Core Lightweight, Ambient hoody and dew point jacket give you a heck of a lot of options. I wore that in pouring rain, 20mph wind and 30 degree temps while hiking the AT last weekend. I use different pants based on temps, but if 40/50s I'll wear the mountain pant. If not much rain/snow, the jetstream is hard to beat as an outer. When temps get to 20/30s I'll move to Stratus bibs and jacket.
Spent 1500ish this year on the full first lite catalyst and sanctuary 2.0 sets, kiln hoodie, wick crew, furnace long johns, merino hat and gator, merino gloves, hand muff, and lacrosse 1600g alphabury pros.
Personally, I think the Thunderhead Pant/Jacket is the absolute must have setup. It’s fully waterproof rain gear with a brushed outer layer that keeps it quiet.Roughly $700. I just wore some Timberline pants on a hunt, it started raining and we got completely soaked to the skin. Anything beneath it can be budget, but for a single most important outer layer, has to be Thunderhead.
This is a great point on the Thunderhead series. I personally love how quiet that gear is, and it is comfortable and warm in addition to being waterproof. I haven't spent much time hiking in it though--more sitting. How do you feel it holds up as an active piece of rain gear? ~Jake
@@gearfool if it’s not raining then I would strip down to a more light under layer. I personally wear the apex series for the under layer, which is very light and breathable. But if it’s raining or wet at all, you have to wear the Thunderhead otherwise your day is ruined.
Thanks for this, I love the gear but just really didint know where to start with there being so much stuff and it worked perfectly that that was my budget 🤷
My entire whitetail Sitka kit came out to $1900 on their system builder. That was base, mid, outer, hat, gloves, and neck gaiter.Basically if you have to have the best just save more money and buy all of it😆
It really does add up quickly! But, the enhanced experiences when afield and memories made are indeed priceless at the same time. Thank you for the comment! Also, I agree, burritos are far better than tacos. - Forest
Dont forget the base layer so many people just talk about what pant or Jacket you should get but they all miss the base layer if you start there wrong nothing will make it up to it
Spent quite a bit of money on Sitka gear and the zippers come with a little string attached to them instead of a tab to open and close zippers. I’ve had to re-retire mine multiple times and now I have some missing and no way to find out how to get more because they won’t answer the phone. Why would you create a nice garment and on one of the most important parts use that kind of crap
It all boils down to what type of hunting you do, either geared towards elk out west or deer in the northeast. Are you a spot and stock or a treestand hunter. 2 very different styles of hunting and totally different means of sitka gear. What you are wearing, i wouldn't wear that for the stand.
I've hunted with it a decent amount; it is a wildly comfortable piece, but I would say that face fabric stains a little more easily than some of my other pieces that fall in the active insulation category (like my Stone Glacier Cirque Lite Jacket). I've also experienced earlier pilling with it, despite being reasonably careful with avoiding harsh brush with the piece. I think the ambient works awesome as an insulation piece and is good as an outer layer IF you are in more open country. I'd be cautious in thick downfall with it. ~ Jake
I like to use the midweight as a next to skin layer, but it will also work overtop of a thinner base layer. It's a pretty versatile piece that I think a lot of people underuse. -Brady
I have an opportunity to get get a Kelvin Lite Hoody from a local company, as they run stock down of the older model. How does it stack up to the new Aerolite?
The Kelvin lite is a warmer piece than the Aerolite. The Aerolite is very, very lightweight material. I own both the Lite and Aerolite. The Kelvin Lite with just a Kuiu 120 LT Merino base keeps me fully warm in 30 degree Temps no issues. I can then put on a vest or an insulated mid layer from there if I need to. The Aerolite needs a mid layer plus a base layer in 20-40F IMO. The Lite with a good base layer and a shell like the dew point you would be shocked the type of environments you can stay warm and dry in. I wear either under a Dew Point when I need a shell. In pouring rain and cold I'm completely dry and warm.
good stuff, but all the major brands (other than sitka) run the same price, roughly 1200-1300 for "the basics"....Blackovis' gear is the best value technical gear imo
Great video. Personally I find the mountain pant to be useless. Things need to be environment specific. For early season the equinox pants with leg zips are 100% better and can be worn with zip off thermals on cold mornings. For late season the timberline pants are unequaled.
