Favorite Top Layers: Baselayer / Fleece / Puffy / Rain Shell

[j33]

Thanks for the input. What mid layer would you suggest? The mid layer is the one piece I'm definitely not sure about. I would appreciate any additional suggestions there. Also I said stone glacier helio "and" kuiu peleton 240. I'm really only looking at getting one of those pieces. I should have said "or". I'll see if I can correct that with a quick edit...

Thanks. I haven't mentioned it in this thread, but I definitely appreciate a short sleeve shirt for the long pack in. Nice to not soak my hoody base layer right from the start.

I just think a mid layer is the hardest choice.... I have the Kuiu 97, 240 and First Lite Kiln. Kiln I use daily at home, never bring that with me the merino just doesn't breath or dry like synthetic. 240 is great windblocker, just doesn't breath like I want on more active hunts, I have a vest to try this year to see how that fits. 97 is super light, breathable... but with those pros the cons are that it's super easy to rip up and no windproof... You honestly can't have it all.

All I'm getting at is maybe buy two mid layers for this year, next year sell which one doesn't suit you. Your base & puffy will be good for years to come.

 

[ramsdude47]

I missed one of my favorite mid layers, Marmot Driclime - It’s a windbreaker shell lined with a thin layer of fleece.

What bugs me about mid layers is having to take them off and put them back on so frequently (yes even the “highly breathable” ones). The DriClime to me seems to be the best option I have that I can keep on for the widest temp swings. With the windbreaker shell I also rarely need to throw another layer over it. The biggest drawback is the lining doesn’t play nice with many base layers.

 

[Bowhunter50]

I just think a mid layer is the hardest choice.... I have the Kuiu 97, 240 and First Lite Kiln. Kiln I use daily at home, never bring that with me the merino just doesn't breath or dry like synthetic. 240 is great windblocker, just doesn't breath like I want on more active hunts, I have a vest to try this year to see how that fits. 97 is super light, breathable... but with those pros the cons are that it's super easy to rip up and no windproof... You honestly can't have it all.

All I'm getting at is maybe buy two mid layers for this year, next year sell which one doesn't suit you. Your base & puffy will be good for years to come.

I definitely agree. Mid Layer has been my hardest piece to narrow down. I didn't include what I currently have in my original post on purpose so I wouldn't steer people in a certain direction. I currently have a peloton 97 and a peloton 240. Both have been great pieces, however, I'm looking to consolidate my layers into one piece for each category - base / mid / puff / shell. I think it's easier to do that for the other three categories, however, I'm afraid you're right, might be best to go with two different options.

I was thinking the helio hoody would be a more versatile layer, however, when I look at the weight it seems hard to justify it over the peloton 240... Maybe the peloton 200 would be a better option, however, at double the weight of the 97, I've heard it doesn't provide much more warmth...

I think I'll do one option for base / puff / shell and keep the 97 and 240 as two different mid layer options. Thanks for the help!

 

[mtwarden]

base layer- Sitka Core lightweight hoody- summer through winter; equivalent is the OR Echo hoody; breathes well and dries fast- nothing merino can touch them

mid-layer- easily the best active mid-layer I've used in the Patagonia Nano Air Light- dubbed the fleece killer
for a reason ; if it has to be fleece- Sitka Core heavyweight hoody; equivalent is the Patagonia R1

puffy- I'm super impressed with Nunatak's Apex PCT jacket- fully customizable w/ fabric choice, insulation weight, torso length, sleeve length, etc. the 3.6 Apex is an inferno, the 5.0 must be crazy warm

rain jacket- Sitka Dewppoint, light, sturdy, feature rich- a combo not found very often

 

[406unltd]

For tops when the weather is ~ 80 - 50 I’m going core ss base, HW hoody, active hoody.

~ 55 - 35 long sleeve silk weight base top,
HW hoody, kelvin lite hoody or KLDJ, possibly add active hoody or rain jacket if special conditions apply that day

~ 40 to as cold as it gets during season
Silk weight base top, HW hoody, active hoody, KLDJ, dew point jacket, adding another mid layer if shit is getting nasty.

 

[mcseal2]

First lite aerowool wilikin
Kuiu peloton 240
Kuiu Superdown Pro
First Lite SEAK

That’s my list if I have to only have one from each category. I mainly rifle hunt during later, cooler seasons.

Early in the year I’d go with an Aerowool T shirt and Sitka Core lw hoody. Trade the superdown jacket for a kutana hybrid, and add a sitka mountain vest. Rain gear would be a poncho/tarp.

 

[HaydenLane]

I personally wouldn’t want my Peloton 240 to be my only midlayer option, it’s just too warm and not breathable enough for highly active days. I haven’t tried the 200, but I would be leaning that direction or even towards the Swazi Hood (or something similar) if I were trying to narrow it down.

