Highly packable soft shell outer layer?

[EYJONAS!]

Sounds like a great system!!!

It works for me and my needs plus for the majority its fairly inexpensive.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

To the OPs original use case, I found myself struggling a bit with my dec whitetail hunts. Hike into my preferred spot was 1.5 miles, through water. Several days temps were right around freezing with rain for a couple hours.

Never been so cold in my life.

Personally I’m considering a synthetic puffy, thinking it might hold up better on the hike in with perspiration and wet conditions. I will be running it under a rain jacket on the way in... my down jacket was pretty soaked when I wore it under my rain gear. I have an OR synthetic puffy at my house in CO I’m going to try out.

 

[Shangobango]

I haven't seen or worn the M7 I have just talked to the guys about it a bit. As stated above by snowy it is basically going to be more of a late season light weight hunting shell complete with a fleece backer for a little added warmth. I am not sure this is a need item for myself but you never know.

I like the M5 gear, for the price I think it is probably just as good or it would be tough to tell a difference between it or and Arc'teryx piece. Which I'm not paying 600 for a rain coat. I myself like the fabric, its quiet and comfortable to move around in a bit. Running their gear in a layer system it is nice to have the vents lined up with one another to unzip and cool off. So far through 1 season it has served me well.

The combination of using the raingear basically as a shell over my layers has really been a great change to my style of hunting. Its easy to not get so stoved up, everything is light and the biggest part is I no longer have a bulky jacket with me on top of everything.

Here's my layer list:

Early and Most of the season

32 Cool Active shirt
32 Cool Waffle LS Tee or Merino LS Tee
32 Cool Active Hoody or Heavy Weight Hoody
Midweight Quarter Zip Pull Over
32 Degree Down Vest
Puffy North Face Coat
M5 Series Gear

As you can see I'm not running a lot of high end shit but I say why when it's working for me. You can buy that 32 cool stuff all day long at Costco, or direct. A whole outfit costs less than 50 bucks.

Throughout the season I'll adjust and add or subtract things too but the M5 never leaves my pack.

I am going to check out some 32 Cool stuff. First I am hearing of it, we don’t have Costco down here.

 

[Shangobango]

To the OPs original use case, I found myself struggling a bit with my dec whitetail hunts. Hike into my preferred spot was 1.5 miles, through water. Several days temps were right around freezing with rain for a couple hours.

Never been so cold in my life.

Personally I’m considering a synthetic puffy, thinking it might hold up better on the hike in with perspiration and wet conditions. I will be running it under a rain jacket on the way in... my down jacket was pretty soaked when I wore it under my rain gear. I have an OR synthetic puffy at my house in CO I’m going to try out.

I can get away being dressed pretty lightly for the most part. I need to be able to layer up though when I get ready for a long sit.

Becomes quite the juggling act really

 

[ThunderNocked]

I am going to check out some 32 Cool stuff. First I am hearing of it, we don’t have Costco down here.

Check out CamoFire as well - I got all my Merino Wool for CHEAP comparetively. I saw on Rokslide where it BlackOvis Merino was as highly thought of and more often recomended as the Big names - Sitka, First Lite and Kuiu. I got them for half to a quarter of those big names.

 

[ThunderNocked]

To the OPs original use case, I found myself struggling a bit with my dec whitetail hunts. Hike into my preferred spot was 1.5 miles, through water. Several days temps were right around freezing with rain for a couple hours.

Never been so cold in my life.

Personally I’m considering a synthetic puffy, thinking it might hold up better on the hike in with perspiration and wet conditions. I will be running it under a rain jacket on the way in... my down jacket was pretty soaked when I wore it under my rain gear. I have an OR synthetic puffy at my house in CO I’m going to try out.

I know here - normally you don't want to wear the puffy layers while moving. THey are for the sitting part - even in the colder months you try to layer up enough that you don't sweat alot while exerting yourself and then when you sit, before you cool down you want to put on your puffy layer to retain heat and insulate.
One of the reasons I liked the idea of DWR treated feathers to maintain loft though in another thread on here there is an idea that it actually won't maintain the loft quite as well. I need to do more research on my own as I need to upgrade from my thinner down this year.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I am going to check out some 32 Cool stuff. First I am hearing of it, we don’t have Costco down here.

I will say another nice thing about them. Their sizes are rather generous so it makes my fat ass feel pretty good when I get their stuff. Been a long time since I've had extra room in a large shirt

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I know here - normally you don't want to wear the puffy layers while moving. THey are for the sitting part - even in the colder months you try to layer up enough that you don't sweat alot while exerting yourself and then when you sit, before you cool down you want to put on your puffy layer to retain heat and insulate.
One of the reasons I liked the idea of DWR treated feathers to maintain loft though in another thread on here there is an idea that it actually won't maintain the loft quite as well. I need to do more research on my own as I need to upgrade from my thinner down this year.

