Puffys.....thinking about a Kuiu Teton or trying a cheap Costco Puffy?

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I am thinking of trying a puffy. I really enjoy backpack hunting and have expanded my normal early archery season into much later rifle seasons. I have normally taken a soft shell (Sitka 90%), a 200 weight fleece and my rain jacket. This layering works well in the early season, but is a bit lacking while glassing exposed ridges and especially later season at 20-30 degrees with a wind chill. I hike and use the Sitka 90% a lot so would have a hard time leaving it out of my system, but am thinking of a more insulating layer to pull over it or supplementing it. I want something lightweight as it won't be used a lot, compressible for in my pack, and to use as a pillow at night.

I am not looking to spend a lot as I am just getting my feet wet in the puffy world, always being a fleece fan. I am 6' and wear an XL (broad chest), and do not like tight fitting clothing. I struggle with the athletic fit of some of the modern clothes, and prefer a loose fit in everything I own.

I really like the look of the KUIU Teton insulated jacket; but I wonder about the fit and pack-ability for backpacking. I like the weight (especially for a synthetic) and features. Anyone have this jacket and can comment on getting a true to size, or sizing up? My only layering would be over a synthetic shirt or maybe over my 90% if really cold. How well does it compress? I would like to store it in the front stretchy pocket on the EXO 5500 for quick access when glassing.

I was also looking at just trying a cheap down jacket (Eddie Bauer, sales, ect.) I like the look of the Gerry Costco puffy online for 30 dollars, it comes in a gray/green and is 650 sweater fill down. 30 dollars is pretty good, but do not want something that leaks feathers and something I can trust in the back country. I have had hit-and-miss experiences with Chinese products. It appears to be a good deal, but the reviewed weights are the same as the synthetic KUIU coming in around 12-13 oz.

I like the idea of the synthetic for wet weather, and do tend to be pretty rough on my gear. I want something quiet, comfortable and moderately warm when stationary. I glass from rough granite and lava, so need something fairly durable in the rocks. I am warm blooded and find the 90% is normally all I need when moving, just looking for that extra comfort during long glassing sessions.

Thanks.
 

Tanya Avery

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I would be pretty leery about hunting later in the season with a $30 jacket. I know we did a puffy review a while back. You should check that out. I wear the Kifaru lost park parka and think it is amazing for warmth and wind-break.


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I usually like all the costco stuff but the 32* puffy i got was not durable at all. It ripped from the first rock i leaned up against. The sitka piece i bought , kelvin lite hoody i think its called, has been worth every penny


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amp713

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I wasn't sure about puffys and found the backcountry brand one on a good deal and LOVE IT. Showed the specs to a gear guy who had nice name brand stuff and he grabbed one too for the price. Would be a good place to start. Say them on steep and cheap once as well
 
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I bought my brother the Teton puffy last year and he really likes it. Claims it's pretty warm, and I'd order 1 size larger. Packability I can't speak for as I've never seen him compress it down.

I own the original Super Down from Kuiu and really do like it. That jacket packs down really well and it's super warm. My first impression when I bought the jacket is that it looked too wimpy but it's really surprised me both in durability and warmth. One feature I like is the hood always stays up and you never have to adjust it. Most jackets I wear the hoods always want to fall down after a period of time but not with the super down because the jacket has multiple places to cinch it down. Noise factor didn't bother me because I'm always wearing it under an outer shell.


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Hey FNC, I was just at Costco yesterday, and was this close to buying that Gerry puffy, but who needs five down puffy coats? I thought I did, but I was able to refrain. If you're just looking to buy a puffy as an insulating piece, I don't think you could go wrong with that coat. For $30, you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal.
 
OP
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I have been researching online and looking at reviews but am still torn. Truthfully I do not want to spend too much until I figure out how to work it into my system.

I try to stay light and small for bivy hunts, so down is tempting but hard to deny the cost savings and durability of the synthetic, especially if it eventually replaces my soft shell.

Reading the posts here show many have made the switch from soft shell to puffy, I just want to see what I have been missing as I rely on my soft shell alot. My system works, but no doubt it can be better.

Ill have to run by Costco and check out that puffy in person, or may just jump on the Kuiu outlet sale. I hear great things about that Kifaru, but dont like pull overs. If only it was a full zip......

Thanks for the help spending money, lol

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Tanya Avery

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Ill have to run by Costco and check out that puffy in person, or may just jump on the Kuiu outlet sale. I hear great things about that Kifaru, but dont like pull overs. If only it was a full zip......

Thanks for the help spending money, lol

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Is the puffy from Costco synthetic down or real down? I know that real down can clump when wet and be a bitch to try and dry in the woods. If you listen to our ‘Avery Adventures’ podcast with John Barklow from Sitka, he really goes into depth about puffy‘s-down vs. synthetic. That may help you narrow down your choice. In reference to the Kifaru puffy, I hate 1/2 zips too, but it is a really long zipper so it slides easily over my head even when wearing hats & headlamps. It is warmer than the battery operated jacket I own! I wouldn’t go hunting without it.


