while i dont buy the line, for me at least, that you can get alot of gear for 200 bones... i do side with gideon here on the poncho deal... trust me, i have seen some TERRIBLE weather and i can attest to the durability of one of those little army issue ponchos. now, i have a modular sleeping system that is 100% waterproof and when im not in the field for army purposes, i use high speed gear from WXtex and MSR. IMO, there is nothing better than a MSR tent. as for a tarp, I paid $100 for this 12x14 WXtex tarp and i swear it boys, its worth every cent!!!

hey pitbulloflove,

maybe your a sarcastic big mouth with an attitude problem,seriously.no one minds opinions or being out spoken,thats what a forums for but dont start name calling and labeling people which you did in your round about,sarcastic way.wrong forum.i guess i need to be an "operator" to buy or use "combat grade" knives from busse too.

i dont mind paying money to be comfortable and i am very skeptical when it comes to brands and marketing regardless of what it is.i dont take any ones word as gospel and aint out to impress others.

i bought a used tad gear stealth hoodie and was hooked instantly like the first time i got a taste of INFI.the features and benefits it had far out did all the northface and USGI ECWS gortex i've used for years,far out did.i've never heard anyone say anything else either regarding the end product itself which is all i care about.their marketing isnt my concern and isnt why i bought it.

the next week i went and bought a hardshell from them and love it.not because its cool but because its superior in function.

FuGaWee,

thanks for the link.

RS,

i'm gonna look into that tarp.only stuff i've tried from MSR is their stoves.used it for a few years now and love it.

I know you said you don't like Gortex, but I think you'll have the same problem with most of the modern fabrics, including event and most of the soft shell fabrics.
They need a DWR to stay waterproof and the more breathable, the less waterproof.

And yes under a lot of conditions goretex will still get you wet on the inside.

This FAQ might be useful to you in assessing Goretex:
http://www.bushwalking.org.au/FAQ/FAQ_Rainwear.htm#Breath

That said, Cabela's have a fairly light weight Goretex (the "Pac-Lite" variety of goretex) Parka.
I have one and have been quite happy with it.
It's a simple, adequate design, but it is fairly light, compresses well (the 2XL goes down to about the size of a softball) and is reasonably priced for what it is.
The longest I've spent in it is about 3 days straight where it pretty mush was raining the whole three days.
It kept me dry - well as dry as anything does.
I sweat a lot and nothing kleeps me really dry.
Perhaps its more accurate to say it did stop water from getting in.

If you want to have a look, pop the item number IK-922398 into the Cabela's search field and it should return it.
If not it's called the Rainy River jacket.

i wish i still had my usgi poncho. might have to look at picking one up. I have a hardshell from patagonia. I've had it for about 5 years and it's as good the day I bought it. zippers under the arms help let the body heat out.

Good man, you wont be sad you did that baby is the best investment i have made in terms of shedding rain and keeping me dry that i have ever purchased! they also make a smaller one made of the same materials that doubles as a poncho! check it out!

wxtex! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" />