Outerwear

[peterk1234]

I have been doing some searching on the forum regarding outerwear. Seems like there is a lot of love for sitka and kuiu.

My wife is getting interested in hunting. At least for turkey. I figure once i get her hooked on the bird all other game will fall into place. I have always taken the low cost road when it came to hunting clothes. Simple merino wool base, fleece layers as needed, cheap 900 fill down coat when the balls start to go numb, then cabelas water resistant shell. It works. Not the lightest. But gets the job done. My hunting is all east coast so my hikes are relatively short. However, we will be moving to Montana by the end of the year, so our needs will change. I want to set my darling wife up right. We got her the boots (beartooth) and got the pack (solo). I need the help with the outerwear.

Thank you

Pete

 

[SaskHunter]

I've become a First Lite sl*t over the years simply because of the discounts I get on it. I still mix it in with the Kuiu or Sitka I own. High speed gear is definitely worth it but camo isn't really needed so just about any lightweight and quiet outdoor gear will do.

I'd wait until you guys are used to hunting in MT and figure out what kind of hunting you will do before splurging in fancy apparel.

 

[rtraverdavis]

The system you have going for yourself sounds pretty good. I think any of the big three “hunting brands” will all be good, but definitely not necessary. Watch for sales on REI as well as the hunting clothing websites you mentioned and piece together the stuff she needs. I’ve never once paid the regular full price for hunting clothing.

 

[ShortAction]

I'm partial to Asbell wool coats. Very warm without being heavy (packable even) and not expensive at all. I also have a bunch of stuff from Skre and like it. I have a pair of Merino wool pants from Big Bill that are a bargain.

 

[3855WIN]

I've become a First Lite sl*t over the years simply because of the discounts I get on it. I still mix it in with the Kuiu or Sitka I own. High speed gear is definitely worth it but camo isn't really needed so just about any lightweight and quiet outdoor gear will do.

I'd wait until you guys are used to hunting in MT and figure out what kind of hunting you will do before splurging in fancy apparel.

Camo is important for turkey hunting.

 

[3855WIN]

I wouldn’t spend too much before she ever goes hunting. She might not like it.

 

[shrapnel]

The biggest factor in my life in choosing my gear was always my budget. I had a stay at home wife, one job and 5 children. I didn’t want to limit my hunting/fishing based on a single salary and no money left over at the end of the month, so I had to figure out how to get more with less.

Most of everything, excluding guns and flyrods, I got at garage sales. Scrounging was not only necessary, it became fun and fruitful. Today in retirement, with no debt, I still live by those standards I had learned by not having any bottomless money source.

I use Sitka and Simms clothing almost exclusively. Heaven knows I don’t look good, so it isn’t for appearance sake, it is because these companies build their gear around the concept of a serious consumer that requires dependable equipment.

Both companies have technical clothing that is designed around the fit and comfort of the consumer and have created the most versatile products that will stand up to use and abuse better than the other brands, regardless of the pattern of camo. The price of these products reflects that technology and as such it isn’t cheap, but it is exceptional quality.

I continuously scan sources of different media that has classified advertising with outdoor related gear, and most of all the Sitka I have came from those sources. I have bought a couple pieces new when they were on sale, but the majority of my Sitka I got from classified ads.

Too many people only source retail stores for their hunting supplies, but I have saved thousands of $ over the years by scrounging and have been rewarded well for my efforts. This doesn’t only apply to clothing, but most of my guns, flyrods, optics and hunting/fishing gear is used but not abused and with the better names in this equipment, they still stand behind their products if there is a failure that isn’t due to abuse or neglect.

 

[D4570]

It may sound odd.
I have a set of Como Frogg toggs jacket and pants. there Cheap $60 for a set. They will pack to about the size of a softball.
In warm/cool weather I use just street cloches with them over the top.
There rain and WIND proof.
In colder weather, I put them over whatever I use.
I can't stress the importance of WIND proof a fleece-lined shirt coat and the togg jacked is good to 0*
Montana is where "WIND" goes to grow up to be a Hurricane.

