Does anyone have opinions on Sitka hunting clothes? I really like the garments I tried on in my local archery store;however, it is a bit pricey. Are the clothes worth the price?
The main selling point for Sitka is that their gear is designed to be a whole system. A lot of their stuff is made to zip into each other and it is supposed to be some of the most packable stuff out there. I don't think it's any better than what Scent Blocker has out there. Just to be clear though, I've never actually gotten to wear any of this stuff because they don't make anything in tall sizes, I just sold sporting goods for a little while and that was the boiled down Sitka pitch we were supposed to give.
IMO, if you are going to spend that much, get a set of Gray Wolf Woolens in Predator Fall Gray. The best camo pattern in the world, matched with 100% made in the USA quality straight out of Wisconsin. www.graywolfwoolens.com I won't wear anything else - and I've been wearing the stuff for like 10 years now.
I personally think anyone forking out this kind of money to sit in a treestand is wasting their hard earned money. This gear is meant for hunting in the mountains, and all that entails. Wide temperature ranges, a LOT of hiking/moving, Wind/water resistant... Tree stand hunters are better suited with much more affordable options that are only meant to keep a stationary person dry/warm. My $.02 anyway. I wouldn't mind having Sitka, but wouldn't pay that much for clothing, let alone clothing for me to go sit still in. Layering small fleeces (don't even need to be hunting related or camo) can keep me just as if not more warm/dry than these tactical hiking type hunting camo lines.
TEmbry is right, the design is somewhat geared for the individual who needs the ability to change with the weather. Which in most, cases happens in higher elevations. However, layering is a concept that should be adopted whether one sits for an extended period of time, or moves about. I have a different outlook on my apparrel, I want function wear which will last me many seasons to come. Bottom line, I feel I get what I pay for....no different than buying an entry level bow or high end like the Carbon Element... Where the Sitka is a must have is the rain gear.....or check out the Kuiu site...lots of buzz on that company, which was started by one of the original Sitka founders. I actually have been replacing my Sitka Gear with this...lost some weight, so was able to get gear in smaller sizes. !!! Read some of the Blogs, do some homework and in the end, it comes down to personal preference.
Here is something I posted on a snowmobile site..as I said whether you ride sleds, hunt, etc. Its a concept that is getting serious attention. Thought I would post this on here as a guide. I utilize this same concept in my hunting apparrel, layering which eliminates the need for the Stay Puff Marshmellow Man type jackets. Layering allows you to adapt to a change in weather, while at the same time allowing your skin to breathe and not sweat, which cotton does not allow. Polypropelene - This makes an excellent base layer fabric. i.e. Long-Johns, long sleeve shirt. This fabric helps pull moisture away from the body and dries very quickly. It's also very cheap, but not extemely durable. Capilene - Great fabric for shirts, boxers, pants. Durable fabric and comfortable, but not cheap. Polyester - I know, you hear this and you think 60's leisure suite. However it is a fairly durable, affordable, and warm fabric. Good for most types of clothing. Fleece - I know this is made of Polyester, but it is created in a unique way that it deserves its own category. Fleece is an excellent insulating layer, it is very warm, dries very quickly, help repel water, and is fairly durable. Windproof fleece makes a great shell, non-windproof is excellent to add warmth beneath windproof or waterproof layers. Nylon - Very durable. Usually used as a shell layer blended with other materials. Dries well, not very warm. Wool - Durable, dries quickly, and warm. Wool is beginning to make a comback as a clothing choice due to new processes that weave it tighter and can keep the fabric from being "itchy." Socks made with SmartWool are fantastic. Gore-Tex - Gore-Tex is not a stand alone material. It is always integrated with other materials. However it revolutionized clothing. It is basically a layer of material that is porous. The pores are large enough to allow water vapor (i.e. sweat) to pass through freely, yet the pores are small enough that liquid water (i.e. rain/snow) cannot pass through. This allows the sweat to escape and keep the rain out, the result is you will be about as dry as you can be in any condition.
Come to think of it I agree with the guys talking about wool. Wool is a natural scent blocker, you can wear it for a week straight and not be nearly as smelly as if you were wearing sitka gear. It will also keep you warm even when you're wet. All I hunt with in the winter is wool underlayers and a goretex shell.
That's some good advice and to the point of why I am looking at Sitka. I do a lot of hunting in the mountains and on the move. I am almost never in a tree stand. However, you bring up some great points to think about...especially the money part. A friend of mine told me that it has a "sport fit"....I am taking that as it's made to hump in..which I do a lot of. Do you all think that the other garments you were speaking of have the same qualities? Thanks.
BTW....just to put it out there...I just purchased the Eberlestock X2 with bow bucket....the thing rocks. I put 4 liters of water, a tripod, scope and other heavy stuff in it and cruised around the mountains for a day. I thought it worked excellent. really great quality material, zippers and all the details.
Some of the benefits of Sitka and Kuiu as well. The Kuiu seems to fit me better than the Sitka, but again, since loosing the weight, I can same the same for everything. What I prefer about the Kuiu is the ability for it to pack better than some of the similiar Sitka pieces. Weight wise, hard to beat.
I have the Sitka 90% pants and jacket, Celsius bibs and jacket, Traverse base layers. Love it and would highly recommend it. As far as the price ... camofire is your friend.
"Sooner" makes a great point! Camofire.com has some incredible deals on Sitka Gear...and if you're able to get a piece of Sitka on sale, it's a great investment. As some folks have said, Sitka is definitely a pricey option and it's obviously not for everybody. But if you're willing to make a long term investment in high quality gear, you can feel confident that Sitka is a good choice. As has been mentioned already the layering capabilities and performance fabrics used in Sitka are obvious factors that separate their gear from most others. But another differentiator that I think is worth noting is the Optifade camo pattern. I $hit you not, I wore Forest Optifade all last year (over 100 sits) and I was not spotted by one single deer (at least a deer that I saw). Deer would glance up into the tree on occasion, but never see something that bothered them. Two of my friends started wearing Sitka last year too and they both had similar experiences. I'm definitely sold on Forest Optifade. But that's just my $.02.
This is can be said for any piece of gear that one buys whether its clothing, boots, packs, tents, etc.....I look at it like this, a bow we can spend $700-$1000 and those are usually sold within the second year and replaced with the newest and greatest. Yet apparel and footwear is something that one would own for a longer time frame....and make the hunt more enjoyable. Sure one can hunt cold or with sore feet, but it sure does make it hard to concentrate..
I agree with you elkhuntinut.....I was in the military for a long time and the clothing they bought us was highend, and it made all the difference in the world and I ended up using the same gear year after year. But most of all, it made life so much easier. Think I am going to invest in the Sitka kit.
elkhuntinut, I agree 100%. Although I don't have the latest and greatest bow, I do have comfy clothing and boots. I walk out to my stands. Some are as far away from my house as almost a mile. I did this one time in uncomfortable boots and didn't do it again. I haven't spent a ton of money my clothes but, I make sure they are comfy.
Be sure to check out the Kuiu gear as well...and good luck and be sure to share your opinions in the future, will be looking forward to it. When it comes to ones gear the focus always seems to be the bow, sight, arrows, etc. which is important as well, but footwear, clothing and packs should also be as important for the out west hunter.
So I purchased all the Sitka layers. Jetstream jacket, jetstream vest, timberline pants, core and traverse tops and bottoms, traverse beanie, shooter gloves, gaiters, balaclava and ascent 14 pack So for I'm extremely impressed with the craftsmanship and thought that went into the Sitka line. All the pieces fit nicely when layered. The final test will come this season when I hunt WY and Northern California. I'll keep all posted on how the gear fairs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
