I also hunt PA (units 1A, 1B, and 2F). For most of my hunting years I didn’t really buy any camo over $150 for the whole set, but did spend some money on my base layers. I’ve experimented with all different methods of layering and never really got what I was looking for. I finally started making some decent money and invested in the Fanatic system by Sitka and boy am I glad I did. I’ve been done “growing” for a few years and I think I’m just going to slowly invest into multiple different pieces to build the best system I can for my hunting tendencies. Buy the best you CAN afford, not what people tel you that you SHOULD afford. We don’t all have the same luxuries or opportunities, so we shouldn’t tout ourselves as better than the next guy when it comes to what gear one can afford. Great video. 👍
Sid, that’s a great statement. Very fine points. I’m doing the same thing, like I did with my fishing gear. Slowly upgrade over the years, when it’s a good time for me to do so. Thanks!
watch for specials online after Christmas when these things go on clearance or sale. I have bought a lot of quality gear for up to 50% off. I look all year long and buy a good deal even I don't need it at the time.
As someone who grew up poor and for 26 years of my life have just layered Walmart clothing. I started to invest in Sitka gear about 4 years ago and it is NIGHT and DAY difference, there’s a reason they’re proud of their product, bc it works!! Even if you can add one layer maybe 2 a year bc of price point if you’re an avid hunter it’s worth its weight in gold.
this is what i had to tell myself thanks for commenting i’ll start grabbing pieces here and there most likely jacket first with my boots and pants after , i love their backpacks too be safe and be good my friend
I would mention that wool under layers make layers really much more effective. Layers of cotton are very different and not equal in anyway to wool. Then all you need is wet weather protection built into your jacket.
A lot of folks don't understand what it's like to be tall/lanky and how easy it is to end up cold, really quickly in the stand. You're so right, it takes a lot to have the heart pump that blood around! LOL great video!
Great stuff man I’ve been looking into upgrading my hunting gear and this video helps narrow things down. Glad to see a fellow hunter from Pennsylvania 🤙
I was always skeptical because of the price tags. After some research I finally bit the bullet and bought some First Lite gear. I bought a few base layers and was warmer than I ever have been with big fluffy coveralls and multiple layers of thermal underwear. Best decision I made on hunt clothes was to buy First Lite. Like he said the price is worth it on certain items
I have that and the bibs too but have not needed them yet and with what little I did get from them I was warm at 29° with a windchill of 20°. I am very impressed
jag gers the bibs will be my next purchase. Still deciding between the sanctuary and their other lighter weight bib. But I need insulated boots before that.
I wear military surplus cold weather gear, especially the jackets. I have a US M35 cold weather jacket with liner that is incredible. I paid $15 at a flea market. Lol...I also have a Polish WZ93 jacket with liner that is great...I paid $50 at a surplus store. These jackets are not set up with pockets specifically for hunting, but they have lots of pockets and they are very nice. These things are more affordable and they work well for me. Still this is a very well presented video with some excellent info. Thanks man, and good luck this season.
Interesting, I have a pair of brown Carhartt bibs already but I was thinking about getting a pair of their insulated bibs in a camo pattern for hunting on tree / climbing stands . I hadn't thought about just throwing a leafy suit over them, that's a great idea!
You get what you pay for. For decades My purchase was based on price. More often then not I had to replace the item. I now buy quality items and have had no issues.
When it was nasty cold in NNY I used to wear a cheap plastic rainsuit over my base then a set of $35 (at the time) coveralls. I wore cheap walmart pacboots with bread bags over my socks. My mom made me a good scarf, and I had some fur lined mittens with a trigger finger hole. I keep spending more every year for new hgear but I have never been that warm. I sat in -20--30 degree weather for over 16 hrs at a time. I even napped out there.
I bit the bullet last year and dove into the Sitka pool. Best decision ever on camo!. The functionality and comfort is so much better than people imagine. You're dead on, everything is placed there with a purpose in mind. However, I do love the hoodie, I wear it over a base layer and if it never gets below 35'ish, I'm good. And don't even get me started about the built in face mask in the hoodie!! Whitetail Solutions (pretty sure) did a vid on Sitka as well, and a lot of his stuff he's been wearing 10 years, won't get that on cheaper stuff.
I agree 100%.... I bought it then fell in love with it... and bought the pants ....then bought the lighter layers - they are unreal - cant beat the wind stopping ability - yup they are expensive (mortgage payment LOL) but it makes my hunting vacations in Northern Ontario much more of a joy!!! I'm not sponsored by them but sure do wish i was ...... they are the real deal.
Dude, I really enjoy your videos. I would really enjoy your perspective on bows. I have never met you, but it seems like the camp fire talks would be helpful and entertaining. You do you and I will support
I live in northern British Columbia. If you think it gets cold in Pennsylvania, try my neck of the woods. Bow hunting in late Nov. can see temperature get down to -25 C. (That's about 13 below Fahrenheit for you Yanks.) Actually, it can get colder but I'm a wuss for colder temps. Years ago I got a one piece, thick lined fleece camo suit from Cabelas. It cost about $125. It's awesome. With thin underwear, it's okay for milder temps and for serious cold, you wear a base layer and perhaps a sweater, along with gloves and a knit cap. Wind proof, waterproof and silent... all you need for cold weather bow hunting, where it really gets cold.
I'm sure you can hunt in a santa outfit. But the point is what's more comfortable, which clothing has the features that makes your hunting time more enjoyable. I go hiking with a buddy quite a bit, hes the one who always buys cheap and I always buy top brands and better quality stuff. My hiking trips always go like a breeze, he on the other hand is constantly getting wet, his gear rips easily, the zips on his bags always fall apart, he has trouble sleeping, blisters and all sorts. I used to buy cheap too but never again, if you do your homework and find brands that care about the activity then they create some really nice gear and take all kinds of things into consideration.
I grew up in Minnesota and often hunted deer in sub-zero weather. In Virginia now for years I have not changed my system of normal hunting dress. If you learn how to dress for outdoor sports you don't need that expensive stuff. You can use a normal Columbia winter coat and a decent pair of insulated bib overalls and quality waterproof insulated boots. I wear or carry in my pack a good quality Real Tree rain shell bottom and hooded top. In 55 years of hunting I just don't get cold when I dress like this. Being able to layer on treks in and out of the woods ensures I won't sweat. Dry, windproof, dependable and versatile. And very budget friendly.
