FL Sawbucks vs Kuiu Katana stretch

[Tauntohawk]

FWIW the Valo pattern is darker than it looks on the website. I ground hunt east coast hardwoods for turkey every spring, it's a great match for the oak/maple leaf litter I'm usually sitting in.

I have a mixed bag of FL Cipher and Kuiu Valo pieces for that land and pattern-wise I don't think there's much of a difference to the birds.

I was really thinking mainly of verde as that's what I'm familiar with the more I looked at valo the more I liked it and found it was really not far off the first lite fusion just a bit lighter. I ended up ordering the kutana and hybrid jacket in valo.

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[Tauntohawk]

I must have gotten a “bad size”. Honestly, I could not get them past my knees.

I had that with a pair of sitka rain pants once, ordered "my size" and couldn't get them past the tear drop in my quads, like nope these weren't ment for anyone who's ever seen a gym. Hoping they work out but I have enough time if I have to return anything

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[Tauntohawk]

You might try using a DWR treatment on your Sawbucks to improve their performance. Where I generally hunt Turkeys there is always morning dew on all the heavy brush to contend with and I find a spray-on DWR like Nikwak TX.Direct does a good job of helping shed moisture.

I like the Kutana Stretch pants for other uses but I find the Sawbuck pants hard to beat for my particular situation. The higher cut waist, 4 way stretch, and roomier thighs of the Sawbucks make sitting on the ground while coaxing toms more comfortable for me.

Thanks I do have nikiwax spray, the hard part is I like to treat stuff with permethrin but it doesn't play well with DWR treatment.

It was a toss up honestly between the two pants for my application, I figured with the promo code and being interest in the hybrid jacket as well I'd try the kutana first before I order the sawbucks. I have 4 weeks until my season starts and then 5 weeks and 4 states from there

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[Hondo]

Both pants are great to have IMO.

 

[Brianmp01]

Check out the new obsidian or guide pants, they made some pretty good upgrades

 

[Tauntohawk]

Check out the new obsidian or guide pants, they made some pretty good upgrades

I have they look great but a bit heavier than I want for spring usage. the obsidian foundry will get a hard look before my next elk trip

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[Tauntohawk]

Got the kutanas, put them on and they were huge just drowning in them. Check the order form, 30s checked the bag 30s... Look inside the pants 34

So back they go. I don't think they will be overly protective but should be a light weight, durable pant for warm weather. Fit was hard to gauge but there isn't much stretch as some indicated. First impression I like them, don't love them. The hybrid jacket looks like a winner

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[jhendley2]

I don’t have the sawbucks, but I do have the kutanas and I love those things. Lightweight, stretch where you need it. Perfect warmer weather pant for me

 

[Manakh]

How quiet are the kutana? Swish sound or brush?

I run super crazy warm and looking for light weight and quiet!!!
I've never even worn marino under pants, just the thinnest moisture wicking leggings I can find and either kuhl pants or sitka cloudburst gortex. Both of which I get warm in unless it's flat freaking nasty and windy

 

[Moserkr]

The kutana are quiet enough to still hunt in, but are just ever so slightly louder than kuiu’s attack pants. Kuiu’s pro pants are the worst! Can hear my friend walking 25’ away. If you want quiet and even cooler the tiburons would work too.

@Tauntohawk thats too bad they sent the wrong size! Im sure they will fix that for you. To me the kutana have a course feel to them but they get softer and more comfortable with use. Finally tore my hybrid jacket working on my boat - full metal snag moving fast and it left the tiniest hole. Surprisingly tough.

 

[Manakh]

The kutana are quiet enough to still hunt in, but are just ever so slightly louder than kuiu’s attack pants. Kuiu’s pro pants are the worst! Can hear my friend walking 25’ away. If you want quiet and even cooler the tiburons would work too.

@Tauntohawk thats too bad they sent the wrong size! Im sure they will fix that for you. To me the kutana have a course feel to them but they get softer and more comfortable with use. Finally tore my hybrid jacket working on my boat - full metal snag moving fast and it left the tiniest hole. Surprisingly tough.

How durable are the tiburons? Cause I'm going through blackberries, salmon berries, and some grabby stuff!!

