11 Best Hunting Rain Gear – 2021 Reviews And Top Picks

When you are trying to determine the best hunting gear for rainy conditions, you also have to consider what conditions you are hunting in. Consider the pros and cons of each item before you make a selection.

Material

The most important factor for rain gear is the materials used in them because each material may not perform the same way under rain as other materials do. Polyester, for example, is known to be very strong and abrasion resistant, which retains its shape to lock in warmth and keep cold or rain out. Since polyester does not allow as much air through it, it can be considered less breathable than other types of fabric, which makes it best for use on your outer layers. Most often, polyester locks out water, so this makes it very waterproof. You need breathable materials on the areas nearest to your skin because you will tend to sweat while wearing heavy clothing, even if it’s cold out. Light fleece works perfectly when it is your inner layer because it is smooth, flexible, cool and comfortable so it won’t catch on your outer layers and will feel great on your skin.

Some brands will use a better quality of polyester or other materials and may even have created a special trademark technology that other brands may not use. You will want to closely consider what those technologies were extensively built for and how they are going to make your hunt easier. For example, the special brush faced fabric on the Sitka Gear Downpour Jacket was made to conceal the sound of water hitting you. This helps you out because deer will be less aware of you so you don’t have to be as cautious of movements you make. So considering the special technology behind the fabrics when you choose rain gear is definitely noteworthy.

Seam Protection and Quality

The materials used are one thing, but if openings are not wisely oriented on the clothing, they become useless and just let the rain or the wind in anyways. The last thing you want to have when you’ve bought rain resistant hunting gear is to find the water seeping into your inner layer. A lot of hunting gear will have special vents, zippers or removable hoods. Since these are all openings for water to get in it is a wise idea to keep them protected. For this reason, some clothing has flaps concealing the seams. The flaps will deflect water over or away from the seam so that it does not get into your inner layers. Also make sure that you know that the flaps were made of quality, because if they aren’t they will tear and rain will get in anyway. Make sure your seams are well guarded and you will keep dry much longer. The first line of protection is always the most important when it comes to rain resistance.

Insulation

Sometimes the environment you’re hunting may require extra warmth and other times it will not. Choosing rain gear with or without insulation is completely up to whether or not you need it. If you are in a more tropic or humid area, you definitely do not want to get rain gear that is already insulated because you will sweat and become too hot. The XTACER Multi-Use Poncho may be perfect for humid environments because it’s arms and legs are open for air to freely move through while it also shields rain from you.

Cold climates will make rain drastically colder than usual. In this case, you will need extra insulation to keep your core warm because the air and water are both colder. The Rocky Boys Pro Hunter

Full Zip Insulated Parka is specifically designed with added insulation for especially freezing rain situations and will keep you very warm. Depending on if it has insulation or not, they may also have special zippers inside so that you can take the insulation out when you don’t need it. So if you consider the climate and hunting season you will be hunting in, you will be able to more easily pick rain gear for hunting.

Weight

The weight of your rain gear will have a special role in your level or personal comfort. A heavy weighted clothing will normally make it harder to move through your environment and usually be warmer than a lightweight option. Pockets, additional insulation or hoods will add weight to each article of clothing because it uses more material. Lighter weight rain gear will usually provide the base amount of rain protection without any additional features and will be easier to move in. This decision usually is completely up to the environment you are hunting in and whether or not you will be moving, so consider what you will be doing.

Camouflage Colors

Camouflage is a very important factor for reducing the chance of your game animal detecting you. By breaking your outline up in your environment, camouflage will more easily blend you into your surroundings. When trying to choose a camouflage pattern and color, you need to consider what environment you are hunting in.

When hunting on a treeline that has very lush vegetation, choose color variations of light green to very dark green with patterns resembling the trees and bush’s leaves. Digital or Flecktarn patterns look very good when paired with vegetation. While being under forest canopies, choose camouflage colors of gray to dark brown with tree bark or dead branches. Real Tree or Mossy Oak offer excellent options for woodland camo. For desolate areas without vegetation or trees like grass or desert, you should choose patterns of camouflage that break your outline up and are of a similar color to your terrain. Digital or python camo patterns work great for these situations.

FAQ

1. What Is the Best Lightweight Rain Gear Option?

Thanks to innovations and designs, the best lightweight rain gear is continually changing. There are many different backpacking rain jackets and rain pants on the market today. Here are our recommendations if you are looking for the best lightweight rain gear for a reasonable price.

If you are looking for a lightweight rain jacket that can hold warmth for more than a half-day period, we recommend you take a look at the MAGCOMSEN Men’s Tactical Army Outdoor Coat Camouflage Softshell Jacket Hunting Jacket.

