Pants for mid Sept out of Kotzebue

[mcseal2]

I am wondering how warm and/or waterproof of pants I should take on this hunt? I will have the Crispi knee high waterproof boots I talked about in another thread.

I have Kuiu Kutana or Attack pants on the lighter end. I have their Axis pant for colder temps.

I also have the Kuiu Yukon rain pants sized to wear as my only pant, and the Chugach rain pant sized up to go over my Superdown Pro puffy pant and a normal pant.

Any recommendation of what combo to take? Will everything I walk through or sit on be wet and make the Axis and Yukon best, or should I go with a lighter pant for hiking? The Axis and Yukon have hip vents to release some heat.

Listing it out makes me realize I buy to much Kuiu when I catch it on sale or with my birthday discount. Should be set for several years.

Thanks for the help

 

[montee77]

We hunted kotzibou mid September last year, 3 of us all wore same type paints. Kuiu guide,Sitka mountain etc. What we all were extremely happy We took was are slip on puffy pants, glassing sessions some mornings were in the low teens , with wind blowing windchills probably around zero. So we would pack them in our pack and slip on when we got to our glassing area.

 

[Elkangle]

I'm flying out of there augest 28 (fingers crossed)...never done the hunt so take it for what its worth, just treating it like every other mtn hunt I've been on...will be using sitka apex pants, light zip off long johns, heavy zip off long John's, zip off puffy pants, & stormfront pants....i might add some timber line pants last second but for the most part this set up will get me through a pretty wide variety of weather

 

[Trial153]

This year late August, really simple.....Sitka Grinders, sitka core light weight bases and Sitka Cloudburst rain pants.

 

[mooster]

We had lows in teens two nights, but a couple days were warm. See short sleeves. But due to exertion walking, we wore lite pants and either rain pants or puffy pants over when glassing if needed.

 

[Northwestalaska]

I would choose a pair that fit!!

Ok all joking aside September in the Brooks Range is wet and windy. Choose 2 pairs of pants that will offer you the ability to stay dry but more important will dry out quickly. I have always been a Sitka Gear guy as they offer guys like me some very nice Outfitters discounts. My last pair lasted a solid 5 seasons but they are now being replaced by Kuiu Storm Shell pants and the Sitka gear will be come back up.. I don't like to be hot so I tend to not go with cold weather gear because I sweat.

Guarantee you it will be sloppy weather at least a few days anytime after September 10 out of Kotz so dress for success!

Walt
Northwest Alaska Back Country Outfitters
Kotzebue Ak

 

[Jackal7]

Last year I wore my Attack pants in camp over merino mid weight underwear with Yukon rain pants over them. While hunting, it was hard walking and found my Yukon rain pants over merino mid weight underwear was my go to pants combo. It was wet everywhere we were. Wore the Yukons almost constantly. Up top I had two Kuiu super down layers, a vest and hooded parka if needed when glassing, worn under my Yukon jacket.

 

[mcseal2]

Thanks everyone.

After reading all the replies I’m thinking I’ll take the Kutana light pants and the Yukon rain pants. The Kutana pants are light and can be used around camp. If it’s hot and dry I’ll wear them to hunt. The Yukons will likely be what I hunt in, waterproof and with hip vents for hiking. I can walk through or sit on wet stuff without worry. If I have the weight allowance I’ll also take the Chugach oversize rain pants that fit over my Superdown Pro puffy pants. Then I have the option of wearing the Kutana and having the Chugach to throw over the Kutana and/or Superdown depending on weather.

 

[Santa]

Talus Hybrid, Unpronounceable Puffy, and Seak rain pants

 

[mcseal2]

I ended up wearing Kuiu Yukons on days it was raining when we were leaving camp. I wore Kuiu Chugach pants on the nicer days. I never wore anything but rain pants.

My Chugach I bought a size big to go over puffy pants. They stretch enough they worked well walking despite being a little baggy.

I had First Lite Uncompaghre puffy pants bought for this trip. These I did not love and will be selling. They don’t feel any warmer to me than my old Kuiu Kenai zip off puffy pants. The Kuiu are more convenient to use for a similar level of warmth. I wore the FL pants a little glassing over the Yukon or under the Chugach pant. I wore them under the Chugach around camp and slept in them over a First Lite Aerowool 150 long underwear bottom several nights. For this hunt I think my Superdown Pro or a Kifaru Lost Park pant would have been better.

They guys I hunted with both wore Kuiu Yukon pants over merino base layers the whole trip. They were happy with that set-up. For insulating pants one had both the zip-off Kenai pants that fit under his Yukons, and the Kifaru LPP pants that fit over them. He wore the LPP’s around camp and used the Kenai’s glassing and sleeping. The other had the Superdown Ultra zip-off pants he used under his Yukons around camp or glassing. He slept in just the merino base and Superdown Ultra, but had the Yukons over them outside the tent.

Probably way more info than anyone needed, but hope it helps. We never left camp wearing a pant that wasn’t a rain pant.

 

[Josh86]

I ended up wearing Kuiu Yukons on days it was raining when we were leaving camp. I wore Kuiu Chugach pants on the nicer days. I never wore anything but rain pants.

My Chugach I bought a size big to go over puffy pants. They stretch enough they worked well walking despite being a little baggy.

I had First Lite Uncompaghre puffy pants bought for this trip. These I did not love and will be selling. They don’t feel any warmer to me than my old Kuiu Kenai zip off puffy pants. The Kuiu are more convenient to use for a similar level of warmth. I wore the FL pants a little glassing over the Yukon or under the Chugach pant. I wore them under the Chugach around camp and slept in them over a First Lite Aerowool 150 long underwear bottom several nights. For this hunt I think my Superdown Pro or a Kifaru Lost Park pant would have been better.

They guys I hunted with both wore Kuiu Yukon pants over merino base layers the whole trip. They were happy with that set-up. For insulating pants one had both the zip-off Kenai pants that fit under his Yukons, and the Kifaru LPP pants that fit over them. He wore the LPP’s around camp and used the Kenai’s glassing and sleeping. The other had the Superdown Ultra zip-off pants he used under his Yukons around camp or glassing. He slept in just the merino base and Superdown Ultra, but had the Yukons over them outside the tent.

Probably way more info than anyone needed, but hope it helps. We never left camp wearing a pant that wasn’t a rain pant.

I basically wore my Yukon pants the entire trip with merino base layers. We only had couple days were we saw sunshine and even those days it rained some. Our shelters never got a chance to dry out and I'm glad we took a tarp to cover our meat and gear.

 

[ao3004]

As others have said, bring layers. It can vary from very cold to rainy to fairly warm and sunny. I hunt more off machines and love the Helly Hansen Impertech bibs for busting through alders and keeping me 100% waterproof. Plus you can get them very bloody and then rinse them off quickly in a stream or with minimal water. Not the greatest for hiking.

 

[Unbridled]

On our trip it rained, a lot. Bring good rain gear! One guy had Helly Hanson’s, he loved them. Others had Sitka, Kuiu, Columbia. They all did well. Adding several layers was needed to stay warm. Gators over boots is a must. All of our feet got cold, Zamberlands, Mendal, Kenatrek, everyone had cold feet! If I’d have had some of the toe warmers in my boots I’d have been just fine.
Bring waterproof hats and gloves too! For gloves, next time I’ll have waterproof mittens with merino liners.

 

[FairbanksFlies]

The Unpronounceable Puffy is crucial on every hunt. Light pants for walking, then slide into the Unpronounceable Puffy for the glassing session - just like being back in the sleeping bag.

Light pants + puffy + rain garment is a combo that's hard to beat.