Mid layer for sheep/goat in Alaska

[chrissmithdvm]

Has anyone used the Sitka fanatic hoodyas mid layer for September goat/sheep hunt. Using Sitka core light weight hoody for base layer and looking for good mid layer. I already have the fanatic and might try it.

 

[P Carter]

Ambient or other active insulation would be your best bet, I think. There’s a whole thread in active insulation with a lot of comparable pieces, etc.

 

[bombhunter]

Haven’t tried the fanatic. You’ll see a lot of love around here for the ambient, which in my opinion is one of the best active mid layers.

A piece I just picked up is the dynafit free alpha direct. For that type of hunt I could see the versatility as a mid layer and wind layer.

@B_Reynolds_AK turned me on to it and I’d consider him a subject matter expert on all things Alaska goat/sheep.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I think the Ambient or an alpha direct piece is awesome IF you needed to grab one, but I'm sure the fanatic is going to work since you have one and it sounds like you just want to stick with it. I would be a touch concerned with how much moisture it likes to hold, so you might wet it out and test how you can wear it dry. If you wanted to upgrade mid layers, then you do not need to look much further than some primaloft evolve, or alpha direct, etc.

Garage Grown Gear has some unfaced alpha pieces, but they are never in stock. I really like that dynafit piece, but they are all blue fleece trimmed.....the performance of that piece is even better than the sitka ambient hoody, and so is the fit.

If you got an unfaced alpha piece, would be considering some sort of windshirt as well:

Wind Shirts + Alpha Direct: The Next Layering Revolution for Thru-Hiking? - The Trek

Wind shirts and Alpha Direct fleece go together like peanut butter and jelly. Bring this revolutionary combination on your next thru-hike.

thetrek.co

PS can I come, ha ha! Good luck.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Has anyone used the Sitka fanatic hoodyas mid layer for September goat/sheep hunt. Using Sitka core light weight hoody for base layer and looking for good mid layer. I already have the fanatic and might try it.

I love my fanatic hoody, I’ve been using mine since 2017, definetly a staple in my setup. That being said though. There is newer stuff out there that might be better like the ambient or that one stone glacier makes, the kuiu peloton 200 is also nice.

 

[V2Pnutrition]

I ran this prototype piece from Outdoor Vitals, which is a light(ish) alpha direct type of material up top and grid fleece down low. It was excellent.

I’m not sure how big of a rush you’re in, but it sounds like these will be in production this year if you’re not in a hurry.

That’s a core lightweight hoody underneath. It worked perfect on a sheep hunt in late August/early September.

 

[cubdriver84d]

Do you have a wind shirt in your system? Just base layer and wind shirt might cover you even down to freezing temps while on the move. Every time I've thought I've needed a mid layer under a wind shirt, I shed it pretty much immediately and then it stays in the pack. I can easily get down to single digits with aclima woolnets as my base layer. Shell and/or puffy goes on while stationary.

 

[chrissmithdvm]

Haven’t tried the fanatic. You’ll see a lot of love around here for the ambient, which in my opinion is one of the best active mid layers.

A piece I just picked up is the dynafit free alpha direct. For that type of hunt I could see the versatility as a mid layer and wind layer.

@B_Reynolds_AK turned me on to it and I’d consider him a subject matter expert on all things Alaska goat/sheep.

He’s definitely the expert!

 

[chrissmithdvm]

Which weight are y’all using in ambient hoody?

 

[kipper09]

Haven’t tried the fanatic. You’ll see a lot of love around here for the ambient, which in my opinion is one of the best active mid layers.

A piece I just picked up is the dynafit free alpha direct. For that type of hunt I could see the versatility as a mid layer and wind layer.

@B_Reynolds_AK turned me on to it and I’d consider him a subject matter expert on all things Alaska goat/sheep.

I have the 75 ambient and 100 ambient. Just got the dynafit free alpha and at first impression I really like it. I think it’s gonna be a great piece


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[bombhunter]

Which weight are y’all using in ambient hoody?

I have both the 75 and the 100. 75 would be my pick for higher exertion hunts

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Hey guys,
There’s already been some great tips on this thread.

I firmly believe that Alpha Direct is the most innovative textile in a long time in the outdoor industry.

The Dynafit Free Alpha and the Ambient are great mid/outer layer pieces.

I have also been wearing the Outdoor Vitals piece that is a hybrid of what you would get if you combined the Ambient with a Patagonia R1 grid fleece. I really like how it fits and how versatile it is.

The naked Alpha pieces are fantastic as well. I have one from Farpointe in 60 gsm weight, which you can get directly from them or on Garage Grown Gear. They are re stocked regularly. Just sign up for notifications. I love to sleep in this, or wear while hiking if I want to stay warm, while allowing a nice breeze through it. A wind shirt over the top basically creates what the Ambient is, but a more versatile 2 piece system.

