Need a Sitka gear full load-out list to test in S.E. Alaska 2021 on Blacktail.

44hunter45

44hunter45

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Snorth Idaho
Had a very generous cash Christmas. Planning a Petersburg or P.O.W. Blacktail hunt for 2021. Planning for August, but I want to kit one time for all seasons while this money is burning a hole in my pocket.

@Big Fin - I would love a shop talk on this...

It's time to take my medicine and graduate to technical clothing.

Sportsmans' Whorehouse is running 25% off till it's gone in-store on Sitka right now. (I'm open to other deals if you know of them.)

You experts tell me what I need from the skin out.

I am 6'2" and just a little smaller than @AKHawken.;)

I live in 38-40" cargo pants.

I tried on a Kelvin Lite hoody in XXL today and it was snug around the hub but I could zip it.
 
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I've done that hunt twice and the last time it rained hard all but one day, from daylight to dark. If you are thinking Sitka Gear, the most important piece for that hunt is the Stormfront Rain Gear series. It is the best rain gear I've ever used. Yes, it is a serious investment. But, you asked to talk shop and that is the best advice I have.

I've made the recommendation to others on this same hunt or spring bear hunts. None of them have told me it was a bad investment.

Once you have that as your protective outer layer, everything else is just personal preference. I use merino for that hunt, as you will be sweating as you get to the alpine in August. Merino handles that (sweat/odor/extended use) better than synthetics, in experience.

Good luck. That is a hunt I am so thankful to have done. I thought it would be fun, but is exceeded to the expectation by a large margin.
 
I guide in SW Alaska and love Sitka gear. Great stuff as mentioned. As a young man I logged in S.E. Alaska, including POW. I would take rubberized canvas, like the com fish guys, and a lot of guides, wear. Five or six days of steady rain and high winds can be pretty tough on Gortex.
It is a great hunt, you should find good fishing as well.
 
I'd go lightweight merino, Core Heavyweight (I like the hoody), Kelvin Lite Hoody and Stormfront Shell. For bottoms, I like the mountain pants, but the Timberlines are awesome too. Throw the stormfront over them and you'll be impenetrable.
 
I would do:

Long Johns (I prefer merino)
Timberline pants
1/4 zip pullover
Vest
Puffy
Rain gear
Gaiters
Gloves
 
I will never go anywhere without puffy pants again.

It's hard to give recommendations, each of us is different. I know my kit will be different than JLS's but neither is wrong. You really have to trial and error how you use a kit to see what's important to you.
 
neffa3 said:
I will never go anywhere without puffy pants again.

It's hard to give recommendations, each of us is different. I know my kit will be different than JLS's but neither is wrong. You really have to trial and error how you use a kit to see what's important to you.
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Of course you’re wrong LOL. My buddy had puffy pants on our elk hunt. I didn’t. If he wasn’t built like a hobbit I probably would have executed a forcible takeover. I need to buy some.

Look for the most bang for your buck. A vest is nice, but IMO is more a luxury. I’d buy a puffy first. Since you have a hard shell coat, a soft shell becomes more of a luxury and unnecessary weight. Get a more robust puffy or other lightweight insulation instead.
 
I agree with Fin on the Stormfront, was on a seven day moose hunt in Newfoundland and it blew and poured and blew and poured and then snowed and blew and rained even more. My stormfront was my best piece of gear on the hunt. The other guys rain gear was so heavy they could hardly stand wearing it.

With that being said I have had good results with H/H Impertech if budget is an issue
 
Now that I've placed my order I thought I would bring up that Sitka has several jackets in the sale section of their website at the moment.
 
When I hunted Kodiak I took the following:
Stormfront Pants and jacket - I echo what Big Fin says on this outfit.
merino baselayers, top and bottom and socks
Traverse Shirt
gaiters
kelvin lite jacket
Jet Stream vest
gloves & beanie
I also took a First Lite Labrador sweater (similar to todays Furnace line).
I had a couple days of decent weather a couple days of sideways rain and sleet and day of snow.
 
neffa3 said:
I will never go anywhere without puffy pants again.

It's hard to give recommendations, each of us is different. I know my kit will be different than JLS's but neither is wrong. You really have to trial and error how you use a kit to see what's important to you.
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Dont listen to neffa3 he hunts in a pair of polyester thrift store pants that are waiting for a flood to hit. :)
 
wa_archer said:
Dont listen to neffa3 he hunts in a pair of polyester thrift store pants that are waiting for a flood to hit. :)
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Not judging.

I'm one step up from Army Surplus cammies right now. I use a set of Columbia "wool" bibbers and jacket that weigh 100 lbs and smell like used gear oil when they get wet.
 
Helly Hansen rain gear, and this is coming from someone who owns Sitka and Kuiu gear. I also lived in Alaska for a few years.
 
Buy once, cry once.

Eye surgeon says I can't shoot guns or split wood from Jan 13th until the end of February. I'll just throw on this stuff and sit in the yard.

Stormfront Jacket Subalpine --- New with tags on Ebay $382.
Stormfront GTX Gaitors L/XL Subalpine --- New with tags on Ebay $129.
Stormfront Pants Subalpine --- New from Mountain-Archery.com $410
Timberline Pants Subalpine ---New from Black Orvis $199
Merino 1/4 Zip Subalpine --- New from Mountain-Archery $69
Kelvin Lite Hoody Subalpine --- New from Mountain-Archery $219
Traverse Zip Tee Subalpine --- New from Mountain-Archery $109

I might need to wear them to bed for a while. It's gonna be chilly.
 
44hunter45 said:
Buy once, cry once.

Eye surgeon says I can't shoot guns or split wood from Jan 13th until the end of February. I'll just throw on this stuff and sit in the yard.

Stormfront Jacket Subalpine --- New with tags on Ebay $382.
Stormfront GTX Gaitors L/XL Subalpine --- New with tags on Ebay $129.
Stormfront Pants Subalpine --- New from Mountain-Archery.com $410
Timberline Pants Subalpine ---New from Black Orvis $199
Merino 1/4 Zip Subalpine --- New from Mountain-Archery $69
Kelvin Lite Hoody Subalpine --- New from Mountain-Archery $219
Traverse Zip Tee Subalpine --- New from Mountain-Archery $109

I might need to wear them to bed for a while. It's gonna be chilly.
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Hmmm i don't see the Kelvin pants on there!
 
neffa3 said:
Hmmm i don't see the Kelvin pants on there!
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I'm sure I would appreciate the soft caress of those things on my thighs.

I really like the First Lite Zip Offs. I'm going to get their merino medium weight when they are back in stock.
 
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