Sitka Gear Advice

[Duckbutt]

Heading to CO for an OTC elk trip next week.  I've been buying a little bit of Sitka here and there for a year picking up close out deals on the original stuff.

Question:  Core base layer top, Celcius Vest and 90% jacket.  For a 10 to 11k hunt in S.CO (temps from 20s to 70s possible, what additional layers, if any would you recommend?  This is a bivy style trip so I'm trying to minimize weight but still have what I need.

Really stoked after seeing the reports come in from some of you guys.  Stay safe and have fun everyone!

[Onions]

Duckbutt,
My personal experience with the core base layer was poor. I froze wearing it! It wicked moisture so well, if felt it wick the warmth away.
(This is all treestand based). A active hunt wear you are constantly moving like elk, might be different.
I personall like the Chama from First Lite much better. Wicks well, warm,even when wet, dries quick, and will not stink after many days w/o washing (trust me I have tested this to the extreme!)
If you are going to stay with the Sitka stuff, I would most definitley add the Traverse shirt.
This is a warm versitle shirt. Wear it over the Core shirt , or just wear it next to your ski I feel its warmst right next to your skin.
My two cents

chris <><

[Steve O]

Julian,

I'd ditch the Celsius vest for a Kelvin vest and add a Traverse shirt, Mountain pants, and some OLD Downpour/Nimbus raingear or the new Stormfront Light raingear and you would have everything you need to be comfortable in any weather or any activity level for elk,muley, sheep or goat hunting out west.

[Gehrke145]

I have a bunch of Sitka and the norm for me on a backpack trip is Kelvin vest,90% jacket, ascent pants with thermal base layer bottoms from cabelas and 2 sitka shirts.  I normally bring a set of frog toggs and just stay out of the oak brush.

[Matty]

I just finished my 3rd weekend and it was in the 80's.....Again... Miserably hot here right now  All I have been wearing are my Celcius jacket and Ascent pants and once the sun comes up I lost the jacket and just wear an under aromour cold gear shirt.  Sooo Hot!!
It does get waayy down at night so be prepared for 20's in your tent..

[Duckbutt]

Steve,

I'm buying the close outs for a reason...LOL.

[kadbow]

I'd recommend a set of merino wool long johns.  It warms up quick but you want to be warm for the prime time in the morning.  The wool base also helps keep your stink down.  The 90% jacket is not that warm.  It also cools down pretty quik at nigh at 10k+.

[Duckbutt]

Originally posted by kadbow:
 The 90% jacket is not that warm.  

That's kind of what I needed to know.  I've got some non Sitka stuff I can add, but don't want to take in more than I need.

[PowDuck]

Originally posted by Duckbutt:
That's kind of what I needed to know.  I've got some non Sitka stuff I can add, but don't want to take in more than I need.

I don't know about Sitka gear (Except it's way expensive) but I do know about carrying in more than you need. I always do it even trying not to. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, within reason of course.

Good luck on your hunt. I'm not getting to go this year    

[YORNOC]

I agree with a high quality merino wool base layer. Everything gets a lot easier once you start with that.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Merino wool base layer for warmth.

I am not sure that Sitka gear is going to turn out any better than other synthetics for true cold or true wet weather.  Time will tell.  Lots of guys love it but the same was true of underarmor at one time.

I can say that when the weather is horrible and you get very cold or wet, every piece of synthetic clothing I have used in my years in the army and decades in the woods has proven to be essentially useless.  Particularly when wet, and we get a lot of that where I live.  

I hunt in wool thermals, wool pants, and a wool shirt when it is cold or wet. I always have a waterproof jacket in the pack just in case.  When it is hot I hunt in cotton camo pants and a camo t-shirt with a wool overshirt for cold mornings. The cotton clothing is way cheaper than Sitka and works perfect in hot weather.

Give us a full report on your Sitka gear and what the goods and bads were if you would.

[Guru]

Duck, I've hunted in all kind of weather since starting to use Sitka 4 years ago, including some very nasty stuff!  It's always come thru with flying colors

I think what you have is a good start for what you described.

What I've found it the Core base excels for active hunting. It wicks very quickly and will keep you cool while hiking and other times of high exertion.   For that reason, it's great for warm weather hunts as well. I've hunt in 90 deg. weather and was way more comfortable than wearing "clammy" cotton.

I'd add a layer of Traverse for times when warmth is needed. This is what I wear against my skin when hunting in cold weather. It's cozy warm against the skin. Even in extremely cold weather, this is what I wear against my skin. I stay warm.


The Kelvin vest Steve spoke of is awesome! I have a Kelvin jacket. For warmth to weight ratio, there's nothing better than Kelvin!  It weighs nothing, and is the warmest single piece of clothing I've ever worn.

Since you already have a 90% jacket, Celcius vest, And core base shirt....I would add...

Celcius pants, Traverse top and bottom, and for times when you're hunkerd down and need to stay warm...a kelvin jacket.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[Duckbutt]

The Sitka I had was impressive.  Not quite a complete system but the base layers were better than the UA I'd worn in the past.  Had two core tops and washed/switched them every day or two and they dried much quicker than UA which was nice.  Will keep adding over time.  The kelvin jacket sounds like one to save for.

