SITKA Ambient Collection

[mtwarden]

hmmm the hoody is only 13 oz

 

[Dkuczek]

hmmm the hoody is only 13 oz

Assuming the jacket is supposed to be 13oz and the hoody 18oz? 13oz I can live with for a mid layer

 

[mtwarden]

Assuming the jacket is supposed to be 13oz and the hoody 18oz? 13oz I can live with for a mid layer

the jacket used 150 g/m2 insulation, the hoody 100 g/m2- that could account for the heavier weight of the jacket; looks like they both use 20d fabric

 

[Kostrize]

Also wonder why they didn't include polygiene odor control on this like they did with KAH.

This is a fair question. The polyester fleece insulation of this line being sweated out with use as an active piece would merit an odor treatment I would think. Maybe they ran into an issue getting Primaloft to apply the treatment?

 

[Justin Crossley]

I received my jacket yesterday. It was too warm to wear for long but I liked the feel and the fit. The jacket reminds me of a jacket liner and I think it will be a good layering piece. I may order the hoodie to try out as well.

 

[Bump79]

I’m a little offended by a $280 tag AND still made in Asia somewhere.

I completely agree. As a community, we should be expecting more. Sitka is owned by Gore so essentially if you are buying a Goretex Jacket (which this piece isn't obviously) and you buy from the Sitka online store you are buying straight from the manufacturer. They even own their pattern so it's not like some companies (First Lite, Pnuma, etc) where they purchase the rights to the camo. So you're avoiding all the middle man markups and still paying a crazy markup % for a piece made overseas.

We should try to support companies like Gulch Gear who are at least making the gear in the US. They have a radical price transparency policy and tell you exactly where everything comes from, how much it costs and much it costs to make it.

This is their Alpha Direct Vest.

Men's Inceptor Insulated VestMedium / Cross Cover® Brown

Insulated Vest: The most breathable hunting vest on the market using two of the biggest names in technical textiles, Polartec® and Toray®. The combination of Polartec's Alpha® Direct, designed for the US Special Forces, and Toray's Dot-Air, designed for the Japanese Summer Olympics team to...

gulchgear.com

Men's Inceptor Insulated Vest

Copyright 2020, Gulch LLC Product: Men's Inceptor Insulated Vest Product Description: Active Insulation Mid/Late Season Hunting Vest Vest Weight:Medium: 13.3 oz.Large: 13.8 oz.XLarge: 15.0 oz.2XLarge: 16.0 oz. Total Cost for Gulch LLC: Manufacturing + Ingredients = Total Cost Medium: $80.83...

gulchgear.com

 

[Justin Crossley]

I completely agree. As a community, we should be expecting more. Sitka is owned by Gore so essentially if you are buying a Goretex Jacket (which this piece isn't obviously) and you buy from the Sitka online store you are buying straight from the manufacturer. They even own their pattern so it's not like some companies (First Lite, Pnuma, etc) where they purchase the rights to the camo. So you're avoiding all the middle man markups and still paying a crazy markup % for a piece made overseas.

We should try to support companies like Gulch Gear who are at least making the gear in the US. They have a radical price transparency policy and tell you exactly where everything comes from, how much it costs and much it costs to make it.

This is their Alpha Direct Vest.

Men's Inceptor Insulated VestMedium / Cross Cover® Brown

Insulated Vest: The most breathable hunting vest on the market using two of the biggest names in technical textiles, Polartec® and Toray®. The combination of Polartec's Alpha® Direct, designed for the US Special Forces, and Toray's Dot-Air, designed for the Japanese Summer Olympics team to...

gulchgear.com

Men's Inceptor Insulated Vest

Copyright 2020, Gulch LLC Product: Men's Inceptor Insulated Vest Product Description: Active Insulation Mid/Late Season Hunting Vest Vest Weight:Medium: 13.3 oz.Large: 13.8 oz.XLarge: 15.0 oz.2XLarge: 16.0 oz. Total Cost for Gulch LLC: Manufacturing + Ingredients = Total Cost Medium: $80.83...

gulchgear.com

That vest is $189.99 vs Sitka Aerolite Vest (the closest I could find) is $199.99

Doesn't seem like much of a difference to me unless I'm missing something?

