Rain gear
 

Im looking to finish up my 24 hour op bag, and im missing rain gear.

I run a cadpat load out, so im looking to get some cadpat rain gear of somesort. I want to of course be able to still use my GBBR and have access to my mags.

I am not interested in putting a rain jacket on then putting my bdu and vest ontop of that.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I'm not sure if anyone makes fake CADPAT rain jackets, or what your luck would be in getting them surplus.

I honestly hate the issued jacket, I always seem to get soaked.
I usually just wear the stealth jacket, I love it, works wonders.

Based on your wants/needs your only real option is Canadian cadpat Goretex. If you are somewhat flexible on pattern there is also USMC Goretex in Marpat.

Yah, I need something to go with cadpat...since I will be wearing it OVER my gear and bdu. People still need to be able to see me colours and all.

If you find some lemme know too lol
and repro will either be more money than "surplus" (as there is no actual surplus)
and or it wont he real goretex so itll leak more than the real stuff lol
or you can look for a ripstop poncho amd some od pants.
http://m.ebay.ca/itm/381205556354?nav=SEARCH

Btw, for the cadpat goretex jacket.... I am assuming you would wear that over your bdu...but have your vest ontop of it correct?

Would anyone know where to purchase one?

Its not gonna be easy to find. Just finding a legit cadpat bdu can be hard. All that stuff belongs to the queen n she dont like givin it away while its still in service.
Ive been searching for a full set of cadpat goretex for some time, you prety much have to walk into every surplus store you can find in person and poke around and ask, and even then if they have they may not give due to the legalities.
see my previous post for the poncho. They are good and csn be used as shelter as well. Over gear in a pinch. Just leave the zipper open and use the velcro incase u need to get at mags N such. but yeah under your rig can work too, more likely to leak tho. And depending on temp as well. Ive been known to wear boxers and a tank top under goretex sock, pants and jacket when its hot out.

dont. use. goretex.

goretex is garrison kit. You use it when you're standing still in 60mm rainstorms for hours on end to stay dry.

For running around, you want softshell. You actually WANT some of that rainwater to run through the jacket to cool you off. Goretex is only slightly better than a rubber jacket, it breathes, but it doesn't breathe well when the outside of it is already wet.

Just get an OD softshell. I'm never wearing goretex anything ever again.

Yes you wear it under your vest/webbing/PC.

I'm just worried for some games were you mix solids and camos and such. Could you give me an example of a soft shell? I only am looking to play outdoors during the summer months.

And yah, the poncho idea is good, but im not sure how it would work over my gear and such.

So what about times when people are outside for hours fairly static in heavy rain?

The issue CF raingear is stiff, heavy, noisy, and likely not even real Goretex. For an airsofter it is not worth it at any price.

If you're static and experiencing heavy rain Goretex is ok. Keep in mind that Goretex works better in cooler temps as it needs that temperature gradient to pump moisture out.

Wearing Goretex in the summer during a rainstorm you're still likely going to get soaked from within though.

I played claybank in 60mm of rain, numerous other rainstorms, outside in 0 degrees, overnight at 5 degrees, 120km/h winds, etc in my softshell. Without a thermal layer, it's been good from 12-20 degrees. With a thermal layer I've playing in -5 to 11 and been really comfortable.
I've done cold and hot and rainy with my goretex jacket and honestly I'd never think of ever using it again. It just traps your heat in too well. My every experience has been that it kept the rain out perfectly, but I'd just get soaked with sweat anyway, so it really didn't help at all.
The softshell does a significantly better job of regulating heat. The rain cools you down, but the jacket cuts off the chilling effect of any windage.
With the softshell, you can throw it on as the temp starts to drop at night, and take it off when it's convenient in the morning. No risk of quickly overheating if shit hits the fan and all of a sudden you're running 5km in 26 degree heat.
Plus you don't get that annoying crinkly sound every time you move lol

Quite simply, if goretex was the answer, we'd see a lot more goretex gear and a lot less softshell gear!
The 4-way stretch fabric is the best, but very expensive. Supposedly condor makes a decent softshell, you'll have to check reviews.

What soft shell do you use?