Absolutely! We just started selling Kings in our store and love a lot of their products. We are running a Black Friday sale on them Nov. 23-28th on gearfool.com
@@TheMfmccarthy sleeping Indian,grey wolf woolens,king of the mountain and filson makes great stuff only it’s not camouflage but they did make some in the past. eBay is a great way to find quality wool very slightly used.
If I have a spare thousand im going to reduce my mortgage and get a step nearer retirement. If I need clothes for hunting I'll get them from army surplus. It will cost ten times less and I'll still be warm and dry.
Army surplus LMAO , you must be a gun hunter ,Bulky ,heavy and just plain uncomfortable. If you are a bow hunter and spend the better part of 4 months in a tree. How couldnt you justify spending a grand on something you love to do? And Like a 1000 dollars is going to ruin your retirement and that's what 1 flipping mortgage payment or half of a mortgage payment. If you are not willing to spend a grand why are you even watching this ? Just to give your unwanted opinion? You sound like biden saying crap that no one wants to hear !! Trump 2024
I'd stay away from stika. Gortex is jumping price up. To use goretex you have to use there machines an use thier tags making price higher. Far better out there
Are all the super premium brands removing guns from the pictures in their catalogs, or is it just Sitka? Talk about pissing on your leg and calling it rain. Guess they want to be the next North Face. In the meantime, they will gladly take your money for overpriced gear - even if you hunt with a gun.
As of this morning, we counted a total of 4 firearms on the homepage of SITKAgear.com. What do you mean by removing guns from the pictures in their catalogs?
Anybody buying sitka can't think for themselves and is a follower. Enjoy wasting all that cash on nothing. I'll stick with MOSSYOAK original bottomland and base layers from the clearance rack at Marshalls. Bottomland is a proven, historical camo pattern, dirt cheap and readily available --cant say that for poser Sitka crap
Core Lightweight, Ambient hoody and dew point jacket give you a heck of a lot of options. I wore that in pouring rain, 20mph wind and 30 degree temps while hiking the AT last weekend. I use different pants based on temps, but if 40/50s I'll wear the mountain pant. If not much rain/snow, the jetstream is hard to beat as an outer. When temps get to 20/30s I'll move to Stratus bibs and jacket.
Loved this video! Not much of a Sitka guy, but really well done. I wish someone would do this for first lite!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Or kuiu as well
@@gearfooldo you think you could do this with kuiu? Thanks
Spent 1500ish this year on the full first lite catalyst and sanctuary 2.0 sets, kiln hoodie, wick crew, furnace long johns, merino hat and gator, merino gloves, hand muff, and lacrosse 1600g alphabury pros.
Personally, I think the Thunderhead Pant/Jacket is the absolute must have setup. It’s fully waterproof rain gear with a brushed outer layer that keeps it quiet.Roughly $700.
I just wore some Timberline pants on a hunt, it started raining and we got completely soaked to the skin.
Anything beneath it can be budget, but for a single most important outer layer, has to be Thunderhead.
This is a great point on the Thunderhead series. I personally love how quiet that gear is, and it is comfortable and warm in addition to being waterproof. I haven't spent much time hiking in it though--more sitting. How do you feel it holds up as an active piece of rain gear? ~Jake
@@gearfool if it’s not raining then I would strip down to a more light under layer. I personally wear the apex series for the under layer, which is very light and breathable.
But if it’s raining or wet at all, you have to wear the Thunderhead otherwise your day is ruined.
Thanks for insight,@@Karl6464!
Excellent suggestion on the Kelvin’s Active Jacket. I picked it up used this season and it’s an outstanding lightweight and warm mid layer.
Right on!
Thank you so very much for this video! It really helped me out on my gear purchase.
Glad it was helpful! We just launched the best rewards program in the industry so go buy from gearfool.com and start building points 😎
Thanks for this, I love the gear but just really didint know where to start with there being so much stuff and it worked perfectly that that was my budget 🤷
I can buy an Arctic Shield parka and bib coveralls and still have $600 left
Great video! Love the information on each layer.
