Not trying to bash on the elkins jacket, it has its place and for most it will probably be “a-ok” for whitetail hunting. I found some significant differences between it and the stratus:
1. Water resistance was poor due to the lack of a hood
2. Wind resistance was not on par with the stratus
3. It was a little noisier than the stratus
4. It was no where near as breathable as the stratus
These things may not make a hige difference eto most hinters, but for someone carrying in a load for a few hundred yards or more, these issues could be significant. I dont think the noise factor is a “real” issue, but the wind resistance and water resistance could play a role for some more than others. As a refernce, the stratus did not perform great in water resistance, but the available hood at least keeps water from running down your neck almost immediately.
I was able to pick up the elkins jacket on sale for 85 to my door, about 1.3 or less (less than a quarter of the retail the price of a stratus jacket.
Ymmv