The Best Hunting Rain Gear, Tested and Reviewed

Close your eyes and picture your ideal hunt. For some, it will be a sunlit alpine meadow with a bighorn ram bedded under a cliff. For others it’s dawn in a tree stand watching the morning sun rays pierce the hardwoods and light up the rack of a big, old whitetail.

I may fantasize about fantastic hunts in perfect weather, but many of my greatest hunting memories were earned in the face of nasty conditions. Luckily, hunters have many options available to protect them from the predictably wet and windy backcountry, and they can make their own epic memories in the backcountry, swamps, and fields.

I put the best hunting rain gear through a series of tests that included being drenched in water to test waterproofness and hiking for miles to test durability and breathability. Here are my top picks from that testing.

Jump to the Test Protocol

The Best Rain Gear for Hunting

Best Overall: Kuiu Chugach TR

Kuiu is a stalwart provider of performance hunting gear. The Chugach TR is their “packable” lightweight rain gear option, but don’t let the tiny number on the scale fool you. This is serious gear.

It is hard to find fault with the Chugach TR. It breezed through the shower test without a hint of leakage or soak-through. The breathability was excellent, without much sweat buildup even at high exertion.

The Chugach TR really proved its worth on a wet, 60-mile slug through the Idaho wilderness in the spring, where unrelenting rain pounded for hours of hiking through wet brush. Kuiu advertises additional abrasion resistance with the Chugach TR, and I believe it, as I had to go off trail through an alder-soaked hillside after making a wrong turn on the trip. The DWR kept beading up water after hours on the trail, and even when the face fabric finally took on a bit of a soak, the Torain Dermizax membrane kept it from coming in.

The Kryptek and Sitka options pushed the Kuiu for best overall, but in the end, the Kuiu Chugach TR gets the nod for its great marks in every category.

Best Packable:  First Lite Flashstorm

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Pros

• Packs tiny
• Weighs just ounces
• Good breathability
• Soft fabric

Cons

• Can wet through
• Not for heavy-duty use

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Score Card

• 
  Waterproofing:

  
  3

• 
  Breathability:

  
  4

• 
  Durability:

  
  3

• 
  Price/Value:

  
  3

• 
  Packability:

  
  5

Key Features

• 
  Fully taped three-layer construction

• 
  Stretch hood and cuffs

• 
  Packs tiny into its own chest pocket

• 
  Measured Weight (Size Large Jacket): 6.5 oz. (advertised 6.5 oz.)

• 
  Price: $185

First Lite has a full line of rain gear available from heavy-duty to ultralight. Nothing gets lighter than the barely-there Flashstorm Jacket.

The Flashstorm absolutely packs small, and it weighs just 6.5 ounces. This is the reason I carried it more than any other shell in this test.  I took it everywhere. I had it with me on trail runs and mountain bike rides. I would throw it into the truck console on road trips just in case. It was the rain jacket I had when I didn’t expect to need one.

The Flashstorm passed the shower test, but I wouldn’t expect it to make it through hours of sustained rain. This played out in the real world when I had to pull the Flashstorm out on a longer bike ride and had a small amount of wet-through under my pack straps after an hour in steady rain. Hunters who need a shell for long and steady downpours should look at some of the other options in the test, but hunters who need protection for the unexpected shower are going to be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Flashstorm. Even without pit zips, the material was pretty breathable. I only got a little condensation under exertion testing, although opening the front zip helped release some internal moisture under the heaviest exertion.

It doesn’t have the features or quite the waterproofing of some of the other shells in this test, and for that reason the Sitka Dew Point set takes the Best Ultralight category, but when it comes to the shell to have with you all the time, the Flashstorm is the one to hide away in your pack.