So for me it’s:

FL Wick (also wish they had a qz)
Peloton 240 or Swazi Hood
EB Downlight jacket
Kuiu Chugach

 

[Dennis]

Base- Kuiu Merino 125
Mid - Kuiu Peloton 200 with hood
Insulation -Kuiu Ultra Down Puffy with hood
Protection - Kuiu Chugach

 

[Bowhunter50]

base layer- Sitka Core lightweight hoody- summer through winter; equivalent is the OR Echo hoody; breathes well and dries fast- nothing merino can touch them

mid-layer- easily the best active mid-layer I've used in the Patagonia Nano Air Light- dubbed the fleece killer
for a reason ; if it has to be fleece- Sitka Core heavyweight hoody; equivalent is the Patagonia R1

puffy- I'm super impressed with Nunatak's Apex PCT jacket- fully customizable w/ fabric choice, insulation weight, torso length, sleeve length, etc. the 3.6 Apex is an inferno, the 5.0 must be crazy warm

rain jacket- Sitka Dewppoint, light, sturdy, feature rich- a combo not found very often

Thanks I've considered active insulation as a mid layer. I was thinking the Arcteryx Atom LT hoody perhaps. At only 12 oz, it seems like a solid choice. Todd Harney wrote about it in the western hunter

I personally wouldn’t want my Peloton 240 to be my only midlayer option, it’s just too warm and not breathable enough for highly active days. I haven’t tried the 200, but I would be leaning that direction or even towards the Swazi Hood (or something similar) if I were trying to narrow it down.

So for me it’s:

FL Wick (also wish they had a qz)
Peloton 240 or Swazi Hood
EB Downlight jacket
Kuiu Chugach

Yeah I definitely agree. I'm considering picking up a peloton 200 in either gray or olive to try out. I'm thinking it would be more versatile than the 97 or 240.

Still not sure what to do about mid layers. Thinking I'll have to pick up a few different options and figure out what works best for my style.

 

[mtwarden]

Thanks I've considered active insulation as a mid layer. I was thinking the Arcteryx Atom LT hoody perhaps. At only 12 oz, it seems like a solid choice. Todd Harney wrote about it in the western hunter

the LT is a nice jacket, but definitely falls into the insulation layer category more than an active layer; in the Arcteryx lineup I'd look at the Proton LT hoody- more breathable fabric and the insulation used in it is also more breathable- definitely more of an active layer

 

[Vandy321]

Base - SG Chinook
Mid/Fleece - Arcteryx Naga hoodie
Puffy - Montbell Alpine
Rain - Arcteryx Beta SV

That list meets 100% of your criteria

 

[HaydenLane]

Base - SG Chinook
Mid/Fleece - Arcteryx Naga hoodie
Puffy - Montbell Alpine
Rain - Arcteryx Beta SV

That list meets 100% of your criteria

How warm/breathable is the Naga? I’ve tried searching around, but haven’t seen anyone compare it to other fleeces much.

 

[Vandy321]

How warm/breathable is the Naga? I’ve tried searching around, but haven’t seen anyone compare it to other fleeces much.

It's the perfect fleece for Oct/Nov...I wouldn't hike in it with a base merino on in Sept though. I don't like hiking in fleece anyways unless it's in the 39s or colder. Thicker/softer than the sitka HW hoodie/patagonia R1 dries quicker, no pilling, warmer.

The full zip isn't as good in my opinion. NAGA 1/2 zip or skip it.

 

[4XBuilder]

Excellent thread, following

 

[The Ri Guy]

Base: First Lite Wick
Mid/Fleece: Kuiu Peloton 97
Light Puffy: Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisper/2
Medium Puffy: Feathered Friends Helios or Stone Glacier Grumman
Packable Rain Gear: Kuiu Chugach or Sitka Dewpoint

I will note that being in Washington I personally prefer to carry Kuiu's most robust rain jacket, the Yukon, with the Chugach pants and Yukon gaiters. Have not reapplied DWR since I bought the jacket in 2016, it's a tank.

 

[HNTR918]

Base: Sitka Lightweight Hoodie
Mid: Sitka Heavyweight Hoodie
Puffy: Sitka Kelvin Active Jacket
Outer: Sitka WS Down Hoody
Rain: Sitka Cloudburst

 

[Lowg08]

First lite aerowool wilikin
Kuiu peloton 240
Kuiu Superdown Pro
First Lite SEAK

That’s my list if I have to only have one from each category. I mainly rifle hunt during later, cooler seasons.

Early in the year I’d go with an Aerowool T shirt and Sitka Core lw hoody. Trade the superdown jacket for a kutana hybrid, and add a sitka mountain vest. Rain gear would be a poncho/tarp.

How do you like the SEAK set for that?

 

[blazingangel09]

I recently picked up a Hunter's Element Puffy Jacket and love it. Great Fit, very warm, high quality gear.

 

[shaneatkinson82]

I have some of the below and don’t own most. You can research a ton or just go with what some folks say.

Baselayer: IMO a hooded baselayer without minimum 1/4 zip is a no go for me. Wick doesn’t have a zip, would be perfect if this doesn’t matter to you. I run a Sitka Leightweight hoody and love it, starts to stink after a few days though.

Can I ask why a minimum 1/4 zip?

 

[mcseal2]

How do you like the SEAK set for that?

The Seak jacket is great. I returned the Seak pants. Just fit to tight for me, I like room under them for layers. I have Kuiu rain pants. Chugach, Kutana, and Yukon I’ll use depending on the hunt.