My entire whitetail Sitka kit came out to $1900 on their system builder. That was base, mid, outer, hat, gloves, and neck gaiter.Basically if you have to have the best just save more money and buy all of it😆
It really does add up quickly! But, the enhanced experiences when afield and memories made are indeed priceless at the same time. Thank you for the comment! Also, I agree, burritos are far better than tacos. - Forest
Loved this video it helped me out tons! What is that pack you were using?
Excellent snd informative.
Dont forget the base layer so many people just talk about what pant or Jacket you should get but they all miss the base layer if you start there wrong nothing will make it up to it
Spent quite a bit of money on Sitka gear and the zippers come with a little string attached to them instead of a tab to open and close zippers. I’ve had to re-retire mine multiple times and now I have some missing and no way to find out how to get more because they won’t answer the phone. Why would you create a nice garment and on one of the most important parts use that kind of crap
Love Sitka don’t own any but this video would help me pick the right gear for sure 👍
We appreciate your taking the time to provide a comment! We'll keep your mention in mind as we do future videos of this type.
Missed the opportunity to be the ONLY video on UA-cam to show how the removable knee pads go in and out of the mountain pant. Almost but no cigar.
Ha! I'll be sure and cover that next time! -Brady
It all boils down to what type of hunting you do, either geared towards elk out west or deer in the northeast. Are you a spot and stock or a treestand hunter. 2 very different styles of hunting and totally different means of sitka gear. What you are wearing, i wouldn't wear that for the stand.
Absolutely not, like I said this kit was chosen for western big game hunting. Tree stand layering is a very different game! -Brady
Just get them piece by piece. I’ve got everything I’ve ever wanted from Sitka & I just got it piece by piece. Check by check.
What’s your experience with the ambient’s face fabric durability? I see a lot of mixed reviews on it. Is it holding up well for you?
I've hunted with it a decent amount; it is a wildly comfortable piece, but I would say that face fabric stains a little more easily than some of my other pieces that fall in the active insulation category (like my Stone Glacier Cirque Lite Jacket). I've also experienced earlier pilling with it, despite being reasonably careful with avoiding harsh brush with the piece. I think the ambient works awesome as an insulation piece and is good as an outer layer IF you are in more open country. I'd be cautious in thick downfall with it. ~ Jake
@@gearfool appreciate your reply and enjoy your reviews!
Heavyweight hoodie is legit
Are you saying “next to skin” with mid weight? Or use midweight as 2nd layer?
I like to use the midweight as a next to skin layer, but it will also work overtop of a thinner base layer. It's a pretty versatile piece that I think a lot of people underuse. -Brady
What brand are your leather gloves?
Ha! They're Wells Lamont Hydra Hyde, and they've been great.
I have an opportunity to get get a Kelvin Lite Hoody from a local company, as they run stock down of the older model. How does it stack up to the new Aerolite?
I honestly don't know, I haven't used the Kelvin Lite Hoody before sorry!
The Kelvin lite is a warmer piece than the Aerolite. The Aerolite is very, very lightweight material.
I own both the Lite and Aerolite. The Kelvin Lite with just a Kuiu 120 LT Merino base keeps me fully warm in 30 degree Temps no issues. I can then put on a vest or an insulated mid layer from there if I need to.
The Aerolite needs a mid layer plus a base layer in 20-40F IMO. The Lite with a good base layer and a shell like the dew point you would be shocked the type of environments you can stay warm and dry in.
I wear either under a Dew Point when I need a shell. In pouring rain and cold I'm completely dry and warm.
Do one with Kuiu please
We're considering it!
How does this guy not have 1 million subscribers? Lol
Haha hey we're working on it!
King XKG line gonna give Sitka and others a run for the money! Tremendous value and great line.
good stuff, but all the major brands (other than sitka) run the same price, roughly 1200-1300 for "the basics"....Blackovis' gear is the best value technical gear imo
Does the ambient perform better than the kelvin active?
The Ambient provides a bit more warmth and versatility than compared to the Kelvin Active Hoody, in our opinion.
Ambient jacket is heavier, warmer, and more expensive than the hoody. You said the hoody was🍻
You are correct! My mistake, It's a shame you can't go in and edit UA-cam videos after they're live...
Good video!
Thanks for the comment, Eric! We're working on many more videos to come!
For that season/climate, a bunch of cheap merino, a blizzard aerolite parka and bibs, gloves and hat. Done.
