Best pieces from each hunting brand including gloves and why?

[Mitten32]

First light sanctuary set- This was my first introduction into quality clothing. I was blown away by the warmth and attention to detail. It made long cold sits in late December enjoyable. I have the original ASAT will wear them until they worn out.

Kifaru- Make bulletproof backpacks and their hip belt fits me incredibly well.

First lite- Talus gloves and hand cuff beanie.

Sitka-Timberline and ascent pants in size 31. Unfortunately it looks like they're going away from odd sizes in the waist. I lose weight on hunt and the 31s fit me perfectly without having to wear a belt. Both those pants are tough surprisingly tough and worth the money.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Which rain gear do you have?

Kuiu Chugach Jacket and Kutana Storm Shell Pants

 

[USMC2378]

First light sanctuary set- This was my first introduction into quality clothing. I was blown away by the warmth and attention to detail. It made long cold sits in late December enjoyable. I have the original ASAT will wear them until they worn out.

Kifaru- Make bulletproof backpacks and their hip belt fits me incredibly well.

First lite- Talus gloves and hand cuff beanie.

Sitka-Timberline and ascent pants in size 31. Unfortunately it looks like they're going away from odd sizes in the waist. I lose weight on hunt and the 31s fit me perfectly without having to wear a belt. Both those pants are tough surprisingly tough and worth the money.

What do you like about the Talus glove? How is the quality and are they water proof? What’s the lowest temp you would recommend using them?

 

[carter33]

1.) Sitka timberline pants
2.) beyond clothing A3 fleece
3.) Kuiu super down pro glommit
4.) Kifaru LPP

 

[doverpack12]

Kuiu pants take your pick they all fit better and cover a wider range of conditions with the hip vents than any others out there. Peloton 240 and 97 very close second or tied.

Sitka Gore socks, darn tough would be out of business had Sitka kept making these, that’s how good they are. I have 10 pairs I’m limping along until they are released again.

SKRE deadfall glove with ptarmigan a close second.

First Lite Chamberlain

kryptek Ghar the grey one I don’t like hoods.

 

[Oregonboy]

Do you have the mountain Jacket how do you like it? I have been thinking about getting it.

I don't have the mountain, but I have the cloudburst, the gradient, and the Dakota Hoody and they're all well worth the money.

 

[Honyock]

What are the best Kuiu gloves you have used?

The Attack gloves and the Guide gloves. For me, I think Kuiu's gloves are some of the best.

 

[prm]

Base: First Lite Aerowool top

Mid: Kuiu Peleton 240 (Best single piece)

Light insulation: Arc’teryx Atom

Pant: Prana Zion (wearing now and almost everyday, and for hunting)

Base bottom: First Lite Merino wool

Glove: Kuiu Guide

Socks: darn tough

Gaiter: Rab

This is where I am for now for Oct/Nov CO backcountry hunts. Always trying new items but these have remained. Many factors go into determining the ‘best’ piece for each purpose. They have to work together though.

 

[Stingray]

My favorite items:
-Marsupial Bino Harness
-Sitka Jetstream beanie
-Sitka Jetstream jacket
-Kryptek Dalibor pants
-Kryptek Aquillo jacket
-Sitka Timberline pants
-Sitka Traverse hoody
-Crispi Idaho boots
-Darn Tough socks
-Sitka Incinerator jacket
-Sitka incinerator pants
-Kryptek Vellus jacket
-Sitka Goretex baseball cap
-Kryptek Wool gloves (not made anymore)
-Outdoor Research Altitude mittens

I have way more stuff than I need as I keep trying new items and going through various items. But the above are my favorites.

 

[BlakeyD]

I got on the badlands band wagon and I love their mag bino harness and also the venture jacket. Couldn’t be happier. Jacket is super verticals from cool days all the way through very cold and that bino harness goes everywhere with me.

Agreed! Also another vote for Darn Tough socks

 

[qwerksc]

Firstlite Chama Hoody.

 

[dreamingWest]

I read the OP two ways: best per company, best per item. I’ll play along since we’re getting arctic blasted here in Texas. Only doing clothing since that’s the forum.

