Breathable, durable, raingear options?

extremetaz

Just wondering if I might get a bit of advice on the above.

I'd be the type to work up a sweat pretty easily so the breathability is probably even more important than the waterproof-ed-ness, as light as possible is desired.

It's also mostly rabbits I tend to be after so can involve pronework, meaning that it would have to be reasonably durable too.

I've been looking towards the Seeland Thornhill stuff that Jimmy Mcbride has up on the website, don't quite have the pockets for Harkila right now.

Any comments/advice/suggestions?

Cheers.

ligertigon

If your on a budget like me, I get this kinda stuff:
http://www.britishmilitarysurplus.co.uk/

The goretex stuff is good, though has slight russle if your stalking like middle age women out for power walks!

cookimonster

I've had a few gortex jackets over the years both civilian and mil surplus and because I sweat easily I've always gone for single layer options. Thier great during summer rains but useless in colder conditions where wind chill will eat you through to the bone. The option around this is layering with light weight breathable wind proof thermal layers and a wicking layer under that next to the skin.
I've not used Harkila stuff due to cost restrictions but lads I stalk with use them and they seem to be an all rounder. I use a Deer Hunter Jacket that's a natural fabric over Deer Tec barrier that works very well on sodden Wicklow mountain sides combined with a high tec fleece trousers (unknown brand) that is extremely water proof , quite and warm.
The new technical fleece materials offer dryness, warmth, breathablity and wind blocking all in one. They will not stand up to torrential rain but belive me none of the other breathable jackets will last too long.
I was reminiscening with the lads on how the old issued poncho was the only truely waterproof piece of kit we had (if not turning you into a walking sauna ) when one of the lads pointed out that the only truly water proof solution is steel and glass in the form of a car.

Kat1170

cookimonster wrote: »

I was reminiscening with the lads on how the old issued poncho was the only truely waterproof piece of kit we had (if not turning you into a walking sauna ) when one of the lads pointed out that the only truly water proof solution is steel and glass in the form of a car.

I had a Mini years ago that the floor was so rotten, one evening, when I hit a large pool of standing water it shot up through the holes, hit the roof and bounced straight back down and ended up soaking me from both below and above at the same time.

cookimonster

Kat1170 wrote: »

I had a Mini years ago that the floor was so rotten, one evening, when I hit a large pool of standing water it shot up through the holes, hit the roof and bounced straight back down and ended up soaking me from both below and above at the same time.

Solution : Two Ponchos

ligertigon

Its wetsuits you guys need:rolleyes:

cookimonster

When hunting in Ireland, where officially it rains two out of every three days, these would be your only man, especially when your hide floods out.

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Camo Dry Bags.....

ezra_

ligertigon wrote: »

If your on a budget like me, I get this kinda stuff:
http://www.britishmilitarysurplus.co.uk/

The goretex stuff is good, though has slight russle if your stalking like middle age women out for power walks!

what is the difference between the Jacket and the Smock?

Kat1170

Have a look in Decathlon. The .co.uk site sometimes has a better choice than the.iie one but you have to use Parcel Motel or similar. The.ie site posts direct.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/

ligertigon

ezra_ wrote: »

what is the difference between the Jacket and the Smock?

smocks go over the head(no zip/full zip) but I think most have full zips nowadays so no difference.

No zip for wind/rain to enter i guess

ezra_

So would you buy / use both? Have the smock over the jacket?

ligertigon

ezra_ wrote: »

So would you buy / use both? Have the smock over the jacket?

Just buy one or the other, goretex trouser, and wear layers under.

Stigura

Double Ventile man, myself. Soft. Silent. Sheds water like wax. Feels like velvet.

Never felt hot in it. Yet, I believe, it was invented to help preserve the life of pilots who ditched into the arctic sea, in WW2? Adopted by Special Forces too.

Initial price might make ye chew ye lip. Probably pushing three ton, for a top notch jacket, these days?

Wouldn't know. Had mine fourteen years now. And it's clearly going to outlive me. Looks a helluva lot better too!

Just something else to consider.

extremetaz

Stigura wrote: »

Double Ventile man, myself. Soft. Silent. Sheds water like wax. Feels like velvet.

Never felt hot in it. Yet, I believe, it was invented to help preserve the life of pilots who ditched into the arctic sea, in WW2? Adopted by Special Forces too.

Initial price might make ye chew ye lip. Probably pushing three ton, for a top notch jacket, these days?

Wouldn't know. Had mine fourteen years now. And it's clearly going to outlive me. Looks a helluva lot better too!

Just something else to consider.

Been look into these a lot since this post, everything I've read about them, both good and bad, has me thinking that they are what I want alright - seem to be available but mostly web order. Is there anyone local doing them?

J.R.

extremetaz wrote: »

It's also mostly rabbits I tend to be after so can involve pronework, meaning that it would have to be reasonably durable too.

If using for prone in rain it may be worthwhile having a read of this article?

http://forums.outdoorsmagic.com/showthread.php/24639-Can-you-sit-in-wet-grass-with-Ventile-trousers-and-remain-dry#1dEqpBgjpDldxEvH.97

extremetaz

J.R. wrote: »

If using for prone in rain it may be worthwhile having a read of this article?

http://forums.outdoorsmagic.com/showthread.php/24639-Can-you-sit-in-wet-grass-with-Ventile-trousers-and-remain-dry#1dEqpBgjpDldxEvH.97

Yeah, I've considered that - wouldn't go for ventile trousers, and I wouldn't be inclined to use the ventile as a rain-jacket either, more likely to keep a packable goretex poncho to throw on over it if the weather closes in properly. So I'm aware of the limitations.

I've been paying close attention to my patterns over the last wee while though, and what I've found is that what I really need is something that's warm when it's breezy out and I'm sat still, but breathable enough to let me hike a km or two in one go without becoming a sweaty mess. I've actually found that your run-of-the-mill fleece top serves very well on calm day - warm, breathable, quiet - the principle drawback is that they catch on bloody everything. Now if there's any bit of a breeze out at all you may as well be wearing a t-shirt, and as soon as you put anything on over it, you overheat at anything more than a stroll, so there's the balance I'm trying to strike.

After that it really only needs to be provide fairly light waterproofing, as if I get caught in a proper downpour, or anything that's down for the day, I'll resort to the poncho.

The pants are another matter then, right now I just wear snickers to be honest, and they work quite well. A waterproof membrane on the arse would be nice, but otherwise I'm happy enough with them for the moment.