April showers may bring May flowers, but those early-spring and late-fall showers can bring misery to hunters.
Well, at least poorly equipped hunters.
Don’t be like them, be smart and have your rain gear ready to roll at the first drop. Let’s take a look at some of the items from Badlands' rain collection and some of the technology behind it.
While we have a ton of gear that’s 100% waterproof, today we’re gonna talk about our most popular offerings. This gear has more high-tech acronyms built into them than a Tesla, but don’t stress, we’re here to break it down.
Badlands Rain Collection
Badlands offers so many 100% waterproof gear options, you should never get wet on the hunt.
- Exo Set: Packable rain gear in Approach camo
- Catalyst Set: Packable rain gear in Approach FX camo
- Alpha Set: Heavier-duty rain shell
- Venture Jacket: Midweight insulated rain jacket
- Pyre Set: Heavily insulated, waterproof rain gear
For those colder, damper conditions, our Pro Staff turn to the Alpha Jacket and Pant set. These guys can spend days on end out in the rain, from dawn to dusk. While that may make you question their sanity, their choice of rain gear is downright sensible.
The Alpha set is like tying a dozen ducks to your body. Water just rolls right off, keeping you dry and warm. Don’t think it’s all water protection, though, the Alpha’s heavy-duty outer later will stand up to the harshest of abuses. It’s really more like strapping a gang of biker ducks to yourself.
A fully adjustable and removable hood make the Alpha Jacket your best friend in the woods when the mercury gets down there. This set was built to perform in the cold, wet misery, and boy does it.
For those unexpected showers that sometimes pop up out of nowhere, you’ll want to look at our Exo and Catalyst systems. These purpose-designed sets provide superior performance against rain and moisture, but still keep you crazy comfy and won’t interfere with your hunt.
The Exo and Catalyst are super lightweight and easily roll up into your pack (or the chest pocket of your Badlands Turkey Vest – hint, hint). But thanks to the Heatwave™ ceramic inner membrane, you’ll stay warm and dry. It’s like wearing a second skin, but without the Hannibal Lector overtones about lotion.
For super stealth in the wet woods, you’re gonna be hard pressed to find quieter waterproof gear than the Catalyst. No joke, we have to work harder than you’d think to convince people that a jacket this awesome fitting, comfortable and quiet is rain gear. It’s also super considerate and comes with its own pocket to roll itself into. Manners matter, people!
Which brings us to the most commonly asked question about our rain gear. What’s the biggest difference between the Exo and Catalyst? The Catalyst comes in our innovative Approach FX camo pattern, and the Exo is done in our equally high-tech Approach pattern. So pick your poison and stay dry either way.
OK, so we know Badlands rain gear is full of high-performance materials, but what is it that keeps these jackets so damn dry? Science, friends. Science.
To start with, we bring the most advanced Durable Water Repellant (DWR) fabric treatments to the table. These DWRs are super hydrophobic, which means water, oil, sweat and that moisture that forms on the inside of your take-out container all bead up and roll right off.
“OK, you put a waterproof shell on a coat. Doesn’t sound hard,” you say? Ah, but the true magic in rain gear lies in the layer beneath.
Keeping water out is fairly simple. But that same coating that keeps rain out, also keeps moisture in. So, as your body tries to regulate heat by evaporating moisture, the inside of your coat turns into a small rainforest. That’s just…. Icky.
The inner layer of our rain gear features a breathable membrane that allows water coming from the inside to escape to the outside. Quality rain gear works in both directions.
How does it know the difference between rain and sweat? Simple.
(WARNING: SCIENCE CONTENT AHEAD)
It’s all about pore size. Our inner membrane is filled with tiny holes that allow the smaller perspiration molecules to escape from the inside. The larger rain droplets, however, can’t pass through and simply bead up and roll away.
Finally, if you take a look at the zippers and seams on our hunting rain gear, you’ll find that they look weird. And you’d be sorta right. They look different, but that’s brilliance not weirdness.
We tape all of our zippers and seams to make a 100% waterproof layer, which is the whole point of good gear for hunting in the rain. And, just as with all our products, our wet weather clothing is unconditionally covered by the Badlands guarantee. Rip it, puncture it, damage it… we’ll fix it.
It’s simple, when you get right down to the heart of it. Keep cold water out, move inner water away, and last forever. That’s how we roll.
