SKRE vs. KUUI vs. SITKA vs. First Light

[brymoore]

I live in Antelope, Ore, that is Central Oregon. here's my old Squirt by the house, elk country!

Love the setter! I bet we’re running related dogs.

 

[rke]

It doesn't really matter between all of those and you can certainly buy from different brands and mix and match (no matter what the influencers tell you). I like Stone Glacier stuff best. It just fits me well and they're at the point where they're young enough that they don't have a bazillion things to choose from (yet). Mostly just the essentials. I imagine they'll do some sort of military discount. Can't really go wrong with the brands you mentioned tho.

Ditto. I run Kuiu pants with First Lite baselayers and tops.

 

[Don Fischer]

Love the setter! I bet we’re running related dogs.

Squirt was over loaded with Takoa Mt Sunrise.

 

[vagabond]

Has anyone tried out any of that gear from Origin, from Maine, I think! They had a sick looking camo pattern that is one of my favorites, kind of based off the Nam era tiger fatigues! Some of their footgear looks well made, but I know nothing of them. I am hoping my gear lasts me the rest of my life, got several pair of boots dirt cheap as they were discontinued Danner USMC combat boots, and if clothing wears out I sew whats usable onto something else and make it work!

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I mix and match I think every brand has stand out pieces.

First Lite is my pick for merino, I have a bunch of their base layers as well as heavier merino stuff. I have the foundry pants and the obsidian. The obsidian weren't as durable as I had hoped, the foundry are my new go to... I love the long zips for heat dumping, the fabric is abrasion resistant and dries fast, and I like the knee pads. I don't like FL rain gear way to heavy IMHO and the DWR doesn't seem to be great. Haven't used the puffies.

Sitka is bomb proof, but also in my experience heaviest in class for everything... just lots of extra pocket, zippers, or whatever. The Jet stream jacket is a great softshell, the timberline pants are also awesome... I wish they had heat zips.

I think you get a ton for your money with Kuiu, I have the attack pants and guide pants. The guide are great for later season hunting, my only gripe is they are a bit baggier than I'd like. Love the kuiu socks, the extra padding around blister prone areas are great.

For puffies and hardshell I tend to look towards mountaineering companies over hunting brands. OR and REI are good and at the cheaper end, Patagonia, Rab, and Arcteryx are the high end options.

Not sure what you have but for sept elk I did some Kuiu Attack pants, a FL merio base layer, a synthetic layer that's a bit heavier and then a OR or REI puffy.

 

[Shangobango]

My favorite brand is whoever is running the best sale at the time! They all make good gear, some items better than others.

^^^What he said.

I have a mixture in order of prevalence of First Lite, Sitka, and Kuiu. I also have smartwool, meriwool, and Outdoor Research stuff.

The First Lite Wick and Kiln base layers are hard to beat if you want merino. I wear the wick stuff pretty much everyday.

The Kuiu Attack Pants are good. I prefer the cargo pockets on the First Lite Corrugate Guide pants though.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

The Kuiu Attack Pants are good. I prefer the cargo pockets on the First Lite Corrugate Guide pants though.

X2

 

[recon6036]

I personally like Kuiu, especially the Attack pants.

 

[WildWill]

I have a descent amount of both Kuiu and FL as well as a couple Sitka items. Agree with what others have said FL has some great wool base layers. I've been both impressed and unimpressed with certain items of their outer wear but mostly happy. The corrugate guides are great but a bit noisy especially with a bow. All the Kuiu I have is great the attack pants, pro pants, puffy jacket, Gila shirt, and my favorite their blaze orange vest. Haven't had a chance to try my Sitka turkey vest and equinox guard pants in the field but it fits well and seems like high quality excited to give them a field test.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Man, I just use a merino wool base layer and army surplus.

 

[Redside]

I mix and match, but have been gravitating towards Stone Glacier. Not military myself, but they do offer a military discount.

 

[3855WIN]

OP, what do you already have? Where do you hunt most of the time?

 

[shrapnel]

Waiting for the anti-camo croud to start making comments on the worthless use of such clothing. If you are trying to be some trend setter by wearing or not wearing camo clothing, that is not relevant here.

I have been using Sitka exclusively for the past several years, once I could get past the sticker shock. The truth of the matter is, I wear mostly Sitka camo and Simms clothing because of their superb quality in their products and they back it with the best customer service in the industry.

I use my stuff pretty hard and have found the pattern is of little concern to me as I am more interested in the performance of the clothing and how well it stands up to hard use. Both Simms and Sitka are local and they respond superbly to any issues with their products, as I have taken a number of items back for repair or replacement with no delay or question on the need for repair.

I just joined RMEF as a life member and they included a pair of Kennetrek boots in the membership, and it looks like I now have one more local company to support, that makes high quality gear and stands behind it.

I have quit buying bargain priced goods and have been served well by that decision, the main thing to keep in mind is it isn’t the pattern, it is the performance that makes the gear worth owning…

 

[stealthy_bowman]

I have quit buying bargain priced goods and have been served well by that decision, the main thing to keep in mind is it isn’t the pattern, it is the performance that makes the gear worth owning…

Couldn’t agree more. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to gear and I haven’t regretted ever the money I have spent on high quality outdoor clothing like Sitka. In fact, I believe that in the long run, it actually ends up costing less than cheap alternatives that need to be replaced on a regular basis.

