Yes you cant go wrong with gortex. There is a reason they put it in boots and all sorts of other outdoor gear. I keep my gortex in my jeep that way if I get stuck in the mud and need to shovel,I can stay dry and move freely and stay aired out to an extent. Mine is the Marine Corps issue, they newer digital kind. I swear by it. I have also used the older woodland camo type that used to be issued out,it is okay but lacks the good cargo,chest,shoulder pockets. I was in the Marines and in the infantry so I have a ton of first hand use with it. The newer stuff is great,I say newer but it has been out for several years now. I got my set in 2004 and it is still going strong. Even the cleaning directions say it can be machined washed,also a plus. But I still feel hand cleaning is better for the water replelant.Thanks. I will look for a gortex set. I may have to venture out to the army surplus and see what I can find. I like the surplus store.
When I used the issue Gortex I liked the way it would breath. Even if I was walking with a pack and sweating, the material let the wetness wick out and I did dry off quickly. Yes you do sweat and you will get wet but Gortex allows persperation to vent. I was much more pleased with Gortex than those nasty smelling rubber jackets they used to issue. It was like wearing a dirty rubber glove. My last resort would be the issue poncho.I have used gortex before and it is great if you are just standing around. I remember the jackets issued in the army and they did ok. However I still haven't found anything when walking for miles with a pack that you don't just get drenched with sweat. Starting to think that it doesn't exist.
Yes nothing bets being soaked to the bone and dehydrated. If you look at the photos from my last Red River Gorge trip I went with just soaked.If the temps allow I'll just use a regular wicking T shirt and get wet. It dries well enough, breathes reasonably, and I don't really care about staying dry unless needed. My experience with ALL of them is the same as IndianaHiker's. They keep water out, mostly, but then I'm heated up and damp with sweat. I'd rather be soaked with rain than overheated and clammy.