[Guru]

Thanks for the feedback Julian    

[highpoint forge]

I have everything Sitka makes, literally everything (plenty of it still in its wrapping plastic from Sitka), save the new down jacket, and can't figure out how to layer the stuff to stay warm in a ground blind when I have to sit absolutely dead still. That's 95% of my hunting here in TX. No matter what my forearms always get cold. Wind picks up at +/-20F in South TX and I start shivering. I will add that I have very low body fat and this is a real factor for me. I'm not well insulated as a human being.

I still can't figure out how to stay totally toasty in Sitka Gear.....

[Steve O]

Alex,

I don't know what to tell you...if you get cold wearing a Kelvin Jacket, you may have to put on a few pounds!

I went on a brown bear hunt last year.  We sat from 7am to 6pm in a blind, with our feet in a salmon river, pretty much in constant, never ending relentless rain.  I always keep a Kevin Vest or Jacket in my pack.  One afternoon was extra chilly.  I dug out my vest and slipped it on.  In about 2 minutes, even my cold feet were fine.

Any of the rain jackets or a 90% Jacket as a outer layer to cut the wind and some Kelvin under that and over some base layers should do it.

I don't have any incinerator duds yesterday, but have handled them at some shows--they are WARM!

[Guru]

Alex, What are you wearing against your skin bud?

[Duckbutt]

The piece of gear that I tried that really really impressed me was the Ex Officio Give and Go Boxers.  I'll not go into inappropriate details here but will just say that they are a great product for the minimalist!  You'll probably have to go to some hippy hiker establishment to find them but they are essential hunting gear for me in the future.

[amar911]

A Kelvin Jacket or Kelvin Vest is wonderful for layering under a 90% jacket for warmth. They are very light to carry and stuff into small spaces. They also make great pillows when placed in a stuff sack. For colder weather I would recommend the Traverse underwear. I also like merino wool underwear. The 90% pants are great. Those were the only pants I wore on my moose hunt in the Yukon with long underwear beneath the pants. For rain get any of the lightweight, breathable membrane jackets and pants from North Face, Mountain Hardware, Marmot, etc. They are light and fold into small spaces. The material is somewhat noisy, but who cares when it is raining. I use the Ex Officio boxers too, and I know what you are saying!

I love my Sitka Gear. I have three of their packs, three pieces of headgear, all of their long underwear including extras, the Ascent pants, 90% pants, 3 of the 90% jackets, two sets of the Celcius jackets and bibs, 3 Celcius vests, the Kelvin jacket and vest, and probably something I'm not thinking of. I also bought a bunch more for my son. I hate to think of how much money I have invested in Sitka Gear products, but it is way more than I initially thought I ever would. I got extra Sitka clothing so I could leave some of it where I do a lot of hunting and not have to haul it around every time, but still have the same clothing at home when I go elsewhere. If I had to limit myself to two pieces of the Sitka Gear clothing it would be the 90% jacket and pants because they really are that versatile. A Primaloft jacket, whether it is the Sitka Kelvin or some other brand, turns that outfit into something that works in colder weather. I don't have the Kelvin pants, but I bet they would work well too for those who sit in treestands a lot.

There is other good clothing on the market that is much less expensive than Sitka Gear. I just think the Sitka Gear is the best for many uses (but not everything).

Allan

[John Havard]

We sell Sitka Gear because it's simply the best hunting clothing out there.  I've been hunting in Alaska every fall since 1975 which means I've been hunting in cold and often wet weather.  I used Sitka Gear extensively earlier this month when taking Mike & Jason Westvang moose hunting in the Wrangells and as always, it performed superbly.

I used to do a bit of mountain climbing and some ice climbing when I lived in Alaska.  One mantra to ALWAYS remember is this:  start cool, stay cool, end cool.  If you are leaving camp put all of your outer layers inside your backpack and have ONLY long underwear on your top.  You work hard climbing and you will sweat.  The key to staying warm after you stop is to get that inner layer next to your skin dry ASAP and then start pulling out warmer outer layers from your backpack.  You need a big backpack anyway so why not use it intelligently?

Let's discuss the base layer first.  And remember - I have underwear older than many of you young farts so my opinion is based on decades of mountain/western/cold/wet hunting/mountain climbing.  Wool underwear, including merino wool (of which I have several sets), stays wet a LONG time if you perspire.  I've used it extensively through the years and have lots of first-hand experience with it.  Sure, it will help keep you warm even when wet.  But who wants to keep a wet layer of insulation next to their skin?  If you wear a Traverse top against your skin and sweat in it all you need to do is stop and give it a few minutes to dry as your core temp is cooling down.  By the time you're ready to start layering up it will be dry, especially in the high country where the relative humidity is normally quite low.  Wool is an okay base layer but a wicking/warm base layer like the Traverse is definitely better.

The outer layers of Sitka Gear are largely a matter of personal preference.  They are all purpose-designed and fit different hunting situations.  My personal use in Alaska calls for traverse bottoms & tops, the 90% pant, celcius jacket & kelvin vest, along with the regular (not the lightweight) stormfront rain gear.  That combination has served me quite well in some nasty conditions.

Give Dan a call at the shop and he can get you fixed up with whatever you need.

John