Get a poncho in dark green. Ponchos are light weight, roll up into a small pocket or pouch and can also protect your gun from the rain. It's easy to reach underneath and grab a magazine. A very cheap alternative is the $5 ones from Canadian Tire, which you can get clear and therefore will show your CadPat. I personally recommend a product like the OPSEC or similar. If you're looking for something to go under your kit, then a light, tactical rain jacket is best. You'll likely have to settle for solid green as CadPat isn't used a lot impractical gear other than issued gear and crappy replicas.

These saturate after sustained rainfall and don't do anything but lay on you and keep you wet. They work somewhat, but only to a point.

Ultimately having several rain layer options is the best thing. Having Goretex, having a soft shell, having a poncho, and keeping them rolled up in a small pack.

OPSEC ponchos only seem to be available in multicam..... which is considered tan in some games.

Strange they dont make any other colours.

Anyone have any suggestions for soft shells?

Softshells and goretex are different garments with different purposes. A soft shell replaces the need for a fleece and shell for warmth and protection from wind and drizzle/light rain.
If you are stuck in a downpour for hours you need goretex.

Depending on the situation you might not need goretex. If it is warm or your level of activity is high you do not need goretex. If you are wearing a softshell which is soaked through theres not much point in wearing it at all.

If it is cold and heavy rain you need to stay dry with goretex. If totally static you can use a rain layer that breathes less. If you are moving alot, even in cold the goretex won't breathe fast enough so you may still get wet inside, therefore like any other time you have to regulate layers depending on activity.

Its not as simple as goretex = good or goretex = bad.

Garments are just tools and like any tool they have specific jobs.

Old propper softshell, don't think they've made it in quite a while though

Goretex is good in frozen sleet, but how often are you out in frozen sleet at an airsoft game? lol

And ponchos....just...just no. This isn't 1995, we have better solutions :p

I was on Ebay looking for a waterproof jacket when I stumbled upon the CF Rain-jacket. I was interested in the jacket because it said it was made out of Goretex. If you look closer you can notice that its more like a PVC Rain-Suit. (Waterproof but not breathable.)

Hmmmm.

I might actually try getting and OD condor soft shell and treat it with some never wet...

So unlined, non-insulated Goretex is too hot and you sweat when it is raining, yet you wear a non-waterproof insulated garment in the same temperature range?

The propper softshell is not insulated

I have a Summit series softshell from Condor in OD, works well in cooler temps as it's fleece lined. That being said as pure rainwear it wouldn't do well, it's designed for light rain not sustained downpours.

I personally have a woodland raincoat and pants by Parklands Canada. No idea what it's made out of but has taped seams and some vents, would hold up better then a softshell in a downpour but you'd need to have some base layer to keep you dry since I highly doubt it's breathable. I think they make some CADPAT gear, the surplus shops should know more. I bought it second hand.

Thats goretex Red Dot. Does it feel like sindbreaker type stuff? Zippers on the legs at the bottom and the coat packs into the inside pocket?

Let's not forget that the woodland ECWCS and Flecktarn goretex sets can found everywhere for relatively cheap. I know its not CADPAT.... but its a hell of a lot better than being wet! I'm looking at scoring a nice set of the ECWCS if I can find a good deal.

@thundercactus

You are way out to lunch.


Depends on the amount of rain we are talking about and the role / load out you are running. Sometimes I run a smock, othertimes it's a plate carrier on top of a goretex layer of some kind.

Layering, layering, layering that is the key.

A softshell is used on top of a base layer for colder weather. The gold standard for softshells is the Arcteryx Atom series. They have some insulation and are DWR (Durable water resistant).

If you are in 5-10 degree weather with a rainstorm coming down on you, I would wear a quality baselayer like a fall/spring long sleeve insulating layer, and then your combat tunic, then goretex. Probably could get away without the insulating layer.

You want outside water to stay away from your skin, you want your sweat to wick away from your skin and towards the goretex.


The worst soft shell I have ever used in the rain is a CONDOR summit. It does not wick away moisture like goretex, instead under heavy or prolonged rain/snow the water will leech into the insulating layer, and your jacket will end up weighting into 10-15 lbs when soaked. It will not keep you warm when you are soaked wet./

What you should do is put the insulating layer on the outside, and put a waterproof layer closest to your skin/Underarmor/Dri-Fit. Your insulating or durable layer will take the wear and tear, and your Gore-Tex will keep you dry for a long time. If you sweat, you always have some kind of Dry Fit to wick away moisture.

