Had to work in a tyvek suit all day yesterday and the thought crossed my mind it would make good emergency rain gear while on a backpacking hunt or possibly even a layer to wear in your sleeping bag if it was gonna be extremely cold. Any thoughts? Anybody tried it?
Frog Toggs are the same general idea, but breathable. This to me is vital.
I had a pair of frog toggs but walking through wet vegetation I got completely soaked on a hunt two years ago. I stayed wet the whole trip. And the pair my hunting partner had on the pants came apart at the seam while we were hiking. Left me a little less than confident in them.
My experience wearing tyvek suits is they work but can rip out in the crotch if you are active in them. They may work if you're sitting out a rain shower or if they are better fit to you. They might be a bit loud and rustle at bowhumting distances. I have a nylon, military poncho as emergency raingear, but it isn't quit either. G. Fred asbell discusses using ponchos in his groundhunters bible book.
If it's just emergency gear, then cheap frogg toggs are fine. Rain poncho works too. Planned trips in the rain should merit better rain gear, though.
Yep I favor a camo poncho myself. The Tyvek idea is valid, but I just picture myself a sweaty sausage roasting alive. Sweat and cold don't mix. If the Frog Toggs are out and money is available you can't beat Goretex.
Your idea about it in a sleeping bag has a LOT of voracity. You'll sweat like a pig until you reach a certain point then you'll quit sweating. The bag stays dry and you'll gain 10 degrees of warmth. Look up vapour barriers for cold weather mountaineering and you'll see what I mean.
I've worn the suits for dressing moose and they rip pretty easily which is a shame because they're sure light.
Yeah I was thinking it would have to be pretty cold to wear one for sleeping. We have a style where I work that are pretty tough. I've worn them all day long without tearing them. I don't think it's a true tyvek. It's yellow and has more of a plastic feel to it. It's not a true chemical suit though.
Tyvex works like goretex. I tell Boy Scouts in my survival class to carry a 8X10 piece in the pack for use as ground blotch, poncho, signal device. I have one of those one piece things I carry for emergencies-better than nothing and it does break the wind
The yellow stuff described by Julian sounds like Saranex which has a splash/water proof coating. It is more durable than Tyvek but is not breathable. Moisture (sweat) will accumulate under Saranex, even in cold temperatures. I have worn Tyvek and Saranex for work.
Saranex has the added safety feature of being yellow so it shows up better than Tyvek in snow/snowfall. Tyvek is lightweight and cheap but I would probably go with a lightweight poncho or cheap tarp if it were me. Tarp could be purposed for other uses.