Sitka Incinerator vs. First Lite Sanctuary

[bsnedeker]

I'm in the market for a new late-season outer layering system for archery season. The two systems that speak to me are the Sitka and First Lite systems, but I'm open to anything that is warm, quiet, and cut with archery in mind. I hunt in MN until the end of December so it is generally between 10-20 degrees F, but can get lower than that.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what works best for them?

 

[mikear]

I'm in the market for a new late-season outer layering system for archery season. The two systems that speak to me are the Sitka and First Lite systems, but I'm open to anything that is warm, quiet, and cut with archery in mind. I hunt in MN until the end of December so it is generally between 10-20 degrees F, but can get lower than that.

Does anyone have any recommendations on what works best for them?

I have no experience with Sitka products, but I can speak to the First Lite Sanctuary bibs and Woodbury Jacket.

I do not recommend hiking in these layers for a couple reasons, but most importantly is that they are too warm and you will sweat. That said, if you’re only walking a hundred yards or so through flat terrain with no briars, etc, you’d be fine opening the jacket and bib leg zippers. The outer material holds up well for daily stationary usage on the ground or in a tree. I would say the garments would get worn out busting brush, however, that’s not their intent. I pack my jacket and bibs on my pack every time I hike in.

The outer material on the Sanctuary and Woodbury garments is the same. It is very quiet, sheds light drizzle/snow well with the DWR, and is very flexible/stretchy. It doesn’t attract burrs/stickers when crossing fences, etc and setting my pack on the ground. I also like that it does not seem to stick to the tree bark when I lean back in my stands.

With bow hunting in mind, the Woodbury jacket is more fitted in the arms than other jackets I’ve tried while still maintaining adequate insulation. I can layer a lightweight merino long sleeve shirt, Klamath hoodie (grid fleece style mid layer), furnace henley/quarter zip (heavyweight merino shirt, think heavy cotton sweatshirt), and my Uncompahgre puffy vest under this jacket to adjust for temp changes, all while being able to keep bulk down and not feel constricted in my movements. There are two hand warmer pockets “stacked” on top of each other on each side. One is zippered, one has a flap. I usually stuff my hands in the flap pocket and they work well to keep my ungloved hands warm. Next is the hood. There is a built in elastic cinch that surrounds your head like a halo. You adjust this to your liking and the hood moves with your head, it’s sweet. I can come to anchor and not worry about my hood interfering. I chose the Woodbury over the Sanctuary jacket since it has less insulation and is more versatile to me. I can’t imagine needing more jacket than the Woodbury.

The Sanctuary bibs are awesome, too. The leg/butt zipper is genius. It is shaped like an upside down “U” that you can open when nature calls without doffing the bibs. This zipper track runs continuously from the ankle, up the leg, arches across lower back, and down the opposite leg. This allows the zipper to function as regular leg zips as well. This is nice for venting when the day warms up and you don’t want to completely remove the bibs. The thigh cargo pockets are of the same stretch material as the bib outer, which is nice for tucking in excess tree rope (for RC style harness that attaches in front), rangefinder, release, etc. They provide quiet access to stored items with a flap closure. The suspender is nice and wide and provides good comfort, I don’t notice them digging in after wearing them all day. I can wear lightweight merino bottoms, furnace merino bottoms, and a hunting pant underneath the bibs comfortably.

As far as temperature ranges, obviously, everyone is different. These garments are definitely designed for very cold weather. I would say a safe stationary temperature range with proper layering for me would be 0°-45°F, possibly colder. I’m from Oklahoma so we don’t get quite as cold as Minnesota, but I’ve sat all day starting at 12° with a high of 30° and 5mph breeze very comfortably. Yesterday was 17° when I hiked in with a high of 45°, very little wind, and I sat all day. It was 31° when I returned to the truck. I’ve sat in 30mph winds at ~30° with the same layers. In each instance I never once got cold or felt like I needed to remove layers at mid day.

I hope this helps on the First Lite side of things, hopefully someone with Sitka experience will chime in.

 

[Wiscohunter]

I am watching with interest. I have tried on the Sitka stuff at Cabelas and was impressed, but can't find anyplace around here to try on the First Lite.

 

[Squirrels]

Mikear gave a fantastic description of the first lite pieces he mentioned. I have those pieces as well and echo his thoughts. I have no experience with the Sitka incinerator stuff but have had the Sitka fanatic and I did not like it and quickly sold it and bought the first lite Woodbury jacket and sanctuary bibs. I'm very happy with my choice!! The FL stuff can be had significantly cheaper as well. I got both first lite pieces for less than what 1 piece of the incenertor retails for. That was not a deciding factor for me. Just food for thought. I actually sold all my Sitka and have mostly first lite now.


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[Clearedhot1]

I am watching with interest. I have tried on the Sitka stuff at Cabelas and was impressed, but can't find anyplace around here to try on the First Lite.

You won’t either now that FL went direct to customer.


