Sitka Celsius or Cabelas Rainwear, decisions-decisions

Bruinbrewin · Feb 15, 2010

I see sales going on and wanted to buy the best value outer shell waterproof, my 3 sale selections are:
Sitka Celsius 50% off $150 coat& $125 pants

Cabelas Alaskan Guide Gore-tex Rainwear $110 coat & $90 pants

Wait for Cabelas MT050 to go on sale and buy that?

I know these have been beaten up pretty good lately but I would hate to miss out on this sale if any of these will meet my needs of breathable for hiking and waterproof to keep me dry. I am looking more for a shell and layering for temps. I might also be interested in the Raintamer 2 jacket and pants from Russell Outdoors

Wade,
I think I know what your choice will be but do you have any testing in on the Raintamer 2 stuff?
THX
BB

MULEYSTALKER · Feb 15, 2010

Sitka Celsius isn't waterproof. It just has a water repellent coating i believe. It works great in light rain and snow but if its pouring rain or your sitting in snow your going to get wet. It is warm gear i have the jacket, bibs, and vest and I wear it ice fishing and keep me pretty warm. You still will need a water proof outer shell to wear over the sitka gear.

HardcoreOutdoor · Feb 16, 2010

What kind of country do you hunt and what is your style of hunting?

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com

Bruinbrewin · Feb 16, 2010

I called Cabelas and all of the Sitka celsius gear that was on sale is long gone except for small. At 5'9 220 I am not too optimistic that I can fit in a small.
Wade,
I hunt mostly by glass and stalk in many of the western states, archery mostly and sometimes rifle for the hard to get stuff like Barbary, Oryx, Antelope, etc.... Jan archery Javelina and coues in AZ, muzzy mulies in Colorado mid sept above alpine, Wyoming moose and Antelope everything in Montana, NM and Utah and I hope to start scoring some tags on all the applications for 5 states for the last 6+ years worth of points.

So I am sitting for a few hours in the morning and then hiking the mountains, canyons and desert the rest of the day. I currently carry the Cabelas space rain in my pack at all times and if I think there may be a chance of real weather i will pack my 10 year old MT050 in the truck for emergency use to keep me in the field. I did however forget the MT050 on the most recent Barbary hunt so i was stuck in the space rain so poor planning on my part. The MT050 still performs pretty well but I think it is time to replace or upgrade. I really like the portability of the space rain and kind of dread having to pack the MT050 but for a back country hunt like I did for barbary this year I will remember to make sure it makes my list to pack into camp next time.
I am not a fast paced hunter so I really don't get too heated up unless I am climbing and that seems like all you do in Colorado. I'm not sure what my dollar to value ratio is at this point but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to pony up $500 for Sitka when MT050 has been pretty reliable for all of these years plus it's on sale at Cabelas as well. What kind of product have you tested and can recommend. I hear good about APX with all of their layering but I would like to have desert based camo not treestand or mossy oak break up so I am not sure that is the way to go for me. The raintamer2 looks like it is more or less like my space rain but it is available in Mossy oak brush which would be more to my liking. I like your suggestions of venting zippers for regulating temps so that would be a plus and must breathe well and keep my tired old butt dry. A little bit windy explanation for you but wanted to let you know where I am at.
Thanks in advance for feedback
BB

HardcoreOutdoor · Feb 16, 2010

Well, first and foremost I would launder the MTO50 as directed on the tag and then retreat the exterior with ReviveX or something like it. No reason to junk a solid performer like that if the membrane is still in tact.

I liked the way the Alaskan Guide Rain Wear looked when I first saw it but was surpised and disappointed that it had everything but, what else, pit zips. So while I can't recommend it to you I will say that it is better than the Space Rain Jacket.

Same goes for the RainTamer 2. Pretty good all the way round but it is a touch heavy and again no pit zips. At least it has adjustable cuffs which is something I can't say for much of the Russell APX G2. I have a alot of respect for Chris Denham, my Editor at Western Hunter, but I disagree with him on this. I have the whole APX G2 line and would only recommend using it when sitting or riding something. Like the Rivers West stuff it is well made, very robust and good stuff for everything but bipedal locomotion.

By the way, there are some jackets that I recommend that don't have pit zips but they are for super light or light and fast trail running excursions and most of them use the eVent waterproof vapor permeable laminate instead of Gore-Tex. The exception is the Marmot Precip line. Pit zips are just very effective at helping to ventilate, without them you have to work much harder to stay dry under the shell with strict exertion control and active ventilation techniques.

So, based on all that you have told me I have to go with what I think offers the best protection. You probably don't want to hear this but for a piece that important to your system price should not be a consideration. I would get a Sitka Stormfront Jacket in Optifade Big Game Open Country or Mothwing Mountain Mimicry. Once you get past the price tag I don't think you will be disappointed. I think it is the best thing going right now.

I normally wear an XL shell but require an XXL in the Stormfront Jacket (the 2010 model is sized a little small, that will be remedied next year).

Hope that helps.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com

Bruinbrewin · Feb 17, 2010

Thanks Wade,
What is the weight comparison between the MT050 quiet pack and the Sitka StormFront? I can't find any specifications on the Sitka or MT050, I imagine they are similar or is the Sitka as light as the Space Rain. I found a place where I can get the Sitka Stormfront for $350 instead of the $500 suggested, although it is probably last years stock or the previous year.
I cannot find any links with Optifade Open Country pattern, all I can find is Concealment, are they the same thing? I'm not too keen on the looks of the Concealment pattern.
I don't mind the Mothwing Mimicry pattern so that would be an option. I will need to find me some ReviveX somewhere, Big 5 or Cabelas should have something like that. I can use my old reliable MT050 while I save up the beans for the Sitka.
What about the pants, same opinion on the Stormfront pants or is there better performance in something else or a different Sitka model?
Thanks for all of your work testing stuff out and sharing the outcome with us, saves us a lot of poorly spent money on gear that doesn't do what we had hoped it would do.

