Sitka Jacket Options and Thorough Neurotic Analysis

[sdsliberty]

I'm a little crazy when it comes to purchasing gear. I'm working through a few options for a mid weight outer/insulation layer. Goal is to get a piece with the versatility to use in my system in both the midwest for tree stand whitetail (archery through early rifle) and CO 1st/2nd rifle. I really like the appeal of the streamlined backpack setup of an insulating layer(s) and a rain shell, but am pretty torn on some stellar reviews of the soft-shell options. Here are the pieces I'm considering and some of my very neurotic thoughts on each. I've settled on a pair of Timberline pants (really need to figure out sizing here too!) and maybe a pair of Ascents if I ever get into an early season active archery hunt.

Kelvin Lite Down Jacket - Seems to be pretty durable and warm. Has decent wind protection as well. Could work great as an outer layer for midwest archery and a insulating layer for CO 1st/2nd as well as under my Fanatic set late midwest tree stand. I like the ideal of the standard fit for a outer/insulating layer as well, not worried about having to play with chasing between a medium and large like I do with some of Sitka Gear. My biggest concerns with this are the use for archery season. It does say it's stretchy, and doesn't appear to be too bulky. Would excel glassing and in the tree stand well through the first half of the season.

Kelvin Active Jacket - May be a little lighter in warmth and wind protection than the down jacket, but quieter. I've read a lot about people loving this jacket over the last year. Doesn't look like it has the stretch that I would like in a performance fit jacket for archery. Sounds like it would excel while on the move and would be good for an outer layer in chilly early tree stand season.

Kelvin Lite Vest - My thoughts on the vests are that they would be excellent through archery tree stand and be great for active hunting as well. May not have the overall warmth that the Active Jacket would, but with a performance fit it would be easy to layer another insulating layer on top of it.

Jetstream Jacket - The piece that has me most conflicted. As a performance fit if I stay true to my size I would get a medium and would not likely be able to fit much insulation beneath it. I'm concerned about the lack of stretch with that size through archery season. And what would I do - insulate over it? If I size up I would be able to fit a puffy or vest underneath it if I had to, but then I negate the puffy/hard shell combo and don't have rain protection while also trying to make a performance fit piece work by sizing up. In my head I feel like a performance/standard insulating layer(s) with a standard/expedition hard shell would be a pretty nice fitting combo.

Jetstream Vest - Very similar to my thoughts on the Kelvin Lite vest, but with excellent wind protection and a little less insulating warmth. Would be an excellent archery and active piece, performance fit and easy to layer over - but does it make sense layering over wind protection?

 

[406unltd]

KLDJ too loud for bow hunt whitetail.

KAJ would be a decent addition for active hunt as a layer but not a good stationary top as a outer.

Jetstream would have decent capabilities but is a heavy option. With correct layers it could be used for both. Not super loud but def not quiet.

Traverse cold weather hoody could serve both roles and is quiet. The problem is that one hunt is an active rifle hunt and the other is I’m guessing a tree stand hunt with a bow for sketchy whitetails. It’s gonna be very hard to find one outer peice that works for both because most pieces are so task oriented today.

If it was me I would have two different tools because I have two very different jobs to do. With that said it all depends how cold you get and how much bulk you want on your body. I’d have a whitetail setup and a separate kit for the west. Lots of money which sucks but for me to be affective in both arenas and not ruin a chance with excessive noise ect..while in a stand I gotta have two separate setups. Here in MT i will hunt dec thru mid Jan in the river bottom for whitetail and it is cold as hell. I will use my old softshell stuff I don’t use anymore for anything else. I just layer a bunch under that and it works ok. I hate all the bulk though and it’s just not warm for extended time. That’s why if I was really into it I’d be getting specific whitetail stuff. If money is a problem then I would do either the traverse cold weather hoody or the jet stream with proper layers under them.

 

[Trial153]

Get the jet stream, with a puffy under it coupled with the windstopper its good moderate whitetail sits and will layer up for most of the the elk season. It plenty quite for bowhunting pretty much anything in NA.

I have all the pieces you listed btw.

 

[sdsliberty]

KLDJ too loud for bow hunt whitetail.

KAJ would be a decent addition for active hunt as a layer but not a good stationary top as a outer.

Jetstream would have decent capabilities but is a heavy option. With correct layers it could be used for both. Not super loud but def not quiet.

Traverse cold weather hoody could serve both roles and is quiet. The problem is that one hunt is an active rifle hunt and the other is I’m guessing a tree stand hunt with a bow for sketchy whitetails. It’s gonna be very hard to find one outer peice that works for both because most pieces are so task oriented today.

If it was me I would have two different tools because I have two very different jobs to do. With that said it all depends how cold you get and how much bulk you want on your body. I’d have a whitetail setup and a separate kit for the west. Lots of money which sucks but for me to be affective in both arenas and not ruin a chance with excessive noise ect..while in a stand I gotta have two separate setups. Here in MT i will hunt dec thru mid Jan in the river bottom for whitetail and it is cold as hell. I will use my old softshell stuff I don’t use anymore for anything else. I just layer a bunch under that and it works ok. I hate all the bulk though and it’s just not warm for extended time. That’s why if I was really into it I’d be getting specific whitetail stuff. If money is a problem then I would do either the traverse cold weather hoody or the jet stream with proper layers under them.

Thank you, I'll take a look at the traverse.

Get the jet stream, with a puffy under it coupled with the windstopper its good moderate whitetail sits and will layer up for most of the the elk season. It plenty quite for bowhunting pretty much anything in NA.

I have all the pieces you listed btw.

How does the sizing work for you to be able to layer without getting too baggy?

 

[Trial153]

Thank you, I'll take a look at the traverse.



How does the sizing work for you to be able to layer without getting too baggy?

I have two, my first and older one I needed to size up, I was a solid XL at the time and went with XXL. However I since lost 25 pounds and the newer seems way more true to size. I went with XL
If your on the cusp i say size up, other wise go your size. I can wear a core heavy weight and Kelvin active under my XL and its a good fit

 

[EdP]

I got a Kelvin Lite Down Jacket and found it WAY too loud. Just bending my arms at the elbows sounded like a potato chip bag. Sent it back and got a Kuiu Superdown Pro and it is much quieter. Both pack up well. The KLDJ has a more durable shell but neither is durable enough for brush. Since I have to wear something over top anyway most of the time, I don't need the shell to be more durable.

I was not impressed with Sitka CS on the return. They took 18 days to credit my account following confirmation they had received my return.