Sitka is probably making more profit margin due to their size but I don't fault a company for that personally.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

I received my jacket yesterday. It was too warm to wear for long but I liked the feel and the fit. The jacket reminds me of a jacket liner and I think it will be a good layering piece. I may order the hoodie to try out as well.

Justin, can you help a little with the fit of the jacket compared to other mid layers?
I am seriously considering buying this jacket and giving it a go on a trip to Ireland in mid September as well as using it for hunting as a mid layer. But curious if the fit of the jacket is roomy enough for something like a sweater underneath or if it is cut to wear more like a base layer only underneath.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Justin, can you help a little with the fit of the jacket compared to other mid layers?
I am seriously considering buying this jacket and giving it a go on a trip to Ireland in mid September as well as using it for hunting as a mid layer. But curious if the fit of the jacket is roomy enough for something like a sweater underneath or if it is cut to wear more like a base layer only underneath.

I believe it's designed to go directly over your base layer and then add additional insulation or a hard shell over the top.

I'm 5'10" and 195 lbs. Mine is the full-zip jacket in size large. An additional mid-layer like a thin fleece or sweater would fit underneath but that's not how I see myself using it.

I'm anticipating using a short or long sleeve merino base layer, the Ambient, a puffy vest and/or jacket, and a rain shell when needed.

I'll report how everything layers after I try it out.

 

[Bump79]

That vest is $189.99 vs Sitka Aerolite Vest (the closest I could find) is $199.99

Doesn't seem like much of a difference to me unless I'm missing something?

Sitka is probably making more profit margin due to their size but I don't fault a company for that personally.

The price alone isn't exactly the problem. One company is assembling in the United States (for $10 less), the other nearly exclusively manufacturers overseas. Sitka's markup has to be incredible.

I'm not some anti-capitalist I'm just pointing out that as a community we probably should try to support a company who is paying fair wages and gives Americans jobs. For $10 less than Sitka as you pointed out.

Closest example I can think of is if Mystery Ranch charged the same prices as Stone Glacier. At least SG assembles here. Obviously the packs aren't the same but you catch my drift.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

I believe it's designed to go directly over your base layer and then add additional insulation or a hard shell over the top.

I'm 5'10" and 195 lbs. Mine is the full-zip jacket in size large. An additional mid-layer like a thin fleece or sweater would fit underneath but that's not how I see myself using it.

I'm anticipating using a short or long sleeve merino base layer, the Ambient, a puffy vest and/or jacket, and a rain shell when needed.

I'll report how everything layers after I try it out.

I appreciate the feedback. I anticipated using the jacket the same way you are considering it, as a mid layer with a shell or outer insulator over top, and essentially a base underneath. Was just curious how it seemed to fit. You are almost my exact size, so knowing the large is a good fit for you is great to hear as well, as that is what I would have ordered.

 

[slowelk]

I believe it's designed to go directly over your base layer and then add additional insulation or a hard shell over the top.

I'm 5'10" and 195 lbs. Mine is the full-zip jacket in size large. An additional mid-layer like a thin fleece or sweater would fit underneath but that's not how I see myself using it.

I'm anticipating using a short or long sleeve merino base layer, the Ambient, a puffy vest and/or jacket, and a rain shell when needed.

I'll report how everything layers after I try it out.

I feel like wearing wool under this uber high-tech synthetic layer defeats the purpose (to manage moisture). The wool will hold moisture. To me it would make sense to wear a lightweight synthetic base like the core lightweight or similar.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I feel like wearing wool under this uber high-tech synthetic layer defeats the purpose (to manage moisture). The wool will hold moisture. To me it would make sense to wear a lightweight synthetic base like the core lightweight or similar.

That's a good point for sure. The wool doesn't move the moisture as fast but it smells better. Haha

The newer Merino blends are actually pretty good from my experience. A lot of the time I'll wear a long-sleeve Merino blend under the Sitka Fanatic Hoodie and they seem to work well together.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I believe it's designed to go directly over your base layer and then add additional insulation or a hard shell over the top.

I'm 5'10" and 195 lbs. Mine is the full-zip jacket in size large. An additional mid-layer like a thin fleece or sweater would fit underneath but that's not how I see myself using it.

I'm anticipating using a short or long sleeve merino base layer, the Ambient, a puffy vest and/or jacket, and a rain shell when needed.

