CarharttMen's Big & Tall Surrey Bib Overalls

My wife and I have to feed and water the critters everyday, rain or shine. She'd been using my genuine issue USGI Gore-Tex jacket and overalls for rain gear, and I'd been using after market Tru-Spec Made-In-China knock-off Gore-Tex jacket and overalls.Couple of times the USGI Gore-Tex soaked through and I figured that it was because it was twenty-plus years old; the after market Tru-Spec did okay, but I'd still get damp-ish. My wife had enough last time she got soaked and ordered the Carhartt heavy duty rain jacket and overalls; I figured I'd suck it up and press on with the after market Tru-Spec Made-In-China knock-off Gore-Tex.Well folks, today it came down a frog-choker; even our geese and ducks were under cover in the poultry barns and the rain shelters for the hay - no foolin'. I got soaked and wet and miserable in my knock-off Gore-Tex; my wife remained warm and dry and comfy in her Carhartts.No-brainer time; you don't have to get the boy soaking wet more than two or three times before the lesson finally gets learned. I ordered the Carhartt heavy duty rainwear for me. Will update for fit and functionality soonest, but based on my wife's experience have no doubt that I'll be well-served (and dry).Update 26 FEB 15: Arrived yesterday. I'm 6'3", 260 lbs and the XXL fit comfortably over Dickies denim overalls with a pair of sweatpants underneath - plenty of room to move in my winter gear. The length is just right - ankle length - and the cuff opening is large enough to fit comfortably over my rubber barn boots. Be advised, this is old school heavy-duty rain gear - it doesn't 'breathe' (but have discovered that 'breathe' means "can charge outrageous sums of money for some wowsie-wow high-tech sounding fabric that doesn't keep water out worth a flip"). So, combined with the jacket, as long as I don't go head first into the stock tank this rain gear should keep me nice and dry.Update 27 FEB 15: Been snowing all day; got four inches on the ground so far, which is somewhat unusual for here in Mount Goatmore, Texas. Heavy duty rain jacket and overalls kept us nice and dry and toasty warm even when ice formed on them from the spray and blow-back of filling the drinkers and waterers this morning. Only drawback, this rain gear does get stiff in the cold - after an hour or so wife and I both moving around like Robbie the Robot, but we were still nice and warm and dry. Finished up, knocked the ice off, brought 'em in, hung 'em up in the shower to thaw and dry off. These are good, and worth every penny.

Had to return the first pair since the sizing guide said to order Men's Large - so did person at Carhartt. Don't believe it. Order your normal size or even size smaller depending on your inseam measurements.The Men's Medium had an inseam of 28" but if you wear thick walking shorts under the bibb, you won't be able to pull the bib up high enough and the legs will be too long and drag on the ground. Wearing a lightweight pair of walking shorts allowed pulling the crotch up higher without being uncomfortable and the pants legs didn't drag as much on the bottom cuff against the floor.Also, the waist for whatever maximum waistsize the sizing guide has is a very very generous fit. For instance, if you have a 35" waist, I would order a Medium and not a Large like they suggest to go up a size if you are borderline since their Medium tops out at a 34" waist and their Large starts at 36" +. But the Medium will more than adequately handle a 35" waist with lots to spare.The buckles on the bib straps need to be undone and turned so the original side of the buckle that would be against your chest is now away from your chest. Otherwise, you will feel two bumps all night long as you wear the bib.This bib is heavy, and hot. Would be good for rainy and cold weather. If the weather is warm and humid, you will wish you had a really light weight one on since this one gets very warm and this rainsuit doesn't breath like Gortex material. But it is great that the little fish hooks won't snag as easily as the Gortex bibs.The neck straps also are fairly close in spread so they can rub against the sides of your neck.Other than that I look forward to a lot of wear out of this bib. The important seams like at the crotch area and the back of the seating area is sewn and then everything is welded together over that. Don't expect the crotch or back seam to split like my other $35 bibs. And this one was only $44 with free shipping from Amazon.Update: 10/10/2013Buckles don't reverse so I'll live with the bump. Okay, wore very lightweight shorts and it worked out great. Used it three times at night fishing now, and three times during the day cleaning fish. It's working out great for me. It is sturdy, like the Helly Hanson stuff we used to use. If I could find this in maybe a 35mil material or 25mil material I would prefer it since it would pass the heat from the inside to the outside quicker and be cooler. No complaints so far.

I purchased thelse bibs a few years back to use when butchering chickens and they work great for it. They are thicker than the rain suits you find in the stores and they allow much better movement when bending and squatting. I get two or three years out of a pair before they are too cracked and ripped to keep me dry anymore. I really like the inside zippered pocket to keep my phone in and I will continue to buy more of these as needed. I will say though that I am glad that I read reviews before ordering and for a medium instead of a large. I am about 6 foot and 200 pounds and the medium/tall fits good but I might get the regular next time because I tend to step on the backs of the leg bottoms unless I shorten the straps way up.

I used these while working on a saw crew up in Maine where it literally didn't stop raining for weeks. They were bulky so I could slip them over my pants and chaps fit over them well. They never ripped even after countless hours of wading through shrubs and down trees. They get max points for waterproofing but are not breathable and get unbearable in temperatures above the mid 70s. Their weight does make them impractical for remote backcountry jobs. I wear a 32/34 waist and had an XL set. I think a L would have fit over my pants and not looked quiet as rediculous.