Kuiu: Attack Pants – Everything has already been said about these.
Honorable Mentions: Merino 145 Zip-Aways, 200 Pro Merino Hoodie, Kenai Jacket, Yukon Gaitors, Merino 145 Neck Gaitor

Sitka: Fanatic Vest – At this point I’d be lost bowhunting from a treestand without it.
Honorable Mention: Stratus Jacket

First Lite: Chama Hoodie – I bought three back when they were the best merino in town. Perfect for outdoor work-outs when temps are below about 60.

After enjoying Kuiu for nearly a decade, it’s still surprising to me that other companies refuse or are just now using hip vents and zip-away base layers. I haven’t even considered other options since about 2012. Props to Skre, I believe they offer some of these features. I own way too many hunting clothes pieces. Most all of Kuiu pants. Below are my favorites or what I consider the most versatile:

Underwear: Sitka Lightweight Merino
Socks: Darn Tough OTC Power
Baselayer Top: First Lite Wick Tee
Baselayer Bottoms: Kuiu Merino 145 Zip-Aways
Shirt: Kuiu Pro Merino 200 Hoodie
Pants: Kuiu Attack Pants
Jacket: Kuiu Kenai Jacket
Rain Gear: Cabela's Space Rain
Boots: Crispi Nevada
Gloves: First Lite Talus

 

[DeadDrift]

• Sitka Fanatic Whitetail Optifade Elevated II Gloves - game changer switching from burly gloves to these and a muff with hand warmers. I have raynaud's and my fingers & toes go white super easily despite the rest of me being toasty. Fantastic trigger feel or course, easy to focus binos or change power on scope and bonus great for Winter fly fishing. My previous preference was Kuiu Ultra Merino 210 Glove, which now live in my everyday jacket.
• Kuiu Attack Pants - vented with mesh, great pockets, not the best/worst with snags. I'm a 32 inseam and got them hemmed, so plan on that if you don't want slinky ankles. Although may not be popular, I do wish they offered them in a more athletic/slim fit, despite being slimmer than majority of other brands.
• Kryptek Wyat Balaclava - I've had several, mostly not hunting specific. Has great ventilation for breathing to reduce fogging optics, great fit and material, very versatile and generally have up on my head just like a beanie for hike in or if I get warm.
• Darn Tough merino socks - I wear their socks every single day Summer - Winter. Best IMHO of any merino brand or blend I've tried. I can attest that they stand behind their lifetime warranty. Take your pick of style for your need, they have you covered. Even dress socks!
• Muff - I don't particularly love my silly big HSS, but there was things about Sitka and other more expensive offerings that didn't do it for me. I'd rather buy once, but in this case I wanted to do a trial of a muff for my setup. Still looking for a lighter and more compact one, ideally a pocket built into my outer layer like the Fanatic has. Also looked into lumbar/waist packs that have them built-in...just waiting for something to check all of the boxes.
• Mammut Pants - take your pick, I'll update after receiving a few new models I'll be trying out. Also big fan of Rab pants.
• Baselayers - Icebreaker all the way. I've had MANY brands of outdoor brand and hunting brand merino and all either suffer from being scratchy and/or pilling/durability. Icebreaker is my one stop shop. I like the Bodyfit 200 for tops and bottoms.
• Boots - Salomon X Ultra Winter CS Waterproof 2 - phenomenal boots with a nice generous toe box (I'm into exclusively barefoot style zero-drop shoes, but these are my only exception). Never any hot spots, great traction in all terrain and freeze. Looking for quality battery heated insoles tha for those super cold sits, currently use HotHands Insole Foot Warmers.
• Kuiu Peloton 240 Full Zip - very versatile for early season to dead of winter sits. This year's layers for winter sits: Icebreaker Bodyfit 200>Kuiu Ultra Merino 145 Zip-T>Patagonia Nano Puff ¼ Zip>Kuiu Peloton 240 Full Zip
• Midlayer - Patagonia R1 (¼ or full zip, have both) Incredibly versatile!
• Bino Harness - current Kuiu 2.0, but have been rethinking this system and have been buying/returning/researching everything from vests to jackets to waist packs.
• First Lite 5-Panel Tech Cap - wow, I can't believe I just found you!
• Leafy Balaclava - EAmber Reed Forest from Amazon, so much better than FL one. Still looking for a good jacket. I recently bought and returned FL Leafy balaclava and jacket, terrible quality and fit IMHO. The Amazon one I thought I was upgrading is superior in every way.
• Uniqlo AIRism boxer briefs - most durable and comfortable ones with the anatomical pouch for your boys. My everyday, use their different fabrics depending in hot vs everything else.

