Hello all,
I have used the same gore-tex rain suit for over 20 years. Sadly, it appears the pants finally suffered one washing too many and lost all waterproof functionality. They were super quiet yet very rugged. The company that made them is no longer in business. I am looking for a high quality replacement and am willing to spend the money on a good suit. Aside from being quiet and reliable, I loved that they had pant legs that zipped up on the sides. I could quickly throw them on over my boots which is obviously very convenient. Any thoughts on a replacement brand and model?
No offense to people who have had good luck with Cabella's products, but I have suffered several disappointments since they were acquired by Bass Pro and would tend to shy away from their products.
I will vouch for Sitka. I was a doubter for several years until I bought my 1st item. I now own lots. I also duck hunt 60+ days a year so it gets used. For a waterproof jacket .. I wear the delta wading jacket. For pants there are several options. I also have 2 sets of their turkey hunting apparel. Just my 2 cents.
I live out in windy, rainy western Alaska and have been using a Kuiu Yukon jacket for quite a few years. It is well built, durable, and keeps me dry. I did like the fit of a previous Yukon jacket much more than I like the fit of my current one (lots more room for layering). Kuiu seems to be more a more common sight in this part of Alaska than Sitka Gear.
If I was looking for down states rain gear I would probably look at other jackets in their lineup looking to shed just a little weight, and possibly find something just a little quieter.
I second the Sitka I've been using a set for the first time this year and it's outstanding . I have the downpour jacket and pants .
+1 on the Sitka
Have the Downpour set and the Dew Point set. I usually go for the Dew Point because it's lightweight and packable, but the Downpour is quieter and warmer.
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Camofire has been putting up the Kryptek Koldo set for 65% percent off once a week or so lately, it's a crazy good price for a great rain set. Normally $600 for the set and it's down around $200 for both together. Similar quality to the Kuiu/Sitka pieces but a comparative steal for the wallet.
100% Kuiu for rain gear. When we go hunting and fishing in Alaska, it's all us and most of the locals wear. Couple years ago I shot a blacktail in the mountains during a downpour and my saving grace was my kutana rain system. It would have been miserable without it.
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Following.
Long time Sitka fan.
Pricey.....oh yes. Cry once.
Great customer support. You got a problem...you ripped something send it back for a repair. They'll charge you short money but it will be fixed .
Buy it once and be done with it.
Good luck.
Thanks for all the responses. I've been reading a lot of hunting forums and reviews. Sitka and Kuiu are the usual suspects. There is lots of positive feedback on Sitka but they get dinged on not all jackets having vents. Maybe even more positive feedback on Kuiu but some say it's not as quiet as they would like. I have two buddies that do a lot of hunting all over the US and they say First Lite is the way to go. I've also looked at Forloh and Pnuma. There isn't quite as much feedback on those but many say they are good. I'll have to check out the Kryptek Koldo, I haven't heard of that.
In my research I have 2 frustrations in what I'm finding compared to my rain gear that I'm replacing. The first is that I loved the cargo pockets on the jacket. I could have thick gloves in one pocket and a stocking cap in the other for cold spring mornings up here in MN. The other is the camo patterns. My old camo was basically tree bark with a moderate amount of brown and green leaves. It worked well for early spring and sitting against trees in general, as well as being relatively dark for when I was in a blind. Many of the patterns on the brands above have a lot of light tan, off-white, light gray, etc. and just seem too light colored to me.
I get you on the First Lite camo patterns. However, I may be changing my mind on that.
I bought an FHF gear box call holder in First Lite Fusion for use as a Thermacell holder this year. I started to move locations one day this season and got a few hundred yards from where I'd been sitting when I realized it wasn't on my belt. I went back to where I'd been set up hoping it slid off while I was sitting. It was sure enough there but it took longer to find than I thought that would. That camo pattern really blended well with the dead leaves on the ground.
The sitka dew point system has served me well. Has armpit vents.
Quote from: Lcmacd 58 on May 12, 2024, 09:08:54 AMI will vouch for Sitka. I was a doubter for several years until I bought my 1st item. I now own lots. I also duck hunt 60+ days a year so it gets used. For a waterproof jacket .. I wear the delta wading jacket. For pants there are several options. I also have 2 sets of their turkey hunting apparel. Just my 2 cents.
I also have a Sitka Delta for waterfowling, and it is a wonderful waterfowl jacket... Best I have owned. It is not super quiet though, and not a great design for turkey hunting. The pockets are designed for duck hunting, and the jacket is cut high for wading... The Sitka is the best coat I have used for rainy duck hunting, and it keeps me bone dry unlike any other I have used.
I still use the jacket for turkey hunting, and the deep shell pockets are fine to put a couple items in... But were I looking for a good turkey hunting jacket, I might look at Kuiu and First Lite apparel.
Sitka, Kuiu, and First Light are all pretty equal in quality for the price points... Really good gear that seems too expensive, until you wear it in a heavy rain... Then worth every penny!
Been wearing the same Walls Water Pruf set for over 20 years. Sadly.... It's been discontinued years ago.
I found a couple brand new replacement sets over the years. So, I'm good til sometime after I'm dead and gone, even if I live to be 100.
Browning packable Rain gear. I believe it's discontinued, but it's gore-Tex and it is 100% waterproof. Bottomland camo. Still keeping me bone dry to this day. It's the best I've ever seen....
Kuiu.