Best Ultralight Rain Gear: Sitka Dew Point

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Pros

• Excellent waterproofing 
• Ultralight
• Good breathability
• Usable pockets
• Adjustable fit
• Good abrasion resistance for the light weight

Cons

• Expensive
• Not as quiet as other options

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Score Card

• 
  Waterproofing:

  
  5

• 
  Breathability:

  
  4

• 
  Durability:

  
  4

• 
  Price/Value:

  
  3

• 
  Packability:

  
  4

---

Key Features

• 
  Gore-Tex, 3-Layer fabric

• 
  Cut to accommodate layers

• 
  Adjustable hood

• 
  Micro-taped seams

• 
  Two large hand warmer pockets

• 
  Adjustable waist and cuffs

• 
  Pit Zips

• 
  Measured Weight (Size Large Jacket): 11.6 oz. (Advertised: 10.4 oz.) Measured Weight (Size Large Pant): 10.8 oz. (Advertised: 9.3 oz.)

• 
  Price: $375.00 Jacket $350.00 Pants

Another contender for best overall, Sitka’s ultralight Dew Point jacket and pants are well-rounded options for hunters looking to stay dry in the field, but light on weight. Even though these items checked in second from lightest in the test, they performed like heavier rain gear.  

The Dew Point passed the shower test without a problem. Breathability was also very good, and any time the dampness started to build it dissipated quickly with the pit zips fully open. One point I really appreciated was the full (but not TOO full) cut. It was easy to pull out and suit up in the Dew Point while hunting alpine mule deer during a sudden storm. The Dew Point cut was a perfect complement to one of my favorite all-purpose hunting pants: Sitka’s Mountain Pant. When the rain came out the Dew Point pants went right over the Mountain Pant for a match like peanut butter and jelly.

The Gore-Tex face fabric was a little “crinkly” and not quite as soft as some of the others. The Dew Point also isn’t cheap with the full set running $725 vs. $590 for the Kuiu. The cost may have cost it best overall, but the weight savings over the Kuiu puts the crown for Best Ultralight on the Sitka.

Best Heavy Duty Rain Pants: First Lite Omen Stormshelter

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Pros

• Extremely Durable construction
• Excellent waterproofing
• Good waist adjustability
• Soft fabric face
• Lots of pockets
• Adjustable fit
• Great abrasion resistance

Cons

• Heaviest pant in test (although lighter than advertised)
• Not as breathable as lighter options
• Pricey

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Score Card

• 
  Waterproofing:

  
  5

• 
  Breathability:

  
  3

• 
  Durability:

  
  5

• 
  Price/Value:

  
  3

• 
  Packability:

  
  3

Key Features

• 
  Heavy-duty, fully-taped, 4.5-layer construction

• 
  Very High Abrasions Resistance

• 
  Adjustable waistband

• 
  Quality suspenders included

• 
  Knee pads

• 
  Full-length side zips

• 
  Stretch fabric

• 
  Integrated gaiters

• 
  Five pocket designs

• 
  Measured Weight (Size Large Pant without suspenders): 26.3 oz.  (Advertised:  30.3 oz.)

• 
  Price: $400.00

When the going gets really tough and wet, the Omen Stormshelter is the rain pant hunters will want. These 4.5-layer, heavy-duty pants are like fishing waders when it comes to waterproofing. The face fabric is really tough and brushes off the worst … um, brush.

The Omen pants aren’t just rain pants, though. They’re real pants. They have good pockets, so you don’t have to use the pockets on pants underneath them. They are the only pant I tested with an integrated gaiter. If it was just going to be a straight rainy day, this was the pant I was going out in. They are built for heavy-duty use. The shower test? No problem. In fact, when I tested a jacket that didn’t have a pant, the Omen’s were going under the test shell. The tough construction inspires confidence, and I just plowed through alder thickets and brush without worry. Nice touches like integrated kneepads and a great waist adjustment system provided real-world benefits.

The exterior fabric does seem to breathe a bit less than the lighter options, however. I did get a little more condensation during high exertion, but in those cases I used the side zips to vent with pretty good results.

