Sitka Coldfront Jacket and Pants Semi-Live Review and Video *Updated 2/4/18*

[Jordan Budd]

Hey sliders!

I’m currently on Kodiak Island filming an archery mountain goat and Sitka blacktail hunt. I was able to get ahold of the Coldfront jacket and pants from Sitka Gear to test out on this trip as well as a New Mexico Elk hunt and Nebraska Whitetail throughout December.

The Coldfront series is basically rain gear with a thin fleece liner for colder weather. The pants are full zip down each leg and the back is slightly raised to cover the kidneys, but they still aren’t bibs, just regular pants on the front. The jacket has a longer reinforced tail for sitting in snow which is awesome.

Yesterday we got caught out in some wild sideways rain after a failed goat stalk and there was no trouble for the jacket. We also trudged through alders and berry brush and there was also no durability issues. I wore the pants for a while in the morning, but when we started hiking at 41 degrees it was just too warm for them so I opted for regular rain pants. I’ll be using them more throughout this trip as the temperature dips this week and will have some more feedback. So far I only have good things to say!

Edit: Jordan's complete review can be read here.

[video=youtube;8kWAkRBT1E0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kWAkRBT1E0[/video]

 

[Jordan Budd]

The cold front jacket has been my go to for hiking through the brush this week. The pants are a bit much for hiking due to the weather being so warm, but they have been AWESOME pants for wearing on the boat and four wheelers. They’ve kept me dry and warm so far.

I’ve used the jacket by far the most and I don’t think you could peel it from my fingertips for late season. Definitely been a go-to!


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[Jordan Budd]

One month update -

I have been very pleased with both the jacket and pant-bib. This last week we deer hunted in NE where the temps were average -10 and with a bit of snow. The pants were great being easy to pull on and off and kept me dry and warm underneath. The downside to the pants so far, just like any heavier pant or rain pant, is that they’re kind of hard to walk in. Mostly meaning there’s just no stretch like we’re used to with our main pant but really not too bad, just can’t stride out as much. The jacket has been a major player over the last month. It blocks wind like nobody’s business, and that liner is just enough for added warmth but doesn’t seem to be too much for some walking. I do wish it had pit zips for an added feature, but I haven’t felt an overwhelming urge yet to really need them.

I will be getting the review done soon, so let me know if there is anything in particular you’d like me to hit on for either the jacket or the pant. The jacket especially won’t be coming out of my late season kit anytime soon, if ever. Check them out!




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[Justin Crossley]

It's that time of year when we all go over everything we used last season and make a list of the things we would like to add or upgrade. Give Jordan's review of the Sitka Coldfront Jacket and Pants a read to see if they are something you need in your system.

Sitka Coldfront Jacket and Pant Review

 

[Tony Trietch]

Nice write up Jordan! I've yet to try the Coldfront, looks like I may have to pull the trigger.

 

[ckleeves]

Curious how the seams are holding up as far as still being waterproof. Have you had a chance to use the jacket in real wet conditions?

 

[Jordan Budd]

Curious how the seams are holding up as far as still being waterproof. Have you had a chance to use the jacket in real wet conditions?

When I used it on Kodiak we were in really wet conditions. I didn't have any leaking through the seams at all. It was raining/snowing 95% of the time and we were riding four wheelers through water and wet brush, so everything was always getting soaked and the pants and jacket held up great to it. I used the jacket more than the pants on that trip, but the pants were in the worst of it. But no leaking thus far.

 

[armyjoe]

Nice review Jordan.

I completely agree about your points the jacket. I've beaten the piss out of my Cold front and it's held up great. I was on the fence due to price but it was definitely worth it. I go back and forth with the coldfront and Jetstream after OCT 1.



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[ckleeves]

When I used it on Kodiak we were in really wet conditions. I didn't have any leaking through the seams at all. It was raining/snowing 95% of the time and we were riding four wheelers through water and wet brush, so everything was always getting soaked and the pants and jacket held up great to it. I used the jacket more than the pants on that trip, but the pants were in the worst of it. But no leaking thus far.

Good to hear. I had a Coldfront jacket 8ish years ago that was great. Kept me dry in some horrible conditions.

This past year for a Alaska moose hunt my hunting partner and I both purchased Coldfronts. They were both leaking horrible pretty much right away. I had brought along a backup set, my old beat up Chugach set and it kept me WAY drier then the Coldfront.

When I got home I had to verify it was leaking before sending it back and ran water from the tap down the arm seam. It saturated the lining in seconds. It’s back at Sitka now and I’m sure they will make it right, although if not for having a backup set our trip would have been a miserable experience with the amount of rain days we had.

 

[deerhunter628]

Good to hear. I had a Coldfront jacket 8ish years ago that was great. Kept me dry in some horrible conditions.

This past year for a Alaska moose hunt my hunting partner and I both purchased Coldfronts. They were both leaking horrible pretty much right away. I had brought along a backup set, my old beat up Chugach set and it kept me WAY drier then the Coldfront.

When I got home I had to verify it was leaking before sending it back and ran water from the tap down the arm seam. It saturated the lining in seconds. It’s back at Sitka now and I’m sure they will make it right, although if not for having a backup set our trip would have been a miserable experience with the amount of rain days we had.

For the price of them I sure would not be happy with this. Like you said had you not brought a back up that could have ruined an expensive hunt. Making it right after the fact just would not have been enough. I have a lot of sitka gear and have been real happy with it. If I had bought a set of coldfront for the price they want I would not be happy. It would make it hard to trust and count on their gear.

 

[Jordan Budd]

Good to hear. I had a Coldfront jacket 8ish years ago that was great. Kept me dry in some horrible conditions.

This past year for a Alaska moose hunt my hunting partner and I both purchased Coldfronts. They were both leaking horrible pretty much right away. I had brought along a backup set, my old beat up Chugach set and it kept me WAY drier then the Coldfront.

When I got home I had to verify it was leaking before sending it back and ran water from the tap down the arm seam. It saturated the lining in seconds. It’s back at Sitka now and I’m sure they will make it right, although if not for having a backup set our trip would have been a miserable experience with the amount of rain days we had.

Oh jeez, not good at all. I’m sure they’ll get it taken care of but good thinking with the backup set. I brought the stormfront set as a secondary. I think in conditions like those, no matter what rain gear you have you should bring another set. It’s just wet 110% of the time. I’m interested to see what the seams do now. I wore the solid color jacket on the island and the open country jacket in Nebraska. Which did you have? Do they think it could have been a weird bad run of jackets in a certain pattern or size?

But like we both kinda stated, for anyone going to a really wet place be sure and have a couple sets of rain gear with you. Something like this could happen.


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[ckleeves]

That’s what was kinda strange, my buddies jacket was in moss and mine was grey. So two different colors and different production years.

My old one was in MM, it never leaked at all from Alaska to Colorado.

The good thing with Sitka is they do have fantastic CS I don’t think anyone can complain about they way they treat customers on warranty issues.


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