New Clothing Changes Suck

[Stwrt9]

So I've been going back and forth on whether or not I should mix it up this year and switch my early season gear to Sitka. I've primarily run Kuiu for the past couple years and mixed in some Sitka and First Lite here and there. I guess all the banter between the brands has me feeling like i'm cheating on someone. To be honest I've been going back and forth about all the pros and cons of each brand and no matter which way I seem to slice it. I all ways come back to one brand has or doesn't have something i need. Which leaves me feeling like i'm missing something. Let me be fair, i'm completely being a bit selfish and am trying to make the system fit into MY budget while being as versatile as possible for MY hunting needs. I know full well that if my budget was unlimited and i could run everything that each brand has and i could definitely make it work and be very happy, but this isn't a perfect world.

In reality this somewhat switch is mostly for curiosity as i will still be mixing the brands as it would be really difficult for me to make a total switch. All in all i really wanted to make the switch to First Lite as I've been running their base layers for sometime and really like what they have to offer. As far as pants go i was and am still curious about the Obsidian's but didn't really care for the the past 2 kanabs. The Sawtooth had me intrigued as well but i'm not sold on it's durability in the long term as it is still wool. I know as hard as i am on outer wear and the terrain that i would be using it in the sleeves would take a beating and while it may still look good after a season what about the following season, for the price I don't really see it as a disposable item like say a base layer. I like the concept and i'm sure it has it's place but First Lite is missing something with a hood in between the sawtooth and North Branch.

I decided on Sitka but am not totally sold as I had my Kuiu system down and worked well for my needs. Nothing against Kuiu and i will certainly still be running some of their stuff. I just felt I wanted to test out something new against it. I was really hoping to find something in Sitka's line that would compare to the Peloton 240 and i guess it would be the Mountain or Timberline jacket based on intended uses but there just not really all that comparable. I felt the Mountain and Timberline jacket were way too thin and weren't as versatile to meet my needs. With Sitka I feel at times they are just a bit too specialized in their clothing's intended purposes and would love to see a bit more versatility without having to buy the entire lineup to fit a broad spectrum of needs. It's just too expensive for me at least, for that to be reasonable.

Best of luck to anyone else who has made similar switches this year.

 

[toadmeister]

Why the delemah?

Just wear whatever Sitka, Kuiu, FL that works. Mix and match.

You know what the call matching camo? A uniform.

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[Back Country Hunter 2]

I am planning on wearing a mix of Sitka and Kuiu this year. Each piece has their own qualities that at times trumps other "comparable" pieces. For early season I like the Tiburon better than the Ascents. It is personal preference, but I'm not concerned that wear a Sitka top is going to screw things up for me. Wear what's comfortable and what works for you. No one can determine that but you!

 

[SWOHTR]

You know what the call matching camo? A uniform.

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Some of us are so institutionalized that we won't let ourselves be mismatched!


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[Grambo]

Wives across the world are shaking in their hiking shoes ! Mismatched. Only a true man can pull that off.

 

[Tag_Soup]

It really boils down to how much you buy into camo and what pieces you need. Personally i don't mind running neutral solids for rifle season and run solid pants most archery hunts too. I'm partial to Prana zions. Up top I like to stick with one camo pattern if possible. Does it matter? Probably not, but it helps my mental state. I like firstlite's wool, and fusion is one of the better patterns out there IMHO, so I have settled on them.

I run a merino base, merino mid layer hoody, and a puffy. If they would come out with a good lightweight softshell vest, my system would be virtually complete. As it stands, I have an eddy Bauer vest that is ok. I may switch to a Sitka jet stream vest in mud next season if firstlite doesn't come out with one. For me the vest is more of a wind and abrasion protection layer so the wool one they offer doesn't make much sense.

I would really like to find something better for rain gear that doesn't require the investment of gore, but that is a problem for next year. I think the new flash pullover from Sitka is a really interesting piece. I may consider it for my early season Washington hunts where it can be pretty damp in the mornings.

Good luck in finding the right balance!


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[elkyinzer]

Dude, spare us the drama and just go hunt. Just stick to the simple formula of base layers + insulation + rain/wind barrier. If it seems to light/packable to be good and durable, it probably is. That's typically your tradeoff. If you get a hankering for a new jacket or something and have the money to burn, give it a go.