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The Teton will do what you are looking for although it’s not going to cut wind at all. I had a Teton in 2XL that was huge so I think you will be good with XL. I wear all XL in other kuiu tops. I also have a spindrift in XL that I liked more because it compressed better than the Teton and seemed close to the same warmth. Then I found a killer deal on the Sitka kelvin down ultralight and that is what I have been carrying all season and it’s worked well. Planning to sell the kuiu spindrift when I get around to listing it because the Sitka is a little lighter and compresses smaller. The Teton will fit In your 5500 front stretchy pocket.
 

GKPrice

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If you have or want to spend the dough on the latest KUIU puffy or anyones' puffy for that matter go for it - Last year I was having a "benevolent kind of day", stopped in Target in November - I stumbled on a sale on 2 different weights of "puffy" and ended up buying 6 of each that I gave to a local shelter then a couple of days later I stopped back in and bought one of each for myself (after thinking about it) I was well under $100 for both - They are both very nice coats with good zippers, good fit, very decent materials and design features and I'll have them both with me in Wyoming for the December cow hunt - (I have a KUIU Kenai and Uncompraghe that I'll have as well but they'll not get used any more than the Target coats do because as I see it, they're no better and one heck of a lot less money
 

mtwarden

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first I would narrow down your choice between down and syn; I prefer down in very cold/dry conditions, but for most of my hunting I've made the switch to syn; for all but the coldest conditions I've using a Kelvin Light hoody- I'll layer a windshirt over and/or and a fleece under if needed

also I would highly suggest a good fitting hood as one of the things you look for- for a couple of ounces it has been well worth it
 

MT_Wyatt

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The insulation used in the FL puffy is a treated synthetic - I'm not going to say that's "better" for anyone, but I will say it certainly contributes to the higher cost, as do the zippers, etc.

On the Kuiu puffy: that 20D face fabric from Toray sport div they use for it is pretty fragile (same story with the snap shirt) and pills super easy. The breathable insulation they use is awesome if you're wearing it like a fleece in the winter.

If you're not sure what you'd use it for or just don't want to drop $ on a hunting brand piece, totally nothing wrong with the Costco puffy.


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fngTony

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I own the Teton and a $30 down puffy (hawk&co). The down is only 500 fill power and not a lot of it. Stitching is week. Out of the package it had a torn seem. Tried to sew it but the material started to tear from the thread, tenacious tape worked great. Teton is a little warmer.

Between the two I would buy the Teton for backcountry stuff. It’s constructed better from better materials. It’s $100 more at full price but you need to be able to depend on your insulation. Besides the Teton is a continuous fiber so it won’t bleed insulation if ripped.

Hard to say if either will be warm enough, depends on your complete system. For me after mid October my Teton is my midlayer.

Teton sizing is true to Kuiu so probably size up. My medium can stuff into a one gallon ziplock bag.

I think you should expand your search. The champion brand sold at target is pretty good. Beat the crap out of mine for a year. Best $60 I’ve spent on clothing. Only reason I didn’t buy another was I wanted something quieter and less bulk, still a great starter buy.
 
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I own both but I can’t really say much about the Teton because I think I’ve only worn it once. I did however wear the Costco puffy quite a bit on my last hunt and so far the only issue I have with it is the fact that it sheds down like crazy. I think that for $30 it’s a pretty decent puffy but I have also considered returning it just because of all the down that it leaks out of the seams.


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elkduds

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Consider layering the puffy under the soft shell. Color won't matter, it will stay drier if you prefer down over syn, it is much less likely to get torn.
 

Owenst7

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I just got done with a 14 day hunt in Jarbidge with the Gerry jacket. Probably going to buy another one because I got blood stains on it and I keep wearing it around town. It's a really comfortable jacket. I even slept in it a lot.

It leaks feathers. So do my North face and Burton jackets that were like $300. So does my Western Mountaineering bag for that matter.

The only gripe I have is the chest pocket adds an ounce or something that I don't need. Was kinda handy for a rangefinder. Think my jacket weighs 12.6 ounces.

There isn't enough fill in a half-puff for the fill power to make more than an ounce or two of difference. I have an 800 fill jacket that weighs about 28 ounces for when it's really cold. That high fill weight there pays off, but it probably has three times the weight of fill.

For $30, I don't know why a guy wouldn't want one, even if it just lived in the truck as a spare jacket. "Wouldn't trust a $30 jacket"? We're talking about a jacket, not a pair of boots. How much does a pair of underwear have to cost before you "trust" them?:rolleyes: What's it going to do, spontaneously combust and burn down your shelter?

My Gerry jacket has YKK zippers by the way. If anyone knows of a company that beats YKK on zipper quality, I'd love to hear about it.
 
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GKPrice

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unless sitting in a stand or vehicle any down outer is probably gonna take licks and by sheer nature of the beast they will all tear and leak feathers - each would have their place, down or syn, but a couple of lessons that are simple but not always thought of ... don't compress either insulations by sizing tight, plan for a loose fit to allow the unsulation to do it's work - it just occurred to me and a down garment as a midlayer with some kind of shell, jacket, vest, etc..... might be a good choice for some - ALOT of this topic depends on climate and style of hunting AND the person (each of us has a differing metabolic reaction to temp and level of activity)
 
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