I'd really appreciate any advice on the best waterproof, breathable but silent gear - I would like it to have a camouflage pattern. The main purpose is stalking/nature watching where I want to be invisible. I'm looking into the Stoney Creek range. I really like the look of Swazi but they don't seem to do a camouflage pattern. Any recommendations/advice welcome. I've only ever bought goretex coats which are great but very noisy.
Advice on silent camouflage waterproof gear
- Thread starter Pips
- Start date
Deerhunter brand?
fortisclothing.co.uk
I know not camo, but Paramo does a couple of olive green offerings that are intended for wildlife watching.
Fortis® ForCam™ Field Jacket - Fortis Clothing
The Field Jacket is lightweight, waterproof and breathable ensuring you are protected from all the elements.
fortisclothing.co.uk
I know not camo, but Paramo does a couple of olive green offerings that are intended for wildlife watching.
I have a paramo pajaro jacket which is drab green and very quiet, ideal for bird watching. If it gets snagged it is easier to repair than goretex as you can sew it without affecting the way it works. They are costly but so is goretex.
I see Go Outdoors have them on offer at £255 at the moment. When I got mine in the Summer I got it for £240 as I found a cheaper place on line and Go Outdoors matched it and reduced by a further 10%.
On a further note it is quite heavy in weight and warmer than goretex which I always found cool in comparison.
On a further note it is quite heavy in weight and warmer than goretex which I always found cool in comparison.
Cannot remember what sort of underarm seam the Pajaro has. I know that either the Pajaro or Halcyon has a single seam down the arm and side, same as the Velez Light smock, and the other has two with a panel between them, same as the current Alta, Bentu and Velez jacket.
Just looked on ebay and there are a number of moss green Paramos at very attractive prices.
Silent trousers are more tricky. I have some Paramo trousers, and found that they, like other nylon or polyester trousers, are a bit noisy when you walk, your legs make a swish sound as they pass each other. Sure, some are quieter than others, but none compare to wool, fleece or poly-cotton. If it was just a question of good, weather resistant camo trousers, say all nylon, I would recommend one of the Helikon designs in Pencott Wild Wood pattern. The designer was at a Moot, wore the pattern, very good for UK where there is a lot of green year round.
Just looked on ebay and there are a number of moss green Paramos at very attractive prices.
Paramo Mens Jacket , Large, | eBay
With nixwax waterproof technology, it’s never been worn outside so can’t personally vouch for its waterproofness but from the labels it says it is.
www.ebay.co.uk
Paramo Halcon Jacket - Colour Moss Size Small | eBay
Find great deals for Paramo Halcon Jacket - Colour Moss Size Small. Shop with confidence on eBay!
www.ebay.co.uk
Silent trousers are more tricky. I have some Paramo trousers, and found that they, like other nylon or polyester trousers, are a bit noisy when you walk, your legs make a swish sound as they pass each other. Sure, some are quieter than others, but none compare to wool, fleece or poly-cotton. If it was just a question of good, weather resistant camo trousers, say all nylon, I would recommend one of the Helikon designs in Pencott Wild Wood pattern. The designer was at a Moot, wore the pattern, very good for UK where there is a lot of green year round.
Silent is quite a big ask.
Even natural cottons and such make some noise.
Years ago i bought a standard DPM army jacket in cotton, some inner waterproof liner material and some cotton. I made a drop waterproof liner and then an inner cotton liner inside to stop it feeling cold to the touch.
Because the waterproof material was hidden and thin it was pretty quiet, i did a fair amount of stalking in it. It stood up to heavy rain better many Barbours, only letting rain in around the front zip whereas the waxproofs would be leaking through the material by then.
Best of luck with your search and let us know how it goes
Even natural cottons and such make some noise.
Years ago i bought a standard DPM army jacket in cotton, some inner waterproof liner material and some cotton. I made a drop waterproof liner and then an inner cotton liner inside to stop it feeling cold to the touch.
Because the waterproof material was hidden and thin it was pretty quiet, i did a fair amount of stalking in it. It stood up to heavy rain better many Barbours, only letting rain in around the front zip whereas the waxproofs would be leaking through the material by then.
Best of luck with your search and let us know how it goes
Yeah, I have an LLBean Big Game hunter coat with a Worsterlon outer and Goretex liner (bought about 25 years ago. Sold as quiet. I wanted it for air-rifle hunting. Maybe it was quiet for US big game at 100+ yards, but that liner rustle seemed awful loud when trying to move within 20 yards of rabbits.