Totally... sometimes that's easier said than done. Every place has got it's challenges. My SEAK and CO kits mostly worked for MA... though this was a noticeable hole lol.

My hike was/is long enough to get pretty warm, then your climbing into a tree, so your hot for like 45 min then cold and wet. You could climb down then layer up then go back up...though huge PIA and could ruin your hunt ?

I tried it a couple different ways, usually would walk in with minimal layers then add layers near my tree, but on rainy days and there were a lot it was unappealing to say the least.

Also, snowy really does know his stuff

 

[ThunderNocked]

Totally... sometimes that's easier said than done. Every place has got it's challenges. My SEAK and CO kits mostly worked for MA... though this was a noticeable hole lol.

My hike was/is long enough to get pretty warm, then your climbing into a tree, so your hot for like 45 min then cold and wet. You could climb down then layer up then go back up...though huge PIA and could ruin your hunt ?

I tried it a couple different ways, usually would walk in with minimal layers then add layers near my tree, but on rainy days and there were a lot it was unappealing to say the least.

Also, snowy really does know his stuff

For sure. I’m still figuring it out myself. Just started layering.

 

[maverick9465]

Any suggestions?

I am looking for something quiet, packable, and warm. I am currently running Sitka Stratus jacket and bibs. They are great but are a little lacking in the packability and warmth to weight ratio.

I have the Kelvin wind stopper hoody as well but it is just too noisy for close quarters hunting.

Is there anything out there comparable to the Kelvin WS in a soft shell?

I just picked up the King's Camo XKG packable down jacket. Super warm and so light!

 

[ThunderNocked]

I just picked up the King's Camo XKG packable down jacket. Super warm and so light!

Hadn’t thought to look at Kings Camo.

 

[Shangobango]

Check out CamoFire as well - I got all my Merino Wool for CHEAP comparetively. I saw on Rokslide where it BlackOvis Merino was as highly thought of and more often recomended as the Big names - Sitka, First Lite and Kuiu. I got them for half to a quarter of those big names.

Will do. I am sporting Smartwool baselayers right now. One pair has several years on them and have held up amazingly well. I am a fan of Meriwool too.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

I've considered going the hard shell with insulation layers underneath but I just don't hunt in the rain that much. But if I did, I'd follow something similar to what people shared here.
Those hard shells can be real wild cards with how much heat they hold in, which takes some trial and error with layering underneath.

 

[Shangobango]

Thought I would update this thread to let ya'll know what I ended up with.

I ordered a 32 degrees light weight down jacket. for about $30 bucks I figured why not. It would work just fine except that it was a little tight in the chest and shoulders so I gave it to my son.

I ordered this Eddie Bauer downlight in fern color on clearance. Once I entered the 50 percent off code at check out it was a smoking good deal at $83 bucks before tax and the shipping was free. $249 dollars on the price tag. That promo is still going if anyone is interested.

I am really loving this jacket so far as a mid layer while tending livestock and hunting as an outer layer for going to town. Packs into it's own pocket and ends up being about 7"x7"x3" when packed.

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/38832283/jackets-for-men?color=Fern&sp=1&size=M

 

[ThunderNocked]

Thought I would update this thread to let ya'll know what I ended up with.

I ordered a 32 degrees light weight down jacket. for about $30 bucks I figured why not. It would work just fine except that it was a little tight in the chest and shoulders so I gave it to my son.

I ordered this Eddie Bauer downlight in fern color on clearance. Once I entered the 50 percent off code at check out it was a smoking good deal at $83 bucks before tax and the shipping was free. $249 dollars on the price tag. That promo is still going if anyone is interested.

I am really loving this jacket so far as a mid layer while tending livestock and hunting as an outer layer for going to town. Packs into it's own pocket and ends up being about 7"x7"x3" when packed.

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/38832283/jackets-for-men?color=Fern&sp=1&size=M

I’m going to have to check out those jackets!

 

[bigbuck247]

Sitka Mountain jacket seems a great option. No hold but several of their base and mid layers have good options.

 

[1_pointer]

Totally... sometimes that's easier said than done. Every place has got it's challenges. My SEAK and CO kits mostly worked for MA... though this was a noticeable hole lol.

My hike was/is long enough to get pretty warm, then your climbing into a tree, so your hot for like 45 min then cold and wet. You could climb down then layer up then go back up...though huge PIA and could ruin your hunt ?

I tried it a couple different ways, usually would walk in with minimal layers then add layers near my tree, but on rainy days and there were a lot it was unappealing to say the least.

Also, snowy really does know his stuff

I was able to stay warmer, longer once I started getting dressed in the tree stand. When cold, I'll wear my insulated bibs in, fully open, and pack the jacket(s). Once I'm situated I wait until I cool off before putting my top layers on. Big help for me as I was usually a sweaty mess before even getting on stand which led to being cold. Treat it like hiking to glassing point in CO.

Something like a wearable sleeping bag (Heater body suit, Selk bag) will be part of my next "evolution"...