Great video. Personally I find the mountain pant to be useless. Things need to be environment specific. For early season the equinox pants with leg zips are 100% better and can be worn with zip off thermals on cold mornings. For late season the timberline pants are unequaled.
I couldn't agree more. If you can afford it, having a specific setup for each hunt makes a big difference!
Sicker and budget or like water and oil. they do not go together at all…. Seems like Kings has a lot of sales. That’s what I look for.
Absolutely! We just started selling Kings in our store and love a lot of their products. We are running a Black Friday sale on them Nov. 23-28th on gearfool.com
The prices are absolutely ridiculous
Poncho review!!
All the poors in here thinking their cheap shit is the same 😂
What’s funnier is the guys that spend thousands of dollars on camo and still don’t kill shit 😂
@@tristannagel3440 clothes dont make the hunter. Sitka is all about performance materials in shit weather. Get over it
Spend a grand on quality wool. You can actually sit next to a campfire and not melt. Then pass it on to your children save them $1000
You must take good care of your garments
Any suggestions where? I feel like an Amish or Russian tailor would be the way to go
@@TheMfmccarthy sleeping Indian,grey wolf woolens,king of the mountain and filson makes great stuff only it’s not camouflage but they did make some in the past. eBay is a great way to find quality wool very slightly used.
Unfounded nonsense. Why the fuck would it melt
@@TheMfmccarthy i would suggest you take a look at Duckworth and/or armadillo Merino
If I had $1000 to spend on Sitka, I would get like 1 sock
🤣
If I have a spare thousand im going to reduce my mortgage and get a step nearer retirement. If I need clothes for hunting I'll get them from army surplus. It will cost ten times less and I'll still be warm and dry.
Army surplus LMAO , you must be a gun hunter ,Bulky ,heavy and just plain uncomfortable. If you are a bow hunter and spend the better part of 4 months in a tree. How couldnt you justify spending a grand on something you love to do? And Like a 1000 dollars is going to ruin your retirement and that's what 1 flipping mortgage payment or half of a mortgage payment. If you are not willing to spend a grand why are you even watching this ? Just to give your unwanted opinion? You sound like biden saying crap that no one wants to hear !! Trump 2024
I'd stay away from stika. Gortex is jumping price up. To use goretex you have to use there machines an use thier tags making price higher. Far better out there
Stika is for the rich , fit guy. Good clothes but it does not fit me well.
1000 in sitka gets you pants an jacket maybe a sticker and xheap hat lmao 😂 great stuff there sub alpine is #1 i think jus overpriced
If youre a veteran you can get a 40% discount. Still wouldnt buy sitka tho lol
Artic Shield $400.00
Sitka is way over rated and where did they come up with that ugly camo pattern.
It’s good stuff but there’s a lot of stuff just as good for about half of the price probably even less
key pieces........none
Shitka… walk with their puffy in the direction of trees and they rip all by themselves.
😂 Shoulda just bought Carhartt!
Considering the price $1000 wont get you much.
if you gota talk about "budget" then you shouldnt be buying any sitka
Are all the super premium brands removing guns from the pictures in their catalogs, or is it just Sitka? Talk about pissing on your leg and calling it rain. Guess they want to be the next North Face. In the meantime, they will gladly take your money for overpriced gear - even if you hunt with a gun.
As of this morning, we counted a total of 4 firearms on the homepage of SITKAgear.com. What do you mean by removing guns from the pictures in their catalogs?
I'm referring to their recent mail catalog that arrived in my mailbox. Lots of bows though.
@@zluttrell3365 We suppose that is a bit interesting. Thanks for the mention.
@@gearfoolThey must be a biden voter spreading nothing but lies !!
Anybody buying sitka can't think for themselves and is a follower. Enjoy wasting all that cash on nothing. I'll stick with MOSSYOAK original bottomland and base layers from the clearance rack at Marshalls. Bottomland is a proven, historical camo pattern, dirt cheap and readily available --cant say that for poser Sitka crap
I can get the same result with $60 at an op shop. And it'll all be made in Western countries.
Make a video I'm sure people would love to see that
@Danefrak that would incredibly banal.
@@tomalophicon what
@@Danefrak that would BE incredibly banal.
@@tomalophicon sure maybe in your opinion but I think there's always value in putting more good knowledge out there in a sea of bad info