 

[Ravenk]

I ordered the kutana stretch pants three days ago and now @MokeBerserker has succeeded in making me more excited for its arrival.

 

[Moserkr]

@Manakh I dont think the tiburon are as durable as the kutana. My only experience is the tiburon shorts which i wore today actually. They arent weak but i cant say how they would do brush busting. The kutanas material isnt that much thicker than the tiburon, and both breath well to me. Funny, when i wrote the last post i wondered how the kutanas would fare against blackberry bushes. May have to test that tomorrow in the backyard lol.

@Ravenk haha! I hope they dont let you down! Im a fan of them obviously. My only wish is that they stretched like the attacks. Early to mid season when its hot, and busting brush is where kutana shine. Its a tradeoff - stretch for durability, but never felt the (lack of) stretch impeded my abilities.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

How durable are the tiburons? Cause I'm going through blackberries, salmon berries, and some grabby stuff!!

Based upon my use in AZ, they’re not. Anything with a sharp point, whether a mosquito or a thorn, goes right through.

 

[Tauntohawk]

I got the right size in and they covered the exchange, at the waist they fit perfect but I will add for future buyers they do run a little undersized as many have stated in reviews online. I got a 30, but I wear 30 jeans with a belt if I hold them against every pair of jeans or 30in dress pants they are about .25 - .50in smaller at the waist compared to any brand. For the leg areas that was discussed earlier if I was comparing them to jean sizing and there were skinny jeans, straight leg, athletic, and relaxed fit to choose from I'd put these closer to straight leg than athletic, the athletic taper is there but its a bit snugger than I would have liked. When I first put them on I thought nope, years of squaring and running my quads and butt took up all the room and made the crotch area uncomfortable the stretch is very slight. I decided to wear them around, I know how a freshly washed or new pair of jeans can change completely in an hour of wear. I started to like them more with each hour, still a fitted type fit but breaking in and moving with me more and more. I really wanted to like/keep them over returning for the sawbucks because of the hip vents and warm weather benefits I know the material and weight are much more substantial on the latter and without the option to dump heat I was worried they would perform similar to the kanabs in hot weather.

Ultimately I dropped them at my dry cleaner to get hemmed 3in and will wear them and hybrid often through turkey season, and later in the year for September bear and give a use and abuse review. I did test in my rose bushes with briars, side swipe impact run across the the leg and do not grab, or snag or penetrate but straight of impact those daggers are still making it to skin but like others said they are sub 1lb pant that can play in heat not chaps. I will likely still encounter uncomfortable green briar scratches and punctures but at least my clothing won't be torn to shreds and covered in burrs. They also seem like they will handle moisture well shedding light precipitation and drying super fast.

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[Manakh]

I think the kutana are the pant for me then.... If my thick thighs fit in them, I may need to go a size big and cross my fingers lol!!

 

[Summitdog]

The FL Sawbucks "seem" a bit light for upland bird pants. I've worn them a couple of time but I have not been in the thick briers. I have my doubts that they can hold up as well as the Kutana's.

Scotty

 

[Tauntohawk]

I wore both the pants and jacket full time for 3 days this past weekend hunting/camping in temps from 31 to 63 and I will say im impressed, they handled wet brush, windy evenings, chilly mornings, light rain, and brushy bottoms. The jacket/shirt is very versatile and could likely be my favorite piece of camo going forward. The pants did great, a bit chilly even with a wool base layer for the first few morning hours but they should shine when we get to days reaching 70+

I think the key to brush protection on such a light weight pant is that they don't get grabbed by brier and brush, it's usually when they grab and you get hung up or tangled that you take the worst of it. They certainly aren't stopping a direct puncture from a greenbrier but they seem to slide through the brush while my buddy kept getting hung up in more traditional stretching garments.

The moisture shedding will also be a huge upgrade over the kanabs. I had one of those tradition spring mornings where it rained all night and let up to a mist just as well got out of the truck starting to clear. Noone wants to wear hot rain gear in that situation but my kanabs would be soaked from the wet brush and take half the morning to dry out but these the water pretty much rolled off and the second the sun came out they were as dry as my baselayers.

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[Moserkr]

Glad you like em. Your experience is the same as mine. Ill take the trade off of not being as warm on a chilly morning and a little less stretch for all the other pros they offer.