Just a little food for thought, up for people on the fence about clothes. Up until this year I haven’t bought hunting specific clothes, but instead just used layer on top of layer on top of layer. I remember on bottoms I would use two underarmor 4.0 then pants. On top I would do the same, then two thermals, then a hoody or two,. Then a jacket and still freeze. Now that I bought first lite cold specific gear I don’t have to do that. Now I just wear a single 4.0, FL hoody, FL vest and FL Jacket and I’m toasty. Same thing on the bottom. FL thermal and FL pants. If I get cold glassing using spot and stalk method on Mulies I put on my Down FL jacket. And I’m talking well into the negatives with wind chill. -Teens. And I’m still warm. In Montana and N.Dakota the rifle season and late archery into December can be bitter cold and I trust FL to keep me Warm.
You need to pay attention to good pricing. Happens a few times throughout the year. I have all kuiu gear and their pack. Top quality gear. Better priced than Sitka, period.
Thanks for the review. I live in the southeast corner of Colorado the non-mountainous half. Our weather can be 70F in December in fact had a dog rattlesnake bit the day after Christmas and the next year we were digging out of 4’ of snow. I like the tip of buying a good top and not matching it with the bottoms. Other than the feet my legs don’t get near as cold as the top side.
The fanatic hoody is meant as an under garment not an outer layer...Have to say it is my favorite piece and if I am moving I am comfortable in it down in the 30s. I also live in pa
If you like Sitka, you'll love kuiu. The entire system is lighter. Everything is made either a base, mid, mid to outer, and outer. So if you where a L, you get L in Everything and they layer perfect. Thin base, then fleece base ls over it, then tight fitting strong fleece over that. That's good to about 28 degrees if you're hiking hard up PA mountains. It pulls moisture away from your body and when you stop slowly ad your mid insulation and then if you're getting blasted by cold air or just flat out cold add an outer jacket like the axis that has waterproof shoulders and upper chest and back and upper arms. The ribs and under arms are water resistant and wind breaking while being breathable. If it gets below zero put on your down layer over all of it. They also have down pants as well so when you sit you unpack it. All of the choths are very packable. Obviously you don't need all of it every time because you're not going to be in the woods at 40 and rain and end at 10 below zero.
Late archery last year was 20 degrees in a foot of snow walking around looking for elk. I had my Kuiu gear on and every vent open I was so warm. Best gear I have ever worn. completely worth the money.
I have the same fanatic system form Sitka and I absolutely love it. Just like you, I used to suffer from cold temps no matter how many layers I had put on. Fanatic bibs and jacket solved it for me.
Rain Song73 that’s true. It’s not waterproof. I always carry a kuiu rain jacket with me. It’s silly how packable that thing is. Folds into a fist size little bundle. If it starts to rain, I get it out of the pack and put it on real quick. I also put it on over a base layer when I carry a deer out on my shoulders. Keeps my clothes clean.
Great video! Have to agree about temp in Pennsylvania. This archery season wasn’t too bad for me (besides some of those cold mornings) I’m just stuck because I’m still growing so it would be pointless to spend a lot of money of top end stuff when it won’t fit about 2 years down the road. Great system for adults who are done growing! Have a great day!
Agree completely there! I think I was also suffering from that as I grew all the way through college. So I didn't 100% settle in to pants and shirt sizes for quite some time!
I went to Alberta to work on the pipe line in 2009. I spent 2500 on Walmart base layers and thermal gear thinking I could just layer it all. Even if I wore it all at the same time I would freeze. Wasted all that money on garbage. Had o have known I would have bought 2 really good brand base layers and an expensive jacket and pants. I fckd up. Love and learn
Another great video! Did you know Jason Hairston started Kuiu after selling Sitka to Gore-tex? I've never worn anything besides chain store gear but after a ton of research, finally invested in a Kuiu setup. Videos like this helped in me deciding to make the investment. Thanks man!
I leave in south East Tennessee. Doesn’t get Minnesota cold but cold enough. Went duck hunting out of a boat for the first time last season. Very thankful a buddy had an extra wind blocked waterfowl parka or I would’ve froze
Great Explanation Review Iam not a hunter I love hunting jackets I regret buying the Walmart brand I am sick of being cold . I need to buy myself Sitka
I am getting into hunting, but I've been fly fishing since I was 10 or so. I got cheaper gear for fishing and just layer up with thermals during winter fishing. Why not just do the same with the hunting gear? Cheap on the outside and layered thermals underneath.
Inferno Bibs are super quiet! Spend the money People! I live in minnesota and I use to get cold. I hunt late season and never get cold and I don't have to put on many layers.
Great review, some great advice. If in warmer weather hunting it is not worth spending a lot on camo. Another consideration If you live in cold weather is how often you hunt.
I thought this video would be about the pattern, I guess as a new hunter I didn't really understand the hype. Now it makes sense because all I have is layers and layers of cheap crap and I still freeze me arse off. Now I'm starting to see why people dump money in camo.
The best thing I ever started doing was to put a stick on body size hand warmer on the sides of my neck at my shoulders... it keeps that blood warm... I spent more money on base layers then I do on camo
@@averagejackarchery I tired those locations .. but i guess because of my weight they didnt seem effective that's why I started putting them on my neck ..
I have a lot of sitka and yeah I like it but do it again I would just buy stratus jacket and use that as your shell and use what ever you like for insulation
Hey brother thanks for the information about to get my first compound in a week needed sum education on camo gear...any man I would like to tag along with you on one of those hunts just so I can learn I also it’s my bucket list FYI I also live in Philadelphia
I have owned many different hunting gear from high priced to low price. When it comes right down to it, almost all hunting patterns are effective. Scent control seems to be the deciding factor on whether your clothes will work. A $10 bottle of scent killer takes care of that. So what is the difference between expensive and cheap. Most of the time it come down to image, meaning, what is the fad. Some brands have a specialty like Kuiu and Sitka for being light weight. When it comes down to it, that is all BS. Drop 5 pounds and you more than made up for that light weight gear and save money. Don’t get me wrong. I love Kuiu and Sitka and hunt in both. But people have been successfully hunting in their normal daily attire for hundreds of years. So, hunt in what ever you enjoy. I personally like badlands for archery because it fits me the best. But I also like Kuiu because it looks good. I also really like Scentlok because it is comfortable.
I like KUIU quite a bit but they are geared specifically for Western hunting that entails a lot of hiking and moving around. They are starting to put out a lot of solid colors too which is nice because you can wear then camping and hiking etc.
Agree and disagree. For rifle season yes. But, for archery where you hunt very close, some camp patterns break up your pattern betterment and works better. The two best patterns for archery are Sitka and Badlands.
Layer with basic layering ,wool and a wind barrier. This works fine if on a stand. Still hunting is another story. For me, I.m a wool guy, look on E-bay and forget the high tech-over priced candy camo.
Cabelas has two levels of jackets now. What do you think of the higher "4most" jackets? Hikers like to wax their pants to make them waterproof might be an option to research as it might be quieter too. Thanks in advance.
