This forum seems like the best place to post this.

I have a mountain hunt planned for 2020 (Pakistan), and need to get some new gear. It seems like there are a ton of different companies out there: Sitka, Kuiu, First Lite, Badlands, etc.

For a mountain hunt where you want to layer, need durability, waterproof and warm clothing, what gear do you all use? I have some Sitka gear, and it is excellent, but curious about the other brands, as I think you pay a premium for the Sitka name.

I mostly wear Kuiu and Sitka... started with Sitka and when Jason started Kuiu and offered that label at a substantial savings over his old company, I switched.

My only complaint on those outfits is that as a direct sales operation, Kuiu doesn't always have everything they offer on-line in inventory in the sizes and colors they show. That means last minute buys for a trip are sometimes a disappointment. And Sitka is just so pricey. Other than that I have no knocks on either line of gear, Sitka or Kuiu. And I do mix and match labels, much to the horror of purists.

Haven't used the other lines...

quote:

Originally posted by StormsGSP:
This forum seems like the best place to post this.

I have a mountain hunt planned for 2020 (Pakistan), and need to get some new gear. It seems like there are a ton of different companies out there: Sitka, Kuiu, First Lite, Badlands, etc.

For a mountain hunt where you want to layer, need durability, waterproof and warm clothing, what gear do you all use? I have some Sitka gear, and it is excellent, but curious about the other brands, as I think you pay a premium for the Sitka name.

WOOL!

All of the ones you listed make good gear. I prefer non-camo overseas, so that changes things a little. Not all of their lines have solids. I like the solids so I don't have to carry town clothes and hunting clothes. It saves space. Especially if I am doing some additional sight seeing.

I prefer merino base layers and synthetics over those. I have a few pieces from Sitka, and Kuiu, but most of my stuff is from Black Diamond, Marmot, Mammutt and Outdoor Research.

Jeremy

quote:

Originally posted by farbedo:
All of the ones you listed make good gear. I prefer non-camo overseas, so that changes things a little. Not all of their lines have solids. I like the solids so I don't have to carry town clothes and hunting clothes. It saves space. Especially if I am doing some additional sight seeing.

I prefer merino base layers and synthetics over those. I have a few pieces from Sitka, and Kuiu, but most of my stuff is from Black Diamond, Marmot, Mammutt and Outdoor Research.

Jeremy

I agree I wish there were more solid colors choices.

Green pants and a gray top make good combination.

I have Sitka gear as well as some Kryptec and both are good. King of the mountain or sleeping indian wool is awesome stuff as well.
I do a layer od silk against my skin on mountain hunts, easy to take off all other clothes at top of the mountain and dry out in the wind in a few minutes, I wear Ulfrotte as my next layer, best long johns I have ever uses. It is a merino wool, but rather than flat it is looped, like terry cloth inside of your socks. Creates a lot of dead air space.

Most of my hunting clothing is KUIU. I have Vias and solids as patterns. I am happy with the usefulness of their colors and pattern variations.

I have worn first lite base layers for years and years. I have one Chama hoody shirt I have wore every single day on every single hunt for about 7 years. My first lite rain pants are just as good as the chugach Kuiu rain jacket I wear at the same time. Merino wool is a wicked base layer. But I put fleece over top of it. I don’t like windproof gear I like to breath and dry off. Kuiu has great stuff but to me is way over priced for the hassle of getting something in the right size and they have officially the ugliest camo on the market. Lol

Clothing is simply meant to allow one to endure the elements. Some do it better than others but high priced trendy logos and cute patterns are no guarantee it will work.

Loggers brought us Filson, mountain climbers Patagonia, fly Fishermen Simms, commercial fishermen Helly Hansen and Grunden, and hikers and backpackers REI.

And then there are tons of decent military surplus which can offer great values in wool.

Widen your search and there are plenty of great options.

quote:

Originally posted by brent ebeling:
I have Sitka gear as well as some Kryptec and both are good. King of the mountain or sleeping indian wool is awesome stuff as well.
I do a layer od silk against my skin on mountain hunts, easy to take off all other clothes at top of the mountain and dry out in the wind in a few minutes, I wear Ulfrotte as my next layer, best long johns I have ever uses. It is a merino wool, but rather than flat it is looped, like terry cloth inside of your socks. Creates a lot of dead air space.

the other name of ulfrotte is woolpower very good swedish wool merino clothings.

I'm starting to get a little of the new hi tech stuff, but I'm mostly old school cotton...

