Anybody use Western Mountaineering???

[Dusty Nethery]

I'm in the process of overhauling my clothing for the 2010 deer season. I think I am going to incorporate raingear into my daily wear (from November through January) so that I don't have to pack it along on days that rain/snow/sleet is expected.

I have looked hard at River's West as the reviews I have read state that it is very quiet and durable. If anybody here has used River's West, what were your thoughts? What pieces were you wearing?

I've also eyeballed the Western Mountaineering jackets for an insulation piece. I really like the warmth-to-weight ratio but my concern is with the durability. So, I pose the same questions for those who have worn these as well.

I figured the benefit to both of these brands will be the dual-purposes of each for whitetail hunting in the midwest and western mountain hunting.

[Steve H.]

The RW I had was perfect for that cold-wet for the times I hunted late season blacktails in OR, similar to what you find in IL. You will overheat if you walk very far in RW however.

[Steve H.]

Oh yeah.  It holds on to water so you need to put it near a good furnace, etc in the evenings.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Same as earlier comments.  Rivers West, It doesn't breath at all.  Good for sitting, not for moving and takes forever to dry.  I have  both the pants and the jacket.

I wouldn't trade my RW for anything.In the right conditions ( wet and cold) there is nothing warmer or drier on the market. Yup, you will need to dry it out after a long wet hunt, and nope, you won't want to wear it on lengthy strenuous hikes (although the pit zips help a lot with this) but you will be snug as a bug out there in the weather. I don't know what the styles are called, but I have a hooded jacket with pit zips and regular pants (no cargo pockets). They also have some monster sales if you keep your eye out.

[Dusty Nethery]

Thanks for the info guys.

I've personally never used a rain gear that was comfortable to hike in due to the overheating factor. Am I missing something? Is there a better suited product out there I'm not aware of?

[Steve H.]

Probably not.

[Dusty Nethery]

Well, that's good to know.

Typically, when and where do I find these "screaming" deals on River's West?


Is there anybody with experience using Western Mountaineering???

[Lost Arra]

My sleeping bag is WM and it is top shelf.
Pricey but I just wish I had purchased it first.

[Kevin Dill]

Lost Arra...

I'm in your camp. I just ordered a new WM bag for my wilderness trips. I'm getting it custom made and that sucker is NOT cheap. I'm partially paying for it by selling 4 (red face) good bags that now own. Sigh....