I'll report how everything layers after I try it out.

I appreciate the feedback. I anticipated using the jacket the same way you are considering it, as a mid layer with a shell or outer insulator over top, and essentially a base underneath. Was just curious how it seemed to fit. You are almost my exact size, so knowing the large is a good fit for you is great to hear as well, as that is what I would have ordered.

Okay, I tested this out with some different layers underneath and on the outside. I see why John Barklow is excited about this jacket. It seems like it will work well for a ton of situations.

The shell has an interesting feel to it. It's soft, quiet, and stretchy but also feels like it will be durable at the same time. Some real testing will be needed on that obviously.

A base layer under the Ambient jacket is a loose, comfortable fit.

A base layer and a hooded fleece pullover under the Ambient are a comfortable fit.

The same combos above with a Kelvin Aerolite vest over the top is a great fit. Replace the vest with a Kelvin Aerolite jacket and the fit is great as well.

One interesting thing I noticed and my only gripe so far is the forearms and cuffs are a bit bulky/loose. It's odd because one of my complaints about the Aerolite jacket and some of the other Sitka tops is the forearms and cuffs are too tight.

 

[StopMakingSense]

I would agree with you on that sizing for the forearms and cuffs on all of my Sitka. I wish I could fit a medium but my chest is too big and the lengths aren’t great. The large chest is great and lengths are awesome but it’s baggy with the forearms, cuffs, and stomach. The Sitka large fit is definitely trying to appease a lot of different body types. Definitely not an Arc’teryx fit.

I love my Ambient. I do wish it would slender down in the above areas but I guess guys with a bigger stomach or tree trunk arms wouldn’t fit.

 

[dkell]

@mtwarden

Quick question for you. Would wearing a merino base layer in conjunction with the ambient hoody be defeating the purpose of the evolve insulation? From how I understand it, merino pulls moisture in then spreads it around while maintaining relative warmth. It seems that the optimal set up would be a synthetic base layer in conjunction with the hoody. However, I could be completely off-base here.

 

[mtwarden]

@mtwarden

Quick question for you. Would wearing a merino base layer in conjunction with the ambient hoody be defeating the purpose of the evolve insulation? From how I understand it, merino pulls moisture in then spreads it around while maintaining relative warmth. It seems that the optimal set up would be a synthetic base layer in conjunction with the hoody. However, I could be completely off-base here.

I don't think so. Merino just takes a little longer to move moisture (and dry) vs most syns. The Evolve (or Direct) will work quicker with syn base layers (talking like weights), but it'll still work with merino- albeit slower.

 

[WRM]

I watched the Sitka promo video. Looks to me like a "reinvention" of tech used by Buffalo Systems for decades. I own and use many of their pieces and just throw a light camo shirt over it for whatever area I'm in. I'll pass on the Sitka premium, thanks.

 

[mtwarden]

I watched the Sitka promo video. Looks to me like a "reinvention" of tech used by Buffalo Systems for decades. I own and use many of their pieces and just throw a light camo shirt over it for whatever area I'm in. I'll pass on the Sitka premium, thanks.

you want to link what piece from Buffalo Systems most closely resembles the Ambient pieces?

 

[WRM]

you want to link what piece from Buffalo Systems most closely resembles the Ambient pieces?

Why, so we can argue it to the point of a dead horse? And, I never said they "resembled" each other.

The Sitka interior seems clearly to be some version/iteration of "pile" that's been around forever. Sitka bumps a "breathable" face while BS uses pertex to get a "waterproof" effect, with stated intention. The BS pieces breathe pretty well, though you do need to learn to use the ample vent zips to control moisture, at times (i.e. high relative humidity and exertion). They are "different", but surely not enough for me to let go of $300 for the Sitka. True, BS has NO camo patterns, but that's super easy to accommodate. You want Sitka--get you some!

Others criticize KUIU because their literature certainly makes it seem like they "invented" a bunch of magical fabrics. I'm not saying they haven't been involved in developing some, but they mostly appear to have sourced stuff developed in Japan, for example. I like some of their heavy "beanie" hats--and they use a version of pile, just like BS does.

Outdoor gear now seems a lot like the stream of "new" rifle calibers. Something that may marginally improve on something else but is touted as the new "sliced bread".