Rain gear: Kuiu vs. Sitka

[Mike 338]

I'm researching durable rain gear, primarily Sitka Stormfront and Kuiu Yukon. I couldn't help but notice that Sitka, even at sale price is significantly more expensive than Kuiu at full price. So you guys that have used it, how do these brands/styles hold up by the end of a wet day including the long hike out? Does the direct contact of a backpack wet-out? Pictures don't indicate a "tail" on these jackets to prevent plumbers crack flash flood during a crawl. Your thoughts?

 

[Beendare]

I've owned many GoreTex products over the years....and the stuff is poor [to put it nicely]

GT works for about a year or two....then even with a refresh of the DWR...the stuff leaks. Every time!

Kuiu stuff works. You still have to refresh DWR every so often, but I've got one of the original rain jackets [back when it was Sitka. Its the same fabric used now in Kuiu in that almost white Stone color ] and it STILL works- what 15 years later?

Goretex wears out in my experience...and if the outer finish wets out...it leaks.

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[sneaky]

The new Kuiu stuff is nowhere near the quality of the original kuiu clothing or rain gear. Rubber is the ONLY waterproof material, but you get wet from the inside more than the outside. No "breathable" fabric from any manufacturer is going to be 100% waterproof all the time. HH Impertech if you want completely waterproof, otherwise you are just waiting for the material to wet out and leak.

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[willfrye027]

The new Kuiu stuff is nowhere near the quality of the original kuiu clothing or rain gear. Rubber is the ONLY waterproof material, but you get wet from the inside more than the outside. No "breathable" fabric from any manufacturer is going to be 100% waterproof all the time. HH Impertech if you want completely waterproof, otherwise you are just waiting for the material to wet out and leak.

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I’m curious how you’ve come to the conclusion on Kuiu stuff. I’ve been using their clothjnf since 2014 or so and I have not noticed a decline. But I agree that rubber/plastic is the only true waterproof material, but even then I’ve had stuff leak at the seams. Perfect rain gear is the holy grail of hunting gear but I think Kuiu gets pretty dang close.

 

[*zap*]

If you want true waterproof rain gear you need to check out Cofish Int'l. I have a jacket from them that is fleece lined pvc..

 

[Mike 338]

The new Kuiu stuff is nowhere near the quality of the original kuiu clothing or rain gear. Rubber is the ONLY waterproof material, but you get wet from the inside more than the outside. No "breathable" fabric from any manufacturer is going to be 100% waterproof all the time. HH Impertech if you want completely waterproof, otherwise you are just waiting for the material to wet out and leak.

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I used HH Impertech on a pack-in during rain, sleet, snow. I was pretty soaked from the inside out. It's a little bulky too.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I’m curious how you’ve come to the conclusion on Kuiu stuff. I’ve been using their clothjnf since 2014 or so and I have not noticed a decline. But I agree that rubber/plastic is the only true waterproof material, but even then I’ve had stuff leak at the seams. Perfect rain gear is the holy grail of hunting gear but I think Kuiu gets pretty dang close.

I’ve also had great luck with the Kuiu stuff. Between my son and I, we have 4 sets of rain gear, two Chugach, 1 Yukon, and 1 Teton. All have their place and all have worked well.


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[AKDoc]

Another vote for KUIU.

I have had the Yukon set for five or six years now, and I am very satisfied. It works as extremely effective rain gear day after day with strong fabric that is not prone to punctures from walking the brush. I've worn the heck out of it! The extra fabric for the Yukon at the knee and elbows started to fray and peel back, so I Aqua-sealed it at the edges last year. I've had a Chugach jacket and pants for two years now, and they are also fantastic with a stretcher fabric. The Chugach is lighter, and works well for me as a rain gear that is in my pack if needed, and when I need it sure does the job well. The Yukon set...for me...is for day after day of rain and pretty much all day wear...it is significantly heavier.

I also have a Sitka Stormfront jacket and pants...one of the early models...preceding my KUIU purchases. They have been very effective for rain gear...no complaints. I have had to patch the pants MANY times from puncture holes due to brush, as well as the jacket a few times. These are much lighter than the Yukon gear, so I continued to use them in my back pack after I bought the Yukon set. I switched over to the Chugach when the zipper failed on my Stormfront jacket. Again, no complaints from me...I got more than my money's worth...despite the huge price. Perhaps more recent Stormfronts are a more durable fabric.

If I had it to do all over again...I'd just buy the KUIU Yukon and Chugach based on quality, durability and price.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

For guys that have the Yukon pants, do you ever wear them over just a base layer for colder weather hunts where it might not be raining? Wondering if they would double as a late season pant.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

For guys that have the Yukon pants, do you ever wear them over just a base layer for colder weather hunts where it might not be raining? Wondering if they would double as a late season pant.