@@natet.5813 I have Firstlight gear now. My problem is sweating on the way in, having wet wool against my skin. Not good. I ordered some Kuiu gear recently. Haven't gotten it yet.
Ouch! Your vid concinved me to take a look at the Sitka Gear Fanatic jacket. Sitka Gear website....$449? Ouch! W-A-Y out of reach for a working class family guy. I guess I'll just havta stay cold in my cheap jacket. Thanks for the video anyhow...I always enjoy your stuff.
I agree with you there it is definitely not a spur of the moment purchase. For me something like this is an investment piece. Been hunting for way too long and been way too miserable I had to end it. Same here on the working class family man. One income family isn't what it used to be!
ya by now it should be a pretty obvious consensus that the expensive brands are worth the money but aren't necessary. You can get by with almost anything if you do it right but to be the most optimal and comfortable in any climate, it's well worth getting the expensive stuff. Back in the day, people didn't have sitka or first lite and tough material like jeans, warm layers and rain jacket could get you through a hunt. Hell, even camo isn't necessary if you hunt the popular ungulate big games deer, elk, and moose.
I live In PA and I’m definitely in the woods and fields more than most from wing shooting to archery and small game and rifle and trapping and I could personally never justify spending that much money on something that won’t last as long as a redhead and get absolutely shredded on the first day I wear it
I wear a 3x "Gortex" rain coat over a 3x W*M parka like yours with a 2x W*M polar fleece jacket as a liner and a Duofold long sleeve undergarment. Wanna' stay warm ? Try a pair of W*M polar fleece lounging pajamas under a one size larger pair of Jean's or hunting pants. You could add Duofold long John bottoms and/or the "Gortex" rain pants as a wind barrier. The above has kept me considerably warmer that an expensive heavy insulated hunting outfit. You could substitute polypropylene or Bergaline under garment. I wear either heavy moisture wicking synthetic Sox or heavy pure wool Sox under (400 gram?) "Thinsulate" insulated Corxura/"Gortex" Herman Survivors ($59.95) from W*M. Expensive name brand Camo patterns ? Deer don't care ! Do you really think that after 30 years of "Realtre"& "Mossy0ak" improving each year, that this years "New & Improved"... ; is REALLY any better than last years hot patterns ? I liked 0riginal "Mossy 0ak" , "Bottomland" the best. It seems to be making a came back. We killed deer in Red & Black checked "Woolrich" coats and head to toe Fluorescent 0range coveralls. Printed sticks & leaves wont fool deer, but certain specific patterns do seem to attract hunters 0h yeah, ... and must give me an old fashioned knitted skull cap ! I rarely wear gloves . A "waterproofed" pop-up blind will keep you warmer, drier, out of sight and limit scent transfer on the wind. You can even utilize a small heater if necessary. Hunt safe and save your money.
If I remember correctly deer only really focus on movement and not patterns that much so I honestly don’t think it really matters if you have a camo pattern on your clothes which is honestly just another reason to up the price of “hunting” clothes. cause I mean before real tree and mossy oak were around our ancestors killed deer just fine in regular clothes they already had. So I mean just get stuff that keeps you warm is what I would recommend. I would keep it to earth tones nothing blue cause I do remember seeing a video explaining that deer see more of the violet blue spectrums of light not sure how true that is I haven’t really dug into that research. Now I’m not saying by any means that you shouldn’t buy camo patterned clothes or that they don’t help at all but just something to keep in mind for the hunter who is just starting out and may not want to drop 700 dollars on a jacket for a sport/hobby they may lose interest in a few months down the road.
I like the sitka stuff but like you said no more material than needs to be there well fitted and that's the best part but I think you just need to pic and choose throw the midi on under that I love the celicius midi
i use scent blocker and nomad and i love it never cold and always killing the big ones cause i can sit in the stand and hunt all day or 5-6 hours at a time
Stephen Selph after season sales.. Shop around.. I just bought some scent blocker clothes at farm n fleet already on sale.. I just bought bigger sizes so I can layer underneath..
Taking this one step further, what do you do for the orange requirement? Those vests are kind of annoying, and they’re loud. It’d be nice if Sitka had an orange camo option for shotgun season.
I hunt Pa and NY and get cold easily. Been thinking about the sitka jacket. How many layers are you putting on under the jacket in gun season? I usually have 2 layers of long John's, cotton t shirt and thick wool sweater then cabelas wooltimate heavy coat still get cold in the teens. And feel like the Michelin man
What do I do for gun season? Sit on the couch with my feet up. I'm tagged out in bow season. Haha! But in all seriousness that's some serious layers to get cold in! Even in the teens. In my experience, a tshirt or longer thermal shirt if it's getting close to single digits, a thicker fleece jacket, followed by the Fanatic from Sitka and I'm snug as a bug in a rug. If the temps and wind are really howling and I need to get out to avoid tag soup in the late season in January, I will break out the full Carhartt outfit and layer merino, fleece, and wool under a winter Carhartt jacket over my bibs and I'll stay comfortable long enough to stay on stand through regular hunting hours. Also, adhesive body warmers from Hot Hands or Grabber are just the bee's knee's. Holy smokes, I won't leave the house without them if the temps are 20 or below. Especially if there's precipitation or a lot of wind those things can be a game changer. Can pull one out on stand and adhere it to my underlayer on my solar plexus and I'm good to keep hunting.
Thermal long johns are a lot cheaper than these high dollar clothes. Back in the day old timers didn't have all these fancy clothes and stayed warm. Take lessons from them just use the right material. I used long johns, wool throw over then put my camo jacket over whole set up cost me about $60-$80 depending on the jacket and I stay hella warm. Still a great video if I ever found them on sale I might buy one of these jackets.
I was thinking the same. I'm no hunter, but I fly fish the winters in montana and have cheap gear with thermals underneath. I've always found that more layers are significantly better than one high-quality layer.
What kind of Sitka jacket would you recommend for texas? I got a bass pro near me so they sell a couple. 30 is usually the coldest it gets in south texas.
I gave up trying to chase Sitka stuff about two years ago. I've switched over to Huntworth, especially for warmer parts of the season, and it would be killer for you. Their midweight and lightweight stuff would handle your entire Texas season and cost pennies compared to one Sitka jacket.
I really like your videos and am curious what hunting outerwear I should get if I have a budget between 500-1000 preferred to spend less money but if Sitka is worth it I’ll purchase because sitting still all day makes me freezing when it’s 20 or less. Need a warm season set up and middle season and live in the Midwest thanks
I genuinely would take a look at Huntworth and their Fairbanks lineup. Way better priced than Sitka and is beyond warm. Possibly too bulky for full time Bowhunting use in the jacket, but the bibs are to die for.
