Raingear Recommendations?

I really like the stuff I've gotten from L.L. Bean...and I've gotten plenty of stuff from them. They have quite a selection of the kind of thing you're looking for.

http://www.llbean.com/freeshipping/?qs=3009633_pmd_google

Even with Gore Tex you might drown in sweat. Some are hot on the "breathability" of those type garments and I do like them but they can still make you sweat a lot.

Mass. Wine Guy said:

I'm looking to buy a decent rain jacket. Are there any heavy duty Gore Tex or other breathable coats? I don't want to get rubberized or vinyl stuff because I'll start drowning in my own sweat. I don't mind spending some money if it's made to last.

Thanks.

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No perfect rain gear for doing work in.
I've tried several from HH tough rubberized & to various Gore tex ones.

I got a pair of the military pants, (My favorite.) double layered knees & seat. Zipper from knee down & velcro bottom strap.
Ironed on laminated seams, pocket access snap flap.
Use them all the time over a pair of sweat pants. Tough & dry
Same stuff they make the breathable waders from, just tougher.
New ones have a cargo pocket.
"Trouser, Cold Weather, Universal camouflage " "Water proof. Moisture permeable"
I'd like to get one of their jackets too. This stuff is tough

Don't know if this is the same as in the military clothing stores:
http://www.militaryuniformsupply.com/acu-gore-tex-items

Find a military person to get you a set at the base clothing store. Save some $$

Will all depend on your needs and uses. Breathability and waterproof are relative terms, even the best of the Gore Tex and Gore Tex clones won't breath enough to keep you dry on the inside under heavy exertion conditions. They are also only "waterproof" to a certain extent. During a light or steady rain they'll keep you dry for quite awhile, but will eventuall y wick moisture thru, if it is a hard driving rain, they emit moisture sooner. LL Bean stuff is great, I also have a Cabella's jacket that works well and a Columbia jacket with their version of GoreTex that works as noted above. If I want to keep really dry for a long period of time and aren't exerting heavily, I have a Helly Hansen 3/4 length urethane coated(non-breathable) coat that keeps me real dry.

But I find my most versatile and dry piece of rain gear is a good old fashioned poncho

Mass. Wine Guy said:

I'm looking to buy a decent rain jacket. Are there any heavy duty Gore Tex or other breathable coats? I don't want to get rubberized or vinyl stuff because I'll start drowning in my own sweat. I don't mind spending some money if it's made to last.

Thanks.

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I bought some Cabellas Pack-Lite (sp?) gear, pants and jacket, for golf course work. They work well and don't take up a ton of room in the truck/locker/etc. Caveat: Gore-Tex isn't moisture proof as Dave pointed out and sitting in a wet seat for more than a minute or two still results in a damp rear.

Your local contractor's supply dealer will normally have a good selection.Safety Yellow normally,once in a while I'll see the stuff fluorescent orange.

You can always go with the ol' Maine stand-by . . . get one of those high end Glad trash backs and poke a hole in it for the head and wear that . . . sure you'll look like a homeless person, but it works pretty well.

Thistle said:

Your local contractor's supply dealer will normally have a good selection.Safety Yellow normally,once in a while I'll see the stuff fluorescent orange.

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Look hard enough and the same gear is often avail in forest green.

Spend as much as you can afford. I cheaped out at LL Bean this summer and regret it.

Any marine stores around you? I have a Neil Pride raincoat that I got when I had a $ailboat, years and years ago. A few years after I sold the boat, I saw the jacket in the closet and thought, "Why let a good jacket go to waste?" And it's been pretty good...

You want breathable heavy duty/long lasting check out Rei.com. Being a peakbagger, the gear HAS to be water proof, and durable, our lives depend on it. We purchased the "shulksan" rain top and pants, price tag around 700 bucks, but well worth it. The material is called eVent. Better than gortex

http://m.rei.com/mt/www.rei.com/product/802251/rei-shuksan-jacket-with-event-fabric-mens

http://m.rei.com/mt/www.rei.com/product/802253/rei-shuksan-pants-with-event-fabric-mens-32-inseam

My experience matches everyone else's. I have a Columbia goretex jacket that's worked pretty well in drizzle and light rain, but I agree with everyone else: heavy exertion and you'll be wet nonetheless. Plus, where I had my gun sling on my shoulder it was really wet. I've tried all kinds of materials (including oiled/waxed cotton - which is a pretty nice chore jacket), various other stuff, too.

Bout really the only thing that I know to do is when it's wet all day is take a few under layers and layer and change them out as they quit keeping you warm.
Poly fleece (Polartec? Heck, you can get it everywhere) and wool are the best insulators that I've worn that work best for me for keeping "dry" and warm while wet. Up to a point, of course. I found a polypro liner with a wool outer layer that's great.

I'm not afraid to invest in tools and such - but for what I do - $700 to stay dray - I'll change a layer or two or sit in the truck for a bit until it blows over.

Mass. Wine Guy said:

I'm looking to buy a decent rain jacket. Are there any heavy duty Gore Tex or other breathable coats? I don't want to get rubberized or vinyl stuff because I'll start drowning in my own sweat. I don't mind spending some money if it's made to last.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I spend a lot of the year in the woods in alaska. I have purchased tons of gear. The opinion of me and most of the hunting guides I know is that gore tex is a fancy word for saturation. I have never found any breathable waterproof gear.
We use HH impertec. It has Pitt zips for venting, is light weight, and doesn't leak.
Plus it is under $100 for a set. I get about 4 years a set.

Mass. Wine Guy said:

I'm looking to buy a decent rain jacket. Are there any heavy duty Gore Tex or other breathable coats? I don't want to get rubberized or vinyl stuff because I'll start drowning in my own sweat. I don't mind spending some money if it's made to last.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Grundens, the company that makes the raingear that commercial fishermen usually wear have come out with a breathable line of rain gear that I beleive is called Weather Gage.The line has many different styles and colors depending on your application.One of the other guys on the boat I work on has a top that he likes to wear when conditions aren't to nautical.It seems to hold up very well to fish spines and the other snags typically found on a commercial fishing boat. LFS marine supply in Seattle carries the entire Grundens line in case youre interested.