It is capable of keeping the right thermal conditions with the help of warm inner fleece. If your main goal is to find rain gear with the lightest weight and you are not planning to stay in bad weather conditions for a long time, we suggest you keeping your eye on the 10X Men’s Waterproof-Breathable Outer Systems Hooded Jacket. It is an excellent choice for those who need a trusty rain jacket for hiking or other non-extreme activity.

In accordance with serious hunting rain gear, we recommend you pay special attention not only to the weight of the rain jacket and pants but also to the warm protection abilities of the rain gear you choose – one of the best options in this case – Badlands Exo Jacket.

2. What Is the Difference Between Various Rain Suit Types?

Rain equipment is available in three fundamental types, so you want to begin by choosing the right style for your requirements. We will address the three basic rain gear types below and highlight each one’s relative strengths and weaknesses.

Ponchos are loose-fitting clothes that typically have a hood and a “cape” that covers the body that protects you from the rain. Some have openings for the arms, while others fit more like a skirt worn around your neck. Most ponchos are made of relatively thin material and are often intended for use in very short periods of time or emergencies.

Also, such coats are quite popular with fans of outdoor music festivals. A few companies, however, are producing durable ponchos made of dense materials. Poncho rain gear is convenient to use while providing light protection from water and wind. If you are about to buy a raincoat poncho, you can follow our recommendation and buy the JTENG Rain Poncho Waterproof Raincoat.

Rain suits are produced of cotton, plastic or rubberized materials. These kinds of rain clothing are often highly waterproof and can hold warmth for a considerable period of time. That makes rain suits the best type of rain gear for fishers, being indispensable when working in harsh waters. However, these kinds of rain suits are typically quite thick for hikers and campers, who are weight-conscious.

They are also quite heavy, which makes it challenging to carry them with a bag. However, rain suits can help in many extremal weather conditions. Rain suits, like ponchos, have their uses, and when you are caught in bad weather, they are better than nothing. But for most people who are trying to enjoy their local trail or campground, they are still not the best choice. One of the best rain suits you can find on the market now is Frogg Toggs All Sport Rain Suit.

Rain jackets are produced using synthetic fibers and then handled with a water-repelling sealant that prevents water from being absorbed. The various rain jacket styles differ extensively in performance. Cheaper styles may keep you dry for half an hour, but, eventually, they will start soaking up water. High-quality rain jackets, on the other hand, will keep you bone-dry and comfortable no matter how long the rains last.

Being well-made, fabric rain jackets are very convenient to use and generally, simple to carry with backpacks or day bags. Some of them can even be easily compressed to a tiny volume, making them simple to pack and bring along. These kinds of clothes are always a good option for those who want to experience the excellent wilderness for a multitude of purposes. See our highest rated rain jacket: Sitka Downpour Jacket.

3. What Waterproof Material Is the Best One?

It’s easy to create a fabric that blocks the rain. It’s much harder to create a fabric that blocks rain but still allows your sweat to escape. However, the same principle works on all waterproof fabrics: diffusion. Molecules are moving from high concentration areas to low concentration areas. Therefore, when you warm up and create moisture, you want it to go through your waterproof hunting jacket and reach out to the lower concentrations.

This is achieved in various ways by different waterproof materials. The most functional waterproof material, used by various companies nowadays, is extra durable fabric 20,000 mm+ in the waterproof rating scale. It is rain and waterproof under very high pressure and used ultimately in rain gear production, construction, and garden equipment development.

4. What Is Scent-Lok Technology?

Scent-Lok® Technologies, founded in 1992, made a breakthrough by offering successful hunters precisely what they needed. The technology of using activated carbon in clothing is the most advanced and effective way in the world to contain human scents, and Scent-Lok® is a world leader in the production of odor-suppressing hunting clothing.

Scent-Lok® technology is the most effective scent control system and has aided in the selling of thousands of duck hunting rain jackets and other rain gear stuff.

5. Can a Windproof Jacket Be Waterproof?

Waterproof / Breathable fabrics with either a polyurethane membrane or a PTFE membrane have air permeability from 0 to about 0.5 cfm. That’s totally windproof. Typical “wind shirts” have about 5 cfm of air permeability by comparison.

All waterproof fabrics are struggling to be sufficiently breathable to cope with the amount of moisture you put out when cycling or running. A wind shell technology (windproof), which is used in most modern rain gear productions that are presented in our rating can not only cope with rain and snow, but also keep your body warm and breathable.

So, the key difference between windproof and waterproof materials is the fabric’s breathable capability which is being provided to customers.

Best Hunting Rain Gear – Conclusion

So with every given factor and choice of gear, you will still have to make your own decision. We hope that the information and considerations will drastically help you in making your final choice.