Stormproof Gear for All Anglers and Seasons: SITKA CAT-5 Rain Gear Review

As I stood on the bow of my boat, the pitter-patter of light rain on the deck began to turn into a roar. I looked up from the point I was fishing and turned toward the entrance of the bay. A wall of rain was headed my way. It was time to button up the hatches on the SITKA Cat-5 jacket and bibs.

The storm hit me like a freight train. What had begun as a bearable drizzle turned into an outright gnarly display of Mother Nature’s force. The wind picked up, and within seconds, my sunglasses were so soaked I could barely see. It was decision-making time. I could either call it quits and head in for the day or stick it out.

I put the boat on plane and shot off, but not in the direction of the boat ramp. There were other spots to check out, and thanks to my stormproof gear, I wasn’t going to let a little rain stop me.

In short: In the most extreme weather, the SITKA CAT-5 system ($500 Jacket, $500 Bibs) will keep you dry, 12 months out of the year. Stretch material inlaid into the three-layer GORE-TEX allows for excellent mobility. Additionally, it’s a good fit for both fly and conventional fishermen, which is tough to pull off. Unfortunately, a few annoyances keep me from calling it perfect, but in terms of weatherproofness and versatility, it’s excellent rain gear for anglers.

SITKA CAT-5 Rain Gear Review

The CAT-5 System Performance

Since both of these pieces are made with the same three-layer GORE-TEX material, it makes sense to start off by discussing the performance of the CAT-5 system as a whole. After that, I’ll dig into more details on the individual pieces.

Waterproofness

There is one valuable lesson I’ve learned over the years. Not all “waterproof” gear is, in fact, waterproof. Too often, I’ve weathered storms in expensive gear promised to keep me dry, only to end up with water seeping through. It’s an especially common problem on my shoulders, knees, and butt.

Fortunately, I currently live in a place that’s perfect for testing rain gear. Nashville ranks among the top 15 U.S. cities for average precipitation. It gets more than Seattle. It’s not that it rains often, but when it does, it really rains. Over the last few months, I’ve worn the CAT-5 system through outright downpours, as well as a snowstorm.

I have never once experienced the dreaded damp spots underneath the jacket or bib. In terms of waterproofness, the CAT-5 executes fantastically.

Four-Season Performance

Some rain jackets and bibs run warmer than others. A great example of such gear is the Columbia Force XII Collection. In his review of that set, GearJunkie contributor Harry Spampinato points out that the gear runs too warm for summer time use. I own that set as well and wholeheartedly agree with the assessment.

One of the best parts of the SITKA Cat-5 set is that it breathes exceptionally well and has no insulation at all. It plays a perfect balance between a stiff, rugged shell and a light summer rain jacket.

It has enough protection that I can trust it in harsh winter environments, but I can unequivocally say it isn’t overkill for summer squalls. I don’t overheat when wearing it, and it packs down nicely when stowed.

Due to its excellent breathability, I wear it all the time as my outermost layer. Even on days when rain isn’t in the forecast, you’ll find me rocking the CAT-5 Jacket and Bibs because it blocks wind and chill when flooring it in my bass boat. For 365 wind and rain protection, the CAT-5 system is excellent.

Mobility

SITKA is touting that this rain set is made with a unique GORE-TEX with stretch. The general idea behind that is that most GORE products are quite stiff and limit movement. The stretch solves that. Is it marketing fluff?

I don’t think it is. Mobility is excellent in the CAT-5 rain gear. Whether I’m hopping up on a trailer, bending down to turn off a trolling motor, rowing a driftboat, or fly casting, I never feel restricted.

It’s so subtle that you don’t notice it until you think about it. But if you pay attention, you’ll realize how much better the material moves with you than other rain gear.

I also think that has to do with the cut. In certain areas of both the jacket and bibs, there’s a slightly looser, though not baggy fit. It gives you more range of motion.

SITKA CAT-5 Jacket

What Works

Most jackets for anglers fall into one of two categories: rain jackets for fly anglers and jackets for everyone else. That’s because fly anglers have unique needs, such as storage for fly boxes and a place to attach tools and a net. Those features add unnecessary bulk for other anglers.