They might be heavy, but man are they waterproof and durable. The Omen system may be just the ticket for those extremely thick and wet hunting use scenarios seen throughout the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and Alaska. For hunters that spend a lot of time in their rain gear, these are the best available.

Quietest: Forloh Allclima 3L Rain Jacket

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Pros

• Made in America
• Durable construction
• Good waterproofing
• Good breathability
• Soft, quiet fabric face
• Lots of pockets
• Adjustable fit
• Good abrasion resistance
• Warm in cool weather

Cons

• Heaviest jacket in test
• Warm in warm weather

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Score Card

• 
  Waterproofing:

  
  5

• 
  Breathability:

  
  4

• 
  Durability:

  
  5

• 
  Price/Value:

  
  4

• 
  Packability:

  
  3

Key Features

• 
  100% Sourced and Made in America

• 
  Soft Shell face fabric with DWR Double Treatment

• 
  Adjustable hood

• 
  5 pockets

• 
  RECCO reflector in case of rescue

• 
  Reinforced elbows

• 
  Pit zips

• 
  Measured Weight (Size M/L Jacket): 26.6 oz. (Advertised: 28 oz.)

• 
  Price: $419.99 Jacket $179.99 Pants

I have always appreciated soft shell jackets for hunting. They are softer and quieter in the woods and generally more breathable and abrasion resistant than hard shells. They just usually aren’t as waterproof as a hardshell and tend to get saturated more often.

Forloh offers hunters a kind of hybrid soft shell/ hard shell jacket that is rated waterproof with the AllClima 3L Rain Jacket.  It is a bonded three-layer jacket with a soft shell exterior fabric. I tried the Allclima 3L as part of this test and was a little apprehensive even for the initial shower test. Soft shells tend to wet through pretty easily.  My fears were unfounded with the Allclima however, as no water made it through in the shower test. The performance continued in the field, where the Allclima 3L held up in a 30 minute drenching shower in Montana. The Allclima 3L is pretty warm for a rain jacket.  It isn’t as warm as an insulating layer like a fleece, but there is definitely more insulating value than any of the traditional hard shells in the test.  This was appreciated on cool days, but on warmer days the Allclima 3L could add some sweat.

I liked the roomy cut of the Allclima for layering. The hood was on the large side and could use a rear pull to get the best fit, but the side adjustment did a fairly good job.

In the late season, when Montana’s temperatures turned to freezing and below, the Allclima 3L became a staple. It is a good, durable rain jacket for cool weather, but it is a nearly ideal jacket for snowy conditions where the soft shell fabric shrugs off falling snow and the little bit of extra insulating value is really appreciated. As a bonus, the Allclima 3L makes for an excellent dual-purpose ski jacket, and is rescue-ready with Recco reflectors built in for organized search efforts.

Kryptek Takur Jacket

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Pros

• Durable construction
• Excellent waterproofing
• Good breathability
• Soft fabric face
• Adjustable fit
• Good abrasion resistance
• Functional Pit Zips

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Score Card

• 
  Waterproofing:

  
  5

• 
  Breathability:

  
  5

• 
  Durability:

  
  4

• 
  Price/Value:

  
  4

• 
  Packability:

  
  3

Key Features

• 
  Heavy-duty, fully-taped, three-layer construction

• 
  Stretch Toray waterproof/breathable fabric

• 
  Fully adjustable hood

• 
  Internal chest pocket

• 
  Waist cord adjustment

• 
  Two bicep pockets with velcro for patches

• 
  Functional Pit Zips

• 
  Full Side Zip Pants with integrated belt

• 
  Measured Weight (Size Large Jacket): 26.1 oz.  Measured Weight (Size Large Pant): 20.1 oz.

