Bought a Columbia jacket and another brand at dicks on sale a year ago. Supposedly water proof. Marked way down to 50 bucks. Some pants too. None of it was gortex and none of it is rainproof. Rainproof to me means you can sit on a wet seat and not get your butt wet. The stuff I bought would work for a few hours but if you are in the rain for six hours or more forget it.

At the same time I bought a pair of Helly Hansen VOSS rain pants for $30. These things are polly coated. I had never used them because I thought the other stuff was waterproof until two saturdays ago. I did wear the Helly pants this past saturday though it did not rain. These things are polly coated, welded seams and there is no way in the world water is getting through them even sitting in a puddle. Just not possible. They do not breath...so what! Fishing is an active sport but really how active is it. I wore the pants with blue jeans and long underwear last saturday and never broke a sweat (verry wind I must say) . The morning started out at 48 degrees and went up to maybe 60. Not breathing was not even close to an issue for me. I forgot I had them on. These things are very very soft and flexible, not like the old rubber rain suites. Maybe in July not being breathable will matter. Don't think getting will matter either though.


VOSS JACKET - Men - Rainwear | Helly Hansen Official Online Store
VOSS PANT - Men - Rainwear | Helly Hansen Official Online Store


I am going to order the jacket after I post this. Eighty bucks total for pants and jacket. If I burn a hole in them or cut them I can get another pair or duct tape them. They are comfortable, low cost and no way possible rain is getting through.

As posted here I have heard good things bout those three and four hundred dollar rain suites. Having never owned one I just have to wonder if they are actually totally rain proof. A friend of mine was wearing one of those $400 suits when it rained all night while we fished all night a few weeks ago. He wiped the water off his seat every time before sitting down just like I did. It was his second such rain suit. The first one just broke down and didn't work after ten years. Ten years is a pretty long time. He also said it was too hot to wear in the summer.

I'll know more in a year or so after using the Helly Hansen stuff.

Keep your line wet and your clothes dry!