Issues with First Lite

[blusc21]

I just had pretty terrible experience with First-lite and I'm curious if any of you all have had something similar occur.

I got a pair of their Obsidian Merino pants as a gift from my folks. I will stop by the house and we watch some Meat-eater together, even my vegetarian mother loves it. So they surprised me with a pair of fancy merino pants, just like Steve Rinella is always schilling. They're retired, and I spend too much time in the woods to have money for that sort of thing so it was a big deal!

I wore them for the bear opener and was super impressed. silent, super comfortable and crazy breathable. put about 20 miles of hunting onto them. At dark on the second day i shot a bear off a closed road at 15 yards. Had a 25 yard drag out due to conditions.

heres where the issues started. in 25 yards in light brush, no thorns, these pant tore like wet tp. holes in literally 8 places. I was pissed, but these are sold as a light weight pant. I put them up in camp in and went back to my standard duluth work pants that i usually hunt in. when i got home, i put them in the sink and hand washed in cold water per instructions. i was going to stich them up and start hunting in them for cougar on the 1st! but, all the colour ran out of them in the sink. i took some photos, and was pretty mad. but that when i noticed the crotch had completely worn through, three threads and some prayers were all that was keeping me from wearing a surprise skirt.


i immediately called customer service, and to their credit i quickly got a representative on the phone. they told me these pants due wear out quickly and that they have had issues with them. they said they would warranty them and give me the updated merino pants, but wouldn't give me a straight answer if they hold up well.

i wound up emailing them a ton and it was really frustrating. they wouldn't tell me if they will hold up for a couple years and kept saying that they are "performance gear". *censored*. a 200$ pair of hunting pants should last 2 or 3 years of hunting. Finally, they told me if i "walk differently" the pants would last longer. i shot a bear at 15 yards, and my second at 44. im not "walking differently"

I have some items from sitka, kuhl, and kuiu and im happy with them. i had some merino boxer briefs from sitka and they wore through, but it took 1.5 years of hunting and working in them.

has anyone else had problems with their gear not holding up?

[The scout]

You don’t have to do much research to figure out there gear is junk. Fortunately I only bought a few pieces of there gear. All failed almost immediately. Especially there rain gear. Have a number of buddies that have used it over the years.Absolute junk. I didn’t even bother with there warranty. Because I didn’t want any more of there clothes.

[hughjorgan]

If you hunt western Washington you’re going to have much better luck with first lite pants like their corrugate guide pants. Their merino pants aren’t very durable, or merino from any brand. Their original kanabs used to blow out the crotch on those regularly until they started putting synthetic material that had some stretch to it.

Lots of guys like their KUIU attack pants but they are a much heavier pants than first lite merino pants or you could try the tiburons from KUIU it is the lighter version of the attack. Buy what you have confidence in. I haven’t experienced durability issues from first lite like some folks and have ran their gear since they started with their merino line of clothes.

[addicted1]

Agree with the merino durability, it’s probably works in some areas for a season or two. But, in WW I am usually ripping the material before I even make it out of site of the truck. The corrugated pants are much more durable, but also a little too noisy for me. I still use them, as I bought them and have still been within 20 yards of deer while still hunting with them. Honestly, I’ve been just as happy hunting in some red tagged pants I got from the local store for $50. If I see people wearing firstlite gear I always ask them if they like it. Most seem to like it.

[pickardjw]

I've had three pairs of Corrugate pants for 3-4 years and have not been easy on them. Lots of miles in deadfall and thorny brush. No rips or tears and just some pilling in the crotch. In the same deadfall I ripped a pair of Kuiu tiburons this year. I guess the stretch in the Corrugates is helpful in that application. I wouldn't buy the Obsidians.

Had several wick short sleeve and long sleeve hoodies for years now too, no issues. Same with a corrugate soft shell, Uncompahgre jacket and SEAK jacket. Used the SEAK mostly duck hunting and it's been fantastic.

A wick quarter zip does have some holes in it where I've pulled on it to take it on and off constantly. And I need to replace a pair of merino gloves due to holes. 

I've been happy with their stuff. 

[MeepDog]

The catalyst softshell jacket has held up to serious brush busting. I've taken it through nasty russian olives and hawthorns for 3 years now and theres no tears or damage. It's certainly no rain coat though. It will handle a light rain but the water doesnt bead off.

Honestly none of the new gear stands up to good old scratchy wool.

[bearpaw]

First Light wore out way too fast for one of my guides, we avoid that brand.

[Taco280AI]

Don't know about pants, but have a buddy who goes through shirts like crazy as they just don't hold up.

[Karl Blanchard]

Thin merino is not a durable material. Why people are shocked that it doesn't hold up is perplexing  base layer=good. Outerwear = bad.  I agree their stitching is crap.  I've got a 1/4 merino hoodie of theirs that I bought in 2015 that's still chugging alone. Think Remnar's lucky hunting shirt from Escanaba In De Moonlight   

[Brushcrawler]

Jacket with a zipper that went bad and merino  hoodie that just dissolved into mush while I was wearing it. I have moved on to other brands.

