Tested: Leupold Storm Warden Jacket & Storm Warden Pant

I’ve never been so miserable. The rain was relentless, and we were wet, really wet. Public land elk hunts are always hard, but when you’re wet, hard is the softest of terms to describe the misery. Cold creeps into your bones. You can’t sleep or focus. Maybe that’s why I sent an arrow over the back of the public land bull.

I know what you’re thinking: You should have had rain gear.

We did! And, according to the marketing hype surrounding it, Sitka’s jacket and pants were supposed to be 100 percent waterproof, not water-resistant. I don’t remember the names of either Sitka product, and I’m sure its Dew Point series of rain gear is better, but I burned that set when I returned from that elk hunt.

Since that hunt, I’ve been on a rain gear quest. I’ve been disappointed with each selection I’ve made. Amazingly, though, all my negative past experiences changed when I put Leupold’s new-for-2026 Storm Warden Rain Jacket and Pant duo to the test.

My hunting buddy told me as we hunted our way through the wet, heavy snow, “Dude, Leupold seems the least likely brand to come out with good rain gear.”

I chuckled. I write a lot about Leupold products. Guess what? Leupold doesn’t pay me a dime. I’m not on their pro staff or have some janky backdoor deal. I write about Leupold products because they never fail me in the field. Leupold could come out with a new fishing rod, and I’d want to try it.

A $300 rain jacket, Leupold’s Storm Warden features Leupold’s exclusive StormShield technology. This technology guarantees total waterproof/windproof protection while remaining breathable. I’ve worn a few rain gear items that kept the moisture out. However, they felt like a sauna, and even after short treks, my clothes were drenched with sweat. What good is a waterproof system if it makes you sweat like a pig? Wet is wet, and hot sweat soon turns cold, making you equally as miserable.

The Storm Warden Jacket is constructed from a unique, highly durable nylon/spandex blend. All but a few rain jackets I’ve tested in my life felt bulky, heavy, and restrictive. Leupold solves the problem with the nylon/spandex build. You’ll be shocked at how light, comfortable, and non-restrictive the jacket and pant are.

I can’t remember what brand of rain gear my buddy was rocking on that miserable Colorado elk hunt, but I do remember his front zipper failed. It still zipped, but it leaked. Leupold outfitted its Storm Warden with YKK AquaGuard Zippers to ensure a smooth zip and keep moisture out.

To prevent sweat and overheating, Leupold added strategically located zippered vents that release body heat. The 2-point hood is adjustable, and Leupold raised the hand pockets so they wouldn’t get swallowed up by your backpack’s waist belt. This was a feature I really overlooked, but later appreciated.

Quality gear is expensive, but good rain gear that lasts and lets you stay in the woods and remain comfortable when Mother Nature gets brutal is critical. Leupold’s Storm Warden Pant ($275) features full-length side zippers for ventilation and easy on-and-off. When the skies open and moisture falls, the quicker you can get into your rain gear, the better. The built-in belt is fully adjustable, and like the Storm Warden Jacket, the Storm Warden Pants feature athletic-fitting 4-Way Stretch Fabric and are 100 percent water and windproof. You can get these pants on and off in seconds, not minutes.

Heavy, wet snow is as bad as driving rain, and it was piling up. I didn’t have a late-season tag, but my buddy did, and area meteorologists were measuring the white stuff in feet, not inches.

We pressed on. The wind and snow made perfect stalking conditions, and I was pleased that every step I took while wearing the Storm Warden combo didn’t produce a swoosh sound. Noisy rain gear sucks. What’s the purpose of being dry if you’re making game-spooking noise with every step? You may be stay dry, but you’ll spook every critter within hearing distance. The 4-Way Stretch Fabric is legit. It’s quiet, and it didn’t restrict my movements.

The snow was no match for the 70D nylon/spandex face with StormShield. Snow piled on my shoulders and head, and several times, heavy white flakes turned to a snow/rain mix. The duo sent beads of water running off the Storm Warden combo like a river. An hour into our first stalk, my buddy was soaked head-to-toe. He was shivering, and though I’m certain we could’ve closed the distance on the 10-point whitetail, we had to head back to the truck. His rain gear failed miserably.

On the way back to the truck, the rain/snow mix switched to driving, freezing rain. The Storm Warden Jacket and Pants blocked the wind and didn’t let an ounce of moisture in. When we got back to my shop, I made a fire while my freezing-to-death hunting companion shed his wet clothes. I still hadn’t stripped out of Leupold’s rain gear. I wasn’t hot, I wasn’t cold, and from what I could tell, I wasn’t wet. Unzipping the vents increased airflow, as the heat from the fire was starting to make me sweat.

The best news, though: When I unzipped my Storm Warden Jacket, the KUIU clothing covering my torso was bone dry. When I loosened the built-in belt and pulled the full-length side zippers, the Storm Warden Pants came off easily, and my KUIU Proximity Insulated Pants were dry.

An hour later, after letting the Storm Front Jacket and Pants dry by the fire, I rolled them up, stuffed them into my rain gear sack, and shoved them back into the bottom of my backpack. Leupold’s new-for-2026 rain gear is 100 percent legit. You’re going to pay for it, but when you think about how much moisture plays a part in your hunts every year, you’ll soon realize it’s worth every penny.