I have multiple softshell jackets.

As Azatoth said, layering, layering, layering. You wear according to your conditions. Your jacket is the most important. You can freeze your balls off, but if you freeze your body off you'll die of hypothermia.

"Stock" Goretex is meh. It will keep you from the rain, but you'll be wet from your own moisture. That's why there are multiple iterations of Goretex/PU to try to make it breath better e.g. eVent. I have both eVent and Chinese Goretex jacket/pants combo, and they are my "garrison"/defensive kit at best.

(btw, the patent for Goretex expried in 2001 IIRC. Hence, why you get Chinese Arcteryx LEAF Alpha copy that actually uses Goretex rather than than N80px-Goretex. And they *do* work as raingear, just not as ideal as the real stuff I would imagine.)

Fancy tech like Schoeller C_Change and Nextec is actually worth trying out if you can find a second hand one for sale. I own both the TAD Stealth and Stealth LT, as well as a Beyond PCU L5. Something like the Stealth LT can and will resist heavy rain even if the DWR is gone. DWR not last forever so the material that build your softshell is pretty darn important as well.

No idea, no zippers on the pants and from what I can tell nothing to roll the jacket up into. Haven't really needed to bust it out since I've bought it so no idea how it really performs but like I said I'd trust it over the Condor in a downpour any day.

When you move does it sound like a plastic bag... drifting through the wind? But really Gore-Tex jackets are usually crinkly/ noisy. So that means the stealth jacket is not that stealthy.

The Chinese don't really care about patents. The bigger surprise is that the knock offs would have real goretex.

On a side note, I haven't found that my goretex has kept me very dry (I have a Proper jacket, amongst other things). It gets soaked, rather than keeping my dry. Have I wrecked it, or it it just not working? I can't stand out in the rain for 15 minutes, much less hours with this.

Arc'teryx is amazing, stupid expensive but amazing I own a lot of it. I'll also give them a plug and say DS tactical in Canada are dead on US prices for most items but in CAD the only issue I've ever had is the Drake pants I've ripped a couple holes in them when deep in some Knawley bush. Easy to patch and they are the cheaper (280$) of the pants and not the (600$) ones.

Sweat wicking base layer, soft shell under my vest and vortex on the outside if absolutely needed. Good to -30 and at +5 I'll loose the soft shell.

Since we are talking rain gear I will also say Muck boots are my favorite boots ever, they are warm in the winter, breath (enough) in the summer and are 150% waterproof. I don't know about out east but over here if your standing in water you either get the element of suprise or a nice retreat space because very few will or can go through water with 0 concern.

As crazy as it sounds, 1980s Goretex at its core really is just PTFE a.k.a electrical tape that is stretched rapidly together with a co-polyamer and backed with a PU (polyurethane) foam laminate. The process is obviously more complicated, but the technique is described in patents, and patents only have a life of 20 years.

Not really, when arms brush my sides a little but not crinkly sounds. I don't think it's Gore-Tex.

You need to restore the DWR coating. Products like Nikwax or Revivex will help.

To bad everything I have seen is in a neon colour.... if they had an olive drab id probably buy one right now.

No Neon here.

http://www.dstactical.com/index.php?cPath=4_243

+1000

I have no affiliation with these guys but I have bought 95% of my cloths and loadout from them. Prices are fair on most items especially US real steel gear (Team Wendy, Arc'teryx, HSGI) expensive but on par with US prices.

If an item happens to be out of stock and not updated online they will contact you immediately offer a couple comparables or take it off your order before billing. They will also back order for you if its a regular stocked item and ship any items after they are in.

I can't boast enough about the noticeable diffrence wearing Arc'teryx vs anything else out there. The sweat wicking is amazing and anything that says windproof or waterproof is! Only downside is the police force eat it all up with their expendable accounts. Had to wait a month for a combat shirt once but when it arrived I will never wear anything else.

Enjoy!

Yes but also no green there. It works for you tan boys, but theres nothing for greenies.

