Kuiu new $900 coat

Lowg08

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Not blasting just conversation. (Myself) They neither one fit my needs. Just general consensus is they are all going to keep going up the More willing people are to spend it. I’m sure someone has a need that this jacket or many of the others can fill. It make me feel less guilty buying a chamberlain
 

OMB

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So yall are blasting Kuiu for there $800 jacket but not bat an eye at Sitka's $750 jacket. Or is the general consensus that both are just stupidly outrageous?
As someone who has been buying their stuff since 2011 or so, one of the original main selling points was consumer direct and cutting out the huge retail markup that brands like Sitka used in their selling model. In the past few years, they've brought their price point up substantially (pre-pandemic and pre inflation) to the point that consumer direct isn't saving the customer a ton of money. Take a Guide jacket for example, currently retailing at $239, and IIRC, it wasn't too long ago those were $150 jackets.

The Burner jacket is probably great, and the more I've looked into it, it seems more of a super niche product for intended application. I guess if you want to match your camo that's great, but if I needed something truly for -40 degrees, I'd probably look at something like Arcteryx or Canada Goose first.
 
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As someone who has been buying their stuff since 2011 or so, one of the original main selling points was consumer direct and cutting out the huge retail markup that brands like Sitka used in their selling model. In the past few years, they've brought their price point up substantially (pre-pandemic and pre inflation) to the point that consumer direct isn't saving the customer a ton of money. Take a Guide jacket for example, currently retailing at $239, and IIRC, it wasn't too long ago those were $150 jackets.

The Burner jacket is probably great, and the more I've looked into it, it seems more of a super niche product for intended application. I guess if you want to match your camo that's great, but if I needed something truly for -40 degrees, I'd probably look at something like Arcteryx or Canada Goose first.
Can't agree with you more on the mark up in prices. It does seem like a very niche jacket just like their gale force line. Unfortunately after Jason's passing it seem the company has slightly shifted direction on the price points.
 

Mcnasty

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For what its worth they will probably make a killing on these with folks in adjacent markets to the folks on this forum. I worked in outdoor retail many many years ago and sold countless "North Face puffy jackets", Marmot 8000Meter parkas and Pataguchi DAS parkas designed for mountaineering in the worlds coldest places to folks just making a fashion statement. I see folks rocking Sitka soft shells and pants every day. Weather we like it or not, much like Harley, these companies make great stuff but are selling lifestyle and there will always be a market for outside the core market that.
 
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I guess the last extreme weather parka I bought 8 years ago was $500. I still wear it all the time and should be able to get a couple more years out of it. So $50 a season for an extreme weather parka. This jacket looks way better than my $500 one and factoring in inflation is probably a better deal. So if it lasts for 10 years, it's $80 a season. Those numbers add up to me. I won't be buying one, just making a point. When you work and play where it's below zero temps for several months of the year, you can't put a price tag on comfort. I'm in the minority where this doesn't seem that crazy to me I guess. The only weird thing for me is that it's coming from a hunting company. Other than musk ox or moose/caribou off snow machine, I'm not sure who they can target with this.

I did a site visit on one of my projects in the Aleutians this summer and the company had Kuiu guide jackets and rain jackets with logos for all their employees. I guess I could see a company like that buying these up for their people working in the arctic.
 

MT_Wyatt

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So yall are blasting Kuiu for there $800 jacket but not bat an eye at Sitka's $750 jacket. Or is the general consensus that both are just stupidly outrageous?

Both are pretty outrageous, and I don’t think this is a Kuiu bashing thread by any means. Sitka doesn’t get a pass for that kind of pricing. Theirs has always been pretty dang high. I don’t think expressing initial shock about a high priced piece means anything other than that.

People are right - a dead bird jacket of comparable specs is going to be way up there. But again, it’s more shocking coming from Kuiu because that direct to consumer savings just doesn’t seem like it’s there at that price point.
 

idig4au

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On one of the 7 continents….
It’s a purpose built item for a specific need. This jacket wasn’t made for the average hunt or hunter and I suspect 99% of hunters will not require this. But it’s great to have options available for those that need something like this. Let’s look at the bigger picture rather than harping about prices especially by those who will never buy it in the first place. Be thankful we have options.

I could have used this jacket on several occasions on hunting trips when it was in the -30s. And easier to pack for travel which is an advantage when you’re trying to fit all your gear in an expedition duffle for a multiple week hunt overseas. Will I buy this? Probably not as I think a super down pro and the gale force jacket will get me to where I need to be in terms of warmth and versatility for my next cold weather mountain hunt in a few weeks time. But I wouldn’t hesitate to pick one up if I required it.
 

Poser

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wait till Black Friday get this bad boy for 50% off aka 250 I bet it’s very similar in warmth it’s more durable and less packable but for 550$ in savings I think we all can sacrifice some pack space haha.
Can I get this in camo though? That alone adds an extra $200 :D
 

Lowg08

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The first lite chamberlain at $350 looks like quite the bargain in comparison right about now.

dave
I have a chamberlain and a gortex rain shell and I can layer a brooks down under it. Probably in for the same amount. Chamberlain 350, brooks down 285, Sitka dew point jacket 329. Yup just threw up in my mouth a bit. Only difference is I can separate and wear more. I guess
 
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Anyone who hunts real cold could appreciate it. I've wanted a Nunatak Kobuk for a while now, it's sort of the UL version of the same thing. Feathered Friends and Nunatak's box baffle jackets are around $600 plus options. For something with no lead time and a waterproof shell, this isn't so unreasonable.
But most folks are sitting on the couch complaining about how expensive hunting gear is during the times when this jacket is useful. I see why most won't have a need for it.

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Dirtbag

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As someone who has been buying their stuff since 2011 or so, one of the original main selling points was consumer direct and cutting out the huge retail markup that brands like Sitka used in their selling model. In the past few years, they've brought their price point up substantially (pre-pandemic and pre inflation) to the point that consumer direct isn't saving the customer a ton of money. Take a Guide jacket for example, currently retailing at $239, and IIRC, it wasn't too long ago those were $150 jackets.

The Burner jacket is probably great, and the more I've looked into it, it seems more of a super niche product for intended application. I guess if you want to match your camo that's great, but if I needed something truly for -40 degrees, I'd probably look at something like Arcteryx or Canada Goose first.
Much of the reason for going consumer direct was that Jason Hairston wasn't able to make clothing with the material he liked because it didn't meet big box consumer price levels. They were often hamstrung by big box buyers that would not put slow, high priced movers into their assortments.
 
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