Considering how quietly a full grown elk can move through the woods maybe that's the way to go. Mink or seal furs for coat, that should take care of the waterproof thing! 
Also consider reversing your layering. I do a fair bit of wildlife photography and watching and in bad weather I wear a drop liner inside my cotton out layer. The out layer gets soaked but I stay dry inside. I use one of the arktis breathable pack a max type things. If sitting quietly I just put up with the wet. I have a Danish army combat jacket and it’s dense cotton mix weave, and 3 layers, so it’s a heavy coat but even when the outer layer is soaked the inside invariably remains. The only area that lets water through eventually is the shoulders.
EDIT: safety caveat. From other more experienced members information, this approach could cause excess heat loss which is the right situation could make the difference between ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘life-threatening’
I haven’t experienced myself the issues both members mention but it would be prudent to do some testing yourself to ascertain what does and does work, kit wise.
For reference my layering is generally a wool type base layer (merino) with a Wooly pullover on top, then the outer cotton coat.
I have, when caught out, put the rain shield thing over the wooly jumper then my cotton coat on top. I haven’t been roasting but neither have I felt dangerously cold.
I live south coast uk and this is what I do most of the year round, if I am deliberately going out in wet weather I swap the cotton coat and rain shield for a goretex shell with a buffalo top under it but no wooly jumper. If cold and dry then I put the wooly jumper back on and put the goretex back in my bag (unless it’s windy)
so basically don’t rely on my suggestion as gospel.
EDIT: safety caveat. From other more experienced members information, this approach could cause excess heat loss which is the right situation could make the difference between ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘life-threatening’
I haven’t experienced myself the issues both members mention but it would be prudent to do some testing yourself to ascertain what does and does work, kit wise.
For reference my layering is generally a wool type base layer (merino) with a Wooly pullover on top, then the outer cotton coat.
I have, when caught out, put the rain shield thing over the wooly jumper then my cotton coat on top. I haven’t been roasting but neither have I felt dangerously cold.
I live south coast uk and this is what I do most of the year round, if I am deliberately going out in wet weather I swap the cotton coat and rain shield for a goretex shell with a buffalo top under it but no wooly jumper. If cold and dry then I put the wooly jumper back on and put the goretex back in my bag (unless it’s windy)
so basically don’t rely on my suggestion as gospel.
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Arktis B310 series is probably the cheapest you’d find and it’s possibly a bit quieter than ventile another option. They did a waterproof and wind proof smock for the army don’t know how quiet it is but they were a bit rare I think.
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If you are talking about an Arktis Rain Shield packable jacket, then I too have one, and have used it both under and over cotton and wool jackets. I offer a word of caution if using a liner like that. I have been really, really cold using the Arktis as a liner. In one case, with a Swandri, I hadn't accounted that with the waterproof/windproof under the wool I negated much of the wool's insulative value. I froze until I put the Arktis over the outside. Possibly more relevant, in combination with a cotton camo coat, in a light rain, the cotton got soaked and became a breeze refrigerated overcoat. It was late spring, sheltered location but I wasn't moving much, I had a polartec 200 fleece on and had it been dry, or had my cotton coat stayed dry, I am sure I would have been comfortable. As it was, I was freezing.
yes very good point, and one to be mindful of, haven’t had that happen to me, but I can definitely see how it would happen
Gents I have added an edit to my original post, a safety caveat.
many suggestions or advice gladly accepted, I wouldn’t want to be responsible for anyone coming to harm. Have a read and let me know
Ed
If you're sneaking about I've always put my gortex under my smock, it keeps you nice and dry but still gives you access to all the bits and gubbins in your pockets. I've found the new MTP goretex jackets to be on the small side but big enough to wear over the T-shirt and new fleece.
As for trousers I've tended to just let them get wet and then move about a bit to dry off.
As for trousers I've tended to just let them get wet and then move about a bit to dry off.
As C_C explained, when wet any soft water absorbing layer loses heat by evaporation and some of that heat is taken out of you. Usually it becomes dangerous when windy as then the heat loss is at max. The cure is to put wind blocking layer outside to minimize heat loss. That way you are only wet and miserable not wet and hypothermic.
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