Kelvin Active replace mid layer?

[Bearsears]

For those of you that run the Kelvin active jacket, does it replace your mid layer fleece/hoodie? I added it this year and Im wondering if I should ditch my Klamath hoodie for it, or pack both. This year Im backpacking in for elk 2nd season Colorado and 3rd season deer. Thanks for any input and experiences.

 

[Bearsears]

Any Kelvin Active users out there?

 

[strattonje2020]

Depends on temp and activity level. If it’s 20 degrees sure but if if is 40 degree I think it’s be too hot.
If your just atoll bunting thru timber vs trying to gain elevation before dark for a shot.

Tbh if you can afford it but a few mid layers and see which you don’t use after the season. Leave the tags on and only take off if you use. This way you have a better resell price.

It’s like backpack hunting just don’t know what’s useful to you and worth being in your “kit”.

 

[Brightwhite]

I do what your asking all the time and run it as my mid layer. Easy to zip on and off, also works as an outer layer of the suns out and it’s warmer. I love the active. For 2nd and 3rd season you can absolutely run it that way.

but like the post above, I have options and it sort of depends on what I’m doing. In those later rifle seasons a light long sleeve merino base, then the Kelvin active, then a warmer puffy and rain shell in the pack, is probably more often than not my go to.

 

[Bearsears]

Sounds like I'm just going to have to do some testing and see what works for me.

 

[Brightwhite]

Sounds like I'm just going to have to do some testing and see what works for me.

I think you’ll come to love it and the versatility. It’s a great spring and early morning summer fishing jacket if you fish. I fly fish and it was with me all summer for those chilly mornings.

You’ll eventually and ultimately end up with options as you build your kit over years. It’s will still be good to have stuff like a (in the Sitka line) Apex Hoody, or a core heavy weight, or my personal favorite true mid layer the traverse.

oh and that Kelvin active dries super fast, sweat it out, when you stop to glass, hang it from you pack, over some sage, from a tree...just get it air flow, then slip on your bigger warmer puffy to stay warm and that Kelvin active will be dry in 10 mins probably depending on the humidity, wind, temp, etc. but it dries super fast.

 

[Trial153]

My father used mine as mid layer on moose hunt last year and it worked well for him. I pretty much always have a core heavy as my mid layer so the active only sees use when I know I will always have a stand alone shell with me. It has replaced my puffy on some early season hunts. I have also used it as mid layer whitetail hunting, I like it on days that my jacket comes off as it warms up. The active is dead quite so it works excellent on the stand

 

[406unltd]

For me it’s gonna in certain situations. I love my active hoody enough I’m buying a jacket next year.

 

[Bearsears]

So what Im looking at running this year for uppers on my hunts are as follows:
FL Fuse qz
FL Klamath
Sitka Kelvin Active
FL Uncompahgre puffy
Sitka flash pullover (gonna try it out for a windshirt layer)
FL Seak Stormtight Rain Jacket

I could only run the Klamath or the Kelvin active as a single mid or take both weather depending I guess. Feel free to beat this list up. Last year 2nd season here was alot colder and I was chilly running an old Kuiu 200 base the Klamath and Uncompahgre while glassing and cold while hiking in just the Klamath. Thats why I added the Active and the windshirt.

 

[ChrisAU]

So what Im looking at running this year for uppers on my hunts are as follows:
FL Fuse qz
FL Klamath
Sitka Kelvin Active
FL Uncompahgre puffy
Sitka flash pullover (gonna try it out for a windshirt layer)
FL Seak Stormtight Rain Jacket

I could only run the Klamath or the Kelvin active as a single mid or take both weather depending I guess. Feel free to beat this list up. Last year 2nd season here was alot colder and I was chilly running an old Kuiu 200 base the Klamath and Uncompahgre while glassing and cold while hiking in just the Klamath. Thats why I added the Active and the windshirt.

I'd get rid of the Kelvin Active and Uncompahgre and get a warmer puffy that is lighter than either of them by themselves for glassing. Plenty of options out there.

 

[Bearsears]

I'd get rid of the Kelvin Active and Uncompahgre and get a warmer puffy that is lighter than either of them by themselves for glassing. Plenty of options out there.

I definitely understand that viewpoint and if I was just looking to be warmer during glassing sessions, static hunting, etc. that is definitely the route I would go. I think Im trying the active to add versatility into my whole system and to have a bit warmer mid/outerlayer while actively hunting. Supposedly it moves moisture really well and is pretty warm while active so Im curious to see how it works. Plus like most of us Im a damn gear junky and cant help this addiction.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have one. Saw the hoodie at a sports show and couldn’t love it. Bought the jacket.

I think of it as a thin puffy with extra stretch. I have run it as a mid layer beneath a soft shell. I have also run it under a kelvin light vest. And I have run it as a puffy - thrown on during a stop for extra warmth or around camp.

it definitely breaths well. It has more stretch than most puffies and it is quiet. The outface is not as durable as the kelvin lite or uncomphagre. It has more warmth and wind resistance but less stretch than a fleece mid layer Light a halstead, core heavyweight or Patagonia R1. It packs down better too.

on balance, it is a nice piece for when you don’t want a full size puffy but do want a little extra warmth. I find I still prefer a fleece mid layer most times. Just better mobility And most of my fleece mid layers have hoods, which I like. It terms of warmth, it is an odd tweener. A lot of times if it is going to be cold enough for the kelvin active, I end up grabbing my kelvin light intstead. Not much more weight and much more warmth. Overall, It’s not a bad piece, I just don’t use it as much as I hoped.

if I were king of Sitka for a day, I would add body mapped fleece panels to the design up the sides, stomach and gussets in the shoulders To make it breath and move even better. Like one of these new hybrid designs with insulation around the core. Add a hood and it would be the bees knees.

 

[FlyGuy]

It all depends on temps of course, but for this past archery season we started off with some pretty cold temps at the start of the hunt and it warmed significantly towards the end.

I packed in both my active jacket and my apex hoody (which I would describe as a light fleece). I may have been able to get by without the apex but wasn’t willing to take the risk. When we stopped to cold call I stripped off my wet base layer synthetic lite hoodie and hung it to dry, and put on the apex and active. Was in several inches of snow but was perfectly warm. Only other time I used both together was at night before getting into the rack. Temps were pretty low and we had lots of bears around so had to keep food hung/eaten away from camp, and that fire ban made meal time cold AF. Was happy to have both!





You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[weeble19]

I don’t use the jacket but run the Kelvin active hoody as my sole mid layer. Went from a FL Klamath hoody last year to the Kelvin this year and couldn’t be happier. I’ve run a lot of layering systems though in Colorado and I know that I overheat quickly when moving and then freeze when I stop in the cold. So I need very light layers regardless of the outside temp when I’m hiking cause I sweat instantly and would rather be a little chilly and dry than hot and soaked with sweat. The kelvin active breathes well enough for me that I don’t overheat as much and then when I stop I throw on a Stone Glacier down puffy to retain that heat. I too struggled with the idea of ditching the tried and trusted fleece layer but the kelvin active is more breathable, lighter, warmer for the weight and in my opinion dries quicker. I don’t have a need to carry the added weight of two mid layers and the kelvin hoody works for my style and body type.


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[H80Hunter]

I use the active under the FL Catalyst jacket for cold weather hiking and it's a great combo. Light merino base, Sitka KA, FL Catalyst.

 

[huntuk]

Bump