• 
  Price: $419.99 Jacket $179.99 Pants

Although it was the heaviest hardshell jacket in the test, the Takur is also one of the best performers. The Takur pieces laughed at the shower test without a hint of water getting through. The Schoeller C-Change fabric breathed well during exertion testing. C-Change advertises the membrane pours actually increase in size during activity. I don’t know if that’s actually what’s happening, but I do know I rarely even used the pit zips in the field.  The soft face fabric was the quietest traditional hard shell in the test, and was very near as soft and quiet as the Forloh 3L. The pants kept my rear end dry through a long glassing session on the ground in cold, snowy, and wet conditions while elk hunting, and were easy to get on and off with the full side zips.

The best part of the Takur jacket was how full featured it was with ample pockets, and great adjustment at the hood, collar, and waist. You could really dial in the fit and didn’t feel like you were wearing a garbage bag when the rain started to come down. I didn’t need to open up and use pockets in a mid layer, I could just use the Takur.

The Takur performance was right there with the Kuiu Chugach TR for best overall, but all the features added up to more weight, so the Kuiu edged it out.

How Rain Gear Works

Rain outerwear in the hunting market usually has a multilayer construction.  The outside layer is a face fabric treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment. This is what causes exterior rain to “bead up” and not soak into the fabric.  The next layer is typically a waterproof and breathable membrane.  Some membranes work differently than others but most consist of a fabric that has perforations or passages that are large enough to let water vapor out, but keep water drops out. The inside layer is a lining layer that wicks perspiration away from the body and to the membrane.  Some pieces, like the First Lite Omen in this test have more layers, but they are usually additional layers serving the purposes of these three basic layers to add waterproofness and durability.

How I Tested the Best Hunting Rain Gear

I was able to test a variety of rain gear options for hunters over the last year, and here is my take on the best:

Here are the best hunting rain gear:

• Best Overall Rain Gear: Kuiu Chugach TR.
• Best Minimalist Raincoat: First Lite Flashstorm.
• Rain Gear with the Most Features:  Kryptek Takur
• Best Heavy Duty Rainpants: First Lite Omen
• Best Waterproof Softshell: Forloh
• Best Ultralight Rain Gear: Sitka Dew Point

I put all the candidate rain gear through the following evaluations:

Shower Test

For a timed 10 minutes, I stood under a cool shower with each piece.  This test looks for whether or not the pieces would quickly “wet through” or leak at the seams.  This is just a baseline test, and all finalists had to pass the test to be considered for the best list.

Breathability Test:

This past Spring in Montana, I took each set of rain gear on a rapid hike for 510 feet of elevation gain in 1.2 miles in temperatures between 42 degrees and 55 degrees Fahrenheit.  Afterwards I noted the amount of dampness inside the jacket and on my base layers underneath.  I used the same ploy based base layer tops and bottoms for every test.

Field Use:

Every piece in this test was deployed in an actual field situation with precipitation.  Some situations were more demanding than others, but as hard as I tried, I couldn’t control the weather.  Still, they all got some real field use to get an idea of how they perform.

Measured Weight:

Each piece was weighed on my digital scale, and is listed compared to the advertised weight, if available.

How I Scored the Rain Gear

I gave each piece/set a score of 1 to 5 (5 being best) in each of these categories:

1. Waterproofing.  How did the piece handle the shower test and in the field?  
2. Breathability.  How well does the gear let the sweat out?  
3. Durability.  How resistant to cuts and abrasions are the materials?
4. Value.  What is the performance-to-cost ratio for the piece?
5. Packability.  Rain gear spends a lot of the time in the pack.  How much room does it use?

Final Thoughts on the Best Hunting Rain Gear

The items and companies in this comparison don’t represent the entire market.  There are great rain gear pieces from other companies, and the companies featured here have other options in their lineups that may work better for you.  This article provides a good starting point for finding the right hunting rain gear for you.  Consider your own hunting priorities and find a good match for you and your budget.

Rain gear is an essential piece of every hunter’s kit.  The ability to keep hunting in adverse conditions can be the difference between punching that limited tag and waiting out the weather at home.