Review: Kuiu Yukon TR Rain Jacket
These days, there’s specialized rain gear for just about every activity—skiing, mountain climbing, fishing, hunting, you name it. If you have the money to buy it all, great, but if you had to pick one jacket to cover all your bases, Kuiu’s Yukon TR Rain Jacket might just be it. Three-layer Primeflex fabric combined with a Torain membrane (a Gore-Tex equivalent) make this jacket as bombproof as any on the market, while a selection of well-designed features give it extraordinary versatility. The first that comes to mind is the rubber cuff gaskets, which form a tight seal at the wrists to keep water out—even if your forearms take a dip. That’s particularly useful for fishing or wading, where getting your hands wet is inevitable. A large hood and full-neck coverage are particularly nice in those situations, too. A drawstring on the hood allows it to cinch tight, and in conjunction with a ball cap, the setup will keep your head bone-dry.
I recently tested the jacket on a late-season cast-and-blast float trip, where the sleet, wind, and rain were blowing upriver. In addition to the hood and cuff gaskets, I appreciated the four external pockets for holding extra shotgun shells, a flask, and hand-warmers. A small internal pocket was perfect for a phone and licenses (a necessity in a state like Montana, where FWP issues licenses on normal printer paper). When summer rolls around, though, there’s no reason to ditch the jacket. Pit-zips make it a versatile layer for alpine hiking—not to mention that at 26.2 ounces, it’s a backpacking-friendly weight.
Impressively, though, Kuiu didn’t sacrifice durability in lieu of weight. In fact, the jacket has an extra layer of fabric on each elbow, so you can crawl around while stalking animals without worrying about tearing up the coat. Speaking of hunting (the intended purpose of the jacket, after all), it's available in three camo patterns and two solid colors, so you can wear it in the woods, or around town without advertising that you hunt. At the end of the day, Kuiu might be a hunting company, but they’re rapidly proving that their gear is versatile, and well worth considering for both hunters and non-hunters alike.
Available at kuiu.com; $400.
