Kenai, super down, uncompahgre?

[ColoradoHunterHiker]

What you want likely depends on what you'll be using it for. Two different applications: Down v. Synthetic. For down, think sitting on a hill side glassing or sitting in a tree stand (get a hood!). For active, hiking, still hunting, warmth, go with synthetic. If you're hunting in wet weather, go synthetic, although the DWR on the supredown jacket works well.

That said, if I had to only pick one, I'm in good company, and say the uncompahgre...

Check out the links below for further reviews on those pieces. I really like all 3, and each has its place, but the uncompahgre is probably your best bet.

 

[bates]

my quick puffy experience

ive owned: Kuiu SD, Kenai Hooded and Non-Hooded, Teton, Sitka Kelvin ultralightweight, Rab electron, plus some other black diamond and mtn hardwear ive ordered and sent back.

I now have 3 i run for various situations, the Kenai non-hooded, Sitka Kelvin ultralight, and RAB

Sitka Kelvin Ultralight - this jacket is killer, the perfect mix of weight, warmth and durablility, i think its like 10-12 oz. Nice durable face fabric and super warm, its the perfect in your pack jacket, and it does have a mix of down plus synthetic, only downside is no hood but that then again takes up less space weight and easier to layer with to me. i use this the most.

Kuiu Kenai i had and tried both the hooded and non hooded i ended up keeping the non hooded, just packs down less and is less bulky, I kept this jacket mainly for bowhunting bc is so darn quiet and soft. the teton is also great but i ended up keeping the kenai due to the zip pockets for keeping stuff while bowhunting up in a tree, but when on sale that teton is a steal for a nice soft and quiet jacket.

Rab Electron- super warm, great fill, durable face fabric, this is my super cold jacket, i fell like the Pillsbury dough boy in it. 7 oz fill vs. the SD 2.5 oz fill. still weighs in around 1 pound. this is the most recent pick up i found for i think around $230, not much use but for a very warm down jacket i do like it.


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Kuiu Super down to me the face fabric is too thin and not enough fill. i would rather carry some more weight and have durability than run such a thin face fabric, i also think another 2.5 oz of fill would be perfect. i had the hooded, but found the sitka kelvin ultralight to be warmer.

 

[boom]

i think the Superdown is better as a underlayer..it is light, and thin. under a jacket it is a scorcher. i cant wear it hiking. it does come out while i am sitting and glassing.

 

[andres3]

Here is my experience FWIW. I cover lots of ground while hunting with a rifle or muzzle loader, breathability and warmth is a high priority on my mid layer (not so much wind or water resistance, that is what I use my outer waterproof/windproof layer for). Never tried the super down, but for me anything with down that I have tried does not breath enough for my needs. I used to own the Uncompahgre, very windproof but not as breathable as the Kenai, dries quickly, a little noisy (not alot),warm for how thin it is, however I would wear a Patagonia R2 underneath if it was colder, and layer with a waterproof/widproof outerlayer for additional warmth as needed. The Kenai is the best for my particular needs, breathes the best of the 3 and even more so with the pit zips (this is a trade off because it is not very windproof, this is when I use the outer layer, and I will probably buy a thin wind jacket for next year). It is warmer (can be colder if the wind is blowing and you do not use an outer layer that is not wind proof), quieter, and dries even faster than the Uncompahgre. I am 5'8", weigh 180 lbs, have a 44" chest. I normally wear a large in shirts and jackets, on the uncompahgre I sized down to the medium, on the Kenai I sized up to the extra large.

 

[ccarter]

Hi guys. Pretty new as a poster to this forum, but I've been lurking for a while. (okay, quite a while). I think the guys that mentioned that you have to consider how you'll use your puffy bring up great points. Personally, I don't wear a puffy when I'm moving, ever. Unless it's in single digits and blowing snow, I start my hike cold. I'll wear a base wicking T with a merino zip t or 100 weight grid fleece zip T, and keep the puffy in my pack.

When I get to my vantage point, I let the sweat dissipate for a few minutes, then put on my puffy and maybe a warm hat as well. For these purposes, I prefer a hooded, windproof puffy, so that I can put on just one layer when I get there, and not be digging around in my pack for a puffy, then a shell, etc.

