I need help picking a jacket. I don’t have any experience with either. I’m pretty new to this. I just need some reviews and input if you anybody has experience with either of the jackets. Thank you.
Sitka Kelvin lite down jacket vs first lite uncompaghre 2.0
- Thread starter Isaiahshell
- Start date
What are you going to do in it? Those are both VERY light duty insulation layers that will have major durability issues if you're rough on them. They're warm, but fragile.
I’ve changed my entire kit to first lite and couldn’t be happier. There fusion camo is the most versatile pattern I’ve found
I went the opposite direction. Sold every piece of FL gear I owned and switched to Sitka. The lack of a wind stopping membrane was a deal killer in the long run. I picked up the Stratus bib/jacket and Fanatic bib/jacket and only wear one insulating layer. My only regret is not doing it years ago.
Your need depends greatly.
there are many other good and more durable options.
think about wind resistance and dwr coatings.
light weight doesnt mean crap if you are still freezin yer nuts off......
there are many other good and more durable options.
think about wind resistance and dwr coatings.
light weight doesnt mean crap if you are still freezin yer nuts off......
I carry a jet black gore windstopper down coat. Takes some room. Weighs 2 lbs.
saves your ass if its cold (i carry this in 3rd- 5 (way late) season here in CO). I routinely see temps at zero and am far from any vehicle for most of the day.
having the right kit is worth ounces. An extra 3 lbs in the pack wont kill me, but it may save me....
saves your ass if its cold (i carry this in 3rd- 5 (way late) season here in CO). I routinely see temps at zero and am far from any vehicle for most of the day.
having the right kit is worth ounces. An extra 3 lbs in the pack wont kill me, but it may save me....
I use down in CO. you save a lot of weight.
since you are using it rifle hunting, camo doesnt matter much.
look into the mountaineering type jackets too. Many times you can find a nice one that is t camo that outperforms most insulators as far as warmth and packability.
think patagonia, OR, RAB, etc.
that said, I have never checked out the kuiu down jackets.
their kenai is a good synthetic though.
i use a couple different old Cloudveil downjackets. Windstopper for late season and a regular, much more compressible, non windstopper for early season when its use is less likely to save weight and space.
since you are using it rifle hunting, camo doesnt matter much.
look into the mountaineering type jackets too. Many times you can find a nice one that is t camo that outperforms most insulators as far as warmth and packability.
think patagonia, OR, RAB, etc.
that said, I have never checked out the kuiu down jackets.
their kenai is a good synthetic though.
i use a couple different old Cloudveil downjackets. Windstopper for late season and a regular, much more compressible, non windstopper for early season when its use is less likely to save weight and space.
I went down the road of buying "hunting" brands (Sitka, First Lite, Kryptek). Spent thousands over a few years on baselayers, insulation, & outerwear. I've since circled back to general outdoors brands (Arcteryx, Patagonia, Outdoor Research).
The performance of most of the hunting clothing (with a few exceptions) was shitty. To me, the only thing you get from the "hunting" brands that the general outdoors brands don't give you is a camo pattern - and if camo makes/breaks your hunt, you've got bigger problems. The general outdoor brands have done a better job controlling moisture, blocking wind, keeping me warm, etc., etc. Plus you won't be a douche walking around in camo patterns all year, haha.
The performance of most of the hunting clothing (with a few exceptions) was shitty. To me, the only thing you get from the "hunting" brands that the general outdoors brands don't give you is a camo pattern - and if camo makes/breaks your hunt, you've got bigger problems. The general outdoor brands have done a better job controlling moisture, blocking wind, keeping me warm, etc., etc. Plus you won't be a douche walking around in camo patterns all year, haha.
I agree, I will add some high end hunting clothing is quieter, very important for spot and stall archery hunts. Circle back to merino wool, quiet, doesn’t hold odor and keeps you warm when wet, wicks moisture away from skin. Years ago FL was basically all merino wool, love their stuff as a base layer.
I agree most hunting brands have noise generation in mind - although the original uncompaghre and sitka kelvin jackets are not much quieter (if at all) than majority of other general outdoor brand's insulated jackets. For me, it hasn't been hard to find quiet options from the outdoors brands. Hunting brands are typically selling products that are used for a couple days or maybe a couple weeks max per year for majority of users (yeah I know that's not the case for everybody that buys them), which results in sub-par quality that goes unnoticed by a fair number of consumers.