Olive drab? Did I go back in time to 1950?

Crocodile works fine with green. It's definitely not tan.

I have two condor soft shells 1 green, one tan. They are a good option especially when they unzip under the arms and sides to release heat. I also picked up surplus cadpat and dark earth ponchos, though have yet to use either. I like my soft shells, but have witnessed how great the poncho can be. I think it will come down to personal preference

The U.S. Sites have OD ask if they can order it in for you.

I am guessing you have t seen Crocodile in the flesh, it is 100% tan, it is slightly darker than coyote brown. I wear it with my coyote brown banshee and have no issues.

I have crocodile. Combat pants, fleece sweater, jacket.

It's way greener than any of my tan stuff. It's a good transitional colour.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p...soft/solid.jpg

AOR1 and tan on top of crocodile

It looks like you skinned Kermit the Frog and made tights out of him.

They are very yoga combat trousers.

Perilously close to Lululemon.

Could be a conspiracy here.

Why are you bitching about colour? Crocodile is a good transitional

All stuff in picture is legit from dealers or factory.

Crye JPC Coyote
Arcteryx LEAF Alpha LT Gen 2 Croc
Pencott Greenzone
Legit Cadpat
British issue DPM
Pale asian foot

http://i.imgur.com/le97SEn.jpg




Keep in mind each lot from production will be slightly different. It's a dye and it's not perfect all the time. Some maybe 'greener' or 'tanner' or not evenly dyed.

Lol either it's the picture or those are one size too small. Mine are a nice loose fit, also they get an A+ for the shirts being extra long so you can tuck them in and they never pull out over the day unlike a lot of combat shirts.

Get a stealth suite. It'll cost you (*$200) but they are the best for field use. Wear it under your bdu/ combats!

Not sure if they sell to civi's but i think anything with price listed you can just order.
http://cqmsltd.com/shop/outerwear/ca...-stealth-suit/
they also have the 3 season jacket and the ecws parka.

Here is the link to CP Gear. They sell real world stuff.http://http://www.cpgear.com/store/a...ealth_suit.htm

Raingear in high aerobic activity is really about managing your physical exertion--and your expectations.

These fabrics are extremely high tech, and there are a million variations beyond just Goretex vs aftermarket, softshell vs hardshell. Fabric weight, the number of layers it's made from, and the type of DWR (durable water repellant) coating all play a role.

The bottom line it that you're going to get wet from sweat with just about any "waterproof breathable" fabric if you're running around in it in the summer. In fact, the phrase "waterproof breathable" really does the concept a disservice. These fabrics aren't designed to let air in; they're designed to let moisture out. This happens when water vapour condenses inside the jacket and is soaked up by the inner layer. It then evaporates through pores in the outer layer(s).

On the outside of the jacket, the DWR coating beads off fluid, keeping the inner layers dry enough to facilitate evaporation from within. If (read: when) the DWR coating wears off or gets dirty from stuff like running around in the woods and mud shooting BBs at your friends, the fabric gets wet and can no longer facilitate evaporation.

The solution for warm weather play--look for pit zips and other mechanical venting. Also, don't break the bank, because that DWR coating will eventually wear off, even on an Arc'teryx jacket.

If I were you I'd get a decent jacket with good venting. The Tru-Spec Gen I ECWCS comes in OD, has pit zips, is robust for crawling around and is relatively inexpensive. Outdoor Research often carries stuff in Coyote and drab shades of green. They also have an amazing warranty so you can get the jacket replaced when it reaches the point where other manufacturers (including Arc'teryx) would say the jacket has reached the end of its expected life.

Side note: I'm no Arc'terx hater. I have several of their products and LOVE them.

You might also look at the Patagonia Torrentshell in green, or the new Propper Packable Windshirt. It's far more "breathable" than a raincoat, but obviously far less waterproof. Super light nylon jackets with a DWR coating but no "breathable" membrane are popular among ultralight backpackers.

I have a Gorka 3 from SPLAV for 130 USD shipped from russia. Mine is full digital flora, but there are other colours or patterns. Depending on how picky you (or your teammates) are, it blends fairly well with CADPAT LBV gear. The gorka is totally sufficient for me in anything short of torrential downpour.