KUIU hardcore gear or expensive toilet Paper?

[StrutNut]

I looked into the stuff pretty heavily last year. Funds where tight so I was looking at the best product for the money. From their site they where not really much different in pricing to many of the competitors. Not cheaper, just a little more. I ended up deciding to wait a year and lets see how this stuff is in the field. Looks like I made the right call.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Did he get a goat?

His first and he says only goat hunt is complete.

 

[WV Hunter]

good grief! Do not underestimate the power of a thread. I started a thread on monstermuleys.com that resulted in the mdf changing their policy on collecting donations.

Someone at kuiu has read this thread. Fact.

fact

 

[Dinkshooter]

Sorry, put up the wrong pictures.

 

[Corax]

A combination of army surplus and old wool dress pants.

 

[passinthru]

His business model is a little odd, he is working the "exclusivity" angle like high end clubs do with only letting a certain number or certain people in thus creating hype and product interest. Kuiu gear for the most part must be ordered months in advance and he is constantly talking about "limited quantities" and "selling out". He has probably made more money than he can spend in 10 lifetimes so maybe he doesn't care. I predict he will get the KUIU brand built up just like he did with Sitka, sell it for a bundle and start something else. Rinse and repeat until you cant get enough dump trucks to drive your money to the bank. Smart guy if you think about it.

This is what toy companies have been doing for decades.

Create a hype and a shortage, parents are running around before Christmas trying to find a beanie baby, buzz light year, playstation, or whatever was
hyped, but can't seem to find it. Then they get talked into putting their name in for when the next shipment comes in after Christmas.

Keeps sales from slumping in the first quarter.

If you want this explained to a t, check out " influence " by Robert Cialdini. Charlie Munger was so impressed with the book he gave the author a class A share of Berkshire.

 

[passinthru]

Nice goat by the way.

Hope I can be doing that at that age.

 

[jryoung]

His business model is a little odd, he is working the "exclusivity" angle like high end clubs do with only letting a certain number or certain people in thus creating hype and product interest. Kuiu gear for the most part must be ordered months in advance and he is constantly talking about "limited quantities" and "selling out". He has probably made more money than he can spend in 10 lifetimes so maybe he doesn't care. I predict he will get the KUIU brand built up just like he did with Sitka, sell it for a bundle and start something else. Rinse and repeat until you cant get enough dump trucks to drive your money to the bank. Smart guy if you think about it.

Or he is being cautious with his purchases, no industry wants to sit on inventory, nor to the want to be unable to sell it because of a lack of stock. It's fair to point out that he is only a year and a half into this and is just now getting to the point where he can better predict demand. They have struggled to sell smalls, and items in solid colors. If he is running lean as it is, and spent that additional time an expense on runs of smalls and solids it's going to create issue with what is in demand. Not to mention his key product comes from Japan which had a slight issue a year ago.

 

[indian larry]

Looks like the goat has a hole in his pit zip also. Must be KUIU snow camo.

 

[mtmiller]

Am I alone? Never had a problem getting any gear I need from them...of course I don't wait until a month before season. All their gear has held up good for me other than a rivet that popped on my gaitors. I was able to fix it myself. Attack pants have seen the most use and though they show wear, still in great shape.

I can't compare to other gear, but I am very happy with the product....other than the Spindrift. It's OK, but not the miracle layer that I hear about from some others.

 

[mhungerford]

I was ready to buy a lot of there gear, but they did not have any of my size in stock. I guess medium-husky is not a size anymore.

 

[Art Vandeley]

I really like my KUIU gear. I will say they did send it to my billing address and not my shipping address which was a pain in my A$$. Sounds like they need to get some new help in the office.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Hopefully I never need warranty work on these pants. They are obviously stained and I can assure you that end is smelly.

 

[thecrittergitter]

Am I alone? Never had a problem getting any gear I need from them...of course I don't wait until a month before season. All their gear has held up good for me other than a rivet that popped on my gaitors. I was able to fix it myself. Attack pants have seen the most use and though they show wear, still in great shape.

I can't compare to other gear, but I am very happy with the product....other than the Spindrift. It's OK, but not the miracle layer that I hear about from some others.

