Moving away from First Lite

[LoggerDan]

I have a hard time buying the durability claims, granted I can only speak about the rain gear. I have abused their gear in remote logging camps doing both work and hunting and fishing. Day in and day out i
on Prince of Wales. I’ve seen the Yukon give up before the seak. The omen is even better. Not much out there can test raingea like running a chainsaw falling and bucking old growth timber or tending hook on a yarder side, then going hunting or fishing after work. I really don’t give a damn if they acquire another brand, and I typically only spend money on rain gear.

 

[whaack]

I have a hard time buying the durability claims, granted I can only speak about the rain gear. I have abused their gear in remote logging camps doing both work and hunting and fishing. Day in and day out i
on Prince of Wales. I’ve seen the Yukon give up before the seak. The omen is even better. Not much out there can test raingea like running a chainsaw falling and bucking old growth timber or tending hook on a yarder side, then going hunting or fishing after work. I really don’t give a damn if they acquire another brand, and I typically only spend money on rain gear.

Durability is a huge issue. Granted it’s been years since I’ve worn budget camo, I’ve been wearing Sitka for 10 years. Last year I bought a bunch of FL stuff snd was completely unimpressed with its durability. I wore them a free times snd had tears and loose seams. Got rid of it all.


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[Ryan Avery]

When I see people in the woods or, better yet, on the street in head-to-toe brand X, I picture their mom dressing them and sending them to school on the short bus. HAHA!

FL Aerowool and Omen rain gear are legit.

 

[LoggerDan]

@Ryan Avery

Haha…I’m in the same canoe. It’s like playing Barbie to me. Whenev I did drop coin on “top tier” gear, I was always sure to order solids in different colors!

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I've mostly worn FL and, maybe I'm not as rough on clothing as others, but I feel like I've beaten it up a fair bit and only have minor wear issues. Ripped a hole in my Kuiu Tiburons within 5 trips but have a pair of FL Corrugate pants that have zero holes after 3 years of climbing deadfall. I do like the way Kuiu pants fit me compared to FL though so I'll be making that switch.

Hard to blame Steve for growing his business and trying to create generational wealth for his family. I don't think his dispute with Matt is an indication of deviation from his core values, they just fundamentally disagree on a few things. I don't see how him living in NYC or Seattle is relevant, he was a writer fresh out of school chasing his profession in places where it made sense.

Not really much to be said about this topic that hasn't been said a thousand times in multiple threads on this forum and others.

 

[5MilesBack]

The only FL I have left is a merino beanie. Comes in handy on some of those early morning hikes at zero dark thirty and it's in the 20's or 30's in September. Everything else I got rid of probably 10+ years ago. I also have a pair of KUIU gaiters, and a couple Kenai jackets. But beyond that, everything else I have is not big 3 type of gear. I like what works for me, fits well, and is comfortable.......but I also like cheap. I usually don't have a problem finding stuff that works well for cheap. And I don't care what camo or solid it is, I'll wear it if it fits, works well, and the price is right.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

I’m done ever buying from FL and Sitka for various but different reasons.

I’m in the market for a new solid rain jacket as my 12 year old Sitka needs retired. If I go with a hunting brand I’m really liking the FORLOH , American made and they don’t use dead animals and influencers for marketing purposes as far as I’ve seen.

 

[butcherboy]

I have some FL stuff from years ago before meat eater even got involved and bought FL. I don’t like most of their clothes now that I’ve seen. I use a combo of Sitka, Kuiu, Wrangler, Columbia, Stone Glacier. I like things about them all and dislike things about them all. That’s why I have different things from each of them that suits my purpose. I like SG pants, gaiters, gloves, and their bino harness but can’t stand the athletic fit of their tops. I really like the fit of my Kuiu attack pants. I have some old Columbia late season wool clothing that has been absolutely amazing and bomb proof. I wear Wrangler ATG pants every single day and on hunts as well.

 

[MuleyFever]

I get ribbed a bit from other “hunters” because I wear a lot of patagonia and Fjallraven “woke” pieces. Guess what. They flat out, outperform whatever they are wearing in the field most of the time. I buy the product because it does what I need it to do. I couldn’t tell you the first thing about any technical clothing’s “stances” on crap. Not interested.

Hunting AZ last fall I brought EB Guides, Sitka Timberline and Fjallraven Vidas. After one day in the EBs and one in the Sitka I wore the Fjallraven the rest of the trip. They took less damage from more daily exposure to the brush in 5 days than the other 2 in one day. I'm about to order 2 more pair of Fjallraven for this fall.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Hunting AZ last fall I brought EB Guides, Sitka Timberline and Fjallraven Vidas. After one day in the EBs and one in the Sitka I wore the Fjallraven the rest of the trip. They took less damage from more daily exposure to the brush in 5 days than the other 2 in one day. I'm about to order 2 more pair of Fjallraven for this fall.