SITKA managed to build a jacket that does both exceptionally well. For fly guys, there’s a spot on the chest to clip hemostats and a ring for a net on the back. However, both are neatly tucked away under a flap, keeping them out of the way. You may not even know they’re there if you don’t look for them.

Additionally, the large front pocket is perfect for storing fly boxes. It’s huge, and I can fit multiple boxes in it for walk-and-wade missions. But the pocket is sleek. When not in use, it lies flat and seems nonexistent.

The jacket also has hand-warming pockets on the front. I love that, and use them all the time.

What Doesn’t

I absolutely despise the cuff design on the CAT-5 jacket. It has an internal, tight-fitting rubber cuff, which I do like. It keeps water from penetrating into the sleeves of my layers underneath when I’m reaching into the water for a fish. But there is no way to cinch down the outer cuff. No Velcro strap or internal elastic. To make it worse, it is ridiculously baggy.

It annoys me so much. The cuff extends almost entirely over my hand, I’m assuming, in an attempt to keep anglers’ hands dry. I will admit, I grow accustomed to it after a while on the water, but it’s noticeable every time I put the jacket on. It feels obnoxious, and you’re stuck with all that extra material dangling there all willy-nilly.

Sometimes, it pays off to be different and improve on existing designs. Other times, it’s just a bad idea. The cuffs on this jacket are the latter.

The hood cinch system could also use a touch more refinement. It’s on the back of the hood and keeps the hood on tightly during exceptionally bad weather. However, when it comes time to loosen it, the cord seems to get stuck. It takes some effort to get it to feed back out, even with the release button fully depressed.

SITKA CAT-5 Bibs

What Works

These bibs use SITKA’s awesome strap system. You’ll find it on all the brands’ waders and hunting bibs. It uses a great hook-and-loop system that makes adjustments ridiculously easy and keeps bulk to a minimum.

There’s also a kill switch ring on the right hip, which is, of course, very handy if you drive motorboats. On top of that, there’s a reinforced plier holster on the leg. It keeps pliers neatly tucked away, but always at the ready for those times a fish has absolutely choked a lure.

Like most bibs, the CAT-5s have full-length two-way zippers. It makes getting in and out of them easy while wearing boots, and allows you to air out your legs if things get toasty.

Similar to the jacket, the thigh pocket on the front right leg is streamlined. It lies flat when not in use, but expands out as you start to fill it with a phone, leader material, etc.

What Doesn’t

But I wish there were more pocket storage on the bibs. There’s only one thigh pocket, and I’d love to see one on each leg. On top of that, the three jackets on the chest are pretty small and not very functional.

Overall, the belt system is meant to be streamlined and eliminate things to get snagged on. In that regard, it performs flawlessly. But the belt loops are really long, and it makes initially setting up the belt a little tough.

I had to tighten my belt quite a bit out of the box. When I did that, I had to feed one of the cams into the long belt loops, and it was too big to fit easily. The loops either need to have larger ports, or the belt buckle needs to be smaller.

In reality, that’s a very minor complaint, as the belt system is very streamlined and functions as advertised. Once you get it set right, it’s a non-issue.

Final Thoughts: Is the CAT-5 System Worth the Price?

And $1,000 for fishing rain gear is a lot of money. Is the SITKA CAT-5 system worth it? Sort of. Regarding the bibs, my complaints are very minor, and I would say the asking price is fair. It’s a good investment.

But the cuffs on the jacket really throw a wrench in the whole system. On the one hand, the jacket is $500. For that price tag, I don’t think it’s unfair to expect perfection, or something close. And the cuffs make the jacket imperfect.

On the other hand, not all rain gear is truly waterproof. I’ve invested substantial amounts of money in waterproof equipment, only to have it fail at its main job. The CAT-5 rain jacket is absolutely weatherproof, and you can rest assured that it will keep you protected from the elements. I’ve relied on it in some truly nasty weather. Because of that, I continue to wear it.

In terms of weatherproofness, mobility, and versatility, it’s a home run. Whether you want to deal with some minor annoyances for the price is up to you.