 

[SDbuckmaster]

Never see many people talk about Kryptec but l got some this year and love it.

 

[tzone]

I have been doing some searching on the forum regarding outerwear. Seems like there is a lot of love for sitka and kuiu.

My wife is getting interested in hunting. At least for turkey. I figure once i get her hooked on the bird all other game will fall into place. I have always taken the low cost road when it came to hunting clothes. Simple merino wool base, fleece layers as needed, cheap 900 fill down coat when the balls start to go numb, then cabelas water resistant shell. It works. Not the lightest. But gets the job done. My hunting is all east coast so my hikes are relatively short. However, we will be moving to Montana by the end of the year, so our needs will change. I want to set my darling wife up right. We got her the boots (beartooth) and got the pack (solo). I need the help with the outerwear.

Thank you

Pete

I resisted the Sitka until I didn't.

It's good stuff. I wish there were more non-camo colors though. Although they're all starting to make more. The pants are awesome and I wear them more casually than for hunting.

 

[shrapnel]

I resisted the Sitka until I didn't.

It's good stuff. I wish there were more non-camo colors though. Although they're all starting to make more. The pants are awesome and I wear them more casually than for hunting.

I couldn't agree more, their gear is top notch. That's where Simms comes in, I have almost everything that isn't camo, from Simms for the same quality reasons as Sitka and you don't have to listen to people snicker in the checkout lane at Walmart...

 

[belshawelk]

Kuiu for my family. My wife like more of the solid colors they offer.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I'm old school...I own nothing from Kuiu, Sitka, First Lite, Kryptek, etc.
I am warm all winter long at -20s with basic Walmart synthetic base layer, polar fleece, mittens and a shell.
When its -40s I add a down parka with a down tunnel hood.

For rain I like the basic $200 Simms rain jacket and for heavy wind/rain commercial raingear by Grundens or Helly Hansen.
I have heavweight Helly Hanson raingear for my boat that I purchased in 1989 for my first halibut trip,...30+ years and still in use for boating.

Tyler Freel, who publishes the podcast Tundra Talk, had an episode about how $1000 gortex-based raingear works
most of the time, but in extreme wind and rain lead to a catastrophic failure.
https://tundratalkak.com/episode-61-good-rams-and-bad-rain-gear/

 

[Panda Bear]

I want to set my darling wife up right. .

Thank you

Pete

Have her contact Victoria Arctic Fashion,

Warm, form fitted, her choice of fur and style --she will love it, and you

 

[tzone]

I couldn't agree more, their gear is top notch. That's where Simms comes in, I have almost everything that isn't camo, from Simms for the same quality reasons as Sitka and you don't have to listen to people snicker in the checkout lane at Walmart...

I'll have to give Simms a look. I have a rain coat from them I keep in the boat. I'll check the other gear they have.

 

[shrapnel]

Simms sampler, everything from flannel to synthetic. Pants included...

 

[devon deer]

Sitka/Simms for me too.
Sitka do a woman's range too.
Don't worry too much about cammo what ever you choose, you could wear a pink TuTU and still kill game...as long as you get the wind right
Cheers
Richard

 

[Redman]

I use Kuiu and FL. I have found that the "technology" clothing is worth the money. That being said I have never paid full retail price for any of it. KUIU has an outlet where you can get stuff at a discounted price. FL used to be sold by Midway USA and would by it on close out. Then FL would have sales from time to time. SITKA I haven't jumped on any of their items yet just haven't found the right deal.

 

[Michael A.]

I had a rafting guide out in Montana that buys most of his gear (wools and rain gear) off-season from Eddie Bauer. He mentioned the quality was solid and a lot of times half the price of technical hunting gear. Maybe worth looking into.

 

[WinkB]

Take a look at these folks: https://www.proishunting.com/
This company is geared towards women specifically and I have purchased items from them in the past for my daughter and she has liked their gear.