First Lite - gear you wish they would make!

[Dobermann]

The latest news about FL moving to direct-sales, and rumours of a gear line-up change for 2018, had me thinking about how we might be able to influence their future offerings.

This was also inspired by a throwaway line I heard Aron make recently about while he liked a particular hoody from Sitka, if FL added a hood to the Halstead, he'd switch back to that.

So: what are the gear pieces - or fixes to gear - you wish FL made?

Mine would have to be:

- Offer gloves in Small - I don't have tiny hands, but the Mediums are too long. I can imagine this must really annoy smaller guys - and gals.

- A decent crotch length in pants, so they can be worn at the natural waist, allowing for packs to be worn at the hips.

- Bring back the Chugach shirt! For those who don't know, this was a button-up shirt in the same ripstop merino as the Kanab pants. Those things were soft, quiet, tough, UV-protectant, ventable, and worked well over a baselayer. Gold for pushing through brush, tall marshes, vines, as they don't get holes like the softer merino layers do.

- A reliable source of non-purple Fusion Cordura, juuust in case Kifaru will pick it up again!

- A reliable gun-stock coating company who can offer Fusion. That one that was around didn't seem to last for long, but their stuff looked great.

- The new Leupold binos in 8x32. Camo on binos seems a little gimmicky to me - but I could possibly be persuaded if they came in the kind of size where it would be more likely to be helpful, such as closer range, where I might only need 8s.

What do you wish FL would make?

 

[COlineman78]

Tall tops since they insisted on shortening the cuts on all their new gear. Or simply go back to the old sizing as the Uncompaghre is the best fitting coat I own.

Long tail on rain gear.

Lighter weight version of the Guide Pants as they're too warm.

Deeper/bigger version of the tech cap for big heads.

 

[Bowhunter537]

Three things I'd like to see the most. 1) Add a Woodbury bib, 2) Bring back ASAT, 3) Make the Chama a little longer in the torso. The Chama fits well EXCEPT for the length. When I go to the next size up, the shirt is a tent.

 

[hflier]

Chugach shirt!

Some lighter gloves that are waterproof.

Add Windstop to some of their items

How about a boonie hat




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[Hall256]

I'll second the call for a long/tall offering for their tops. Being tall and skinny I hate having to decide whether I want their jackets and tops to be way to big in the chest or way to short in the sleeve length.

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[MT_Wyatt]

Good thread idea. I’d like to see:
- Consistent sizing across their line, rather than having to worry about it piece by piece.
- Synthetic mid layer options like a hooded fleece and vest.
- Guide pants with less spandex and less aggressive knee dart/lower taper. I get what they are going for, but for me, it was way too “over done.”


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[FlyGuy]

Ok, not what you asked for b/c I dont own any firstlite except their boxers, but these are mods I'd like from Sitka and Kifaru:

Sitka -

Ascent pants - why no back pockets??? WTF? I love those pants, until I go to slip something in my back pocket.

Timberlines - only one back pocket? Really want the other one there too.

Base layer bottoms - come out with some full zip-off bottoms like kuiu carries. Love that idea and I don't understand why all these companies, especially firstlite since merino base layers is their thing, don't make these.

Waders - I keep waiting for Sitka to release their own waders to compliment their waterfowl line.

Upland - also think these guys could do well if they put some time and effort into developing a line of upland performance clothing.

Kifaru:

Add some puffy pants and booties to compliment the lost park parka.

Tut - Give the option to upgrade the Tut with dual entries. In warm weather, it gets pretty stuffy in there. Could also benefit from increased ventilation. Add a third attachment point for the integrated clothesline, opposite the stove jack. This would make hanging damp clothing much safer by keeping garments much further away from the hot stove pipe.



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[Yooper]

Woodbury bibs. I'd buy them immediately!

 

[twall13]

Make the Chama longer in the torso would be #1 for me. I love that thing but it's even shorter than my llano of the same size. Way too short.

I'd also like to see zip off Merino or aerowool bottoms and an aerowool hoody. A hooded grid fleece would be sweet as well.

Lastly, rain pants in both weights to match the rain tops.

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[choovhntr]

Pit zips on the puffy jackets, longer length on all base layer tops, slightly larger cargo pockets on obsidians,hooded halstead, less drastic changes between sizes ( swimming in large pant and M get a little tight especially the puffy and north branch pants). I also agree with the wind stopper idea.

 

[dreamingWest]

Fusion is a great pattern. I'd like to see First Lite expand their whitetail options with it. Given the quality of the Woodbury jacket, I don't think this is too farfetched.

-Add a hood and kangaroo pocket to the Halstead. Or better yet, just give us an old school level 2 or 3 polartec style fleece pullover with a kangaroo pocket. I swear the tech grid fleece all the high end companies use is not as warm or comfortable as the fleece I consider traditional.

-Give us an equivalent to the Sitka Fanatic vest in Fusion. The Fanatic vest is nearly perfect for tree stand hunting.

