Are Sitka and FL worth the money?

[canyonhunter47]

First Lite is American made, the owner supports "BCH" avidly and it's just plain good stuff

I don't think FL (or Sitka or Kuiu) make much or anything in the USA unless you count licensed gear like FHF or AGC. Still a good company though

 

[bojangles808]

certain pieces yes certain pieces no. kind of depends on what youre hunting and the system youre going for. try to never pay full price, when these companies were building their brands couple years ago sales used to be a lot better and they werent as stingy. deals are drying up more and more but try to buy on sale or in the classifieds (usually best deals can be found right now or in the spring). good news is a lot of the gear holds its value so if you dont like it you can flip it on here or on ebay and get most of your money back. some of my favortie pieces are the sitka lightweight hoodie, sitka heavyweight hoodie, FL aerowool, FL uncompaghre jacket and kuiu tiburon pant. some of my not so favorite pieces than ive gotten rid of: sitka ascent pant, kuiu tiburon shirt, kuiu merino, kuiu peloton. in terms of patterns effectiveness on game i like sub alpines best, then first light fusion then kuiu verde. try to buy as much non camo as possible to save money (prana zion pant, marmot presip rainjacket, non camo puffy jacket etc)and spend the money on camo base layers or fleece layers which youll be stalking in (if archery hunting). rifle hunting camo doesnt matter

 

[KSBOW]

Here is my take, when I was in my 20s and did not take care of my hunting stuff "No". As i have grown older value quality stuff more and it last longer. What I really see as price difference is the amount of thought that goes into there stuff. There are several small things such as pocket locations, harness loops, etc...that are great. The wind blocker tech is game changer for whitetail hunters in my opinion

 

[Poser]

I own some Sitka gear, FL and KUIU. I’m happy with the majority of my purchases. I really like my Sitka Timberlines for late season hunting and I do have some minor repairs done to them each year, but not aware of another pant of a similar design that would make it through without the same wear and tear. I also use a lot of OR gear and some BD gear as well. I will say that I hate my Sitka bino harness. Hunting specific gear, I tend to buy used opportunistically. Non hunting specific, I grab on significant sale prices.

 

[katdaddy2013]

Nope, and won't happen again.

First Lite is American made, the owner supports "BCH" avidly and it's just plain good stuff

 

[GraveyardNRSE]

I really wish I wouldn't have spent thousands on fashion camo. I now buy sitka, first lite, black ovis, ice breaker and wrangler SOLID color gear. This way I can wear it much more often and at least justify it to the boss (wife).,

 

[Laelkhunter]

I own some Sitka gear, FL and KUIU. I’m happy with the majority of my purchases. I really like my Sitka Timberlines for late season hunting and I do have some minor repairs done to them each year, but not aware of another pant of a similar design that would make it through without the same wear and tear. I also use a lot of OR gear and some BD gear as well. I will say that I hate my Sitka bino harness. Hunting specific gear, I tend to buy used opportunistically. Non hunting specific, I grab on significant sale prices.

What is it about the Bino harness? Is it the harness, or the bino bivy? I just bought one of the bino bivy, and it seems really nice. I tried HornHunter, AGC, and just bought the Sitka. Just wondering what you didn't like about it.

 

[Poser]

What is it about the Bino harness? Is it the harness, or the bino bivy? I just bought one of the bino bivy, and it seems really nice. I tried HornHunter, AGC, and just bought the Sitka. Just wondering what you didn't like about it.

It’s the bino bivy, but you probably got the new, redesigned version.

Complaints:

The buckles on the front of the harness straps are some stupid, magnetic twist release. Both of them snapped over time even though I never used the releases one single time. I always use the left side buckle to take the harness on and off. For the last 2 years, I’ve had the front harness tied together with cord. Whoever designed those buckles is an idiot. I actually just dropped the harness off at my sewer to replace those front buckles with standard male/female buckles.

The zippers at the top of the harness have a difficult time making the turn around the corners and seizes up even when the pouch is empty. It’s an obvious flaw.

Equalized tension is not immediately attainable and requires some maintenance.

I like the mesh back as it offers some surface area, however, Sitka, in their infinite lack design wisdom, just had to put their logo on the back like goddamn attention whores and they filled in half the back plate mesh with a solid nylon application so that they could stick their logo on there, even though most serious hunters spend more time with a backpack covering the logo than not, they still just couldn’t resist form over function to brand whore themselves ad naseum. This decision alone, pretty much undermines any argument for functionality being primary.

 

[waldo9190]

I was fairly skeptical at first, but after experiencing how darn versatile the FL base-layers are has me sold. I have quite a bit of their other gear as well and have been perfectly happy with it. Whether it be early season archery out west, the goose blind back here in MN, or ice fishing during the winter, I've never really run into a situation where I have been disappointed in ponying up for the higher dollar clothing.

 

[Trogon]

Sitka is horrifically overpriced. On deep discount its good stuff. The FL pieces Ive had were pretty low quality IMO (as in fleece piled, merino bagged out, labels peeled off in wash, material wore fast). I would rank Kuiu on par with Sitka on quality.

At the end of the day if you dont need camo, there are plenty of other outdoor brands that do the same for less.

 

[WesternHunter]

Let me preface this by saying I currently wear Sitka, BUT I used to work for a place that sold it and I got it on discount. So take my opinion for what it's worth. I'd have a hard time paying full price for it, but I love it and still wear it on most my hunts.