There are some brands out there that make good stuff a bit cheaper if you truly have a need in your arsenal and are looking to do so without breaking the bank in this dumb time of year to buy stuff (most sales are late fall through spring). Kryptek, Kings Camo, Cabelas', and a few mountaineering companies all have good stuff without the brand luxury premium associated with those 3, but may not have the cool factor you are looking for.

 

[Stwrt9]

It really boils down to how much you buy into camo and what pieces you need. Personally i don't mind running neutral solids for rifle season and run solid pants most archery hunts too. I'm partial to Prana zions. Up top I like to stick with one camo pattern if possible. Does it matter? Probably not, but it helps my mental state. I like firstlite's wool, and fusion is one of the better patterns out there IMHO, so I have settled on them.

I run a merino base, merino mid layer hoody, and a puffy. If they would come out with a good lightweight softshell vest, my system would be virtually complete. As it stands, I have an eddy Bauer vest that is ok. I may switch to a Sitka jet stream vest in mud next season if firstlite doesn't come out with one. For me the vest is more of a wind and abrasion protection layer so the wool one they offer doesn't make much sense.

I would really like to find something better for rain gear that doesn't require the investment of gore, but that is a problem for next year. I think the new flash pullover from Sitka is a really interesting piece. I may consider it for my early season Washington hunts where it can be pretty damp in the mornings.

Good luck in finding the right balance!


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i think for certain situations camo makes a big difference but that is completely situational and even then it all boils down to movement and wind direction. I tend to wear quite a bit of solids and like you try and wear just one camo up top as it's just a personal preference thing.

You should definitely give the Jetstream vest a try. i have it in Mud and it is a really versatile piece from the woods to around town. I was a bit disappointed that Sitka didn't offer it in the Subalpine this year. i think they really missed on that offering and i suspect it will be offered next year. The jetstream vest is precisely why i made this post! First Lite has nothing comparable to it and even Sitka didn't offer it in the subapline patter this year.

I was not a fan of the Sitka Flash Pullover when i tried it on. i wanted to like it but just couldn't it seemed really cheap and way to expensive for something that was going to just sit in my pack. Maybe if it was built as an actual piece of layered rain gear would it be worth it esp at that price point.

 

[Stwrt9]

Dude, spare us the drama and just go hunt. Just stick to the simple formula of base layers + insulation + rain/wind barrier. If it seems to light/packable to be good and durable, it probably is. That's typically your tradeoff. If you get a hankering for a new jacket or something and have the money to burn, give it a go.

There are some brands out there that make good stuff a bit cheaper if you truly have a need in your arsenal and are looking to do so without breaking the bank in this dumb time of year to buy stuff (most sales are late fall through spring). Kryptek, Kings Camo, Cabelas', and a few mountaineering companies all have good stuff without the brand luxury premium associated with those 3, but may not have the cool factor you are looking for.

Thanks for the reply, but i don't need any drama either. I was just pointing out where some items seem to be lacking across brands if you wanted to stick to one particular brand. As i stated it's completely a personal preference and by no means means stating that you or someone else wouldn't be able to find something in a specific brand to meet YOUR needs. Once you've tried enough products you start to appreciate certain features that seem to fit your hunting style and comfort. that's not to say that stick to the "formula" works for everything and every situation. I get it and that isn't my issue it's with specific pieces or lack of pieces within each brands lineup. we can always wish something had more which is precisely why i use items across brands constantly. in a perfect world it would just be nice to stick to one brand is all. Hunting season can't get here fast enough i know!

 

[5MilesBack]

You know........being a hunter doesn't stop the day after the season closes. A true hunter has it in his blood, it's who he is. So he'll hunt year round.......looking and searching for that perfect item that they are lacking, looking to seal the deal. And part of that hunt is finding that item in obscure places for dirt cheap. It may not even have a label on it, but it's the perfect combination of fabric type and weight and fit and it just works. To me, buying an entire lineup of someone else's designed "system" is like having them gather up all the animals they choose and putting them inside a small high fence enclosure.

