Opinions on First Lite gear for archery Elk season

[Therustylink]

Wondering what were people's thoughts thought on First Lite gear and what patterns you like for archery elk season.

 

[Bachto]

Are you wanting to know the quality? which pieces to get? also the pattern will be determined by where you are hunting but you cant go wrong with Fusion for most places honestly.

I have a ton of FL gear and I love it! I use the guidelite pant a lot in september and will occasionly breakout my catalyst pants for september if its colder.

 

[CoHntr82]

Agreed, I wear a ton of FL gear and haven’t had any major issues. Also, wear the fusion. I like the lighter merino for early season stuff.

 

[rambo2345]

First lite makes very good hunting clothing. Sizing is different than kuiu or sitka.

 

[Therustylink]

Are you wanting to know the quality? which pieces to get? also the pattern will be determined by where you are hunting but you cant go wrong with Fusion for most places honestly.

I have a ton of FL gear and I love it! I use the guidelite pant a lot in september and will occasionly breakout my catalyst pants for september if its colder.

Yeah I am going to get new gear for archery season this year and FL is what I am leaning towards. How are the pants? Are they tough?

 

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

I really like the sawtooth hybrid as most of my hunting is with a pack on my back. I can wear it up the mountain on cold mornings and usually dont have to shed it until lunchtime.

 

[Ammo29]

First light is good stuff. I might go with the lights for the pants. You will find some good sales on Kuiu, Sitka and FL if you look around. Buy used, camofire and Sierra Trading Post are good places to start.

 

[nobody]

First Lite was my "gateway drug" into technical hunting gear/clothing back in 2018. Prior to that it was "walmart special" stuff. I've still got a few pieces, and I really like their Merino stuff. Here's my analysis:

1. Their pants are a bit too "gangster" for my taste. The crotch hangs super low, not very easy to scramble around the hills and hike. It hangs low enough to inhibit movement without remembering to hike them up before crossing a log or something. They also aren't super rugged, IMO. I've got the Obsidian pants, and they're paper thin on the butt. They run and pill super easy, any time you get snagged on stuff.
2. Their camo patterns aren't very color fast. I'm a big sweater, and anything I wore underneath a backpack had lost all it's color within a season from sweat. I've got a wick hoodie at home that still looks very much new from the front, but it's almost completely white on the back.
3. Their Sawtooth jacket just fits funny. I'm unquestionably and consistently a size large. Their large Sawtooth it extremely tight across my shoulders and has very minimal stretch, and the sleeves and torso are way too long. The insulation in this jacket is also only in the chest and torso, and there's an obvious line where the insulation ends at your shoulders that feels really obnoxious underneath my bino harness and backpack.

When I got into their stuff in 2018, they were priced cheaper than anybody else on the market so I put up with these issues because their prices were good, and lots of guys really liked their stuff so I gave it a good fair shake for a couple of seasons. But now a guy can buy Kuiu for less money, and I've realized I can't stand the things I've mentioned above, so First Lite has lost it's luster to me.

My personal go to is King's Camo new XKG line. Their Ridge pants are probably the best value for hunting pants, I've got one pair that will be used this year for the third year in a row. Their XK7 pattern they came out with last year is really neat looking and seems versatile, though I've got very few pieces in it. As I wear my other stuff out, I'm slowly replacing it with King's stuff. They seem to be the best value in clothing as of today. That may change with time, but that's my analysis.

But hey, I'm just some random guy on the internet...

 

[Therustylink]

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the feedback

 

[YelojktBob]

I went strictly to First Lite for 10 days last season, September Archery Elk in MT. We went from upper 20’s, low 30’s in the morning to 65 to 80 in the afternoons. I used the Obsidian Foundry pants in Fusion and Spectre. I wore Wick bottoms and took them off around 1pm daily. I wore the Kiln hoodie and the Sawtooth Hybrid matching patterns with the pants. I would ditch the Sawtooth in my pack around 11am daily. Merino undies, mid weight merino hiking socks, and a brimmed merino beanie (in the pack at 11am), and ball cap to finish. I have never been more comfortable in the field. I had zero issues with durability, but I did meet a guy that had the Obsidian merino pants that blew the butt out of them crossing deadfall. I crossed deadfall for what seemed like two hours straight one day and didn’t have that problem in the Obsidian Foundry. I wear the 32/32 @ 5’10, 165 lbs. and they fit excellent, but everybody is different. The guy with the blow out was 5’11”ish and probably 200lbs., so he may have dragged a bit more on the deadfall. I do agree that the Sawtooth Hybrid has a different fit to it. The insulation is meant for the core and it’s odd at first but temp control for me is paramount and I didn’t find it uncomfortable. But once again, everybody is different. I did have a Catalyst jacket also but never needed to take it out of the pack. I am big into merino but if you are worried about it’s durability, wear merino only as a baselayer and then the more durable nylon offerings over it. Fusion had the most green in it so that’s why I used it and Spectre (my fav) was my all purpose pattern for ND and MT. Side note: The elk encounters I had wearing the Spectre were multiple and not one elk said that I was wearing a deer pattern. I just don’t think they cared.

