Copy cat brands?

Bowtie747

FNG
Joined
Jul 11, 2024
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Hey guys, I’m guilt of buying the big name companies. Trying to not use specifics because im not trying to bash. Recently been finding these videos on YouTube where someone takes a major hunting brand piece of clothing and compares them to an off name brand. Pnuma and Huntworth are some of the brands I’m finding. Super comparable options and sometimes on paper better off for usually a way better price. Are these things too good to be true? Anyone try some of these clothing brands and compare them to the big name hunting brand clothes? I’m just curious to maybe help myself and or others save some money.
 
I wouldn't describe either of those as copy cat. They have their own distinct products.

I have the pnuma heated top and bottom. It's badass. I also have the 3l rain jacket and it's the only one quiet enough for archery I liked.
 
Hey guys, I’m guilt of buying the big name companies. Trying to not use specifics because im not trying to bash. Recently been finding these videos on YouTube where someone takes a major hunting brand piece of clothing and compares them to an off name brand. Pnuma and Huntworth are some of the brands I’m finding. Super comparable options and sometimes on paper better off for usually a way better price. Are these things too good to be true? Anyone try some of these clothing brands and compare them to the big name hunting brand clothes? I’m just curious to maybe help myself and or others save some money.
@skregear is another one too look at. I still get FL, Sitka or Kuiu. But I get them second hand or on clearance. I wouldn't hesitate to go head to toe in anything from Pnuma or SKRE. I just like to mix and match because I'm so picky.
 
Yea copy cat is a bad term but I couldn’t think of something else. In a way it’s true though. Pnuma has a jacket like the Sitka Fanatic that’s half the price and has more insulation. I’m hoping this either again helps someone or helps me find some cheaper items without being a “cheap” item.
 
I wore a pair of Sitka 90% pants for like 8 years. Got big on me so I sold them for $60. Id say I got my moneys worth. I have a Sitka Jet Stream I have had for at least that long and going strong. My Kui attack have been going strong for 5 years. I’ll stick with a brand I know will give me the wear and use. Willing to pay a few bucks more.
 
It's not exactly a secret that hunting brands are significantly overpriced. Just look at the outdoor brands using the same materials and fabrics, but not marketing it to hunters or making it camo. The new OV hunting line has my interest at the moment.
 
I almost see it as a name brand and “generic brand” type situation. We see it in so many other industries, namely the food industry, but yeah, in doing my review of bow hunting jackets, i found the sitka stratus and Huntworth elkins very similar and the kryptek njord and midwayUSA prairie creek very similar. The huntworth and midwayusa are both way less than the sitka and kryptek similars.

I dont see it as a bad thing, more so that there are price points for different folks. Some can not afford 300+ for a jacket and are willing to spend 100 for the similar item. It isnt a bad thing to have competition in the market. Similar in optics where some have such a hard time thinking of anything other than swaro, while others could never even think of something that starts with swaro due to the high cost. If there wasnt a market for cheap gear, it woupd go away. Similarly, if there isnt a market for higher end gear, that would go away as well. Neither are going anywhere.
 
I use this litmus test for hunting clothing reviews. . . Anyone that has matching everything (underwear to rain gear) from a single brand can’t be trusted; they’re either bought and paid for, or they bought the marketing and tried nothing else. Not one single company makes the best everything. If someone is wearing a hodgepodge of hunting and technical clothing, they’re probably giving you a valuable opinion.


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I have a hard time trusting some of the lesser known brands without putting my hands on them. My kits consits of minimal FL base layers, some of the black ovis stuff too, and then a mix of sitka or kuiu stuff. I won't ever buy at full price cause im a cheap ass.

If I could see and touch a lot of this stuff in person im sure id have more of the others. But id rather not spend 150% because what I thought was good turned out to be crap.
 
Buy the camp you like, it small in the whole scheme of things. If you think about it, there are still people today running around in loincloths kills animals with a stick bow. With that being said budget camo is great camo. When it comes to cold weather gear spending a little extra is helpful to keep from having too many layers.
 
There is lots of good stuff out there not named First Lite/Sitka/Kuiu. I’m cheap so I look for sales. I have BlackOvis, King’s Ranch, Pnuma, MTN, Sitka, Kuiu and even Patagonia. I figure out what I’m looking for and then shop until I find what meets my need at a price I’m willing to pay. I don’t have thousands to spend kitting out on clothes.
 
It's not exactly a secret that hunting brands are significantly overpriced. Just look at the outdoor brands using the same materials and fabrics, but not marketing it to hunters or making it camo. The new OV hunting line has my interest at the moment.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - the most innovative thing hunting clothing companies have done is convince guys who don’t go 200 yards from the nearest road that they have to spend $3000 on a clothing “system” to kill.
 
Rain jacket, yes.

Rain pants, no.

Gaiters, yes if rain is in the wx forecast.

In September chasing elk, you’re going to sweat out to being soaked in rain pants just as fast if not faster than just wearing your hiking pants.

These are all the clothes I take on a September backpack elk hunt: 2 pairs of socks, one set of baselayers, one set of pants, one mid layer top, one puffy, one rain jacket, pair of gaiters, light weight gloves, light weight beanie, and a ball cap.

Sounds like you don’t have much backpacking experience. If I were you, I’d go do a few test runs if you can somewhere between now and September. There’s a few hunting specific things like kill kit, weapon, and optics that you need on a hunt but not a back packing trip. Everything else is pretty much the same. Figure out what you need and don’t need.


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Hey guys, I’m guilt of buying the big name companies. Trying to not use specifics because im not trying to bash. Recently been finding these videos on YouTube where someone takes a major hunting brand piece of clothing and compares them to an off name brand. Pnuma and Huntworth are some of the brands I’m finding. Super comparable options and sometimes on paper better off for usually a way better price. Are these things too good to be true? Anyone try some of these clothing brands and compare them to the big name hunting brand clothes? I’m just curious to maybe help myself and or others save some money.
“Big name companies” many times just equals big money spent on marketing and (sometimes) research and development. Also keep in mind that every big company had to start out small at one point in time.

Said differently: look at the properties of the materials being used and the product performance. Don’t be a sucker and let big marketing drive your product choices. Just because something costs more does not always mean it is better.

Good luck this season.
 
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