Vida pro ventilated are my go to for here in AZ. You hunting AZ again this year?

 

[MuleyFever]

Vida pro ventilated are my go to for here in AZ. You hunting AZ again this year?

I wish I was.

 

[roosiebull]

My mentality for hunting clothes is zero brand loyalty, and buy the most functional items I can find for what I do regardless of who makes it. I have kind of favored first lite more than others lately, and it’s because they have some items completely unique to them… other companies don’t offer any close substitute

Until the in theory translates to reality, I will keep buying stuff from them, because some of their gear is best in category for what I do.

I wanted to try the omen rain gear this year, but then kuiu Yukon went on sale and it’s been a standout of many different rain gear on the coast, so I decided to stick with tried and true.

 

[BigCountry49]

The FL base layers are pretty good but every other item I have used ( puffy, rain gear, gaiters, etc) has broke in some way.

 

[Hnthrdr]

That’s a smart take. I have a closet full of FL from when I was getting 40% off now when stuff wears out I am more likely to look at several different sources to replace it. And yes there are some tech gear companies, Patagucci, fjall, Prana, BD, OR that make great clothing! And out side of bow hunting elk and Turkey/ duck hunting I have really started to care less and less about camo. I don’t think it hurts, but let’s be honest, wind is King, followed by movement, shadows, and setting up in front of something to break up silhouettes…

 

[switchback7]

im not brand LOYAL, but getting FL at a discount for their R&D program is why most my pieces are FL. Now if I qualified for Sitkas Pro program, Id own a lot more of their pieces.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

Durability is a huge issue. Granted it’s been years since I’ve worn budget camo, I’ve been wearing Sitka for 10 years. Last year I bought a bunch of FL stuff snd was completely unimpressed with its durability. I wore them a free times snd had tears and loose seams. Got rid of it all.


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Definitely my experience as well. Pants, merino tops, etc. All of it came apart pretty quick on me, though I know other guys here have different experiences.

 

[Chuckybmd]

I still like First Lite. Probably because I am from Idaho. The uncompahgre jacket is probably my favorite item, but do you have a fair amount of other brands as well. Guess it depends on the item.

 

[t_carlson]

As someone who's entire career has been made in manufacturing sales, the alarms go off in my head that with this approach First Lite quality will start to suffer and the innovation will become lackluster.

What quality??? LOL.

100% merino is NOT durable at all. That is not a knock on FL, but just the truth about 100% merino. However, FL continues to produce 100% merino instead of merino/nylon blends like other companies. That IS a knock on FL. A semi-dedicated hunter will not get more than a season or two out of FL bases, particularly someone who bowhunts and is off-trail in a t-shirt often.

Add in the pants that rip out in the crotch and pockets and you have a line of clothing that is tailor-made for people who like to talk about hunting more than doing it.

I've once again talked myself out of ever buying FL again, and I haven't even started getting into the politics and corporate philosophies of Meateater.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

What quality??? LOL.

100% merino is NOT durable at all. That is not a knock on FL, but just the truth about 100% merino. However, FL continues to produce 100% merino instead of merino/nylon blends like other companies. That IS a knock on FL. A semi-dedicated hunter will not get more than a season or two out of FL bases, particularly someone who bowhunts and is off-trail in a t-shirt often.

Add in the pants that rip out in the crotch and pockets and you have a line of clothing that is tailor-made for people who like to talk about hunting more than doing it.

I've once again talked myself out of ever buying FL again, and I haven't even started getting into the politics and corporate philosophies of Meateater.

Might want to do a bit of reading. They have been doing blends for quite a while now, maybe 2017ish? Aerowool in its current form is one of the highest synthetic blend ratios. They have different ratios as you move up in thickness. I can’t tell if you’re saying that they don’t do it across the board or just continue to make some pure wool stuff, but they certainly do blends.

There’s plenty of stuff to dislike with most brands, but FL not using synthetics to toughen up and improve pure merino isn’t one of them.

My original aerowool hoody is circa early 2018 I think, still holding strong, and in use it a ton. It isn’t bomb proof but it also isn’t crazy delicate like some make it out to be.

 

[Cameron.25]

Ive only tried 2 pieces from first lite. One is a light puffy i got for my wife and both the hand pocket zippers broke within the first week. Their CS was friendly and we exchanged it.. happened again within a month or so and she decided **** it lets keep it. The other piece i have is the lightweight zip off boot top bottoms and they're pretty legit, had some stitching coming apart after a year or 2 but they are super thin so im not surprised. I wish they ran the zippers the other way tho, they always seems to come apart at my calves and wont stay zipped up all the way