For the stupid cold days (0-10 or negative) it's a next to skin layer like Merino or blended thermal, adhesive body warmer on my sternum (boy are they nice) then a thin mid layer even a hoodie will work, and then the jacket. Snug as a bug. For "regular" cold days in the teens to 30s a simple base layer and the jacket do me just fine!
@@averagejackarchery I went and tried the scentlok bowhunter elite full season elements jacket and the new fortress jacket at the local shop. I then proceeded to buy the sitka stratus jacket😅 the fit, the cut and the attention to detail is superb.
Great review man! Excellent. You have a great personality for this to boot. Hey also how tall are you? I'm 6'9" and I am in need of some help. Having trouble finding companies who are making a lot of gear in Talls. I'm basically a XLT or in some cases a XXLT.
I'm 6'4", so right on the cusp of XL being *just* big enough. Would like some XLT stuff though from time to time. For stuff like that, King's Camo is where I've purchased some Big 'n Tall stuff in the past. No complaints!
Layers is the key to keep warm. I don't spend allot on,camo. Get oversized jacket. And then wear layers under neath. But don't use cotton it soaks up moisture and that wickes the heat away from your body thinsulate is a good warm jacket. Most of your heat is lost from your head. Or nogin we say. Cover your ears and mouth and neack. And some real good warm boots that have thinsulate ill spend more on boots than any thing my feet get cold. Easy. Ok. So every body got an opinion. That's mine. I'm nearly 60 years old. ,,,
logi I personally use the harvester series and the cottonwood series, both super high quality, quiet, warm cloths. I also use the blood trail pants for early season, 60 and above temps.
The strengths of these products is the textiles they are constructed from and the built in features they possess. The camouflage pattern is irrelevant and is purely a marketing scheme employed by the companies to lure consumers with. In fact, I would say the proprietary pattern is better at deceiving the consumer than the prey we chasers the field.
I fuckin hate layering up. Rather just wear one or two pieces of clothing and being able to stay warm with as little layers as possible. I have a pair of bibs I bought off Amazon in 2015. Idek what brand they are but they've been really good bibs surprisingly. I usually wear a pair of long Jon's or jeans under them and I have a scent blocker jacket that I lost the liner to someplace and that too is actually pretty cozy. I usually only wear a sweatshirt under it. It's hit or miss with cheap vs expensive stuff
Just remember people for anybody that wants to use the Carhartt Brown bibs or parka that's exact same color of a deer's hide or their coat so you got to be careful when you use that stuff out in the woods.
I have carhartt coveralls and they are very warm. Trouble is that they are black. They work great in a ground blind. They are a bit stiff and noisy. If they made camo coveralls or bibs, I would be all over it.
You had me sold on the jacket till I saw the $450 price tag… that is just blatant price gouging for made in china apparel. These companies need to knock it off with this ridiculous greed.
Great question! One that I still haven't found an answer to. So far I'm currently running a pair of Rocky boots in either 1000 or 1200 gram insulation. Work well on stand for several hours in freezing temps. But toe warmers and keeping my legs from cramping and losing blood circulation have been the two biggest factors. Without warmth and circulation you can kiss your toes goodbye! 😂
Great review man, thanks for breaking it down!!! Im tired of freezing my dick off I’m gonna bend over and buy the Sitka and be done with it. I have a great Cabelas cold 🥶 weather setup but the sleeves are way too baggy and i end up using the Xbow because I can’t shoot my bowtech with the puffy jacket.
haha. I have ways I can stay warm, but I end up feeling like the Michelin man and drawing my bow becomes a challenge lol. Something that's made with bow hunters in mind would be fantastic.
I also hunt PA (units 1A, 1B, and 2F). For most of my hunting years I didn’t really buy any camo over $150 for the whole set, but did spend some money on my base layers. I’ve experimented with all different methods of layering and never really got what I was looking for. I finally started making some decent money and invested in the Fanatic system by Sitka and boy am I glad I did. I’ve been done “growing” for a few years and I think I’m just going to slowly invest into multiple different pieces to build the best system I can for my hunting tendencies.
Buy the best you CAN afford, not what people tel you that you SHOULD afford. We don’t all have the same luxuries or opportunities, so we shouldn’t tout ourselves as better than the next guy when it comes to what gear one can afford.
Great video. 👍
Sid, that’s a great statement. Very fine points. I’m doing the same thing, like I did with my fishing gear. Slowly upgrade over the years, when it’s a good time for me to do so. Thanks!
1A hunter from RI here good pointers
watch for specials online after Christmas when these things go on clearance or sale. I have bought a lot of quality gear for up to 50% off. I look all year long and buy a good deal even I don't need it at the time.
That's what i do also. You will be amaze at what you can get!!
I just bought a drake wading jacket for 50 percent off
Where from
Veil camo is 50% off right now, I got bibs and a coat for 160 total so I figured I'd spread the word lol
That's what I do, I call it smart shopping.
This is such a great, thorough review! 👏
Thank you! And thanks for tuning in!
As someone who grew up poor and for 26 years of my life have just layered Walmart clothing. I started to invest in Sitka gear about 4 years ago and it is NIGHT and DAY difference, there’s a reason they’re proud of their product, bc it works!! Even if you can add one layer maybe 2 a year bc of price point if you’re an avid hunter it’s worth its weight in gold.
this is what i had to tell myself
thanks for commenting i’ll start grabbing pieces here and there
most likely jacket first with my boots and pants after , i love their backpacks too
be safe and be good my friend
I would mention that wool under layers make layers really much more effective. Layers of cotton are very different and not equal in anyway to wool. Then all you need is wet weather protection built into your jacket.
Very much this. People always think about moisture from rain and snow but if you wet out a cotton underlayer with sweat you are screwed.
Absolutely. Merino and Alpaca layers make a big difference.
A lot of folks don't understand what it's like to be tall/lanky and how easy it is to end up cold, really quickly in the stand. You're so right, it takes a lot to have the heart pump that blood around! LOL great video!
Great stuff man I’ve been looking into upgrading my hunting gear and this video helps narrow things down. Glad to see a fellow hunter from Pennsylvania 🤙
Thanks for the video. I hunt in Northern Wisconsin, and cold is definitely something that you don't want to worry about.
I was always skeptical because of the price tags. After some research I finally bit the bullet and bought some First Lite gear. I bought a few base layers and was warmer than I ever have been with big fluffy coveralls and multiple layers of thermal underwear. Best decision I made on hunt clothes was to buy First Lite. Like he said the price is worth it on certain items
jag gers their Sanctuary jacket is phenomenal.
