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Most waterproof searching gear is noisy. Take into consideration alder willows slapping in opposition to your rain pants or the Gore-Tex sleeve of your rain jacket scratching loudly as you go to full draw. On the flipside, a lot of the quiet gear gadgets made out of wool or fleece-like materials absorb moisture like a sponge. That’s not the case with Browning’s Hydro-Fleece jacket and bibs that are each quiet and surprisingly waterproof. I wore this go well with on a snowy Colorado elk hunt and on deer hunts within the Midwest and it’s change into my go-to possibility for damp and chilly hunts the place stealth is a precedence.
- 3-layer waterproof taped-seam building
- Smooth, brushed cloth exterior
- Waterproof entrance zipper with inner storm flap and chin guard
- 3 exterior pockets, 2 inside pockets
- Strong olive inexperienced, Mossy Oak, and Realtree patterns obtainable
- Made in China
- Value: $145 jacket, $145 bib
Testing Browning’s Hydro-Fleece
I first wore this Hydro-Fleece go well with throughout a rifle elk hunt in Colorado. On the primary couple days of the journey the climate couldn’t resolve if it wished to snow or rain, so it did just a little little bit of each. Every morning we’d journey horses and hike deep right into a nationwide forest space after which spend a lot of the day ready for bulls to seem from the timber.
These have been about excellent situations for freezing one’s ass off. It was straightforward to get sweaty on the hike in, which was all uphill. And it was equally straightforward to get chilled throughout a number of hours of sitting within the blended snow and rain ready on elk.
Nonetheless the Browning jacket stored me completely dry and largely heat all through the hunt. I used to be really impressed by how the melted snow and rain would run proper off the jacket, by no means penetrating the outer layer of fleece. I’d not select Hydro-Fleece throughout a torrential downpour on some backcountry hunt the place my life trusted staying dry. However I discovered Hydro-Fleece to be excellent for gentle rain, snow, and a combination of each.
As you may see within the video beneath, it may possibly survive a number of seconds underneath a backyard hose with the inside remaining bone dry (despite the fact that the outside is soaked).
It’s not an ultra-light garment, nevertheless it’s not a heavy parka both so it’s a sensible choice for protecting floor in chilly climate. I did discover the bibs to be a bit heavy for lengthy hikes so I opted for rain pants in inclement climate after which lighter searching pants when the clouds lastly broke.
I believe what I appreciated most in regards to the jacket was how comfy it was. I’ve spent full days (day after day) in stiff rain gear, and have by no means loved the expertise. However the Browning Hydro-Fleece jacket match me properly and was comfy all day lengthy. So even when the climate improved through the second half of the hunt, I caught with the Hydro-Fleece and ultimately killed a bull on the final day. That in fact made me just like the jacket just a bit bit extra.
What Browning Hydro-Fleece Does Greatest
That is the proper mixture of consolation, waterproofness, and calmness. It’s a great go well with for mid-season bowhunters and mountain hunters throughout all nasty climate wanting a downpour. I believe the proper temperature vary for the Hydro-Fleece could be between 50 to 25 levels with correct layering beneath.
The place Browning Hydro-Fleece May Enhance
I’ve no main dings in opposition to both the jacket or bibs, just a few small quibbles. I want the cuffs on the jacket had a mechanism for cinching down tightly to maintain water out. And prickers and stickers get caught on the fleece very simply, however that is the case with all fleece and wool.
Closing Ideas on Browning Hydro-Fleece
In immediately’s market of technical searching gear, a top quality jacket that’s quiet, comfy, waterproof, and prices $150 is a hell of a deal. Within the few years since my elk hunt I’ve worn the Hydro-Fleece jacket and bibs on a number of mid-season whitetail bow hunts and have all the time stayed dry and heat. I’ve but to kill an enormous whitetail whereas sporting the go well with, however I do know that after I do, I’ll prefer it even just a little bit extra.