 

[Blue_dog]

The ventus from OV?

Hey guys,
There’s already been some great tips on this thread.

I firmly believe that Alpha Direct is the most innovative textile in a long time in the outdoor industry.

The Dynafit Free Alpha and the Ambient are great mid/outer layer pieces.

I have also been wearing the Outdoor Vitals piece that is a hybrid of what you would get if you combined the Ambient with a Patagonia R1 grid fleece. I really like how it fits and how versatile it is.

The naked Alpha pieces are fantastic as well. I have one from Farpointe in 60 gsm weight, which you can get directly from them or on Garage Grown Gear. They are re stocked regularly. Just sign up for notifications. I love to sleep in this, or wear while hiking if I want to stay warm, while allowing a nice breeze through it. A wind shirt over the top basically creates what the Ambient is, but a more versatile 2 piece system.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

The ventus from OV?

No, it’s a prototype that hasn’t been released yet. The same one that Kyle posted about above @V2Pnutrition

 

[realunlucky]

If a company gives away a product to
talk about on a forum they don't support seems pretty unfair to the companies that do pay to support the forum. What's the difference than if outdoor vitals posted on this thread about thier new product?

It's a very different thing than organically purchasing a great product and sharing it with the community.

@V2Pnutrition

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

Has anyone used the Sitka fanatic hoodyas mid layer for September goat/sheep hunt. Using Sitka core light weight hoody for base layer and looking for good mid layer. I already have the fanatic and might try it.

God no. the fanatic is a nice piece for sitting in chilly to cold weather. I'd die if I had to climb in it. A thin synthetic fleece is fantastic as a mid layer.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

If a company gives away a product to
talk about on a forum they don't support seems pretty unfair to the companies that do pay to support the forum. What's the difference than if outdoor vitals posted on this thread about thier new product?

It's a very different thing than organically purchasing a great product and sharing it with the community.

@V2Pnutrition

I don’t think we’re seeing some kind of influencer campaign from OV to circumvent the rules here though…..for this particular piece type there aren’t a lot of options out there. On the other hand there are no “free” ads so a deliberate by name shout out may be a bit strong. FL has something similar coming. All the ambient shoutouts are because it works well. Dynafit isn’t supporting rokslide to my knowledge, or GGG (they also don’t market to hunters). OV doesn’t market to hunters (yet) but will be jumping into this space it sounds like - perhaps a good time to bring them on as a sponsor.

The companies that support the forum aren’t buying any kind of guaranteed exposure, reviews etc right? They buys ads, not permission to get shout outs. 100% agree that organically purchasing and talking about those things is different than a deliberate field testing program. There’s a few companies that advertise so that they can just drop into any thread with no context or help and push their products - that’s a behavior we could probably do without, and more bothersome than this situation (personal view of course).

I’m not sure we disagree here but I don’t think there’s a huge line getting crossed I guess?

 

[realunlucky]

I don’t think we’re seeing some kind of influencer campaign from OV to circumvent the rules here though…..for this particular piece type there aren’t a lot of options out there. On the other hand there are no “free” ads so a deliberate by name shout out may be a bit strong. FL has something similar coming. All the ambient shoutouts are because it works well. Dynafit isn’t supporting rokslide to my knowledge, or GGG (they also don’t market to hunters). OV doesn’t market to hunters (yet) but will be jumping into this space it sounds like - perhaps a good time to bring them on as a sponsor.

The companies that support the forum aren’t buying any kind of guaranteed exposure, reviews etc right? They buys ads, not permission to get shout outs. 100% agree that organically purchasing and talking about those things is different than a deliberate field testing program. There’s a few companies that advertise so that they can just drop into any thread with no context or help and push their products - that’s a behavior we could probably do without, and more bothersome than this situation (personal view of course).

I’m not sure we disagree here but I don’t think there’s a huge line getting crossed I guess?

We won't allow OV to post about thier product here without being a sponsor.

If your in an partnership developing and tweaking products for that said company and talk about the product or company your acting as ambassador. If done purposely obviously it's not OK as that exposure is a perk of sponsorship.

If a person buys a great product and shares with the community without no attachment to the company that is completely different situation.

I'm not saying long time members willfully side stepped the rules, I'm saying they should take a step back and see the entire situation when they have brand collaboration.

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[NevadaMike]

To the OP where will you be hunting? I ask because I hunt SE Alaska every year and have done 3 fly/boat trips in the same area. Will you be in a tent or returning to someplace you can dry your gear each day?

 

[Theringworm]

OV doesn’t market to hunters (yet) but will be jumping into this space it sounds like - perhaps a good time to bring them on as a sponsor.

They had a huge booth at the Western Hunt & Conservation Expo. I would say they are currently marketing to hunters. They may need to add some more earth tone colors to "fully" market to hunters, but it all appeared and felt well made. Mark and the crew at EXO speak highly of their gear.