I have that and the bibs too but have not needed them yet and with what little I did get from them I was warm at 29° with a windchill of 20°. I am very impressed
jag gers the bibs will be my next purchase. Still deciding between the sanctuary and their other lighter weight bib. But I need insulated boots before that.
jag gers first lite is top notch. Plus it’s on killer Black Friday sale this week!
I wear military surplus cold weather gear, especially the jackets. I have a US M35 cold weather jacket with liner that is incredible. I paid $15 at a flea market. Lol...I also have a Polish WZ93 jacket with liner that is great...I paid $50 at a surplus store. These jackets are not set up with pockets specifically for hunting, but they have lots of pockets and they are very nice. These things are more affordable and they work well for me. Still this is a very well presented video with some excellent info. Thanks man, and good luck this season.
Love my military cold layers! Bugger to shoot a bow in though for me anyways. But for rifle season they're tough to beat for the price!
Interesting, I have a pair of brown Carhartt bibs already but I was thinking about getting a pair of their insulated bibs in a camo pattern for hunting on tree / climbing stands . I hadn't thought about just throwing a leafy suit over them, that's a great idea!
frbird51 I ran carhartt bibs and stepped up to Sitka fanatic bibs. Lifesaver.
You've hit on some very good points and passed on some great ideas with the Carhartt bibs and leafy suit pants! Thanks!
Swap the leafy suit for a orange suit during firearm season on public land.
You get what you pay for. For decades My purchase was based on price. More often then not I had to replace the item. I now buy quality items and have had no issues.
When it was nasty cold in NNY I used to wear a cheap plastic rainsuit over my base then a set of $35 (at the time) coveralls. I wore cheap walmart pacboots with bread bags over my socks. My mom made me a good scarf, and I had some fur lined mittens with a trigger finger hole. I keep spending more every year for new hgear but I have never been that warm. I sat in -20--30 degree weather for over 16 hrs at a time. I even napped out there.
I bit the bullet last year and dove into the Sitka pool. Best decision ever on camo!. The functionality and comfort is so much better than people imagine. You're dead on, everything is placed there with a purpose in mind. However, I do love the hoodie, I wear it over a base layer and if it never gets below 35'ish, I'm good. And don't even get me started about the built in face mask in the hoodie!! Whitetail Solutions (pretty sure) did a vid on Sitka as well, and a lot of his stuff he's been wearing 10 years, won't get that on cheaper stuff.
I agree 100%.... I bought it then fell in love with it... and bought the pants ....then bought the lighter layers - they are unreal - cant beat the wind stopping ability - yup they are expensive (mortgage payment LOL) but it makes my hunting vacations in Northern Ontario much more of a joy!!! I'm not sponsored by them but sure do wish i was ...... they are the real deal.
Glad I live in Florida it’s like 80+ year round 😂
Just started with scent loc last season... I can tell you that it is by far the most comfortable and warmest clothing.
Dude, I really enjoy your videos. I would really enjoy your perspective on bows. I have never met you, but it seems like the camp fire talks would be helpful and entertaining. You do you and I will support
Carhartt artic bibs under some oversized walmart hunting pants, they're a little bulky but I'm not exactly moving much when I get set up
I live in northern British Columbia. If you think it gets cold in Pennsylvania, try my neck of the woods. Bow hunting in late Nov. can see temperature get down to -25 C. (That's about 13 below Fahrenheit for you Yanks.) Actually, it can get colder but I'm a wuss for colder temps.
Years ago I got a one piece, thick lined fleece camo suit from Cabelas. It cost about $125. It's awesome. With thin underwear, it's okay for milder temps and for serious cold, you wear a base layer and perhaps a sweater, along with gloves and a knit cap. Wind proof, waterproof and silent... all you need for cold weather bow hunting, where it really gets cold.
I'm sure you can hunt in a santa outfit. But the point is what's more comfortable, which clothing has the features that makes your hunting time more enjoyable. I go hiking with a buddy quite a bit, hes the one who always buys cheap and I always buy top brands and better quality stuff. My hiking trips always go like a breeze, he on the other hand is constantly getting wet, his gear rips easily, the zips on his bags always fall apart, he has trouble sleeping, blisters and all sorts. I used to buy cheap too but never again, if you do your homework and find brands that care about the activity then they create some really nice gear and take all kinds of things into consideration.
Great video! I know people who wear cheaper stuff and nearly freeze to death, but won't spend the money on decent stuff.
I grew up in Minnesota and often hunted deer in sub-zero weather. In Virginia now for years I have not changed my system of normal hunting dress. If you learn how to dress for outdoor sports you don't need that expensive stuff. You can use a normal Columbia winter coat and a decent pair of insulated bib overalls and quality waterproof insulated boots. I wear or carry in my pack a good quality Real Tree rain shell bottom and hooded top. In 55 years of hunting I just don't get cold when I dress like this. Being able to layer on treks in and out of the woods ensures I won't sweat. Dry, windproof, dependable and versatile. And very budget friendly.
Just a little food for thought, up for people on the fence about clothes. Up until this year I haven’t bought hunting specific clothes, but instead just used layer on top of layer on top of layer. I remember on bottoms I would use two underarmor 4.0 then pants. On top I would do the same, then two thermals, then a hoody or two,. Then a jacket and still freeze. Now that I bought first lite cold specific gear I don’t have to do that. Now I just wear a single 4.0, FL hoody, FL vest and FL Jacket and I’m toasty. Same thing on the bottom. FL thermal and FL pants. If I get cold glassing using spot and stalk method on Mulies I put on my Down FL jacket. And I’m talking well into the negatives with wind chill. -Teens. And I’m still warm. In Montana and N.Dakota the rifle season and late archery into December can be bitter cold and I trust FL to keep me Warm.
My hands and feet get me every time, thanks for the advice ... in the future I will consider some Sitka clothing.
Billie & Glenn Busch go with kuiu direct to consumer better quality
Better have your credit card ready..
You need to pay attention to good pricing. Happens a few times throughout the year. I have all kuiu gear and their pack. Top quality gear. Better priced than Sitka, period.
Sitka really is worth it. You will have it a long time and it's really not that significant of a difference when you "amortize" it over many years.
Looks like we got a CPA over here
Thanks for the review. I live in the southeast corner of Colorado the non-mountainous half. Our weather can be 70F in December in fact had a dog rattlesnake bit the day after Christmas and the next year we were digging out of 4’ of snow. I like the tip of buying a good top and not matching it with the bottoms. Other than the feet my legs don’t get near as cold as the top side.
Live in Minnesota also, I love duck or goose down, its light and no wind gets threw.
First lite grizzly 2 trigger mitts are amazing. I'm working on reviewing them.
