Hunting Clothes - Sitka

[CatDaddy]

Can someone help me understand the layering system with hunting clothes, Sitka was just the one I chose for the title. Curious what other brands you've tried and like.

How does a guy go about starting to chip away at a clothing system that can keep you warm in November yet not sweating your ass off when you get to your destination?

 

[Sum1]

Back my deer hunting days I would treck four miles into my destination before setting up on a hill over looking wooded draws. I always carried in my warm clothes and put them on when I cooled down from the long walk. Wool is hard to beat for staying warm and dry. I can’t comment on the high dollar new stuff. It’s probably a lot better then wool.

 

[Zogman]

At my age it is hard for me to comprehend the prices of the new cloths and then I look at where its made. Kind of scary. My mind goes to a scene where I see young kids in a sweat shop.
SORRY, didn't mean to drag this off the rails.

 

[snow2]

Dress warm Cat,crank your hat down and jump on your utv,no worries about sweating hiking in....apologies I had too,well actually first layer is a long sleeve moisture wicking tshirt in my case but big name clothing outfits like sitka,browning,real tree etc over rated in my book,agree ^^^ wool is still a staple as it breaths and keeps you warm even if its wet.

 

[Traxion]

I think it really depends on your seasons of use and how your body deals with the cold. The base layers come in different weights. The mid to heavy weight with a vest is more than warm enough to walk in with. Most companies then have a lighter outerwear set and heavy one. The heavy stuff is too much for me, but in cold days I have to layer heavy with the lighter stuff. It’s hard with each company though.

 

[Twitch]

I started using Sitka about 5 years ago when I got back into elk hunting. To each their own, but it is definitely not overrated for stuff like that imo. We have been doing horseback ride-in drop camps for archery elk and it is worth it for those type of situations to me without a doubt. Takes a bit to get dialed in but it will keep you dry. Can keep you cool when you need it and warm when you need it. Probably not necessary for every hunter but for mountain pack jobs gear is essential to not being miserable in everything a hunt like that can throw at you.

 

[MarbleEyez]

Base layer, mid layer, outer layer. You want moisture wicking fabrics for a base layer and mid-layer. The outer layer choice is all dependent on situation. Are you in the mountains and is there a storm coming in and it's bringing 35mph winds and rain/snow? In that case you want a wind-proof/water resistant outer layer.

These high-performance hunting clothing brands are geared for the "above average" hunting situations. It's all about weight and material. And you really start to understand it when you spend some time mountain hunting when you have limited space in a pack and you're hiking all day.

Most guys who say that it's no different then their goose down heavy parka and cotton long-johns from 1993 have never been in the situation the gear was designed for. And 99.9% of those people are "Expert-Level" road hunters come the 2nd weekend of Nov in ND.

 

[Kurtr]

Walk in cold then you put warmer stuff on. Having a wind proof layer is key so heat is not stripped from your body. Sweating is the enemy so I like the fast drying synthetic base layers. Not a big fan of merino it feels cold and clammy to me. I love my Sitka stuff I froze my ass if enough as a kid to appreciate paying for it.

 

[Ruttin]

Don't over look the "puffy" jacket and pants. Extremely light weight and very warm. Great for sitting and glassing and some movement if it's cold out. I was against the high end clothes until I tried it. It's worth every penny and I don't regret buying at all. I bought Kuiu. The founder of Sitka created it. Either is good

 

[Honkerslayr]

Wool base layers and sitka work well for me. You pay more but the base layers mean the most to me. They make packable larger layers and so does Kuiu.

 

[CatDaddy]

Thanks guys. Anyone run First Lite or Scheels brand?

 

[savage270]

I agree with others it is worth the cost.
Buy once, cry once, then you are set.

 

[Jiffy]

I’d go with Black ovis on Camofire for base layers. I have some Sitka base layers as well and I can not tell the difference.

My Sitka blizzards keep me hunting when most head back to the pickup.

Totally agree that they are worth every penny!

 

[Ruttin]

Camofire has some great deals like Jiffy stated. You can also go to Kuiu's outlet section and find some good items at a reduced cost. The Guide series pants and jacket works great for an outer layer in ND. The Proximity is their whitetail edition line. I wouldn't buy it unless you are strictly standing hunting. Picking out cocckleburs is not my favorite past time hobby.

 

[guywhofishes]

Thanks guys. Anyone run First Lite or Scheels brand?

first lite are my favorite merino bottoms - prefer over Black Ovis - first lite seems a tad fuzzier/warmer

black ovis t-shirts are awesome - buy a few of them, where them under everything - keeps the hooded long sleeves fresher if in the field for days

 

[Ruttin]

Camofire has some items listed today...

https://www.camofire.com/Product/kings-xkg-transition-vest

 

[Kurtr]

Dont go hog wild on the merino . I did and hate it cold and clammy on my skin when it gets wet and does not dry fast enough for me. Its a personal thing some people love it.

 

[LOV2HNT]

That's odd Kurt as I absolutely love my merino wool stuff. I have Black Ovis, Sitka and one other brand and none of them felt cool or clammy. They would get damp after hiking around, but would dry very fast. You wearing something over the merino wool to help pull that moisture away like fleece or something along those lines? I use to wear that tight under armour stuff and it worked, but holy shit did that stuff stink after about 2 days of wearing it elk hunting. Marino wool does a great job of not stinking.

 

[Kurtr]

That's odd Kurt as I absolutely love my merino wool stuff. I have Black Ovis, Sitka and one other brand and none of them felt cool or clammy. They would get damp after hiking around, but would dry very fast. You wearing something over the merino wool to help pull that moisture away like fleece or something along those lines? I use to wear that tight under armour stuff and it worked, but holy shit did that stuff stink after about 2 days of wearing it elk hunting. Marino wool does a great job of not stinking.

I have tried every way there is it just doesnt do it for me. I can wear my light weight sitka and it just works better for me i get no smell from their synthetics. When it really gets cold the heavy weight sitka really works good for me. My brother loves his merino so i gave mine all to him. I know some people who cant wear their sitka for 2 days and it stinks to beat hell. Im sure it has some thing to do with body composition and stuff like that.

 

[bravo]

I own a lot of Firstlite and a hodgepodge of Kuiu, Sitka, and Skre that I picked up on random sales. Definitely helps you stay out all day when you can layer up and down. Expensive but like others said, buy quality once and you’re good for years.

If you want to save some dollars, Scheels brand stuff is nice and ok priced. I like the camo patterns and at compared price points you can afford to get the different patterns for different terrain.

A merino base, grid fleece, outer jacket and maybe a puffy inner coat will be good for most ND hunting and even most “western” hunting for that matter. The mountaineering systems would be overkill IMO unless you’re spending days in the alpine.