A good jacket is essential on a soggy hunt, keeping you dry, warm, and protected from the elements. There are a lot of bad hunting jackets out there that claim to be waterproof, but actually don't perform that well. At Waterproved, we're here to set the record straight.
We're going to test out the KUIU Chugach NX rain jacket, seeing whether it does what a rain jacket is supposed to. We've got high confidence in this product, but we won't know till we throw some water on it.
The Basics
The KUIU Chugach NX boasts of not only being waterproof but windproof as well. These qualities are mainly thanks to its three-layer fabric construction.
The jacket uses Primeflex fabric, which can stretch quite easily and dry fast. Usually, for a rain jacket to stretch, it uses spandex or elastane, but such materials add bulk and absorb water. Primeflex fabric uses a patented spiral yarn that recovers well from stretching and does not absorb water or bulk up the jacket.
So the jacket can stretch, we get that. How does it protect against wind and water, though? A Dermizax NX membrane protects against the elements with a four-way stretch for better comfort and range of movement. Such a lightweight, breathable material comes in handy for going into cold, wet areas without worrying about extra weight.
To keep water from penetrating the outer layer, the jacket uses K-DWR treatment. If water gets on the jacket, it'll bead up and slide right off the fabric. The treatment works against sweat too. The waterproof membrane helps evaporate sweat from your body and block out moisture.
Waterproof Testing Results
Indeed, we field-tested the KUIU Chugach NX rain jacket against all kinds of wet weather, including our three main tests: The Mist, The Rain, and The Dunk. Yes, we went that extreme, but that's what you do to make sure a jacket does what it promises!
The Mist
We started off easy, sending our tester into the mist tunnel of water. It's the most basic of tests, and any rain jacket should quickly dry off after it (and yet, we've seen several that don't).
The jacket worked just fine and dried off within minutes of us turning the mist off as we hoped. So the next time you're going to walk out into some dense fog or a gentle rainstorm, the KUIU Chugach NX Rain Jacket should work fantastically!
The Rain
The next step up was The Rain test. This time, we had someone put on the jacket while we poured water on them for 30 minutes. The rain tested not only the durability of the jacket but its ability to block out moisture. Even pouring gallons of water over this jacket didn't dash our hopes! The jacket kept our tester dry, warm, and they did not sweat like a pig under all those layers!
Even better, when we turned the rain off, the water rolled off the jacket. Just like with our Mist test, the jacket dried in a few minutes.
So far, it looks like this jacket could easily stand up to the worst rainstorm Mother Nature can cook up.
The Dunk
The Dunk test is our favorite: we get to put someone in the jacket and dunk them in our tank (we have people fighting to volunteer for this test). Not surprisingly, that much water overwhelmed the jacket and did not keep the tester dry at all.
Still, when we took the jacket out of the water, it dried off pretty quickly. So if you ever fall into a body of water, you can rest easy at least knowing the jacket won't stay wet for hours and the contents of your pockets should remain dry.
Other Features We Like
The KUIU Chugach NX Rain Jacket already has a lot going for it, but we also love its intense breathability. Built with three layers, the jacket keeps you warm, but it doesn't make you sweat. Nothing's more uncomfortable than walking a long trail with sweaty pits, right?
Remember how we gushed about the jacket's stretching abilities? That pretty much means that you have a great range of motion when wearing the jacket. However you move when you wear the jacket, you don't feel like the stitching will come undone or the fabric is too tight.
Complaints
We love this jacket, but there are a few complaints we should talk about, just to cover our bases.
Despite the athletic fit, it does run a little small in the chest area. You can try getting one or two sizes up to avoid this problem.
The arms run a little large too. If you need a jacket to take out bowhunting, you might want to look elsewhere since the baggy sleeves can get in the way of the bowstring.
Who Should Get The KUIU Chugach NX Rain Jacket
If you're a particularly active hunter, the breathable fabric of the KUIU Chugach NX Rain Jacket can keep you warm without also making you sweat. The waterproof material should keep you dry even when you hunt in a rainstorm.
That said, who will like this jacket best depends on what tools you hunt with. If you are a bow hunter, you should make sure the jacket sleeves fit snugly, so no extra fabric gets in the bowstring's way. If slightly baggy sleeves are unavoidable, this jacket might not work.
On the other hand, if you use crossbows or firearms, this jacket might work better since the jacket does not get in the way as much.
Final Verdict: Is The KUIU Chugach NX Rain Jacket Waterproof?
Given how well the KUIU Chugach NX Rain Jacket passed all our tests, we definitely think it's waterproof enough for hunters. It's not a perfect jacket, but it's still extremely high-quality when it comes to resisting water, which is why we listed it on our best waterproof jackets list.
Until next time, don't let the rain get you down!
