Rain pants review: Bibs preferred over waist high

[Okanagan]

We gave our rain gear a pretty good test the past few days and I concluded that chest high bib rain pants are the ONLY way to go for me.  Get good ones.

I have some quality Columbia brand rain pants, elastic draw string waist, no pockets or zips or any unnecessary stitch to let in water.  They have served me well and still don’t leak.  BUT…. they slide down and in the back when they get down below the bottom edge of my rain coat, water from the coat drains off of my back into my inner clothes at the small of my back and butt.  Maybe that only happens when I bend forward but it happened too much.

Never had that problem much before but I walked more this trip, in some rough ground, over logs etc.  I moved more than my usual sit or stroll, plus I think a daypack made the rain coat ride up a bit.  That made a gap in back between rain coat and rain pants.  A friend who hunted with us had the same problem with his waist high rain pants. 

Anyhoo, chest high bib rain pants with suspenders would solve that problem.  Everybody in the family but me has already gone that way long ago.  They all wear commercial fishing rain pants, Grundens, etc. 

[nastygunz]

Helly Hansen! I like that freezing rain sleet snow ice right down your butt crack it  keeps you awake while you're on the hunt and you can count it towards your weekly shower!

* Bibs %100

[JohnP]

Just another item I have no need for in the desert.

[nastygunz]

If i lived in the desert all id wear is a breech cloth and a tan....

[Todd Rahm]

Chest wader elastic belt will fix that issue for you. Don’t ask how I know. 

[nastygunz]

Being a former commercial fishermen I agree about the belt!

[Okanagan]

Bought a pair of bib rain pants, Granyte brand, a copy of Helly Hansen.  Not much in stock in the two towns I visited, mostly looking in stores that suppy loggers and commercial fishermen more than sporting goods stores, though I checked those also. 

Zero Helly Hansen bibs though plenty of HH waist high pants.  Grundens almost sold out everywhere as well.  Store manager told me it is hard to get any in:  supply chain probs.  I liked a Rivers West bib-in-back light weight fishing guide pant with suspenders, but none in my size.  This Granyte knock-off of HH is good, same soft surface.  There were high end multi-layered, reinforced Grundens for big bucks, heavier than I want for hunting.  Quite a bit of Carharts for more money, but the only style I liked were  roadworkers reflective striped yellow.

I am holed up at home, warm and cozy, while the others are out braving the rain.  I am hoping to hit the last three days of elk season, after the weekend, less rain forecast.