For solid colors look at Arc Teryx for Greens and Tans, blends in well in the rocks or Kuhl makes mountainering grade product in solid colors as well. I like their pants. Outdoor Research makes solid colors, also look at their Military line for more options.Very high quality stuff with lifetime Gurantee.

For Merino wool, check out Outdoor Research. Their Merino wool Base layers are nice but are only available in light weight. I have it in 1/4 zip for ventilation and like it, I also wear their Merino wool boxers shorts their prices are very reasonable for Merino wool. For another more expensive option that is available in different weights, look at Ice breaker Merino wool base layers.

I have Some Sitka Gear, that is old but quality gear. If I were to buy today, I would go with Kuiu gear.
I think wearing Wool if you are doing a high mtn hunt will be too heavy and will wear you out over time, I would go with synthetics, fleece and Goretex. I like to climb in a 1/4 zip light weight base layer to stay cool and minimze sweating. When I arrive at my glassing point, I remove it and lay it on a bush or rock to dry inside out, stay bare skin until dry, then put on a dry medium weight or heavy weight base layer and then layer up on top of that to be comfortable for a long sit in cold and windy conditions.

Hope that helps.

I have to agree with Coldzero, Outdoor Research makes great stuff. Also, If you haven't looked at Pnuma Outdoors you should. Very well made line of gear.

I can recommend the Brynje base layer. Looks rather odd but works very well to keep you dry and warm. Extremely lightweight and packable and very easy to handwash and dry in field conditions. Good luck!

If not camo, look at Mammut and Arc'teryx

Harkila of Sweden makes a lot of stuff in brown and green. Expensive, but they all are.

I use Columbia stuff in dark or dull colors, gigantic difference in price from Sitka etc. Most of the stuff I have has lasted for years of heavy use.

Hell, I even use it for bow hunting and it seems I get as many opportunities as my full camo friends. Covering your face and hands seems the be the biggest factor.

Stone Glacier (make clothing and packs)
Eberlestock (makers of backpack also make mountain clothing)
North Face
Mountain Hardware
Kuiu
Browning Hell's Canyon
Swazi from New Zeeland (cheap with the exchange rate and lack of sales tax)
Harikla (personal favorite, but really expensive)

I wear the same clothes I work cattle with, lambs wool long underwear, wranglers pants, Whites packers sometimes, soralls sometime and rubber over boots on cowboy boots if its just wet and not to cold, wool shirts, sweaters and sometime canvas well broke in bib overalls..This stuff works in a Idaho blizzard at 20 below and a 15 MPH wind, it will work anywhere, its all broke in and comfortable, just not pretty..but we all know each other and don't mined getting a little blood on our old clothes...some of this stuff out there today is so damned expensive and doesn't work as well as my work clothes...Im a big beliver of wool..oh yeah, carry a big green garbage bag in your pocket in case it rains, slickers take up to much room..Just different strokes for different folks. Almost forgot! I wear a heavy pair of shotgun chaps when using horses to hunt, which I almost always do..

If I were going to Alaska to hunt, Id book with Phil and let him get me up to date on Alaskan wear..

I am an equal opportunity wwii wool pants wearer. I wore German set plumb out, took 20 years. Wearing British now and have one pair of American in rotation. I buy based on length as I have very long legs. Current military lw base layer under covers a lot of temperatures. Add thermals over the base layer and good to go in the very cold. Have wool sweater from some allied nation on top. Have been wearing that one 30 years. Wool brimmed hat over modern head coverings. I do have goretex in my boots so not a total Luddite.

What Phil mentioned about Army / Navy surplus store.
My trips up north of the Noatak back 30 years ago there was little but Marmot and HH.
I bought three pair of German military wool army pants I still have today. Great pants with a lot of pockets and knee reinforcement.
Problem is they do not fit anymore. Wish they did LOL...So does my wife.
One solid olive green color. I have no idea if you can get them anymore.
Bought them at at Army / Navy store in Houston Texas named "Academy" on Westheimer.
That is before Academy morphed into what they have turned into today.
A great A/N store back 30-40 years ago.

EZ

Having used Sitka several times in Alaska in some crappy weather I can say there stuff I’d good and light weight and layer great plus you can try the stuff on as sizes vary. On my last sheep hunt I mixed on kuiu gear and while their stuff is very good slightly cheaper I would say Sitka may be better all around but I like the camo better on kuiu plus they have solids. But mail order you can get the wolf sizes and sales are hard to come by. Both are great. I go for light weight nor so that precludes some of the stuff but lots of options for sure