P.S. I am going to hit you up on footwear replacement for my Cabela's Black Canyons by Meindl(no longer available) that are near worn out. My feet get smoking hot if I have any insulation, (even gore-tex)so I have only enjoyed my Danners and these Black Canyons by Meindl. I do have the Meindl Denali's for cold weather and they are uninsulated, only have Gore-tex so that is as much insulation as I can handle
THX
BB

HardcoreOutdoor · Feb 17, 2010

You are very welcome.

I went back and looked at my Russell APX G2 gear and my notes again and I want to add the Cyclone Jacket (now the L5 Waterproof Breathable Jacket I beleive) to the list I think you should consider. It weighs 17 ounces (good) and is quiet (good). It is not a bushwhacker in terms of its durability, it has elastic cuffs (bad) and it does not have pit zips (bad) but it has a double front zipper (good) and would be a good or very good rain gear jacket if that is the route you wanted to go. It is also sized properly to fit moderate insulation pieces (good) underneathe. In fact, it reminds a lot of the original Sitka Gear Downpour Jacket which I came to like very much. I don't know the price but I am sure that it is significantly less than the current Sitka shells.

My XL MTO50 Quiet Pack Jacket weighs 28.5 ounces (the very upper end of what I think is the acceptable range for shell tops). My XL Sitka Gear Stormfront Jacket weighs 22 ounces.

$350 for a Stormfront Jacket is a good price and this is the first year for that piece so it has to be from the current line.

All Gore Optifade is Concealment which now comes in two flavors-Big Game Open Country the first and lighter of the two made for hunting ungulates at distance. Second is the new Big Game Forest pattern for close in work like tree stand bow hunting. It is digital and takes a little getting used to but I like it personally. The Mothwing is also very good.

Most good sporting good shops will have something like ReviveX but I prefer the real McCoy made by McNett. I know REI carries it.

Pants-anything but cotton or denim. Sorry Wranglers wearers but cotton kills. Sitka Ascent, 90%, Stormfront (waterproof and vapor permeable). Russell APX G2 L5 Pants (waterproof and vapor permeable). MTO50 Quiet Pack Pants or Bibs (waterproof and vapor permeable). All work well. Just match the jacket I guess. The MTO50 and Sitka Stormfront will be the toughest though.

PM me on the boots if you like and we will see what we can figure out.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com

Bruinbrewin · Feb 18, 2010

Thanks Wade,
Stormfront, or Cyclone seems to keep coming to the top but I think based on camo patterns I will end up going for the Stormfront since I am not overly fond of the Treestand or Mossy Oak Breakup and I believe those are the only 2 options for the APX apparel. That was one of the reasons I asked about the Raintamer 2 is that I can get that in the Brush camo.
You mentioned that the Stormfront is running kind of small, I was wondering if at 5'9 and varying between 190 and 205 (normally) if I would be able to add mid level layering with the Stormfront jacket. That is available in Mountain Mimicry in XL but not readily available in XXL unless I want Optifade concealment ( which I don't). Would you recommend the XL or XXL for my size?
I'll send you a PM for boots after I get done paying for the Sitka.
THX
BB

HardcoreOutdoor · Feb 18, 2010

BB,

I am pretty sure that the Sitka Gear Stormfront Jacket, based on your description, will work well for you in XL. I am 5' 11" and 235ish and require an XXL in it to handle medium insulation or more.

Good luck, I think you will be very pleased.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com

Bruinbrewin · Feb 20, 2010

Thanks for all the input Wade, I am now in search of the Sitka Stormfront line. A friend of mine has some of the Optifade camo and although he was not too keen on it either, his son was walking up to him during a recent outing and said that even though the pattern looks goofy that he sure did blend in with the surroundings as he neared his dad. I guess I haven't given the Optifade a fair shake so I may have to give it a try
BB

HardcoreOutdoor · Feb 20, 2010

BB,

People tend to buy camo like they buy dog or cat food. They buy what looks good to them but the problem is that they are not the ones eating what they buy. Same holds true with camo for game hunters I think. With all due respect it doesn't make any difference what you or your buddy like, the real question is does the camo do a good job of concealing you from the game you are after.

I am not a camo expert or scientist but the smart guys at Gore Optifade say that the Optifade patterns are specificly designed for the way Ungulates (hoofed mammals) see the world around them. I suppose we need to consult Dr. Doolittle to find out for sure but all the reports I have read from the field have good things to say about how game respond to the Optifade.

Wade
www.HardcoreOutdoor.com

gemstatejake · Feb 20, 2010

Guidewear is the best foul weather gear I'm aware of. I use mine for steelhead/salmon/sturgeon fishing.

It is most defineatly not hunting equipment though.

jims · Feb 20, 2010

You may also want to look at the Sitka Nimbus jacket (if you can find one). It has the pit zips and is fairly similar to the Stormfront but possibly a little tougher material. I used a Nimbus jacket and Stormfront pants on my last AK dall sheep hunt and they both worked super well...and it rained a lot! I never did get wet and am glad I dumped some of my old Cabelas gear!

I was pretty amazed that my Stormfront pants held up as well as they did because I was constantly in rock and thought for sure they would get eaten up..but they never did! They breathed just as well as my Nimbus jacket.

After using pitzips I would NEVER buy another rain jacket without them! I opened up my pitzips while hiking and never had the condensation problems I've had for years with other raingear! Believe me, it is definitely worth the investment buying quality raingear!