To sidetrack for a minute, you should give the BlackOvis house brand wool shirts a try (their bottoms are no good). I have at least 6 or 7 FirstLite wool shirts of various weight and designs, and they now sit in my closet. I've been meticulous with washing to mitigate shrinking, and they still all ended up short and wide. It's a bummer to spend several hundred dollars on baselayers for them to almost immediately shrink and not fit well. The BlackOvis is cut longer, and has retained shape for a couple years now. I would buy the BlackOvis wool over FL even if it was more expensive.
Sorry for the sidebar OP, good luck picking out a jacket.
So what brands should I look at again? Arcteryx, Patagonia? I also have been looking at stone glaciers goose down. It’s 12 oz and has 5.3 oz of insulation. I don’t know if anybody has any input on that either. Not a fan of the colors though.
Well, I don't know what conditions you'll use the coat in (external moisture, temperatures, duration, etc.) and I don't know anything about you (do you run hot/cold, sweat a lot/little, very active on hunts or mostly stagnant, etc.). I like a hood on my insulators, but others may not. There's not one piece of insulation that works for every scenario, and you'll likely end up with multiple weights of down & synthetic if you're outside enough. To me, synthetic and down each have a place - and I'm not saying I'm an authority or my opinion is right or wrong, but here are some options:
Mid-Weight (650 fill) Down in a green(ish) earth tone
www.steepandcheap.com
Heavier-Weight (850-Fill) Goose Down & Core-Loft in brown(ish) earth tone
www.steepandcheap.com
Light weight (60g) Synthetic - Brown or "blaze" orange
www.rei.com
Not many earth tone colors this year, but they rotate frequently.
www.patagonia.com
Lots of other choices that might work just fine. Surprisingly, REI house brand and occasionally Costco no-name can be pretty good. I bought a couple REI brand for throw away pieces, and they have survived pretty well.
Mid-Weight (650 fill) Down in a green(ish) earth tone
Outdoor Research Transcendent Hooded Down Jacket - Men's - Men
Buy the Outdoor Research Transcendent Hooded Down Jacket - Men's online or shop all Men from Steepandcheap.com.
www.steepandcheap.com
Heavier-Weight (850-Fill) Goose Down & Core-Loft in brown(ish) earth tone
Men's Down Jackets & Parkas | Steep & Cheap
Shop a full selection of down jackets for men by Patagonia, The North Face, Marmot, and more. Get a 100% guarantee on all down coats.
Light weight (60g) Synthetic - Brown or "blaze" orange
Arc'teryx Men's Synthetic Insulation Jackets | REI Co-op
Shop for Arc'teryx Men's Synthetic Insulation Jackets at REI - FREE SHIPPING With $50 minimum purchase. Curbside Pickup Available NOW! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Not many earth tone colors this year, but they rotate frequently.
Patagonia Men's Down Sweater™ Hoody
Our lightweight, windproof Patagonia® Men’s Down Sweater™ Hoody has a recycled nylon shell and 800-fill-power down—perfect warmth for almost everything.
www.patagonia.com
Lots of other choices that might work just fine. Surprisingly, REI house brand and occasionally Costco no-name can be pretty good. I bought a couple REI brand for throw away pieces, and they have survived pretty well.
My problem was the main zipper failing on the $100 down jackets I bought which is super frustrating when I was out in the wilds.
Then I bought a Eddie Bauer for $200-ish, it's a nice jacket but it's heavy and didn't have a hood.
I gave up and finally bought this, https://www.kuiu.com/insulated-hunt...?dwvar_50018_color=Valo&cgid=jacket-insulated.
It has everything I want including a top of the line zipper, just read the specs. It's almost too warm but it has zippered vents which help and I just jip the front down as needed.
Watch the video of the person that they buy their down from, it's what sold me....
Then I bought a Eddie Bauer for $200-ish, it's a nice jacket but it's heavy and didn't have a hood.
I gave up and finally bought this, https://www.kuiu.com/insulated-hunt...?dwvar_50018_color=Valo&cgid=jacket-insulated.
It has everything I want including a top of the line zipper, just read the specs. It's almost too warm but it has zippered vents which help and I just jip the front down as needed.
Watch the video of the person that they buy their down from, it's what sold me....
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