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[danarnold]

I only have a couple FL base items, the incinerator is the warmest I've ever used, has great pockets and is bow hunting quiet.
good luck

 

[Thedeerfarmer]

Sitka all the way, their stuff is cut to be able to draw a bow. I bow hunt through the third week of January in Illinois in the Fanatic suit. I use timberline pants and their core heavyweight as a base layer and hunt well below zero. I hear sitka is releasing an updated fanatic series though, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
-DF

 

[hunt1up]

I had the Incinerator suit for 2-3 seasons and recently bought the FL Sanctuary to compare side-by-side. I ended up selling the Sitka suit. Both are very very nice.

The Sitka is puffier. Not heavier, but puffier. It is also waterproof and the outer material is more rigid and noisy. The Sitka bibs are true to size and the jackets run smaller. My large Santuary jacket is bigger than the XL Sitka that I had.

The FL is more dense. Heavier in physical weight and not as puffy. It is not 100% waterproof. The material is soft and dead silent. The outer material is more fragile so I wouldn't walk through a bunch of brush with it on. For stand hunting it's not an issue.

I've only used the FL twice now but I really enjoy it and don't regret selling my Sitka suit. I was out for several hours at 15 degrees this past weekend with moderate layering and I wasn't cold at all.

I'd say they each take a little different approach to the same problem. Both will keep you very warm. What sold me on keeping the FL is just how comfortable, soft, and silent it is.

 

[setch]

I as well had both and used each for a month or so. I found the sitkas to pack-down more easily and most important to me, were more fitted, thus best for archery use. I found them both to be equally warm. I sold the FL set and kept the incinerator, which I now use for all types of late season deer hunting.

 

[Billy Goat]

Something different and maybe not what you are looking for, but I went to using an iwom suit. I really like it. Wear what you want to your stand and then put the suit on. You can actually wear the suit and pull the bottom up and draw it tight around your waist for walking. I have found this to be a better system for me. It is a bulky system. It won't easily fit into a day pack. But it will roll up into itself almost like a sleeping bag in a stuffsack. I can fit it into my exo 3500 easily and carry it into a stand when I'm hiking in. Makes it nice for places where you have a longer walk or hike to a stand. I also bow hunt with it late season. The bulk hasn't been an issue and the layout of the pockets work nice. Has a front pouch that is big enough to hold my binoculars and I keep my rangefinder in my hand warmer pocket.

 

[Shepherd]

I have the Sitka Incinerator and the First Lite Woodbury, not the Sanctuary. I have quite a bit of Sitka clothing and like every piece I have. I only have one piece from First Lite and it is the Woodbury. That said, I prefer the Woodbury for late season archery since its very quiet to wear (plus warm) and I consider the Incinerator too noisy for close-quarter whitetail archery hunting. I agree with mikear that its best to put on the Woodbury/Sanctuary/Incinerator once you reach your stand/blind - they're just too warm for moving around. I primarily use the Incinerator for those very cold days gun hunting due to the noise factor.

One thing to consider is getting a Heater Body Suit - that's what I wear for late season frigid treestand hunting. I've never gotten cold in the HBS and have treestand hunted in -20 weather with wind.

 

[Codyk315]

I have recently switched to all Sitka gear from Under Armour and a heater body suit and IWOM. I run the Fanatic system, and generally run cold, and it has kept me warm. I will say that the Fanatic and the Incinerator have a slightly noisy crinkle to them, however it is very muffled and can't be heard from more than 2-3 feet away (my brother and I both have them and have sat next to each in the blind). The only advantage of the Incinerator over the Fanantic is the waterproofing. I have never ran any FL gear though, so I can't speak to that.

On another note I do have both, heater body suit and the IWOM. I can safely say they both have pros and cons that would need to be considered before purchasing. So far the biggest game changer for me, was the Artic Shield Boot Insulators!! That's where its at!

 

[bsnedeker]

Nice, thanks for all the input on this topic! I will have to look into these body suits, never seen those before. Sounds like this is another of those things where it's a personal preference. I may just have to pull the trigger on the FL and Sitka and see which one I like better and sell the other.

Totally agree with Codyk on the boot insulators...I picked up a set of those this year, best hunting buy in a long time! I'm not even tempted to leave the stand early due to cold now. The only issue I'm having with my late-season gear right now is noise, so that's why I'm looking. I was able to take a doe last weekend with my Cabelas coat and bibs but she definitely heard me as I moved to draw my bow and was spooked when I shot her from 25. She predictably jumped the string and I hit her low and back, but got an artery so she didn't go far fortunately.

 

[OFFHNTN]

I have the FL Sanctuary bibs and jacket and it is the best cold weather clothing I have ever wore. Warm and extremely quiet.
Good luck with your decision!

 

[KoolBreeze]

I have no experience with Sitka products, but I can speak to the First Lite Sanctuary bibs and Woodbury Jacket.

I do not recommend hiking in these layers for a couple reasons, but most importantly is that they are too warm and you will sweat. That said, if you’re only walking a hundred yards or so through flat terrain with no briars, etc, you’d be fine opening the jacket and bib leg zippers. The outer material holds up well for daily stationary usage on the ground or in a tree. I would say the garments would get worn out busting brush, however, that’s not their intent. I pack my jacket and bibs on my pack every time I hike in.