I have 2 sets. Best I've owned by far
Thanks all for the advice. I ultimately looked at First Lite, Forloh, Killik, Kings Camo, Kryptek, Kuiu, Pnuma, and Sitka as all were known for quality and durability. I admit I am a bit of a research junkie. I looked at numerous outdoor, fishing, and hunting forums, product review sites, product videos, etc to try to gather the pros and cons of each. I also reviewed camo patterns at Camo Matrix's site ( https://camomatrix.com/ ) and their youttube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/@CamoMatrix ) to see the camo in different environments, compare different brand camo patterns side by side, and see how it looks with "deer vision" which may be a gimmick, but offers another perspective. Here's what I found:
- First Lite - Very strong reviews across the board. The Stormshelter was one of the highest on my list of final contenders. They have ample pockets and vents on the Stormshelter (features not available on all other First Lite lines). Ultimately I felt their Fusion camo pattern was just a bit too brown for me so I passed.
- Kilik - I couldn't get enough review data to trust it, although what I did find was very positive. Their Summit camo pattern was a good mix of browns, blacks, grays, and greens. Their pants didn't have pockets at all, which was disappointing.
- Kings Camo - This was one of the cheapest. I felt their XK7 and KC Ultra camo patterns were too gray. They did offer a Realtree Edge pattern which certainly has a history of success in the field. There wasn't a ton of review data on this one either, although again what I did find was positive. They had ample pockets and full length side zippers. However, they had no vents, and given I couldn't find a ton of reviews, I passed on this brand.
- Kryptek - This brand had numerous positive reviews, but when people posted negatives, it was usually about the noisy material. They had ample pockets, full length side zippers, and under arm vents. I liked their Obskura camo pattern. Unfortunately, the feedback on noisy material made it a no for me.
- Kuiu - One of the most widely used and tons of positive reviews. They were most often compared to Sitka. There were a few posts from people that noted they weren't as quiet as Sitka. They were the most expensive, so given the price, I wanted them to be perfect. I felt the Valo camo had a base vanilla color was just a bit too light. Given a few comments on being noisier and my opinion on their camo color, I didn't want to spend the money.
- Sitka - This is probably the cream of the crop given reviews. To my eye just looking at their site, it looked a bit heavy on the lighter brown and cream colors, but when looking at it in the field and on camo comparison sites, it actually blended in the best of all of camo patterns across varying backgrounds. They were the 2nd most expensive after Kuiu. Just like Kuiu, for the price, I wanted them to be perfect. Unfortunately, they had no vents and only one pocket on the pants which was disappointing, so I passed.
- Forloh - This brand became one of my final contenders. There wasn't quite as much review data as Kuiu and Sitka, but there was a fair amount and everything was very positive. They have ample pockets, full length side zippers, and vents on the Allcliema 3L model (not on all lines). However, I was really disappointed in their Caza camo pattern when looking at it in pictures and videos of it in the field, as well as on the camo comparison sites. The lighter yellow-green base color was too light and predominant and it stuck out like a sore thumb. If they had a better camo pattern, this would have been my top pick.
- Pnuma - This one I kept going back to after comparing them all. There were very positive reviews across the board, although not as many reviews as Sitka and Kuiu. They have ample pockets, vents on both the coat and the pants, full length zippers, etc. I felt the camo pattern was one of the better. All around, they checked every box for me so this is what I purchased.
If anything strikes me when the Pnuma arrives, I will follow up on this post.
I look forward to your continued feed back after you get it and next year or maybe this deer season when you can use it..Im mossy oak at heart but if you want something that will last now days kuiu and first lite is top notch gear imo
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I opted for kuiu due to its ability to keep me dry and not get shredded. I bought my 2 sets in a solid color called ash. It's a greenish brown earthy color. For deer hunting it's works great in a tree. For turkey I wear a northm mountain gear leafy set over the kuiu rainwear.
I do not know of any mossy oak or realtree offering in rainwear that is as good as the kuiu for its intended purpose. And I have owned every top end rainwear made.
Hello there, I am particularly interested in the durability and noise level of these rain gear options. Sitka and Kuiu seem to be favorites, and I will definitely look into the Kryptek Koldo set. Has anyone used the First Lite stuff in really heavy rain?
Quote from: langy on June 13, 2024, 12:17:20 AMHello there, I am particularly interested in the durability and noise level of these rain gear options. Sitka and Kuiu seem to be favorites, and I will definitely look into the Kryptek Koldo set. Has anyone used the First Lite stuff in really heavy rain?
Can't speak to their new gear, but FL's older rain gear lines were notorious for wetting out more quickly than Sitka/Kuiu/Kryptek. Same with Pnuma- I don't know about their new 3L rain gear line, but found some reviews on the Selkirk hybrid gear that it was not working as well as advertised in the rain. So, interested to hear Timmer's thoughts on the new rain stuff.
IMO, Kuiu Yukon and Kryptek Takur are generally reviewed as the top 2 sets for western hunting, and might even be over-engineered for turkey hunting.. they are really for slogging through Alaskan marshland where you are wet for days straight. I am not a fan of the Takur pattern for non-alpine hunting, though- they need to release that in their other camos. Sitka is great too, but they are terrible about adding zips/vents/pockets to their gear compared to the other companies, which is crazy to me given the price.
Both the Kuiu Chugach and Kryptek Koldo are also highly rated, and probably more reasonable for turkey hunting. Koldo comes cheaper when you find it on Camofire or DVOR.
Timmer's notes are generally accurate. Any rain gear is going to have some swish when you are hiking, as brushed/soft (read: quiet) fabrics tend to wet more quickly... but you're not going to have issues sitting against a tree and aiming a gun quietly with these pieces.
If you want Sitka, I have 3 40% off codes for my friends and family. It is good for 40% off any Sitka products (waders excluded). These codes are only good for today and tomorrow. If and only if you are definitely going to order, I will give these last 3 codes to the first 3 PMs. I get these several time a year so if you don't get one, there may be other chances.