 

[Stwrt9]

You know........being a hunter doesn't stop the day after the season closes. A true hunter has it in his blood, it's who he is. So he'll hunt year round.......looking and searching for that perfect item that they are lacking, looking to seal the deal. And part of that hunt is finding that item in obscure places for dirt cheap. It may not even have a label on it, but it's the perfect combination of fabric type and weight and fit and it just works. To me, buying an entire lineup of someone else's designed "system" is like having them gather up all the animals they choose and putting them inside a small high fence enclosure.

True statement and i can agree with that. Finding items that work is part of the fun, it's why we test stuff year round in different senarios. I could really care less about who's name is one the item it's more about functionality for me. But that doesn't always mean that cheaper is better, sometime's it's best to find the better at cheaper!

 

[KurtR]

Thanks for the reply, but i don't need any drama either. I was just pointing out where some items seem to be lacking across brands if you wanted to stick to one particular brand. As i stated it's completely a personal preference and by no means means stating that you or someone else wouldn't be able to find something in a specific brand to meet YOUR needs. Once you've tried enough products you start to appreciate certain features that seem to fit your hunting style and comfort. that's not to say that stick to the "formula" works for everything and every situation. I get it and that isn't my issue it's with specific pieces or lack of pieces within each brands lineup. we can always wish something had more which is precisely why i use items across brands constantly. in a perfect world it would just be nice to stick to one brand is all. Hunting season can't get here fast enough i know!

the flash pull over is the best piece of clothing i have added this year. It is so versatile i have wore it out fishing this spring and hiking and just this last weekend when spitting rain on and off it kept me dry and breaths better than i thought while hiking. For the 8 oz and little room it takes up i will always have it. with that over top of a puffy and a medium base layer it will have to get damn cold for me to need any thing else

 

[Stwrt9]

the flash pull over is the best piece of clothing i have added this year. It is so versatile i have wore it out fishing this spring and hiking and just this last weekend when spitting rain on and off it kept me dry and breaths better than i thought while hiking. For the 8 oz and little room it takes up i will always have it. with that over top of a puffy and a medium base layer it will have to get damn cold for me to need any thing else

That's good to hear, I'm sure it does have it's place and i contemplated getting it(at a significant discount) until i tried it on. It just didn't fit me well and like i said before it felt cheap for how expensive it was at retail. I just could never justify paying that much. I mean if you were paying full retail the Kuiu teton runs $179.99 for 8.1oz and a 3 layer rain shell compared to the Flash at $229 for 7.8 and a DWR Shell.

 

[JWP58]

How about just wear what works for you....

Is this brand loyalty stuff for real? Or are people just trolling?

 

[Kevin Dill]

My brand loyalty extends only as far as my satisfaction with the garment I have on at the moment.

 

[Molon Labe]

Just get pieces to fit needs. Don't look at the name or pattern.
Borrow clothing from friends and test it out. If it fits buy it on sale/used.
My favorite camo pattern is the one that is on sale/discontinued.

 

[toadmeister]

If your going the full 9 yards, make sure your underwear pattern matches too.

Bonus, you won't notice any stains in them.

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[Tag_Soup]

Thats good to hear! I have tried it on several times, i'm just waiting for the right deal to come up on one since I am not dis-satisfied with the one I am wearing now. Really hoping first lite gets one out in the next year or two, but who knows, by then something new may be out and I'll probably drink that coolaid too...

As far as the flash goes, I appreciate the insight. I will certainly try one on before diving in to that big of a purchase. I do like the subalpine pattern quite a bit, so would be nice to give it a shot. I have tried the lightweight KUIU stuff that a buddy had (teton I think?) and it didn't breath much at all. In fact, it almost felt like wearing grundens or some other PVC based product. About as opposite as one could get from their top of the line set. If the flash was a full zip, I would probably have already purchased it.

Either way, I have curtailed myself this season so that I can afford another deer tag...that will likely give me a better shot at meet in the freezer than any piece of clothing I could find! If not, just more Tag_Soup to eat!

 

[boom]

My brand loyalty extends only as far as my satisfaction with the garment I have on at the moment.

this..

the rabid brand loyalty stuff is a waste of energy.. personally, i wish all my gear was logo-less.

 

[boom]

I guess all the banter between the brands has me feeling like i'm cheating on someone. .

this is an odd thought to me. i'll climb up on a mountain top and cry high praises if they sponser me. but no..nobody is sponsering a slow hiking, crooked shooting.. Asian bowhunter.