-Add zip-away baselayer bottoms and add hip vents to the Guide pants. I know Kuiu claims they don't make whitetail gear, and people love the zip-away bottoms for out west (me too), but their Attack pants and zip-away baselayers are ideal for whitetail hunting in my opinion. I can walk to my stand and climb in with the hip vents open, with any combination of Merino 145, Peloton 200, and Kenai. Close the vents once I'm settled in my stand. Then easily shed baselayers once I'm down dragging a deer. This system has kept me comfortable in Kansas from 25* to 75*.

Improvements to the current line-up:

-Quiet down the Uncompahgre. Or add a piece similar to Kuiu's Kenai jacket.

-Add pockets to the Halstead.

-Figure out sizing. Other brands I buy medium, everytime. First Lite, some small pieces fit big, some medium pieces fit tight. I usually have to buy two sizes and send one back.

 

[Gorp2007]

1) Chugach shirt 100%.
2) Add gray as a solid color option. If they sold a gray Chugach I would wear it all the time both in the field and just out and about.

 

[boom]

add navy blue to the solid colors. i need some performance street clothing for work.

 

[Topo_trekker]

Full zip synthetic hoodie with ripstop. Quiet, durable, wind and water resistant.


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[HeadnWest]

Like someone else stated, full zip off base layer bottoms. They are so nice to have and make so much sense, I am not sure why FL or Sitka don't make them.

 

[Poser]

Like someone else stated, full zip off base layer bottoms. They are so nice to have and make so much sense, I am not sure why FL or Sitka don't make them.

I'm not sure why baselayer pants that do not zipoff even exist anymore.

 

[Dameon]

1) Keep ASAT. I own a good portion of the First Lite lineup all in ASAT. I'm not rich, so I have bought pieces here and there slowly over the last several years. Now I feel like I have to scramble to get anything that may be left in stock somewhere that I had on my wish list. I was lucky enough to get what I still needed, but I am now debating on running up the credit card to get another set of small guide pants and another small llano.

2) Add pit zips and a removable hood to the Northbranch jacket. I like the jacket as is, but if we are talking about improvements, then this is what I want.

3) Brush the finish on the Northbranch line. I love my bibs and just bought the jacket in ASAT. It is a bit louder than what I care for, but I haven't found anything else that is as bombproof for stalking whitetails in thick nasty brush or as weatherproof besides full on rain gear. It does get quieter the more I use it, but it would be nice if it was quiet out of the box.

4) Hooded Halstead fleece. I don't wear zippers next to skin, but I do like them on my mid layers, especially if it has a nice hood. My hooded Chama is awesome. I just bought the Halstead and I agree, it would be perfect if it had a hood.

5) ASAT Uncompahgre pants. This is the one thing I wanted the most this year. Yes, I know I don't need camo when glassing out west, but it would also be awesome up in the stand in the morning and evenings when it gets colder and you are hunting all day during the mid to late season. Lightweight, easy on or off, and the ability to layer over my guide pants and kanabs or under my North Branch bibs, yeah.....I want that.

6) Small gloves.

 

[Kulshan]

I see the point of zip off puffy pants but not zip off wool long underwear. Its lighter to not have zips and less seams. I find it easier for temperature regulation and use to remove or put on top layers. Ive had the Kuiu zip offs for a couple years and zipping them on and off is a pain.

Hooded Fleece would be awesome. Fleece mitten, Fleece Neck gator.

Pant crotch that fit well.

A heavy weight pant for brush beaters.

A little heavier suspenders.

A rain jacket/puffy/mid layer combo where the rain jackets pockets are just zippers and that those zippers match up with the puffy or mid layer pocket underneath. That way when you put on or take of your rain jacket there isn't a need to rearrange pocket items. Plus mid layer and puffy pockets are better designed, deeper and usually more functional.

 

[ChrisS]

A little more durable crotch in the pants. It seems that merino wears out faster there or I end up snagging it on deadfall every year.

Make the Chama a lot longer.

 

[HeadnWest]

I see the point of zip off puffy pants but not zip off wool long underwear. Its lighter to not have zips and less seams. I find it easier for temperature regulation and use to remove or put on top layers. Ive had the Kuiu zip offs for a couple years and zipping them on and off is a pain.

Hooded Fleece would be awesome. Fleece mitten, Fleece Neck gator.

Pant crotch that fit well.

A heavy weight pant for brush beaters.

A little heavier suspenders.

A rain jacket/puffy/mid layer combo where the rain jackets pockets are just zippers and that those zippers match up with the puffy or mid layer pocket underneath. That way when you put on or take of your rain jacket there isn't a need to rearrange pocket items. Plus mid layer and puffy pockets are better designed, deeper and usually more functional.

To each his own I guess. I love the zips offs and find them very convenient. This past year I found myself zipping them off around 10 everyday, and it was a big plus that I didn't have to take off my boots. For elk hunting, I will never own a pair without the zip off system again. The extra zipper weight is so minute, and I would argue that its a much bigger pain to take off a set of bottoms without zippers then with them.