The fanatic hoody is meant as an under garment not an outer layer...Have to say it is my favorite piece and if I am moving I am comfortable in it down in the 30s. I also live in pa
I have sitka, redhead and cambelas. I love red head jackets -20 C in Canada and still warm for nov deer season.
If you like Sitka, you'll love kuiu. The entire system is lighter. Everything is made either a base, mid, mid to outer, and outer. So if you where a L, you get L in Everything and they layer perfect. Thin base, then fleece base ls over it, then tight fitting strong fleece over that. That's good to about 28 degrees if you're hiking hard up PA mountains. It pulls moisture away from your body and when you stop slowly ad your mid insulation and then if you're getting blasted by cold air or just flat out cold add an outer jacket like the axis that has waterproof shoulders and upper chest and back and upper arms. The ribs and under arms are water resistant and wind breaking while being breathable. If it gets below zero put on your down layer over all of it. They also have down pants as well so when you sit you unpack it. All of the choths are very packable. Obviously you don't need all of it every time because you're not going to be in the woods at 40 and rain and end at 10 below zero.
Too bad kuiu doesn’t make bigger sizes.
Great info and insight, particularly for folks who are in the colder weather!
Late archery last year was 20 degrees in a foot of snow walking around looking for elk. I had my Kuiu gear on and every vent open I was so warm. Best gear I have ever worn. completely worth the money.
I have the same fanatic system form Sitka and I absolutely love it.
Just like you, I used to suffer from cold temps no matter how many layers I had put on. Fanatic bibs and jacket solved it for me.
Rain Song73 that’s true. It’s not waterproof. I always carry a kuiu rain jacket with me. It’s silly how packable that thing is. Folds into a fist size little bundle. If it starts to rain, I get it out of the pack and put it on real quick.
I also put it on over a base layer when I carry a deer out on my shoulders. Keeps my clothes clean.
Really helpful video. I've watched several of your videos and they have been very helpful. Thank you and keep up the good work
Great video! Have to agree about temp in Pennsylvania. This archery season wasn’t too bad for me (besides some of those cold mornings) I’m just stuck because I’m still growing so it would be pointless to spend a lot of money of top end stuff when it won’t fit about 2 years down the road. Great system for adults who are done growing! Have a great day!
Agree completely there! I think I was also suffering from that as I grew all the way through college. So I didn't 100% settle in to pants and shirt sizes for quite some time!
*I buy what is comfortable & Durable! Sometimes the cheaper stuff is in fact better.. Not always but sometimes*
I went to Alberta to work on the pipe line in 2009. I spent 2500 on Walmart base layers and thermal gear thinking I could just layer it all. Even if I wore it all at the same time I would freeze. Wasted all that money on garbage. Had o have known I would have bought 2 really good brand base layers and an expensive jacket and pants. I fckd up. Love and learn
Another great video! Did you know Jason Hairston started Kuiu after selling Sitka to Gore-tex? I've never worn anything besides chain store gear but after a ton of research, finally invested in a Kuiu setup. Videos like this helped in me deciding to make the investment. Thanks man!
I leave in south East Tennessee. Doesn’t get Minnesota cold but cold enough. Went duck hunting out of a boat for the first time last season. Very thankful a buddy had an extra wind blocked waterfowl parka or I would’ve froze
Great Explanation Review Iam not a hunter I love hunting jackets I regret buying the Walmart brand I am sick of being cold . I need to buy myself Sitka
I am getting into hunting, but I've been fly fishing since I was 10 or so. I got cheaper gear for fishing and just layer up with thermals during winter fishing. Why not just do the same with the hunting gear? Cheap on the outside and layered thermals underneath.
I like polar king bibs way more than carhartt. They're pretty quiet, and plenty warm
Inferno Bibs are super quiet! Spend the money People! I live in minnesota and I use to get cold. I hunt late season and never get cold and I don't have to put on many layers.
Great review, some great advice. If in warmer weather hunting it is not worth spending a lot on camo. Another consideration If you live in cold weather is how often you hunt.
If you layer correctly, you can use lower budget gear and be perfectly warm. But it may not be as comfortable as high end gear.
I thought this video would be about the pattern, I guess as a new hunter I didn't really understand the hype. Now it makes sense because all I have is layers and layers of cheap crap and I still freeze me arse off. Now I'm starting to see why people dump money in camo.
The pattern nonsense is all hype, but staying warm is priceless in my eyes!
The best thing I ever started doing was to put a stick on body size hand warmer on the sides of my neck at my shoulders... it keeps that blood warm...
I spent more money on base layers then I do on camo
Love adhesive body warmers! When the temps really dip I use one on my sternum and one in the middle of my back. Amazing what they can do.
@@averagejackarchery I tired those locations .. but i guess because of my weight they didnt seem effective that's why I started putting them on my neck ..
@@rainsong7327 Incinerator is waterproof but slightly less quiet than fanatic
I have the Kryptek three layers system, GMU 20 Colorado
I have a lot of sitka and yeah I like it but do it again I would just buy stratus jacket and use that as your shell and use what ever you like for insulation
Hey brother thanks for the information about to get my first compound in a week needed sum education on camo gear...any man I would like to tag along with you on one of those hunts just so I can learn I also it’s my bucket list FYI I also live in Philadelphia
I live in a southern state. It’s game winner for me. Lol. It doesn’t start getting cold until late riffle here.
I have owned many different hunting gear from high priced to low price. When it comes right down to it, almost all hunting patterns are effective. Scent control seems to be the deciding factor on whether your clothes will work. A $10 bottle of scent killer takes care of that. So what is the difference between expensive and cheap. Most of the time it come down to image, meaning, what is the fad. Some brands have a specialty like Kuiu and Sitka for being light weight. When it comes down to it, that is all BS. Drop 5 pounds and you more than made up for that light weight gear and save money. Don’t get me wrong. I love Kuiu and Sitka and hunt in both. But people have been successfully hunting in their normal daily attire for hundreds of years. So, hunt in what ever you enjoy. I personally like badlands for archery because it fits me the best. But I also like Kuiu because it looks good. I also really like Scentlok because it is comfortable.
I like KUIU quite a bit but they are geared specifically for Western hunting that entails a lot of hiking and moving around. They are starting to put out a lot of solid colors too which is nice because you can wear then camping and hiking etc.
Agree and disagree. For rifle season yes. But, for archery where you hunt very close, some camp patterns break up your pattern betterment and works better. The two best patterns for archery are Sitka and Badlands.
Layer with basic layering ,wool and a wind barrier. This works fine if on a stand. Still hunting is another story. For me, I.m a wool guy, look on E-bay and forget the high tech-over priced candy camo.
Can you point me in a direction? Thanks
What is "candy camo"?
