good, easy to pack rain gear as you simply want to be prepared for the rain. The rain hunting gear has to fold and compress down easily so that it takes only a bit of the space of your backpack.
How to take care of your hunting rain gear
No matter how high quality your hunting gear might be, heavy wear makes the DWR coating to wear off. Your hunting gear takes not only the rain, but also the skin oil, sweat and dirt. Once these get into the membrane of your gear, the features of your rain gear begin to fade. Your rain gear begins to smell and doesn’t keep you dry as it uses to be.
You know that your rain hunting gear is not good as new anymore when your skin feels a bit clammy under the fabric and the gear feels heavyweight. Your gear still performs well but there are two things that you can do to improve its performances.
You need to wash your hunting rain gear, accordingly to the instructions from the tag, exactly how it says. Go for Nikwax Tech Wash and not the typical detergent. Simply add the Tech Wash in the machine, along your gear and use a cold-water wash on a gentle cycle. Rinse the hunting gear with water after the wash and tumble it dry, on low heat.
To revive your gear’s DWR you can apply a spray or put the product into the ways with your rain gear. There are products that need to be added to a clean load and you just throw it into the dryer, the low or medium heat setting to revive the water-repellent feature of your rain hunting gear.
One last word
Try to avoid washing too often your hunting rain gear as waterproofness and breathability fade away because of that. Wash it only when it’s completely necessary and take care of it as much as you can.
Top 5 Hunting Rain Gear Reviews
A good piece of waterproof hunting gear is this men’s Waterproof-Breathable Outer Systems Hooded Jacket. There are many other good things related to this jacket so here are our pros:
- The jacket contains waterproof and breathable polyester brushed tricot shell
- The jacket is made of 100% Polyester
- The seam seal construction gives the jacket longer life span
- The diamond-quilted insulation on the jacket keeps you warm
- You can machine wash the jacket
- The jacket has a stylish appearance with its black details’
- The jacket features also scent control lining
- The hood on the jacket may be removed as it zipped off and adjustable at the same time
- The quality of zippers is high
- The jacket is war, quiet and warm
- The nice pulls are useful when gloved hands
- The jacket gives a good hide thanks to its camo pattern
- This is lightweight and easy to carry around
- You can store your items in multiple pockets
- You can insert an inner layer through a zipper
There are also some parts that we don’t like that much so here are our cons:
- The shoulder movement is limited because of the tight shoulder area
- You need to go up a size since the jacket runs small
- The sleeves could be longer
- The pockets are not waterproof
- You can’t keep the warmth inside as there is no draw string to help you on that
- You need to buy the attachable inner layer
But, in the end, this is a great piece of garment for your rain hunting gear anytime.
Another great rain gear for hunting is the Yukon Gear Men’s Mossy Oak 3N1 Insulated Parka Jacket. This is a waterproof hunting parka jacket that manages to be a good option. Here’s why:
- This is made of polyester
- There is 240 Gram Brushed Poly tricot
- The parka jacket is waterproof and breathable
- There are cargo and breast pockets
- The hood is detachable
- You can machine wash this jacket, but do not bleach and only tumble dry
- It comes in Gear Mossy Oak Infinity camo pattern that gives you a good blending into surroundings
- This 3 in 1 parka hunting jacket is versatile and quiet
- The fabric is soft and comfortable
- The jacket is lightweight and yet keeps you very warm
- The zipped upper pockets give plenty of space for storing some items
- The bottom pockets are dual pockets
- The hood protects well against snow, rain and wind
- There is an elastic draw string for an easy adjustment
- The front zipper is heavy duty
- The liner is removable so you can wear the jacket both when it’s very cold or warm outside
- The jacket is comfortable
- The liner is also machine washable
When we talk about the down sides, it’s good to know they are not deal breakers, but still worth to mention:
- The jacket could be more quiet than it is at the moment
- The hood is not insulated, thus unable to keep you warm
- It’s a bit weird to remove the liner
Either than this, we have no other complaints. This is a 3-in-1 parka hunting jacket that manages to do many things, for a good price, when you come to think of it.
Your hunting rain gear has to include good rain hunting pants. You should give it a try with these Arctic Shield QuietTech Pants that are waterproof, more than anything else.
Here are the pros, from our point of view:
- The pants are waterproof and windproof at the same time
- These are a great option for the very cold weather since they keep you very warm
- The pants are made with ArcticShield thermal technology
- They are not bulky
- The pants are built with multi-layered heat-resistant thermal technique
- The pants are thin and tough, just as well
- There are two hand warmer pockets
- The pants feature leg zippers with storm flaps
- It’s comfortable to wear these thanks to the elastic waist band
- You can machine wash the pants
- The pants are very quiet, even on the smallest moves
- There is great design, built and appearance to these pants
- The pants give a great fit and feel lightweight
As they are great when it comes to waterproofness and protection against the wind, we can’t say the same thing about the breathability. Unfortunately, the pants don’t breathe very well and maintain the moisture inside.
But, for the money you pay, they are a good deal.
For the women who hunt in the rain, these GWG: Girls with Guns Women’s Lightweight Pants provide comfort and waterproofness, in great style. Here are the pros that got us:
- The pants give a comfortable fit around the curves/hips
- They come in camo pattern which helps you better hide into the surroundings
- The pants are made of 95% polyester and 5% spandex
- The pants feel lightweight and give freedom on the move
- You can organize your small gear in the 6 pockets
- The adjustable waist simply means more comfort for you
- The fabric is DWR coated for better protection against water
- The pants don’t drag, are pretty flexible and don’t look bulky
- There is zippered leg opening
- There is Velcro in waist tabs
- There are also convertible snap hems
- You can wear your underwear with these and still feel comfortable
- The pants are breathable and go in the early season hunting
- There are belt loops on the adjustable waistband
- You can choose your right size as the pants come in a good sizing range, from XS to XL
- You can adjust the pants to the width of your boots thanks to the adjustable buttons on lower ankles
When it comes to the cons, there are few to keep in mind:
- The logo on the leg of the pants is not very subtle
- The pink tracks up on the leg lower the ability of blending into surroundings
- The “S” size is too small in waist and thighs
But, for the early season, these are a great pair of rain hunting pants for women.
If you like the simple things and experience lower back pains, than a rain hunting suits is your best option. The Heater Body Suit LARGE-WIDE Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity Hunting Clothes is not only water resistant, but also meets highest expectations when it comes to rain hunting gear.
Here are our pros:
- The suit is made of polyester tricot camo cloth
- The suit is very quiet
- This is waterproof and windproof suit
- The DuPont cloth wind barrier gives you protection on a heavy wind day
- The suit is DWR coated so it’s water repellent
- The suit is lightweight and it’s easy to carry around due to its carrying straps
- There is RealTree Xtra camo pattern for this suit which gives you the perfect hide
- The suit acts like a sleeping bag and keeps you warm no matter how cold it gets outside
- The sui features an internal zipper which is very quiet
- The shoulder straps give you freedom on the move
- The suit comes in 5 sizes so you can choose the right fit
When we think about the downsides, there is only one to mention. It’s the price that is on the higher end, but you are making an investment that lasts for many years.