First Lite and Kuiu Merino tops, Yukon impressions

[Mmcan]

Just wanted to relate my experience with the FL and Kuiu base layers from my hunt last week. Both were used as base layers, and each was worn as a first layer with the other worn over it (one day I wore FL under Kuiu, the next day Kuiu under FL). Sweated a fair amount on the trip as we hiked hard at elevation carrying packs. At the end of each day, I would hang both shirts up to air out.

By about the 4th day, the FL had a smell to it, but it wasn't at all overwhelmingly strong. I slept in it on a couple of cooler nights too. However, I couldn't wear the Kuiu at that point in the week. It smelled really sour. I mean REALLY sour.

Have you had similar experiences with these 2 merino products? I truly think they were both worn in very similar situations, and had very different performance.

I also wore the Kuiu Yukon jacket and pants in light rain, and the puffy jacket (verde). I have nothing but great things to say about these products (except the yukon is noisier than a soft shell, but that is expected, and not a big issue. I was able to draw on a cow at about 18 yds without being detected at all. She came within 12 yds, but I let her walk bc it was only day 3 of 6 and I had hopes of getting a bull).

Tag soup sucks, but hindsight is 20-20.

 

[WonkyWapiti]

I just got back from being in the field for 10 days in Alaska on a moose hunt. I had purchased some new FL shirts prior to going and washed them prior to my hunt. When I initially washed them they stunk like a wet Uzbekistani goat. Once I dried them out they odor went away. I reeked quite a bit but my FL merino tshirt and my long sleeve FL shirt held up comparatively non stinky after ten days. I wore the tshirt all ten days and the long sleeve sporadically more as it got colder during the latter part of the ten days. My ExOfficio Give N Go Sport Mesh boxer briefs got washed mid week and along with wet wipes literally saved my ass from the red monkey butt syndrome.

I consistently wore my Yukon jacket and Yukon pants throughout the week as it rained and rained and rained. Did I mention it rained in Alaska, who'd have guessed! I also had my Asolo hiking boots but barely wore them. My muck boots doubled up with an extra pair of socks were my go to boots in all that wet stuff. Around camp I lived in my Super down pants and super down jacket and my New Balance trail shoes. If I got a little too chilled I would also throw on my super down vest and my merino cap and gloves.

I also ordered some of the new Kuiu Kenai gloves prior to my hunt. The gloves kept me dry but sometimes I did get a little cold in them if I was out sitting for a few hours when we had temps in the 40's to low 50's with a lot of moisture in the air. If I was moving I was good to go in these. When I was out still hunting and on the move I would wear my Kryptek Kratos jacket if needed. This seemed to breathe really well for me. The Kuiu super down ended up being used more often when I was sitting in a spot for extended periods.

 

[kamcgraw]

I have worn both Kuiu and First Lite merino on extended hunts. I never noticed a stink from either. Obviously when sweating in the same shirt for multiple days it will have some stench to it but nothing too strong. I just got back from 11 days in the backcountry of Wyoming. I wore Kuiu Ultra merino on this trip and was super happy with its performance. There was hardly any stink to it at all at the end of the trip and it held up very well. Very impressed with it.

 

[coachjdub]

To the original poster, were you wearing the new Nuyarn from KUIU or was it the old merino?

 

[Mmcan]

Had the old merino not the new stuff

 

[TEmbry]

I have been in the mountains somewhere for going on 5 weeks straight now in WY, AK, or MT chasing antelope, moose, brown bear, dall sheep, whitetails, mule deer, elk, and black bear... Some trips up to 10 days and some day hunts. Worn the old version of Kuiu merino tops for 95% of the days and have noticed no funk at all compared to other brands. I wore the same top for 7 days straight and while it wasn't fresh out of the dryer, it wasn't bad enough to demand a change yet either.

 

[5MilesBack]

I was going to comment on the KUIU regardless of this thread. I picked up a couple of the old style KUIU merino tops this year. I also have some Cabela's merino that I've been using for about 7 years now and some First Lite. I completely soaked through three sets of base layers and camo, including my hats, this past week from sweat. Each set was only worn the one day, so no extended wearing. Hardest three days I've hunted in my 30+ years of chasing elk. And chase I did.......even ran down a couple herds which I didn't think was possible.

Anyway, the Cabela's merino didn't smell at all after getting soaked. The First Lite smells like a wet goat farm feeding off a sewer pipe when soaked. And the KUIU smells like a chemical factory blew up on the KUIU merino facility. Very strong pungent chemical smell to the KUIU shirt. The entire time I was thinking "Why can't they make the shirts smell like a cow in estrus when they get wet"?

The day I wore the KUIU I just happened to be about 400-500 yards above a herd as they made their way up the mountain. As soon as the wind blew directly to their direction, they'd change their direction and start working up a different way. So I started to experiment and stayed above them the entire time and moved until the scent went their direction........they'd change direction again. They only did this with the KUIU chemical smell, as I had been directly up wind with the other merino a few times in the previous month without any noticeable issues for the elk. Heck, I could barely stand the smell......I'm sure the elk didn't like it either. I'm going to wash the heck out of this stuff and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Kotaman]

In the pre nuyarn KUIU, the heavyweight stuff is not 100% Merino. Unless you are using the lightweight 145, the heavyweight stuff is going to stink after a few days in the field as there is plenty of poly in that shirt. Unless you have the ORIGINAL Canada made heavy stuff...That is 100% merino. With KUIU you really had to know which shirt you got to know whether or not you have 100% merino and it does make a difference in "funk level" after a few days in the field. You need to make sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Regarding the Nuyarn KUIU...Same applies. The 210 is a 52/42/6 blend whereby the 145 is a 90/10 blend. The 210 is going to stink worse than the 145 after days in the field.

I have no problem with stink with my KUIU 145 or my original Canada made KUIU after several days in the field. It is that middle generation of KUIU Shirt (185?) that is the stinky one for me. The 145 and Gen 1 KUIU are very comparable to all of my First Lite wool. I'm a huge First Lite Wool fan but the KUIU Lightweight Nuyarn stuff is VERY nice...

 

[bigeasygator]

I've had the luxury of packing a few shirts on my last few hunting trips and haven't noticed too much of an odor from either my Kuiu or FL merino, at least not to the point where it's unbearable. I don't expect the stuff to be scent free after a few days (which it isn't) in the field. I do notice a bit more scent on the Kuiu gear comparatively speaking. The FL stuff really impresses me given how it handles the scent. I also find their wool to be a lot more comfortable than the Kuiu stuff.

 

[5MilesBack]

From my experience with merino wool, all of them are fine when dry. It's when they get wet with sweat or rain when the stench comes around. And in that regard the KUIU definitely has a strong chemical smell to it, not sure if it's treated with something or what. Similar to the smell from a fire-treated canvas wall tent. To the point where I just want to get it off me.

 

[Mmcan]

I am going to stick with the FL from now on. Will wear the Kuiu stuff when it's cold and I won't be sweating, but I bought the merino hoping to avoid the stank from sweat and moving hard thru the mountains. The FL was immensely better at doing this.

 

[SethH]

My nuyarn 125 and 145 t zip had a good funk going after a while on my 10 day CO elk hunt. Nothing that bothered me per say but it was definately noticeable. My buddy even asked one time which one of us smells like an Italian grinder. Ha!