[Karl Blanchard]

 

[follow maggie]

I love merino wool under other clothes, but I just have never seen any that is durable enough to be worn on the outside unless you’re on the lawn. First Liteis long known for poor stitching, but I couldn’t guess why the colors would run out of it.

[Sundance]

That specific model of pant is notorious for failing, seen one too many threads online with the exact same issues you described. I’ve owed a few different pieces of FL gear, either I was disappointed with it or it was mediocre at best. For big game I use Kuiu, the fit is good for me and I’ve been impressed with the quality/durability. The attack pants are pretty good, but I prefer the pro pants for weather 40F to 70F, anything hotter and I go with the Katana pants, anything colder than 40F I go with the axis hybrid pants.

[blusc21]

Thanks for all the input.

Seems like these pants are just junk and that's a fact. I don't see how they could possibly be asking 200$ for Chinese made pants anyways. Guess there is a reason they are all on sale now!

i got 200$ in store credit, so ill take everyone's  input from here and try to get something that will function in the 2 - 3 year realm vs the 2 - 3 day realm. i do respect the fact that they have good after purchase support and honor their warranty without question. Still, i would prefer to have 200$ in cash. none of their products have any attributes that make them worth the asking price, i can get non hunting clothes from other manufactures with the same materials for a 1/4 of the price.

It bothers me that they continue to sell a product that they know cannot fulfill its intended purpose. Speaking with their representatives, they know these pants fail and aren't good for anything beyond truck hunting.

i like hunting in wool and i understand its limitations. I use hand-knit merino sweaters and hats frequently. I've had old school wool pants last until i got too fat to squeeze into them. the argument that wool "isnt as durable" is disingenuous, no one said it was.

the company representatives tried to sell me on their new 308 pants, but i cant see how those are any better than something available from anyone else. better off buying some duluth work pants or game hide pants, you can get several pair for the price of some first lite. they all probably are made in the same factory in China, anyways.

I guess my folks and i drank the Kool-aid Steve Rinella was selling!

[Sundance]

Thanks for all the input.

Seems like these pants are just junk and that's a fact. I don't see how they could possibly be asking 200$ for Chinese made pants anyways. Guess there is a reason they are all on sale now!

i got 200$ in store credit, so ill take everyone's  input from here and try to get something that will function in the 2 - 3 year realm vs the 2 - 3 day realm. i do respect the fact that they have good after purchase support and honor their warranty without question. Still, i would prefer to have 200$ in cash. none of their products have any attributes that make them worth the asking price, i can get non hunting clothes from other manufactures with the same materials for a 1/4 of the price.

It bothers me that they continue to sell a product that they know cannot fulfill its intended purpose. Speaking with their representatives, they know these pants fail and aren't good for anything beyond truck hunting.

i like hunting in wool and i understand its limitations. I use hand-knit merino sweaters and hats frequently. I've had old school wool pants last until i got too fat to squeeze into them. the argument that wool "isnt as durable" is disingenuous, no one said it was.

the company representatives tried to sell me on their new 308 pants, but i cant see how those are any better than something available from anyone else. better off buying some duluth work pants or game hide pants, you can get several pair for the price of some first lite. they all probably are made in the same factory in China, anyways.

I guess my folks and i drank the Kool-aid Steve Rinella was selling!

My 2cents, offer the coupon code/gift card for sale on the First Lite buy/sell Facebook Group. Discount it a few bucks then use the cash elsewhere. The resale value on hunting clothes isn't terrible and there are plenty of people that would jump all over that to save $25. I used to buy my Sitka clothes at the Puyallup Sportsman's show when Sportco would discount it 40%. I'd use the gear for one season and sell it used at the same price I paid, buy new gear every year. Since then I've been impressed with quality of my current gear and don't feel the need to flip it from season to season.

[dwils233]

Thanks for all the input.

Seems like these pants are just junk and that's a fact.

I guess my folks and i drank the Kool-aid Steve Rinella was selling!

They're not "junk" I just don't think your application is the target demographic, but I'm not either. Mine lasted two easons of very light use in eastern WA, but the crotch blew out and then ripped open pretty bad on a piece of downed fence. Yeah, the cost stung so I went a different route. FWIW, I've always been happy with the durability of my sitka outer layers, and I hear good things from kuiu fans too

FL merino is good, but like all merino, it's pretty fragile. It's a tough lesson for sure, but keep the merino as a base layer and use more durable materials or brands for outer layers. I love some of their stuff, I just wouldn't even let it look at a bramble

In general, don't drink influencer Kool aid, better to talk to folks and let them tell you what's worked and hasn't without a profit incentive. No shame in it, happens to plenty of us. But it's only worth learning once

[colersu22]

I have been using first lite almost since they started and have gone through a few of the kanab/kanab 2.0/obsidian pants.  I started wearing the sawbucks when they came out and I really like them for western Washington if you use your credit to get a pair you will have some left over as well.

https://www.firstlite.com/products/mens-sawbuck-brush-pant.html?dwvar_mens-sawbuck-brush-pant_Waist=36&dwvar_mens-sawbuck-brush-pant_color=first-lite-fusion&lang=en_US&quantity=1