Previously I wore Core4Element and loved it. Still owned a bunch of it until recently. Hell I still have their synthetic puffy and it's my favorite jacket for everyday wear. Obviously that brand is gone now but I had many great hunts here in the west with less expensive gear.

Take a look at BlackOvis.com offerings on merino base layers, and their pant lines as well. The lightweight cottonwood creek pants are awesome for early season hunts or scouting. Their merino base layers are the best-buy out there.

If you have to have a camo pattern on all your stuff I'd say look at King's XKG line. They work to build affordable gear that's still plenty functional for western hunts. I'd comfortably recommend that line to anyone.

 

[JB64]

Worth it? Yes but maybe not because the patterns are the best, I genuinely think ASAT may be the best pattern but I digress.

The true value of FL and Sitka is the overall quality of their product. You can feel the difference in terms of texture, construction and durability. The Sitka Apex line is flawless for the conditions it was design to operate in.
For me, I use the Apex line for spring gobbler and early to mid season archery here in Upstate NY. I’ll layer as conditions dictate but the Apex is good to about 40 degrees.

I have FL Merino base layers going on a 5th season this coming Fall.the quality and durability of the layers have easily paid for themselves. I routinely mix and match patterns as well.

Don’t be afraid of used gear. You can get great bargains on used FL and Sitka items. Most hunters take care of their gear and I haven’t yet received a product that wasn’t in near new condition even after 2 seasons of use.

 

[Austink47]

I recommend hunting brands sitka in particular for pants and outer layers. Fit, durability, and pocket placement is well thought out for hunting. Base layers and insulating layers there are lots of good options from less specific outdoor brands. You just have to think about how your layers work together. If you have the money Sitka will do all the thinking for you.

 

[Superdoo]

I’ve hunted for years with nothing but Walmart discounted gear. Killed animals just fine.
I hunt more now and I also have more expendable income. I still use bargain gear where I don’t see a benefit of switching. I have been adding more premium products though where I feel it makes sense.
Bottom line, only you can determine what’s “worth it.”

A $20 Sam’s Club puffy is hard for me to find enough fault with to jump to $200 for the “unpronounceable“ from FL

 

[Ralphie]

I only have one sitka shirt I bought at STP for stupid cheap. Really nothing else in the high price line up so I’m probably not the best to say, but I guide hunters every year that have it on head to toe. If they are that much better off than me I can’t see it. Our hunts are in NW Wyoming and I’m guiding rifle hunters. If it’s a budget issue at all I’d say it’s an easy NO they are not worth it. If it’s not a big deal money wise than go for, probably can’t hurt.

 

[Tahoe1305]

I guess I’ll throw my 2 cents in. I hunted more last year than typical (8 times vs my std 1 time). I appreciated having a variety of the name brand hunting stuff, it seemed to hold up well and was comfortable.

Prior to that, doing a hunt or two a year the stuff I bought from cabelas (redhead, etc) was just fine. I think the money is better spent elsewhere unless you are doing multiple trips a year. For the record my cabelas stuff hasn’t had issues either. It’s just a bit heavier, a little less warmer, and the zippers aren’t as fancy!

 

[Flycasual]

It depends on how willing to grind through being uncomfortable. It’s not just clothing it’s gear. You can kill animals with a cheap bow and cheap glass but the more advantages you have with your gear the easier it is. I always looks to get better by inches and some of the gear that Sitka and FL produce help me get closer to the goal. With that said, buying a new system for Sitka will not make you successful-you have to earn it.

 

[Ralphie]

I Don’t think you have to buy the high end stuff to be comfortable or warm. How am I suffering with a 17 oz brooks range down puffy for $80. As one example.

 

[AlaskaLiving]

Doing my first elk hunt this year (late October Idaho) and buying new gear as I have never done anything more than deer hunt in South Carolina. Are Sitka and First Lite worth the money or are there cheaper but good quality brands/gear you guys recommend? I dont have a problem spending the money on quality gear as I will be doing a lot more western hunting over the next several years but I don't want to throw extra $$ just for a brand name. What are your guy's recommendations?

Remington

I had my doubts about the price and benefit of those high end brands. That was until I moved to Alaska. I spent two years in the rain forests of Ketchikan and I am on my fourth year on the Kenai Peninsula. Every time I step into the woods, the quality of my gear is tested to the limit. How much would I pay to be dry after I spend a night wet, cold, and shivering because my tent fly leaks? How much would I pay for a pair of boots after a day of stumbling through alders, mud, and sand and my whole body hurts from cheap boots? How much would I pay for a 4-wheeler when my old clunker refused to start, 5 miles into the back country? I could go on. The cost of the best of the best is a bargain compared to the alternative.

For me, my challenge was knowing which brand and which item within the brand would be what I needed. It took a couple of years and several suffer fests to learn what works and what does not. Focus less on the brand and more on the item and the design and intended use of that item.

Here is what I have decided: For Alaska, weather resistant means I might as well wear nothing. Water resistant means I will get wet, eventually. Waterproof breathable means I will still get wet but I have a longer window of time to find shelter. Rubber fisherman's outfit means I will just sweat and be wet anyway.

 

[Ratbeetle]

My favorite piece of hiking or hunting clothing is my Sitka kelvin active jacket. Happy with the pieces I have but all were bought on deep discount. I would never pay retail for any of that stuff.