 

[Therustylink]

do you feel the foundery are really durable? Thanks for the reply

 

[Therustylink]

I went strictly to First Lite for 10 days last season, September Archery Elk in MT. We went from upper 20’s, low 30’s in the morning to 65 to 80 in the afternoons. I used the Obsidian Foundry pants in Fusion and Spectre. I wore Wick bottoms and took them off around 1pm daily. I wore the Kiln hoodie and the Sawtooth Hybrid matching patterns with the pants. I would ditch the Sawtooth in my pack around 11am daily. Merino undies, mid weight merino hiking socks, and a brimmed merino beanie (in the pack at 11am), and ball cap to finish. I have never been more comfortable in the field. I had zero issues with durability, but I did meet a guy that had the Obsidian merino pants that blew the butt out of them crossing deadfall. I crossed deadfall for what seemed like two hours straight one day and didn’t have that problem in the Obsidian Foundry. I wear the 32/32 @ 5’10, 165 lbs. and they fit excellent, but everybody is different. The guy with the blow out was 5’11”ish and probably 200lbs., so he may have dragged a bit more on the deadfall. I do agree that the Sawtooth Hybrid has a different fit to it. The insulation is meant for the core and it’s odd at first but temp control for me is paramount and I didn’t find it uncomfortable. But once again, everybody is different. I did have a Catalyst jacket also but never needed to take it out of the pack. I am big into merino but if you are worried about it’s durability, wear merino only as a baselayer and then the more durable nylon offerings over it. Fusion had the most green in it so that’s why I used it and Spectre (my fav) was my all purpose pattern for ND and MT. Side note: The elk encounters I had wearing the Spectre were multiple and not one elk said that I was wearing a deer pattern. I just don’t think they cared.

Corrugated FOUNDRY Pant are durable? I just want a pant that will hold up in archery season in Eastern Oregon and 2nd season on the western side

 

[YelojktBob]

The Obsidian Foundry pant are more durable than the Obsidian Merino, they beefed up the the wear spots with nylon I believe. As far as the Corrugate Foundry, I don’t have a pair so I can’t personally vouch for them. I am primarily interested in the merino wool. Are you buying the camo patterns or the solid colors?

 

[BFreed59]

I use the FL base layers just about all season and they are my go to for that. As mentioned previously Kings makes some good stuff, I have both kings and FL pants and find myself grabbing the Kings 9 times out of 10, just like the fit and feel of them better. Both brands of pants have held up well for me though, about 3 years of use for each.

 

[Huntnnw]

I cant stand first lites fit , also loud.. its a no go for me.

Best early season pant I have ever worn is the Kuiu Kutana

 

[cmogan15]

Corrugated FOUNDRY Pant are durable? I just want a pant that will hold up in archery season in Eastern Oregon and 2nd season on the western side

There new foundry pant was pretty good on me. I put 350 miles on the pant last year as well as wore their 150 merino hoody every day hunting last season.

I had the cipher print as I didn't want to match my hunting partner. I had some close encounters (sub 40 yds) with elk in dense trees and the pattern must have broken up the landscape pretty well (wind was in my face though )

Anyway I am looking at the Sitka and Stone Glacier Sun hoodies in a solid color but I still think for archery elk in dense trees a camo pattern helps.

 

[PaBone]

I take two pair of pants with me for September elk hunting, FL Obsidian Foundry and FL Corrugates. They fit me well and comfortable. I don't think it matters for elk if it's a solid or camo, but I have found that the chicks seem to dig the camo.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I love first lite's wick series, mid layers and puffy. I have their older soft shell set and it works ok but weighs a ton. Obsidian pants are very quiet, but have pathetic durability, I've ruined two pairs in less than a week each. I'm trying sitka apex pants this year to see how they hold up.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Only problem I had was every pocket on my corrugate guide pants blew out after a few seasons.

Couldn't use any of my pockets for the last season that I used them.

Only thing I'd buy from them now is merino. Their merino is amazing.

 

[WTFJohn]

I used to have a decent amount of FL gear; I have trimmed it down to merino layers at this point though. My largest gripes are/were durability and a lack of any windproof layers, a cool wind cuts through all of their stuff very easily.