Cabelas has two levels of jackets now. What do you think of the higher "4most" jackets? Hikers like to wax their pants to make them waterproof might be an option to research as it might be quieter too. Thanks in advance.
Been wondering this too. There’s not many reviews on the “high end” cabelas gear.
Thanks for the video. I’ve been considering some Sitka gear. Nice to get some confirmation from others who use it. Hadn’t considered Carhart bibs.
Paul Crave check out KUIU and first lite also, they have 30-50% off sales so the prices are very good around Black Friday
@@natet.5813 I have Firstlight gear now. My problem is sweating on the way in, having wet wool against my skin. Not good. I ordered some Kuiu gear recently. Haven't gotten it yet.
Amazing analysis. Thanks for this!
Thanks for another great video. I just love your instruction. Why the milkweed?
Fluff that floats! Drop some pieces out of the tree and watch them float with wind direction.
I was looking at this in the store. The material seems reflective and I am very leery of reflective materials.
Ouch! Your vid concinved me to take a look at the Sitka Gear Fanatic jacket. Sitka Gear website....$449? Ouch! W-A-Y out of reach for a working class family guy. I guess I'll just havta stay cold in my cheap jacket. Thanks for the video anyhow...I always enjoy your stuff.
I agree with you there it is definitely not a spur of the moment purchase. For me something like this is an investment piece. Been hunting for way too long and been way too miserable I had to end it. Same here on the working class family man. One income family isn't what it used to be!
ya by now it should be a pretty obvious consensus that the expensive brands are worth the money but aren't necessary. You can get by with almost anything if you do it right but to be the most optimal and comfortable in any climate, it's well worth getting the expensive stuff. Back in the day, people didn't have sitka or first lite and tough material like jeans, warm layers and rain jacket could get you through a hunt. Hell, even camo isn't necessary if you hunt the popular ungulate big games deer, elk, and moose.
I live In PA and I’m definitely in the woods and fields more than most from wing shooting to archery and small game and rifle and trapping and I could personally never justify spending that much money on something that won’t last as long as a redhead and get absolutely shredded on the first day I wear it
I wear a 3x "Gortex" rain coat over a 3x W*M parka like yours with a 2x W*M polar fleece jacket as a liner and a Duofold long sleeve undergarment.
Wanna' stay warm ? Try a pair of W*M polar fleece lounging pajamas under a one size larger pair of Jean's or hunting pants. You could add Duofold long John bottoms and/or the "Gortex" rain pants as a wind barrier.
The above has kept me considerably warmer that an expensive heavy insulated hunting outfit.
You could substitute polypropylene or Bergaline under garment.
I wear either heavy moisture wicking synthetic Sox or heavy pure wool Sox under (400 gram?) "Thinsulate" insulated Corxura/"Gortex" Herman Survivors ($59.95) from W*M.
Expensive name brand Camo patterns ? Deer don't care !
Do you really think that after 30 years of "Realtre"& "Mossy0ak" improving each year, that this years "New & Improved"... ; is REALLY any better than last years hot patterns ?
I liked 0riginal "Mossy 0ak" , "Bottomland" the best. It seems to be making a came back.
We killed deer in Red & Black checked "Woolrich" coats and head to toe Fluorescent 0range coveralls.
Printed sticks & leaves wont fool deer, but certain specific patterns do seem to attract hunters
0h yeah, ... and must give me an old fashioned knitted skull cap !
I rarely wear gloves .
A "waterproofed" pop-up blind will keep you warmer, drier, out of sight and limit scent transfer on the wind. You can even utilize a small heater if necessary.
Hunt safe and save your money.
If I remember correctly deer only really focus on movement and not patterns that much so I honestly don’t think it really matters if you have a camo pattern on your clothes which is honestly just another reason to up the price of “hunting” clothes. cause I mean before real tree and mossy oak were around our ancestors killed deer just fine in regular clothes they already had. So I mean just get stuff that keeps you warm is what I would recommend. I would keep it to earth tones nothing blue cause I do remember seeing a video explaining that deer see more of the violet blue spectrums of light not sure how true that is I haven’t really dug into that research. Now I’m not saying by any means that you shouldn’t buy camo patterned clothes or that they don’t help at all but just something to keep in mind for the hunter who is just starting out and may not want to drop 700 dollars on a jacket for a sport/hobby they may lose interest in a few months down the road.
I like the sitka stuff but like you said no more material than needs to be there well fitted and that's the best part but I think you just need to pic and choose throw the midi on under that I love the celicius midi
Thanks for the wisdom! Great as always.
Does the Sitka fanatic jacket not have a hood? I’m not sure I understand that concept
i use scent blocker and nomad and i love it never cold and always killing the big ones cause i can sit in the stand and hunt all day or 5-6 hours at a time
Samuel Wixon III just bought my first set of scentlok. Now i need to find a scentlok coat and bibs that
Don’t cost $600 total and I’ll be good. Lol
Stephen Selph after season sales.. Shop around.. I just bought some scent blocker clothes at farm n fleet already on sale.. I just bought bigger sizes so I can layer underneath..
Taking this one step further, what do you do for the orange requirement? Those vests are kind of annoying, and they’re loud. It’d be nice if Sitka had an orange camo option for shotgun season.
I have an older style Allen vest that is a different material than the current, much more "brittle" sounding polyester.
I hunt Pa and NY and get cold easily. Been thinking about the sitka jacket. How many layers are you putting on under the jacket in gun season? I usually have 2 layers of long John's, cotton t shirt and thick wool sweater then cabelas wooltimate heavy coat still get cold in the teens. And feel like the Michelin man
What do I do for gun season? Sit on the couch with my feet up. I'm tagged out in bow season. Haha! But in all seriousness that's some serious layers to get cold in! Even in the teens. In my experience, a tshirt or longer thermal shirt if it's getting close to single digits, a thicker fleece jacket, followed by the Fanatic from Sitka and I'm snug as a bug in a rug. If the temps and wind are really howling and I need to get out to avoid tag soup in the late season in January, I will break out the full Carhartt outfit and layer merino, fleece, and wool under a winter Carhartt jacket over my bibs and I'll stay comfortable long enough to stay on stand through regular hunting hours. Also, adhesive body warmers from Hot Hands or Grabber are just the bee's knee's. Holy smokes, I won't leave the house without them if the temps are 20 or below. Especially if there's precipitation or a lot of wind those things can be a game changer. Can pull one out on stand and adhere it to my underlayer on my solar plexus and I'm good to keep hunting.