Yes. I was on a 4th season hunt in CO in 2017, mid to late November, and did exactly that. It was the day after a big snow storm. They worked out very well. I did the same thing this year during 1st season. We had a significant snow storm and had negative temperatures. They worked great!

 

[AK Troutbum]

On My last couple mountain hunts, the only pants that I took and wore were my Chugach. I spent 10 days in them last August, rain or shine.


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[AKDoc]

Yes over a base layer many times...I've also added a medium base layer over my next to skin base layer and then Yukon pants, and it has worked well.

 

[mcseal2]

Another fan of the Kuiu Yukon pants. I wear them over a base layer, almost never over another pant.

I took those and a First Lite Seak jacket on my moose hunt last fall. Both worked great in days of rain. I got the Seak on sale when ASAT went out.

 

[Weekender]

Another Yukon pant with base layer guy. If I know it’s a rain most of the day or in snow it’s Yukon pants with chugach coat. If I’m packing in then lighter rain gear is the choice.


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[bates]

I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of Arcteryx rain gear the more i use it.

I have the Beta Ar jacket and a few different pairs of the leaf pants both the alpha and alpha lt pants.

i would take those over the kuiu chugach and what i have tried from sitka. just shop around it can be had on sale. I feel I see more leaf sales than standard

the kuiu yukon is good stuff for specific uses, and durable no doubt but comes with added weight. Plus I’ve found it to take a while to dry out.

 

[LitenFast]

I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of Arcteryx rain gear the more i use it.

I have the Beta Ar jacket and a few different pairs of the leaf pants both the alpha and alpha lt pants.

i would take those over the kuiu chugach and what i have tried from sitka. just shop around it can be had on sale.

the kuiu yukon is good stuff for specific uses, and durable no doubt

Personally saving up for a Beta AR jacket and appreciate seeing this!


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[bates]

Personally saving up for a Beta AR jacket and appreciate seeing this!


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I’m blown away by their dwr treatment
Water just beads up and flies off the jacket but it’s also still new. But it’s better than any Sitka or kuiu I’ve had.

Plus they do use gore Tex pro. Not sure if it’s any better but Sitka is just starting to try it.

 

[Beendare]

For guys that have the Yukon pants, do you ever wear them over just a base layer for colder weather hunts where it might not be raining? Wondering if they would double as a late season pant.

Thats the system I wear on Kodiak..or on those coastla AK hunts- Rainpant over LJ's....works great.
The one year I wore my one yr old Sitka pant I got off of camofire...and my butt and legs were wet just about the whole trip. The Chugash stuff worked great but if I was buying them for AK- get the Yukon, much tougher.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

For non exertion you can’t beat rubber gear. Where it fails is it does not breathe and your base layers are paramount for wicking moisture off your skin.

No real experience on Kuiu rain gear but I’m hard pressed to not purchase a gore tex rain gear product. Ive owned a bunch of Arc’teryx Gear over the last 10 years and for anything non hunting it’s the only stuff I will concider. I’ve found when you live based off the rainiest place in Canada. Buy the thickest face gore tex pro shell jacket you can get. Don’t buy any of that light duty stuff or even the brushed face stuff if you wear it for extended periods or all day in it. Arc’teryx I’ve stuck with SV products and they last the longest, they are the heaviest duty and thickest fabrics.

I usually get 2-4 years out of a gore tex product before it’s toast. Bonus thing is it’s got a “guaranteed to keep you dry”.

There is a point in time no matter how clean you keep it or how much DWR is applied it will simply stop working, wet out like no tomorrow and in time delaminate. Gore tex will replace them if they aren’t up to snuff or delaminate. Yes I’ve had multiple sets of gear delaminate. Save your receipts because they ask for proof of purchase and they will replace it.

Sitka apparently has finally gone to a pro shell in their stormfront series for 2019 which I’ve been saying they should have done from as far back as 2015 when I started getting their gear. I would hope it’s the n80p stuff (thickest proshell to my knowledge) I guess I gotta wait till my stuff starts to fail before I get to try a set out.

 

[thebelzaringing]

Any of you guys tried the eVent fabric?

I'm much happier with its breathability than any of the gore-tex fabrics I've tried.

Can't take it hunting tho- its very loud.

I have planned on yukon pants for some time, just haven't got them yet.

I'll say that for active use, I've found the lack of stretch in gore-tex (hard shell) pants to be the number one discriminator. I wait until the last minute to wear them because natural movement, especially at the hips, requires either some stretch or a really baggy fit.