I didn't have any trouble getting mine but we did place a huge order and instead of shipping it together, they shipped it in 5 different shipments, therefore charging us shipping on every damn one........

So far, happy with the products though.

I know if I send something back for some reason, and I get a run around like Dinks bro.........that may be the end of that.

Tore a hole in my rain pants on my last elk hunt but was my fault so I just got some wader patch glue and fixed myself

 

[noharleyyet]

Hopefully I never need warranty work on these pants. They are obviously stained and I can assure you that end is smelly.

....tic tac?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdIdpJe2pdI

 

[AZ Ron]

I haven't had any issues with KUIU or their customer service as well. I'm enjoying their gear, although up until this year I thought it might be cursed as I was missing everything I shot at while wearing KUIU... Changed that this year!

Ron

 

[AKDrifter]

Not the kind of pub you want the week PFD's drop.

 

[Devil Diver Down]

guys that say they won't buy a product based on a handful of negative reviews compared to thousands of positive ones make me chuckle. If that was your standard on everything you'd never buy a single product. I've never seen or researched or bought anything, no matter how much it cost, that didn't have at least a few negative reviews.

I agree for the most part, but many companies have people posting positive reviews under many different aliases. At least with this board, and this community, you are getting some good and bad reviews mixed together. The people posting here - as opposed to an anonymous reviewer - have a track record and that's WAY more dependable to me, even when it's Dink.

I looked at the KUIU stuff but it was hard to justify the price. Of course, I said the same about Sitka gear before I tried it on and read the reviews here. I haven't had any problems with it, but I feel pretty confident they'll make it right if I do. In any case, taking 3 weeks to get a too-smelly-to-repair jacket back to someone is unacceptable in my book. My 2013 gear/tag Stash Fund is earmarked for MR, Vortex and/or an out of state archery elk tag/trip. Maybe KUIU will get back on the list, but not at the rate they're working. We have moths in AZ the size of 747s.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Sorry about my OCD, this place is boring when everyone is out actually HARDCORE hunting.

Copy and paste from HARDCORE KUIU Website:

ABOUT
KUIU is born from the tradition of hard Mountain Hunting. Mountain Hunting is as rich in exposure and suffering and heroic efforts, often in the face of difficult and tempestuous weather, as it is the kill. And like no other sport or campaign this style of hunting depends on well-reasoned, fully functional kit that is light, packable and dependable. That is what we make, this is why we exist.

Sniff, sniff, sniff............ smells like something. Teen Spirit? Or Horseshit?

That Ain’t right. Lord I apologize for talking again about HARDCORE KUIU and be with the starving pigmies down there in New Guinea, Amen.

 

[Bivy]

I gave Kuiu a solid try, but their clothing just doesn't seem to hold up for me, so Sitka once again holds my business on most clothing items.

My negative experiences with Kuiu include: A guide jacket that doesn't seem to have the durability for bushwhacking. This jacket had three tears from brush in one hunting season, and they were I direct result of snagging up on branches (In other words, self-inflicted). However, my 90% Sitka jacket has withstood 3.5 HARD years and yet to tear with the same abuse. Additionally, my merino top developed multiple holes (like Drake), and they weren't a result of moth damage. And the seams have failed on my gloves in a couple spots.

My positive experiences with Kuiu include: The length of their clothing is spectacular compared to Sitka. I'm 6'1" and Sitka pants look borderline 'highwater' and the Sitka base layer ends above my ankle and a couple inches up my calf. Kuiu base layer bottoms are long enough to cover my entire lower body without that ackward 'bend over and they slide half off my butt' or 'wow these look like my girlfriend's exercise tights'. Additionally, Kuiu base layer tops are long enough to stay tucked in. Also, I love the versatility of the merino neck gaiter! It is thin enough to wear comfortablely under a ballcap. Typically, in the cold mornings of archery season I will use it to cover my ears under the ball cap, and as the day warms I will pack the ball cap and pull it up to catch brow sweat and break up my head outline while still allowing my head to vent.

So to sum it up...I'm back to Sitka, but I may purchase Kuiu items in the future pending a better study of the product reviews. I'm interested in their gaiters (currently sold out) and the new boots they are partnering on.