Thermal long johns are a lot cheaper than these high dollar clothes. Back in the day old timers didn't have all these fancy clothes and stayed warm. Take lessons from them just use the right material. I used long johns, wool throw over then put my camo jacket over whole set up cost me about $60-$80 depending on the jacket and I stay hella warm. Still a great video if I ever found them on sale I might buy one of these jackets.
I was thinking the same. I'm no hunter, but I fly fish the winters in montana and have cheap gear with thermals underneath. I've always found that more layers are significantly better than one high-quality layer.
What kind of Sitka jacket would you recommend for texas? I got a bass pro near me so they sell a couple. 30 is usually the coldest it gets in south texas.
I gave up trying to chase Sitka stuff about two years ago. I've switched over to Huntworth, especially for warmer parts of the season, and it would be killer for you. Their midweight and lightweight stuff would handle your entire Texas season and cost pennies compared to one Sitka jacket.
I’m from PA too, totally know what you mean.
I really like your videos and am curious what hunting outerwear I should get if I have a budget between 500-1000 preferred to spend less money but if Sitka is worth it I’ll purchase because sitting still all day makes me freezing when it’s 20 or less. Need a warm season set up and middle season and live in the Midwest thanks
I genuinely would take a look at Huntworth and their Fairbanks lineup. Way better priced than Sitka and is beyond warm. Possibly too bulky for full time Bowhunting use in the jacket, but the bibs are to die for.
@@averagejackarchery nice I need a new jacket and bibs and pants preferably wool because bowhunting I need quitet
Great review for Sitka with scientific data to back it up!
You want good camoflage always use military camoflage it's the best in spec and camoflage
So are you wearing a lot of layers under that jacket or is it just a base layer and the jacket even on 10-20F days?
For the stupid cold days (0-10 or negative) it's a next to skin layer like Merino or blended thermal, adhesive body warmer on my sternum (boy are they nice) then a thin mid layer even a hoodie will work, and then the jacket. Snug as a bug. For "regular" cold days in the teens to 30s a simple base layer and the jacket do me just fine!
What are your thoughts for scentlok gear? I dont mean the active carbon, but the overall quality of the clothes.
I haven't had a piece of ScentLok in my closet in nearly a decade so unfortunately I can't have any honest opinion about their more current lineups.
@@averagejackarchery I went and tried the scentlok bowhunter elite full season elements jacket and the new fortress jacket at the local shop. I then proceeded to buy the sitka stratus jacket😅 the fit, the cut and the attention to detail is superb.
Thanks for making this video bro!!!
I've always been the layer guy from North western Wisconsin lol always frozen by the end of my sit
Great review man! Excellent. You have a great personality for this to boot.
Hey also how tall are you? I'm 6'9" and I am in need of some help. Having trouble finding companies who are making a lot of gear in Talls. I'm basically a XLT or in some cases a XXLT.
I'm 6'4", so right on the cusp of XL being *just* big enough. Would like some XLT stuff though from time to time. For stuff like that, King's Camo is where I've purchased some Big 'n Tall stuff in the past. No complaints!
Layers is the key to keep warm. I don't spend allot on,camo. Get oversized jacket. And then wear layers under neath. But don't use cotton it soaks up moisture and that wickes the heat away from your body thinsulate is a good warm jacket. Most of your heat is lost from your head. Or nogin we say. Cover your ears and mouth and neack. And some real good warm boots that have thinsulate ill spend more on boots than any thing my feet get cold. Easy. Ok. So every body got an opinion. That's mine. I'm nearly 60 years old. ,,,
I just started with nomad, and I will never go back!
what series of nmad do you use. ive been debaiting between sitka nomad and snentloks new line
logi I personally use the harvester series and the cottonwood series, both super high quality, quiet, warm cloths. I also use the blood trail pants for early season, 60 and above temps.
The strengths of these products is the textiles they are constructed from and the built in features they possess. The camouflage pattern is irrelevant and is purely a marketing scheme employed by the companies to lure consumers with. In fact, I would say the proprietary pattern is better at deceiving the consumer than the prey we chasers the field.
vey well explained my friend
I swear by Sitka! Finally we found and Engineer that hunts! Well worth the money! Great Job!
Thanks for your video. I feel like I am much more educated now about clothing. God bless my friend!
I fuckin hate layering up. Rather just wear one or two pieces of clothing and being able to stay warm with as little layers as possible. I have a pair of bibs I bought off Amazon in 2015. Idek what brand they are but they've been really good bibs surprisingly. I usually wear a pair of long Jon's or jeans under them and I have a scent blocker jacket that I lost the liner to someplace and that too is actually pretty cozy. I usually only wear a sweatshirt under it. It's hit or miss with cheap vs expensive stuff
Just remember people for anybody that wants to use the Carhartt Brown bibs or parka that's exact same color of a deer's hide or their coat so you got to be careful when you use that stuff out in the woods.
Take it from a Canadian guys, 1. The only way to stay warm is layers. 2. Only wool works dry or wet. 3. Dead men wear cotton.
Wow what jacket is that that you showed first
In Hawaii where its hot n humid, the lighter and more expensive gear is totally worth it.
What do you use? I’ve been eyeing kuiu
I have carhartt coveralls and they are very warm. Trouble is that they are black. They work great in a ground blind. They are a bit stiff and noisy. If they made camo coveralls or bibs, I would be all over it.
They do make camo versions but they are the same, louder material.
Have you had any experience with Asio camo? I’m between it and Sitka!
I don't, sorry! But seriously. Look at Huntworth and save a few grand if your into treestand and and whitetails. I'm loving my stuff.
You had me sold on the jacket till I saw the $450 price tag… that is just blatant price gouging for made in china apparel. These companies need to knock it off with this ridiculous greed.
Feel free to check out Huntworth! Practically half the cost.
What boots would you guys suggest for the cold??my feet are always cold 🥶
Great question! One that I still haven't found an answer to. So far I'm currently running a pair of Rocky boots in either 1000 or 1200 gram insulation. Work well on stand for several hours in freezing temps. But toe warmers and keeping my legs from cramping and losing blood circulation have been the two biggest factors. Without warmth and circulation you can kiss your toes goodbye! 😂
Great review man, thanks for breaking it down!!! Im tired of freezing my dick off I’m gonna bend over and buy the Sitka and be done with it. I have a great Cabelas cold 🥶 weather setup but the sleeves are way too baggy and i end up using the Xbow because I can’t shoot my bowtech with the puffy jacket.
Yup, this is my last year with cheap hunting clothes. I'm gonna budget for better stuff next year for sure.
It certainly has helped me! Now I actually stay warm long enough that my ADD kicks in long before I get cold. :P
haha. I have ways I can stay warm, but I end up feeling like the Michelin man and drawing my bow becomes a challenge lol. Something that's made with bow hunters in mind would be fantastic.