The outer material on the Sanctuary and Woodbury garments is the same. It is very quiet, sheds light drizzle/snow well with the DWR, and is very flexible/stretchy. It doesn’t attract burrs/stickers when crossing fences, etc and setting my pack on the ground. I also like that it does not seem to stick to the tree bark when I lean back in my stands.

With bow hunting in mind, the Woodbury jacket is more fitted in the arms than other jackets I’ve tried while still maintaining adequate insulation. I can layer a lightweight merino long sleeve shirt, Klamath hoodie (grid fleece style mid layer), furnace henley/quarter zip (heavyweight merino shirt, think heavy cotton sweatshirt), and my Uncompahgre puffy vest under this jacket to adjust for temp changes, all while being able to keep bulk down and not feel constricted in my movements. There are two hand warmer pockets “stacked” on top of each other on each side. One is zippered, one has a flap. I usually stuff my hands in the flap pocket and they work well to keep my ungloved hands warm. Next is the hood. There is a built in elastic cinch that surrounds your head like a halo. You adjust this to your liking and the hood moves with your head, it’s sweet. I can come to anchor and not worry about my hood interfering. I chose the Woodbury over the Sanctuary jacket since it has less insulation and is more versatile to me. I can’t imagine needing more jacket than the Woodbury.

The Sanctuary bibs are awesome, too. The leg/butt zipper is genius. It is shaped like an upside down “U” that you can open when nature calls without doffing the bibs. This zipper track runs continuously from the ankle, up the leg, arches across lower back, and down the opposite leg. This allows the zipper to function as regular leg zips as well. This is nice for venting when the day warms up and you don’t want to completely remove the bibs. The thigh cargo pockets are of the same stretch material as the bib outer, which is nice for tucking in excess tree rope (for RC style harness that attaches in front), rangefinder, release, etc. They provide quiet access to stored items with a flap closure. The suspender is nice and wide and provides good comfort, I don’t notice them digging in after wearing them all day. I can wear lightweight merino bottoms, furnace merino bottoms, and a hunting pant underneath the bibs comfortably.

As far as temperature ranges, obviously, everyone is different. These garments are definitely designed for very cold weather. I would say a safe stationary temperature range with proper layering for me would be 0°-45°F, possibly colder. I’m from Oklahoma so we don’t get quite as cold as Minnesota, but I’ve sat all day starting at 12° with a high of 30° and 5mph breeze very comfortably. Yesterday was 17° when I hiked in with a high of 45°, very little wind, and I sat all day. It was 31° when I returned to the truck. I’ve sat in 30mph winds at ~30° with the same layers. In each instance I never once got cold or felt like I needed to remove layers at mid day.

I hope this helps on the First Lite side of things, hopefully someone with Sitka experience will chime in.

^^^^^ Excellent post!

I echo everything he said regarding the Woodbury. I bought one a few weeks ago and am well pleased with it those far. I like it so much that the last few times I've hunted from a tree stand I packed it in, removed all of my top garments except a thin base layer and put the woodbury on. Even at temps in the low 50s and was comfortable. I hate that they've apparently discontinued it. I think they should have introduced a matching bib instead.

 

[Squirrels]

^^^^^ Excellent post!

I echo everything he said regarding the Woodbury. I bought one a few weeks ago and am well pleased with it those far. I like it so much that the last few times I've hunted from a tree stand I packed it in, removed all of my top garments except a thin base layer and put the woodbury on. Even at temps in the low 50s and was comfortable. I hate that they've apparently discontinued it. I think they should have introduced a matching bib instead.

New jacket and bibs coming for mid season. Less insulation than Woodbury


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[mikear]

New jacket and bibs coming for mid season. Less insulation than Woodbury


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I’m excited for this setup. I’ll keep my Woodbury and Sanctuary for cold sits. They definitely have a mid season gap right now.

 

[Agross]

I got the Woodbury just for late bow season and gun season. In the past I have never worn a heavier top while bow hunting. Now that I have the Woodbury I can. Absolutely love this coat. Can layer under it when it gets real cold. Wish I would've bought it years ago.

 

[Clearedhot1]

I’m excited for this setup. I’ll keep my Woodbury and Sanctuary for cold sits. They definitely have a mid season gap right now.

I got through the northern IL mid season by running the catalyst, furnace, chama, and a mix between the uncomp jacket and vest. Alot of moving parts but it got the job done.


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[mikear]

I got through the northern IL mid season by running the catalyst, furnace, chama, and a mix between the uncomp jacket and vest. Alot of moving parts but it got the job done.


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My setup is similar. On mornings with 40°F+, I’m running North Branch jacket and bibs, Cirrus or Uncompahgre vest, Furnace set, and Klamath. The Woodbury also works well if you’re stationary and not above 50°. You can shed all but your base layer top under the jacket in these conditions. There’s almost always wind here so that helps to keep from getting too warm.