Waterproof Gear

All,

I broke down and ordered Gore-tex bibs 2 seasons ago and have been VERY happy with them. I tried a few other cheaper brands/styles over the years that just didn't hold up well, especially under heavy rain. I kept putting off the Gore-tex mainly due to price but so far love the bibs.

I am now looking for waterproof jackets to go along with the bibs. Have you guys had luck with other materials that are not Gore-tex? For the jacket, I am just going for something light weight since I do not do much cold weather fishing. I ended up ordering a Gore-tex jacket but am just curious what other options are out there for future considerations.


Jay

I have messed around with several types of cheaper "goretex-like" materials over the years and about 12 years ago decided there really was nothing better if you want breathability and durability, IMO. I have a few bib/parka outfits but one thing I have been doing lately is going with the Paclite Goretex jacket. 60-70% cheaper and the same water protection but with less bells and whistles within the jacket. As you mentioned in your post about buying a lightweight jacket, the smaller/thinner Paclite jackets are easier to fish with due to much less bulk. (Cabela's and other retailers will have them on sale soon if not right now.) 1 problem is finding the right color scheme to match your bibs if that really matters.

Another helpful item to keep your Goretex stuff like new is the Nikwax Twin Pack. Relatively inexpensive and really helps restoring your Goretex stuff. I just restored 3 sets of Goretex gear last Spring and the reason I have 3 outfits is because I did not know about this stuff until after I had purchased new stuff over the years. This stuff will save you money over the years for sure. The link is listed below. Hope this helps!

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Nikwa...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks for the info Red. Funny that you mention the PacLite, thats exactly what I just ordered. Also great to know about Nikwax. I'll definitely be picking some of that up in the future too.