Sitka gear

brybenn

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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southern ontario
Anyone use sitka gear? Looking for honest user experiences. I have several varieties of dry gear and gortex and have no issues with any of my current gear but i have to admit ive been tempted to get into the sitka lines. Ive held off on the belief i dont need to change but the urge to expand is getting the better of me
 
I really like my Sitka stuff. I really like my Arc’teryx gear as well but having the brushed fabric on the outside layer of your Gortex is really handy for hunting. They make some great midlayers too, but so do all the top brands it just depends on if you want the camo or not.
 
I have many pieces of Sitka gear that I have been using over the past 10-12 years. It is good gear, but is definitely pricey! I really like the rain gear. The rest of the gear is base and mid layers.
Lucky for me, I was able to get most of it when it was on sale, and when Wholesale Sports was closing out, they had some really good deals on it. Saved hundreds of dollars by doing so.
Still, I would like to get more of their gear such as their mountain hunting pants and mid weight jacket. I have been looking at Kuiu too, but have not yet made a decision
 
It’s worth it if it’s on sale. At full price, not worth it.

Except their warmest toque. It’s quite something.
 
You get what you pay for, buy once/cry once...these philosophies have held true for me wrt Sitka gear. Of all of the $ I spend on hunting stuff, things that keep me in the field longer (ie. dry/warm/comfortable) probably increase my chances of success more than anything.

I agree with those above who have suggested it’s pricey and to buy it on sale whenever possible. It is great gear both in terms of materials and design. Case in point, the late season fanatic jacket is the kind of jacket that was built for a bow hunter like me who spends a lot of time in the stand; it’s warm, quiet, chest pockets built for grunt tube and range finder, back flap with hole for my harness strap to pass through, front pouch for misc items, and a unique zipper/kangaroo pouch that allows me to slip my hands in and actually hold them against each other for warmth. It’s the kind of jacket that I don’t think I could improve upon if I tried.

I’ve worn my timberline pants on hundreds of hunts and they are still going strong. Comfortable, durable, my favourite hunting pant by far. When they eventually die I will buy another set without batting an eye.

My Sitka rain gear is not exactly quiet but it is waterproof and I kinda look forward to going out on those days when it is pissing down because I know I will be dry and comfortable.

There was a time when bargain bin finds made me happy. The older I get the more I find that gear that performs well and is thoughtfully designed brings me joy. Ymmv
 
frim Australia ive often wondered the same in regards to sitka, kuiu and the like, seems every tom #### an harry on youtube wears it, but can often be the case when a major player comes to town and wants to settle in on the mainstream..

it somehow gains a fair tax when it crosses the ocean to here though l o l
 
Sitka, Kuiu and First Lite are all similar gear and all are great. Personally, for the price, I prefer First Lite and Kuiu and my set up is a mix of both with an Outdoor research puffy (still looking for reliable lightweight puffy bottoms and I am not willing to pay what Kuiu or First Lite charges... for now).

If you have a limited budget, the best question to ask yourself before pulling the trigger on this type of gear is; what do I need based on my hunts? A mostly treestand/blind hunter will not require the same set up as someone who still hunts or goes on long hikes in the prairies or mountains. For late Nov and early Dec stand and blind sits I normally wear heavy and warm mismatched outfits including old Remington bibs, my grandfather's heavy wool shirt and my high speed Kuiu/First Lite gear. If I'm chasing animals on the prairie or still hunting and won't sit longer than an hour, I wear my high speed and fancy layers of Kuiu and First Lite (what you really need in these situations is a good shell that blocks the wind, over thick layers that will keep you warm for hours).
 
Sitka is pretty good but very pricey compared to other outdoor brands that are non-hunting specific. I have a few pieces and my main deer hunting clothing is a Stratus set which works well but I never would have paid full price for it. I’m more interested in some of the designs coming from First Lite at the moment and plan on trying some next season, I like some of the thoughtful design touches and materials. That said, I still use my Outdoor Research/Arcteryx/MEC/Marmot clothing more and feel it’s just as good if not better and goes on sale more often at steeper discounts.

Patrick
 
I just started aquiring some Kuiu gear and bought a Firstlite jacket. Both top notch clothing but not sure how it stacks up against Sitka.

Sitka would be very similar to Kuiu in terms of quality. Jason Hairston started both companies.
 
Sitka, Kuiu and First Lite are all similar gear and all are great. Personally, for the price, I prefer First Lite and Kuiu and my set up is a mix of both with an Outdoor research puffy (still looking for reliable lightweight puffy bottoms and I am not willing to pay what Kuiu or First Lite charges... for now).

If you have a limited budget, the best question to ask yourself before pulling the trigger on this type of gear is; what do I need based on my hunts? A mostly treestand/blind hunter will not require the same set up as someone who still hunts or goes on long hikes in the prairies or mountains. For late Nov and early Dec stand and blind sits I normally wear heavy and warm mismatched outfits including old Remington bibs, my grandfather's heavy wool shirt and my high speed Kuiu/First Lite gear. If I'm chasing animals on the prairie or still hunting and won't sit longer than an hour, I wear my high speed and fancy layers of Kuiu and First Lite (what you really need in these situations is a good shell that blocks the wind, over thick layers that will keep you warm for hours).
I just picked up a set of under armour alpine down pants off amazon for less than half the cost of kuiu. Also campsaver has a good deal on mountain hardware compressor pants (synthetic insulation) at the moment. Both have full length zips.
 
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