 

[Brianmp01]

Just a few that have really stood out, there's a lot out of stuff out there without much differentiation.

Sitka Kelvin Lite has been my favorite puffy. Perfect amount of insulation when you just need a bit, and a good layering piece. I prefer synthetic over down.

Outdoor Research Ferossi Hoody - everything I need in a soft shell, very light weight, comfortable, good wind resistance, brush resistance, a little water repellant

Patagonia Field Pants - Awesome brush pants that behave like mountain pants. Maybe the best piece of hunting clothing I've ever bought. Hard to find, and not even sure if they still make it. FL Sawbuck are garbage in comparison, stiff, ill fitting, shallow hip pockets and no cargo pockets.

GORE merino blend socks. Do they still make these? They are great.

Cabelas Space Rain - Putting this one as a standout on the price/quality continuum. For the price it's everything needed for packable DWR raingear to face intermittent rain. Throwing more money at ultralight DWR raingear for prolonged rain isn't the right approach, it's to get away from DWR.

Do the field pants run true to size?

 

[Wheels]

As for gloves, I wear Midway USA brand Prairie Creek fleece lined gloves. They are fleece lined and wind proof, quite warm but not bulky. Wear them when it’s cold bow hunting, I bought a couple pairs on sale for about $15. Mechanix Wear original gloves when it’s warmer.

 

[SonnyDay]

Boots - I have owned a lot of Scarpa over the years, but recently bought a pair of Crispi's (Thor II GTX) and will stay with that brand. Maybe my feet got a little wider or something... but I was getting numb/sore in the balls of my feet after a few days of stomping... and the slightly wider toe box of the Crispi's solved that problem.
Gloves - Best I have found are a pair of insulated Cabela's with leather palm. Not sure what they're called, but they cost about $60. My son has pretty much made off with them. I tried to "upgrade" to KUIU Yukon Pro but they are just garbage. Heavy and my hands freeze. I have liked the KUIU Super Down PRO Glassing Glomitt... but haven't used them a ton.
Pants - KUIU Attack are amazing. Most comfortable pair of pants I've ever owned.
Base Layers - Agree with some others that KUIU's zip-off base layers are awesome. SO much more likely to adjust layers if I don't have to remove my boots! Also a big fan of silk base layers (REI, LL Bean, etc.). They make a huge difference in a very small and thin package.
Socks - Darn Tough / SmartWool. I usually run a merino liner sock as well. Helps ensure no blisters/hot spots.
Insulated Jacket - Really like my KUIU Super Down Ultra. Weighs practically nothing... but very warm.

 

[Gman12]

This one is easy for me. My favorite piece is the FL Furnace. It is incredibly warm, fairly lightweight, not bulky and very comfortable. In cold temperatures, it can take the place of two layers that I would use to wear. It is good for multiple applications as well. Perfect for cold mornings standing in a swamp duck hunting, in a tree stand whitetail hunting or out west if not hiking hard. Best single piece of clothing I own and I have Sitka and Kuiu as well.

 

[Meridian90]

North Branch Bibs.

They can be a standalone or layered underneath from September through Ice Fishing season in March for me. I layer with a light baselayer early season, then add corrugate guides, uncompahgre puffy pants under them as the temp drops.

First Lite needs something like them to come back. I love that the waist isn't restricting so you don't every have to worry about the belt line. Plus 3 zippers allows you to vent at any time. Seam taped, so very wind/water resistant.

 

[Decker9]

I’m only familiar with Sitka brand really, this time of year, our favourite pieces are definitely the blizzard parkas. Today, out on a bald logging block hilltop glassing for goats. -15c, horizontal wind gusting to 60kmh, with that light snow that comes in clouds. My lady was even toasty enough to take a power nap lol. These jackets stand true to their name.

 

[PunkRockDoc]

To each their own, being in oregon my jetstream jacket was definitely not worth what i paid for it in my opinion. It has been my biggest disappointment by far in terms of clothing ive bought

Softshells and the PNW just don't mix. I think most folks serious about being outside up here learn real quick that soft shells are never enough. Unless you're just going from bar to bar.