 

[buffybr]

OK Kirk, here's the old school saying that you don't need the latest and greatest in outdoor clothing to hunt elk. Yes, outdoor clothing has come a long way from the Army-Navy Surplus stuff many of us grew up with, but is the new stuff really necessary and is one new brand really that much better than the others? In my opinion, No!

The highest points that I see in favor of the new clothing is that it is lightweight, warm without being bulky, and that it is water resistant but breathable. Layers are definately better than a single heavy coat.

One of my most used set of outdoor hunting clothing are a Cabela's unsulated, water resistant, soft surface (quiet) jacket and pants. In preparation for my Dagestan Tur hunt in Azerbaijan a few years ago, where weight was critical and I didn't really know what to expect weather wise, Cabela's had a Stika lightweight,water resistant jacket and pants on sale and I bought them. I might even now wear them more than my jeans on hunts now.

I also now have a $150 Kuiu Gift Certificate that I need to use, as soon as I can decide what coat to put it towards.

Here's my old school elk hunting cloths from about 40 years ago. Levi's and a flannel shirt...

I did at least wear a camo jacket from an end of season sale at Walmart for this elk a few years ago...

And it's not just me. Here's a friend of mine, who owned probably the best outdoor store in Bozeman, with the elk that he shot several years ago wearing his jeans and a flannel shirt...

Then here's the Sitka pants with a Walmart camo T shirt that I wore on my Dagestan Tur hunt...

And I finally graduated to full Sitka pants and lightweight jacket under my Cabela's rain jacket for this Quebec Caribou...

 

[tjones]

I have a bit of all, Sitka, KUIU, and First Lite. All on sale because I am cheap.

I like the First Lite stuff the best followed by KUIU and I feel the Sitka isn't in the same league but works kinda.

 

[shrapnel]

OK Kirk, here's the old school saying that you don't need the latest and greatest in outdoor clothing to hunt elk. Yes, outdoor clothing has come a long way from the Army-Navy Surplus stuff many of us grew up with, but is the new stuff really necessary and is one new brand really that much better than the others? In my opinion, No!

The highest points that I see in favor of the new clothing is that it is lightweight, warm without being bulky, and that it is water resistant but breathable. Layers are definately better than a single heavy coat.


Here's my old school elk hunting cloths from about 40 years ago. Levi's and a flannel shirt...

I never said it was necessary and I have had success as good as yours and probably better than George, as I had to locate this elk in the mountains above Ennis. As you can see it is all Coke and cotton.

As you admitted, the new stuff is better clothing and as such I will continue to use it for the reasons you even quoted...

 

[markwilks]

I mix and match I think every brand has stand out pieces.

First Lite is my pick for merino, I have a bunch of their base layers as well as heavier merino stuff. I have the foundry pants and the obsidian. The obsidian weren't as durable as I had hoped, the foundry are my new go to... I love the long zips for heat dumping, the fabric is abrasion resistant and dries fast, and I like the knee pads. I don't like FL rain gear way to heavy IMHO and the DWR doesn't seem to be great. Haven't used the puffies.

Sitka is bomb proof, but also in my experience heaviest in class for everything... just lots of extra pocket, zippers, or whatever. The Jet stream jacket is a great softshell, the timberline pants are also awesome... I wish they had heat zips.

I think you get a ton for your money with Kuiu, I have the attack pants and guide pants. The guide are great for later season hunting, my only gripe is they are a bit baggier than I'd like. Love the kuiu socks, the extra padding around blister prone areas are great.

For puffies and hardshell I tend to look towards mountaineering companies over hunting brands. OR and REI are good and at the cheaper end, Patagonia, Rab, and Arcteryx are the high end options.

Not sure what you have but for sept elk I did some Kuiu Attack pants, a FL merio base layer, a synthetic layer that's a bit heavier and then a OR or REI puffy.

I'm looking at merino or synthetic base layer, pants, active insulation top and a puffy plus packable rain gear. Also a windstopper jacket of some sort. In Sitka that would be their core lt base layer top and bottom, Ambient Hoody, they have some new pants coming to replace the Apex pant or even a mountain pant, mountain jacket and one of their puffys. I like KUIU as well and might even buy the FL Kiln base layers for a second base layer or go with something from Amazon. KUIU Attack pant has my interest as well. I also bought some pants from Costco that are Orvis and one is Performance Weather Flex. Trying to not buy all expensive clothes. I found a packable puffy on Amazon as well that looks good in OD Green.

 

[vagabond]

I have some semi modern gear, within 20 years or so , but I still like my rip stop cammies for snoopin and poopin in the archery woods here in coulee country as it is not a magnet for burs, wildebeasts, diatoms and all sorts of other clingons of the forest and if I happen to rip it lowcrawling under barbed wire I can stitch back up !

 

[dgc1963]

I have many layers from cold pruf great product and less than many other brands
I also Have the brands you mentioned in you post I shop sales and clearance not so much the brand names