finally a Climashield Apex jacket!!!!!!

[USPcompact]

Never once did I presume that.....

BUT, everyone has their opinion and since your body cannot tell the difference between a couple ounces I still believe the Kifaru is superior for its durability

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Saying that you believe the Kifaru is superior due to its durability is entirely reasonable. Likewise, it is just as entirely reasonable for me to say that I believe the Nunatak is superior because it's more than seven ounces lighter in a size Large and offers far more sizing and fill options.

Context matters. Blanket pronouncements are very rarely accurate for everyone.

 

[dotman]

More durable to you is unnecessarily heavy to me, this making it less superior.

You wouldn't presume to say that you're the ultimate arbiter of what's the best piece of gear for each person, would you?

It's all about the application it'll be put to, if used to just keep warm while sitting I agree it is over built for that application. I would say there are many diff puffies and depending on use they can either shine or fail miserably. That's why we need variety in our arsenal

 

[fngTony]

How compact does it get?

 

[mtwarden]

pretty small

 

[LBFowler]

I'd go ahead and put money on the Nunatak design predating the Kifaru, I had pictures of it on my computer back in highschool.

I got the pullover vest, I'd been between puffy jackets since I sold my patagonia down sweater and it will be great to have an insulated hood again, something I missed sorely this winter.

The level of customization Nunatak is willing to undertake won't be found anywhere else.

 

[mtwarden]

Thanks- I knew the Skaha jacket had been out for quite awhile, wasn't sure how long though

I'm really eyeballing the hooded vest in Apex- would make a great insulating layer when a jacket is too much

 

[Obi-wanshinobi]

The color of the Nunatak alone makes it superior lol. Kidding aside how much does the hooded vest/pullover sell for?

 

[Brendan]

Pretty sure we need to throw them both off a cliff to see which one is superior...

 

[LBFowler]

Skaha APEX Ultralight Climashield Vest - Nunatak Equipment

Here is the link to the page, the vest as shown is $175ish, but with all the custom options you can end up at any number of prices. If I get a jacket I might go for a longer hem.

 

[USPcompact]

How do you like the sleeves with no elastic?

Pretty sure I'm going to add one of these for this year. Was looking at a Kelvin Lite, but dang if I don't like the features of the Nunatak.

 

[dotman]

Be kind of cool if they offered zip off sleeves on the jacket as an option.

 

[mtwarden]

How do you like the sleeves with no elastic?

Pretty sure I'm going to add one of these for this year. Was looking at a Kelvin Lite, but dang if I don't like the features of the Nunatak.

you can get cuffs with elastic, mine have them

Be kind of cool if they offered zip off sleeves on the jacket as an option.

I think that would be a great option! If that had been an option I would have gone for that

 

[USPcompact]

I'd probably go with elastic, but the "no elastic" has me curious.

The zippered sleeves option sounds interesting. You could go from "formal" to Larry the Cable Elk Guide.

 

[Nunatak Gear]

Hey! Thanks for all the comments! I’m from Nunatak.

You guys are not our typical target audience - backpacking with a slant towards the ultralight has always been our focus, and that’s also the background for this pullover.

When you design with ultralight as the guiding parameter for every decision made, durability and fancy features go out the window real quick. Buying this, or any of our products, will likely lead to disappointment unless your main goal is reducing pack weight.

With most our products we are trying to distill function to a barebones set of minimal features, representing just what’s needed to achieve utility, then pare this with the absolute lightest materials available currently. The hope is that the result will be very high on the weight to warmth graph.

The Lost Park Parka referred to earlier is twice the weight, likely also twice the bulk, and while seemingly similar to our Skaha - IMO it’s a completely different product.

In my pack the Lost Park would probably take up as much room as my sleeping bag, my puffy and, yes, my tent -- all combined.

Hope this helps to explain where we come from!

Jan

 

[USPcompact]

<--- Elk backpack hunter with a slant towards the ultralight.

I go ultralight when and where it makes sense - a DCF pack probably isn't the best option when hauling meat is a consideration, for instance. However, if hunting solo in the early season, my shelter + pad + quilt would come in at under 40 ounces. Later seasons with a group and I'm at 50 ounces and change with the stove and shelter split among the group.

The Climashield Skaha looks to be right up my alley.

 

[dotman]

Hey! Thanks for all the comments! I’m from Nunatak.

You guys are not our typical target audience - backpacking with a slant towards the ultralight has always been our focus, and that’s also the background for this pullover.

When you design with ultralight as the guiding parameter for every decision made, durability and fancy features go out the window real quick. Buying this, or any of our products, will likely lead to disappointment unless your main goal is reducing pack weight.

With most our products we are trying to distill function to a barebones set of minimal features, representing just what’s needed to achieve utility, then pare this with the absolute lightest materials available currently. The hope is that the result will be very high on the weight to warmth graph.

The Lost Park Parka referred to earlier is twice the weight, likely also twice the bulk, and while seemingly similar to our Skaha - IMO it’s a completely different product.

In my pack the Lost Park would probably take up as much room as my sleeping bag, my puffy and, yes, my tent -- all combined.

Hope this helps to explain where we come from!

Jan

I think you would be surprised how there is a market here for your gear even if not your target group. While we may not always want the lightest weight gear there are times many of us here are oz counters and prefer warmth to weight over durability. Many here have moved to quilts to drop some weight and many try to buy the lightest high quality gear available.

 

[mtwarden]

Having handled/used this jacket, I wouldn't have any problem recommending this jacket for backcountry hunting. I wouldn't recommend low crawling for a 1/4 mile through rough stuff w/ it, but that would go for all the puffies I've used. For a light, warm layer for glassing, getting breakfast/supper on at camp, pushing the rating of your quilt/bag, etc- I think it would fit the bill nicely.

I keep hearing the hooded vest calling my name

 

[FreeRange]

I've always used ultralight puffy jackets with some scarily thin material and if I'm doing anything other than sitting in camp or glassing I'll throw a wind, rain or soft shell over to protect it. Of course it would be simpler to not have to do it but that approach saves me 6-10oz on my puffy right there.

There are definitely two schools of thought on gear, Kifaru emboidies one side where they make fairly light weight gear but they also make their gear to last through some punishment. My 15D tipi, ultralight sleeping bag, ultralight puffy and SG pack will all wear out sooner than their equivalent Kifaru pieces (not sure about the pack but with the weight difference Kifaru pack bags must be of a heavier material) but the reality is how many of us use our gear to failure as it is? A combination of constantly aquiring and selling gear and not spending months in the field means most of us will never use these pieces to failure and with a little babying can make ultralight, less durable gear work fine. My base weight is pounds lighter than if I went with all Kifaru. If I was a guide I'd probably have all Kifaru though.

 

[mtwarden]

quick update; I've got to use mine pretty extensively this winter/spring and most recently on a 3-ish day, 115 mile jaunt across the Bob Marshall Wilderness- the jacket rocks. Great weight to warmth ratio, don't have to sweat moisture like down, it loft greats and the fit is good. This will be in my fall hunting pack for sure.

 

[mtwarden]

an additional update on the jacket- I've been using it all this elk season and am just really impressed with the warmth to weight ratio! the Robic material is very wind/water resistant which is a blessing when sitting and glassing, the hand warmer pocket is super nice for glass as well

I see they added a a dark olive in addition to the grey in Robic, looks almost coyote in the pic

I'm probably going to order a 5 oz jacket for use in frigid conditions; double the weight of insulation should make this a real furnace and still only 16 oz in size Large!