Lets talk Rain Gear

[THPtech]

Usually I wear my jeans under my rain gear and I always end up getting too hot. I'm a little bigger guy and if I overheat I am not a happy camper and start to lose productivity. Were starting to get some rain here on the coast of  Northern California and I'm about to go get some new gear. Wondering what peoples experiences/preferences/tips are?

[moonhill]

As a now/old approach,  maybe no rain gear at all.   Wool clothing, it comes in different thickness so in a warmer climate thinner pants and shirt.  I don't have the system down real well.  I always feel miserable in a rain suit even cotton is fine in a light warmer /summer rain.   Maybe a sponsor has a new tech approach.  I think Baileys carries wool clothing?  Layers is the key + or - one for the comfort zone.   Tim

[woodmills1]

best rain gear is shorts and a tee shirt with a roof over your head

[SwampDonkey]

Up on the north west coast some of us would wear rag wool pants and wool t-shirts most of the year because it was always raining and never much warmer than 65 F in the heat of summer. Get rid of the heavy jeans in that humid wet climate, get light cotton pants if you want to were cotton. Those jeans stick to ya and make work twice as hard in my opinion. I always had rain gear that was double lined, but that would be hot in warmer climates. Gortex isn't much good, doesn't work like they advertise. It might work if your walking, but not working.  

Back east here, I can't wear rain gear when thinning with a brush saw, too hot in summer. I'd rather have the rain to cool me off. You get real hot when waving a brush saw all day. I carry extra dry clothes in the car to drive home in comfort.

[arojay]

I don't wear rain gear for felling or skidding.  I too wear wool,  Stanfield's raingear.  Raingear over chainsaw pants just doesn't work.  I have one pair of saw pants from Bailey's that are nylon and hold no water and for those cold rain/ wet snow kind of days I have a felling jacket that is also nylon and a little water resistant but mostly it won't hold water and breaks the wind.  For more sedentary jobs I have a Helly Hanson raincoat and pants that are truly waterproof but you still need the wool or synthetic layers underneath.

[ely]

i like the frog togs rain gear. i usually only wear it when it is colder than average outside. if its summer i just get wet.

[Mike_M]

Tin pants and coat are the best for Northwest logging. I have Filson tin jacket that I wear when the rain really starts coming down and it is great. I just wear my Prison Blue jean pants, but am looking at getting a pair of the Filson tin pants. This is great material, is very durable, and easy to layer your clothing with. Regular rain wear snags and tear real easy. Just my two cents.     Mike M.

[fkarcha]

The best, most durable working rain gear I have seen used in forestry is Mountain Equipment Co-op's (a Canadian chain) Deluge 3 rain jacket  and pants.  One co-worker owned a  pair for 25 years(!), and replaced them with the updated model because purple didn't suit him anymore. 

[Ironwood]

I love Filson, but MAN that tin jacket is STIFF, stands up on it's own. I wear alot of their wool vests, jackets, hats. I have bought some, inherited others from my father-in-law who passed away. He had a thing for Filson unbenounced to his family, we found some stuff hidden in closets (just the rigth size too ). Kinda gave creedence to my preference that my Mother-in-law thought was a bit too $$$$. He was a scrimper and saver, bought QUALITY when he knew things were worth it. I didn't know him well but, in this regard we were kindred spirits. Working guys love the stuff if they are willing to spend the money.

      Ironwood 

[timber tramp]

Wool and tin, layered so you can shed it as you warm up. If you must have actual rain gear get the cheapest stuff you can find 'cause at the end of 1 hard day it'll be shredded anyway .

[ErikC]

   I wear Filson a lot. I like tin pants and jacket a lot in really wet, snowy or muddy stuff. You just have to work a little slower, but you can do it all day so I think in the end you would be more productive. In that kind of weather if you hurry to much you'll get hurt anyway. In milder temps I just wear the same thing as always with the tin jacket, it makes a ton of difference and isn't too hot.

[WildDog]

I find Gore-Tex pretty good but expensive, seems to breath and remain waterproof and can take a bit of abuse.

We have a black wool jacket down here called a Bluey thats great in cold wet weather and very hardwearing.

When on a horse I used to wear a full length oil skin coat that got re-oiled each year and put up with the wet feet and ankles, but this long coat is a pain if you have to get off and do any work, you can get pants, hats and shorter coats.

I know one thing I prefer not to wear that PVC or cheap plastic gear, within no time you're as wet inside as out.