If you don't like to start out cold, and you'll be hiking in your insulation layer, then jackets like the kenai and a lot of new offerings from the mountaineering companies that use the new Polartec Alpha and other more breathable insulators may be the way to go. For my purposes, a slightly less breathable, windproof puffy is preferred because I don't want all the heat I build up getting to the top of the mountain leaving me as I sit there for the next couple hours. That's why I avoid puffy jackets like the kelvin lite that have the stretch panels on the sides and under arms. Without a shell over it, the wind blows right through it, and takes all the heat your jacket's been building up away.

To each their own, but my long winded point is that you need to consider how you will utilize your puffy.

Interesting topic. I'm looking forward to hearing further thoughts on this subject.

 

[Ronb]

Firstlite chama, kuiu teton and kuiu chugach. This is my do all system. The chama is thick enough to wear as an outer for the morning hike in. The teton is super breathable, dead quiet and super warm. I had the guide jacket, superdown, 240 peloton, north face thermoball, and arcteryx atom. Wow, didn't realize i went through that many. I still have the peloton, superdown, and atom. I like them all. The teton is so much more versatile. Warmer, quieter, more breathable. Water beads off of it. Oh yeah, cost me $90 on the black friday sale.


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[TXCO]

I have a kudu spindrift and super down. I sold my FL Uncomp after a couple years because I never thought it was very warm and didn't like the way it packed down. I bought what is basically the solid olive teton on the black friday sale (insulated logo jacket) and think its awesome. I think its warmer and more versatile than any puffy I've owned. Im debating on returning it for a size down to a Large or a gray kenai. It seems the difference is zippered pockets, pit zips and actually less insulation on the sides for hiking. So basically Im debating on whether zippered pits and pockets are worth it on insulation. I really like it but Im starting to get overboard on gear....

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I have a kudu spindrift and super down. I sold my FL Uncomp after a couple years because I never thought it was very warm and didn't like the way it packed down. I bought what is basically the solid olive teton on the black friday sale (insulated logo jacket) and think its awesome. I think its warmer and more versatile than any puffy I've owned. Im debating on returning it for a size down to a Large or a gray kenai. It seems the difference is zippered pockets, pit zips and actually less insulation on the sides for hiking. So basically Im debating on whether zippered pits and pockets are worth it on insulation. I really like it but Im starting to get overboard on gear....

I had the kenai and felt the same way - too many "features" like put zips. I mean it sounded good, but I've found the Patagonia nano air (same insulation) without pit zips to work pretty well (for an on the move insulation) in its place, with a WAY better fit.

 

[TXCO]

Thanks!


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[5MilesBack]

I will say this......I had never in my life been stopped by strangers and asked or said anything about my clothes. Until the past month wearing my gray Kenai jacket out in town. I've had at least 1/2 dozen people comment on that jacket now, and ask where I got it. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad in today's society. Maybe I'm wearing the wrong jacket. The last thing I want to do is fit in with this society.

 

[GFY]

I have both the FL U and the Kenai. I really like both in their own way. The U is my go to "puffy" when I know that I will be doing a lot of sitting and glassing and comes with me on all of my backcountry hunts. I really like how it sheds water and stays very warm during rain/snow storms. I run the Kenai day hunting mostly when its going to be cold. I love the pit zips and the ability to dump hot air especially when I have a rain coat over it (also open the pit sips on the rain coat) the Kenai seems to breath better to me and is not nearly as wind resistant for long glassing sessions when it is cold and windy without a shell over it.

For me the FL is much warmer, the other day I was plowing snow on my 4-wheeler and it was 8 degrees out. I had on a t-shirt and the FL U plowing the road at 20 mph and the wind never got to me and I never got cold. I would have needed my Chugach over the Kenai to stay warm while doing the same thing.

