Ok fellas, so here’s my take on 2) brand new current SG/KUIU synthetic active jackets.
The weight for those that care.. Kenai is roughly 5 ozs lighter and you can tell a slight difference when handling them.
Outer fabric- the Kenai is just barely and I mean barely quieter than the Cirque. You sense a bit of stretch with the Kenai. I would barely give the nod to the Cirque for durability outer fabric wise over the Kenai.
Pockets- they both are almost identical since the overall length is the same, but the Cirque’s sit about a 1/4” higher (since they boast the use of it over a pack’s waist belt. Feels slightly awkward putting your hands in them for regular use. Both the Kenai and Cirque pockets angle slightly downward when closer to the zipper. The Cirque pockets have a narrower opening and also seem a bit shallower than the Kenai’s.
I laid the Kenai over the top of the Cirque and the Cirque is about 2” longer in the torso, but only about a 1/2” longer in the tail. These are both Medium’s.
Sleeves- SG is well known for having more room in the sleeves (like my De Havilland jacket), which I like because the Cirque fits under it (Medium size too) and doesn’t restrict movement. This allows a base or mid-layer underneath. The Kenai actually has some room in the sleeves as well, but not as much as the Cirque. The Kenai seems to have a little more room in the forearm area; as the Cirque’s feel tighter/slimmer.
The cuffs are pretty standard on KUIU… thin elastic, but functional and not in the way. The Cirque cuffs are about a 1/2” flat semi-elastic type. I lean a little towards the Cirque’s design but not sure why (maybe more aesthetically pleasing).
Pit zips- Kenai has one zipper, Cirque has two. The Cirque inside zipper body can potentially contact bare skin if wearing a t-shirt. (cold to touch), but otherwise no issue. I prefer the Cirque pit zips because there’s nothing more annoying than after dumping heat you’re struggling to zip them back up without taking off the jacket or fiddling for 5 minutes to get them closed. I have several KUIU jackets/puffy with pit zips and it always seems like a hassle. The Cirque pit zips go down about 2.5” further than the Kenai
Fitment- I’m 5’11 168 pounds with an athletic build.
The Cirque fits tighter in the torso than the Kenai. The Kenai offers a bit more room to add a mid-layer whereas the Cirque would be tight, so a base layer might have to be it… granted the Cirque will be warmer (more insulation). The Cirque has a slightly longer tail.
Collar- The Kenai is definitely shorter, so if you don’t like a mouthful of zipper (unless you have a long neck), don’t get the Cirque. I run warm, so I highly doubt I’ll ever have it zipped up that high anyways, unless I’m glassing off a very cold/windy peak.
For around town- If you’re the type to wear this jacket everywhere, then in my opinion go with the Kenai. The chest stitching on the Cirque is very unappealing and boxy looking, plus the pocket placement rides high (for those packs). The Cirque is also longer in the torso.
I didn’t test water resistance, but feel the Cirque will do a slightly better job since the face fabric seems in my opinion to be a little stronger.
I think the Kenai’s insulation if highly water resistant like their video depicts and it’s water resistant face fabric might be overall better in wet conditions since the insulation supposedly won’t hold water as in it being somewhat water phobic. Obviously I can’t attest to this.
In summary… honestly these are both great jackets. I can see myself using both, but the Kenai is lighter and since it has less insulation (I run warm) I may use it a little more than the Cirque. I would definitely use the Kenai more around town (not hunting), than the Cirque. The Cirque to me is mainly suited for, well… hunting.
Hope this helps you guys out.