clothes for the high country

[summit creek]

a little off the topic but if toyr serious about high country hunting u might think about getting a set of calk boots my friends give me a hard time for wearing them cause there loud on the roads but i dont road hunt on foot and i always laugh at them when they slip and fall with rubber soles

[RadSav]

Iam  buying the KUIU stuff this year...Ill buy that over Sitka...Sitka is way over priced. The KUIU chugach coat is $299 and if you keep eyes open in there closeout or overstock u can get it considerably cheaper

Sitka's jacket that equals the Kuiu chugach is the exact same $299.00 suggested retail.  And with the Stormfront Lite being discontinued I expect you'll find some better deals on that as well (239.99 @ Cabela's right now).  Guess I don't understand why it's "way over priced" yet costs the same.  Same guy designed it.  Pretty much the same process to manufacture it.  Perhaps I'm missing something

Edited Wed: 18th - I did forget about the standard Stormfront which is a Performance Shell and not the Packlite Shell running it's price to a suggested retail of $499.00.  Though I haven't seen a retailer ask that much it is a more expensive garment.  I personally did like the Lite a little better.

Also, remember that Kuiu is not sold in stores and is sold wholesale direct to the consumer.

It's not completely apples to apples so "yes" I guess I did miss a little something.

[blackveltbowhunter]

    

[RadSav]

Don't get me wrong.  The Kuiu jacket I have, though horribly camo'd, is just about as good as it gets in quality construction.  It would be a bargain at $450.00 (about the most I would ever spend on a shell).  I just don't see how it is so vastly superior to Sitka to de-value Sitka's worth. 

I do agree Gore-Tex does have it's limitations and shelf life. 

[huntnnw]

Dont care what the camo pattern is..all for humans..as long as the pattern is broke up it works on the game

[huntnnw]

KUIU doesnt use Goretex like sitka does..I will never drop a ton of money on GORETEX lined garmets again

[RadSav]

I'd bet you had a bad experience with the Downpour.  Is that correct?  Quite a bit different construction than the Storm.  One of the reasons I wear the Hanwag boots over other Gore lined boots.  Same Gore-Tex but laminated completely different.  Huge difference IMO.

[JimmyHoffa]

Gore-tex works in a lab.  It needs a little help to make it even kind of work out in the field.  To get it breathing there needs to be a pressure difference, so that the clothing you are wearing is basically sealed and when you move you should feel the clothing 'inflate'.  The wrist/collar/waist have to be so tight to almost be uncomfortable.  The crease areas tend to suck. 

[RadSav]

I found Gore's clamminess and Kuiu's dampness about the same.  Kuiu did run a bit cooler when hiking which I liked. 

A well made and laminated Gore should have no crease.  That's why Danner boots will never stay water resistant and Hanwags will.  Sitka has Gore membrane and a DWR outer coating.  Kuiu has a Toray Dermizax membrane and a DWR outer coating.  Very much alike.  Just because it doesn't carry the Gore name doesn't necessarily mean it's a whole lot different.  The new Sitka outer fabric brings them even closer together.  You like one you should like the other.  You hate one I'm not so sure you're going to be pleased with the other.  Again, same designer, very much the same manufacturing.  Only real difference I could see is that Tamoda Apparel seems to have a bit better stitching.

Camo is for humans when on stand or rifle distance.  Move within bow range and it's a different story.  Just ask my Kuiu clad NWT guide who spooked the first two rams we approached.  And, that's in country better suited to the lighter high contrast patterns.  He was young, could bend over and hide much better than I and yet they busted hard upon seeing his slightest movement.  White on Black will never be better than black on black. Ungulate or human.

I'm in no way trying to talk anyone out of purchasing Kuiu.  It is good stuff and worth every penny.  Might even be a little better deal than the standard Stormfront being wholesale direct. Just saying the right Sitka stuff is worth what I spend.  Like any extensive product line some items are good and some not so much.  Both Kuiu and Sitka still have their weaknesses.  But both are better than any others I've tried. 

If Kuiu went to Mountain Mimicry I'd switch back in a heart beat.  Even though their cut doesn't seem to fit my fat arse quite as nicely as the Sitka.

[runngun]

I have read on line that Helly Hansen Impertech II pants work great for backcountry hunting. I guess a lot of people wear them hunting in Alaska. I have never used a pair, or even seen them in a store but they are only around $50-$70 on line. They only come in Realtree AP or solid colors but price and functionality is far more important to me than camo pattern. I can't seem to find out how much they weigh though, or how packable they would be. Have any of you guys tried these?

I have been pretty impressed with the Core 4 Element Mountain Mimicry stuff off of Camofire.com. I have only gotten their light weight stuff, but it's great quality for the price.