 

[Gorp2007]

I have both the FL U and the Kenai. I really like both in their own way. The U is my go to "puffy" when I know that I will be doing a lot of sitting and glassing and comes with me on all of my backcountry hunts. I really like how it sheds water and stays very warm during rain/snow storms. I run the Kenai day hunting mostly when its going to be cold. I love the pit zips and the ability to dump hot air especially when I have a rain coat over it (also open the pit sips on the rain coat) the Kenai seems to breath better to me and is not nearly as wind resistant for long glassing sessions when it is cold and windy without a shell over it.

For me the FL is much warmer, the other day I was plowing snow on my 4-wheeler and it was 8 degrees out. I had on a t-shirt and the FL U plowing the road at 20 mph and the wind never got to me and I never got cold. I would have needed my Chugach over the Kenai to stay warm while doing the same thing.

What temperature ranges are you comfortable using your FL Uncomp for sitting and glassing? I'm trying to get my gear together for an October elk hunt next year in Colorado and I'm debating between the Uncomp and a Sierra DriDown hoody.

 

[brocksw]

Kuiu super down - warmest, lightest, most compressible. Also the least durable and doesn't breathe very well. I rarely use mine for whatever reason.

Kuiu Kenai - a personal favorite of mine because of how quiet it is and how well it breathes. It's a good insulation piece that is kind of bulky compared to more traditional puffy jackets. Good for activity and plenty warm for the things I do down to about 5 above and has a Great fit. Doesn't break wind and doesn't shed moisture that well. But did I mention how quiet and breathable it is?

Uncompahgre - probably the most durable and has nice attributes as far as wind resistance and shedding light moisture. Fit is like everything else in first lite, kind of different. Doesn't do anything great but does it all well.

Can't go wrong with any just have to decide what you want out of the jacket and how youre going to use it. I primarily archery hunt here so I find myself always reaching for the Kenai and Uncompahgre vest when Temps drop. However, By the time I need a puffy, moisture protection isn't as important because everything is frozen. So the primary attributes I look for are warmth and breathability.

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[GFY]

What temperature ranges are you comfortable using your FL Uncomp for sitting and glassing? I'm trying to get my gear together for an October elk hunt next year in Colorado and I'm debating between the Uncomp and a Sierra DriDown hoody.

Depending on what I have on for base layers I have sat and glassed for long periods of time in the teens with the FL U and a couple of merino shirts and a sweatshirt. For me the key to sitting and glassing for long spells is a little piece of foam to sit on and good gloves, but I really like how durable and wind proof the U is.

 

[lkwoolsey]

I have the Uncompahgre. My buddy has the Kenai. I think they're both very close as far as the warmth they provide. I feel that any puffy coat is going to be a lot less durable than a good shell, be it soft shell or rain shell. They are insulating layers, and I don't really start breaking brush or anything with them on. For me, they're for glassing or in camp, but when I'm moving I just get way to hot in them, even in 0 or less weather.
Anyways, I love the Unc. Great jacket, very warm, and I find myself grabbing it just to wear when running errands. The insulation in the hood is smart too; I've got pretty severe hearing loss and lots of insulation in the section around the ears makes it even harder to hear, but Firstlite mapped the insulation very well, IE, less around the ears, but more over the top of the head and at the neck. Its great!

 

[stjones]

I see everyone saying the FL Uncompahgre fits big (even some saying way big). Sizing says I would between a M/L but I got some long ass ape arms. I find most long sleeve items to be short in the arms.
How do you other long arm guys find these fit in the arm?

 

[belly-deep]

What temperature ranges are you comfortable using your FL Uncomp for sitting and glassing? I'm trying to get my gear together for an October elk hunt next year in Colorado and I'm debating between the Uncomp and a Sierra DriDown hoody.

The biggest problem I run into is not the jacket. I've used several combinations over the last 10 years or so. Regardless of jacket, it's your feet or legs that will get cold first, and those are much harder to deal with in comparison.

 

[chuckeglenn]

I see everyone saying the FL Uncompahgre fits big (even some saying way big). Sizing says I would between a M/L but I got some long ass ape arms. I find most long sleeve items to be short in the arms.
How do you other long arm guys find these fit in the arm?

My uncompahgre is sized just right. I wear a medium in almost everything. I'm 5'11" 175lbs. It fits exactly as its supposed to. if you've got long arms, I'd take a measurement just to make sure.