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First Lite / Sitka. Worth it ?

isu22andy

Active Member
Considering making the jump and getting some . Really like the ASAT pattern but the price tag on some of this stuff is nuts . Is this high end clothing worth it ? Have the Kanab pants and they are alright but not life changing by any means. .Have and always will praise my HBS for the cold cold days . Thoughts ? Slow on here lately .
 
IMHO
Good technical hunting clothing is totally worth it in my opinion. It helps keep you comfortable, which lets you stay out there longer, which increases your chances of getting something.
You can normally get good deals on FB pages, or around black Friday, or black ovis/other retailers that have sales.
ASAT was a pattern made for the western hunter, and is designed for breaking up your outline at longer distances........ distances less than 50 yards....it doesn't blend so well.
The Kanabs are on there way out of the first lite line up (on sale now), and going to be replaced with the new Obsidian pant.
With this kind of clothing, it's all about finding what layering system works best for you....in certain temp/wind/precip rages.
 
I bought first lite baselayer last year and was beyond impressed. I sold all my old clothes and ordered some new pieces for this fall. Sawtooth jacket, Obsidian pants, already have the mid and heavy baselayer. All Merino wool.
 
ISU- The minus 33 base layers are great for the price. I have sitka merino and M33. Can't tell a difference honestly and the M33 were half the cost.

Sitka is expensive no doubt but it's all great. So many different combos to layer up or shed layers when you need to.
I look at it as an investment and the amount of years you can wear it because it's quality. Break it down that way and it becomes not so pricey anymore
 
There are several companies that make quality hunting clothes and are definitely worth the investment.
For many years I had to hunt with less than quality clothes because I had to...... now I hunt with quality clothes because I can:)
 
Think I'll buy the Woodbury if anything . Rocking minus 33 baselayers now .

I have the woodbury and like it a lot. The only cons I have found are that the range finder pocket us too deep, and should be more shallower to make accessing your range finder easier. Also, the grunt tube holder does not fit the primos buck roar, or most of the popular (larger) grunt tubes on the market. Another item I would change is the design of the front two pockets, as I would flip them from front to back so hand warmers can be on the inside and in a zipper pocket where they cant fall out.
 
Whatever you get, merino wool seems to be the best route. Lots of good brands, but something I wished I would have paid attention to is the inside color of the gear. Some of the high end clothing has super bright white interiors and if you unzip part or take off a layer it stands out like a sore thumb. I hate that, totally defeats the purpose of camo.
 
Merino wool and good camo worth every penny. I'll eat one item off the dollar menu per day if it means that's how I afford good clothes to stay warm during season. I'd pick up cans on the expressway if I had to! (yes, I still think back to when I was a teenager thinking if I put 5 pairs of gym socks on and 6 sweatshirts- that will do it!!! :) ) Luckily I was a tough passionate young hunter then cause it was miserable!!! COLD!
Lots and lots of Merino sets & varying weights of them and I have Sitka and First lite and love it all. Also have wool pants and baselayer coat for windy weather. Merino & wool hats, neck stuff, socks with wicking liners, etc, etc, etc.... It's one area I just don't cheap on. I'm staying warm!
 
I agree with the above.. Comfort so you can enjoy I never go back to the old day's my buddies think I am nuts for the price Sitka. Worth every penny...
 
I've been looking at the more modern stuff for a year now. Hard to drop all my GreyWolfWoolen gear, that stuff is WARM, but heavy. Good thing tree stand hunting is the only way I hunt usually.
 
I've been looking at the more modern stuff for a year now. Hard to drop all my GreyWolfWoolen gear, that stuff is WARM, but heavy. Good thing tree stand hunting is the only way I hunt usually.

Same here. Could care less bout weight. Heavy, for me, if warm, non-issue. I put coat, hat, gloves, base layers in backpack. Even when cold I usually walk out in one layer merino wool (light to heavy depending on temp)... cool down in tree stand and quietly and slowly put my top layer stuff on. Don't care if I have 200 lbs of clothes if I stay warm. :)
Got 3 coats too: from early season warm to nasty cold late season. Base layers & my wool can add to those as well. Wool for sure if wind. I get laughed at hard but when it's late season & im in a stand- I have feather down long underwear & put wool over that. I'll take the laughs cause I'm warm!
 
Heater body suit goes on for me when it's 40 and below out . I'm not replacing that thing , it's a life changer .
 
I have both open country and the whitetail patterns in Sitka. The only way I can justify it (i.e. afford it) is because my wife works for Gore (owns Sitka) and gets a pro deal for it. When I switched over to Sitka, I was amazed at the athletic fit, especially when hiking up steep slopes. I don't have to worry anymore about the crotch/thigh area binding on me when I start hiking uphill (you know what I mean). I use the open country in the lower elevation and whitetail pattern in the forest. I got the whitetail pattern before they came out with the new Alpine pattern (not switching). For base layering, I absolutely recommend the merino wool. First Lite, Helley Hansen, Minus 33, and others out there make great wool base layers. I'm seriously considering getting rid of all of my Under Armor to replace all of my base layers with either FL or HH merino wool. The different Sitka options give you good choices for a layering system for cold days. Granted, I'm not sitting in a tree-stand and am mostly moving, but those winter days where we're just sitting, glassing hillsides isn't much different.

As for high-end, athletic fit camo, Kuiu is another good brand.
 
Just got my new first lite in Cipher pattern today. First time with anything more than baselayer. Can't get over how thin and comfortable the jacket and pants are. Granted it's hot but I could immediately feel the warmth. Really looking forward to layering up and using it this fall.
 
I will say just got my Woodbury and it is a nice coat ! Got that nice carhart weight to it. Also have the uncompadre puffy and the Kanabs . Little over 300 total invested . The First lite / Sitka swap page on Facebook has saved me a tonnnnn of money .
 
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