Parka for COLD sits.

[TwoTikkas]

Hey gang. Looking at a couple cold weather coat/parka options. What's the consensus regarding the Lost Park,and the Aegis Extreme? I read a review here on the forum for the Kifaru parka. Good analysis. I'm not super concerned with how packable either one is. More concerned with how warm and durable either is. Quietness may be as,if not more important. I have my Colorado deer tag in hand,and an elk hunt planned for 2019. Aside from that it will see much more time on close quarters eastern deer stand. Your input will be much appreciated.

 

[Kotaman]

For the stand, I’d go with the Aegis. (Actually the Sitka Incinerator or First Lite Sanctuary are even better choices). As good as the LPP is, it just isn’t a tree stand jacket IMO.

 

[TwoTikkas]

An Incinerator would be sweet! Too expensive though. If I hunted north of the border annually,I'd have one. I just won't log enough hours a year in it to justify the $600.00.

Kinda forgot about the Sanctuary. It has promise too. Supposed to be very quiet.

 

[sr80]

I really liked the LPP. I found it very warm. But I hated the cordura all over it. Found it noisey and bulky. If they removed that it would be a great jacket in my opinion. I know they put it there for durability. But it seems like overkill to me. Testing out the new Sitka Kelvin down WS this year.

 

[TwoTikkas]

That's good to know. I currently have the Kelvin lite. Now discontinued.(?). It's extremely packable,and pretty darn warm for what it is. Combined with my Timberline shell,it's great for layering in the elk mountains. But,the cold on whitetail stand is relentless. Not much opportunity to move about. Similar to long glassing stints without the hike in and out.

 

[Tanya Avery]

LOST PARK PARKA!!!!!! If it can keep me warm, it will keep ANYONE warm! It is the


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[mcseal2]

You might consider a HPG Mountain Serape if you are primarily a rifle hunter. I put one on over my layering system for our December rifle season. I now have a LPP I use, but before I often had a Kuiu Kenai puffy on as well. Putting the insulated poncho over a mountain style layering system and creating that bigger area of dead, warm, air really helps keep me comfortable for long sits in extreme cold. It's nice that I can hike in layered lighter and have it (and the LPP) in the pack to throw on when I get there too.

The LPP alone is the warmest puffy I've tried and the one I'd own if I could only have one. It paired with the lighter, breathable Kuiu Kenai covers my needs. I use and love the Kenai zip off pants too, those go on all those long whitetail sits.

 

[n816kc]

+1 on the HPG Serape. Paired with puffy pants, it’s my go to for long hike in/cold weather sits.

 

[elkguide]

I absolutely love my Fortress Gear hoodie. Keeps me super warm and really does breath on the hike in.


Fortress | Cold Weather Clothing for Survival and Winter Workwear

 

[FURMAN]

The LPP keeps me warm and that is hard to do and it is a little more durable than most if not all the competition. I would also look at the FL Chamberlain.

 

[mtwarden]

I'm looking into having something made similar to the Mtn Serapa- similarly sized to their Medium Serapa, but with Apex insulation and in Robic fabric (light and highly water/wind resistant). The Serapa is a really nice piece, but at 2.2 lbs heavier than I want to pack. I'm shooting for not much over a pound (w/ 2.5 Apex).

This combined with a mid-weight puffy, should work in very cold conditions. I look it at as dual use- spotting in the cold, but also part of sleep system in an unplanned overnight - or to augment a quilt/bag on a multi-day trip

 

[beachbunny]

Anyone ever heard of a jerven bag, very multifunctional piece of kit i have. The Jerven Bag - Jerven AS

 

[mcseal2]

I'm looking into having something made similar to the Mtn Serapa- similarly sized to their Medium Serapa, but with Apex insulation and in Robic fabric (light and highly water/wind resistant). The Serapa is a really nice piece, but at 2.2 lbs heavier than I want to pack. I'm shooting for not much over a pound (w/ 2.5 Apex).

This combined with a mid-weight puffy, should work in very cold conditions. I look it at as dual use- spotting in the cold, but also part of sleep system in an unplanned overnight - or to augment a quilt/bag on a multi-day trip

If you find someone to build that please keep me posted. I'd love a lighter version for packing in. When temps stay above the mid-30's I will use my Serape as my only sleeping bag plus an insulating layer and it's easier to justify the weight. When it's cold enough I have to pack a warmer bag it's harder to justify the Serape in the pack. The one you are thinking of creating would make a lot of sense.

 

[mtwarden]

^ I've ben visiting with a gentleman that I believe can do it, hoping to finalize something this week- including price

 

[WhiteOak]

If it doesn't have to be packable is like to suggest the day one camo Parka in cowboy suede. Very quiet and durable material, hangs plenty long to cover your back while sitting and has a collar that can flip up and cover your neck and ears. Straps to cinch down the layers on tour bow arm. You can also pick your linings and insulation. I went with un-insulated and the windblocker liner and I used that for late season sits in the northeast. That and the same combo liner/fabrics in the pants that have the kidney band/warmer were the most valuable late season clothes I ever had. You can also wear short and a t shirt underneath mid season but I would not want to hike much in these. I can't imagine the insulated version. They also come in wool which I'm sure is even warmer but also more $$

 

[Formidilosus]

Hey gang. Looking at a couple cold weather coat/parka options. What's the consensus regarding the Lost Park,and the Aegis Extreme? I read a review here on the forum for the Kifaru parka. Good analysis. I'm not super concerned with how packable either one is. More concerned with how warm and durable either is. Quietness may be as,if not more important. I have my Colorado deer tag in hand,and an elk hunt planned for 2019. Aside from that it will see much more time on close quarters eastern deer stand. Your input will be much appreciated.

I spent a lot of time in a LPP this past fall and winter. Several buddies did as well. I like it, a lot. BUT, it is not an “oven”. It uses 3.6oz of Climashield Apex insulation- the same as their 20 degree sleeping bag. I found that for sitting still for hours in total comfort- not chilled at all, it’s about a 35 degree jacket with a light silk weight basket layer and light fleece. Given heat transfer, surface area, etc., 30-35 degrees is about right for the insulation it has. Moving at all and it was good to around 0 degrees. But sitting still glassing for hours, or on a stand.... no. This was shared by everyone that used them. Everyone liked them, but everyone also recognized that they are about a 30 degree puffy while stationary, or for moving in really cold weather.


My only explanation for why so many believe that it’s so warm, must be due to not much experience with true cold weather puffys. “Oven” to me means something like the Arc’teryx Cold wx SVX parka. Something that I can wear top and bottom and remain motionless for hours with no discomfort.


The Firstlite Chamberlin will be the warmest puffy by any of the hunting manufacturers by a large margin, and the only one that creeps into the “real” puffy realm.

I don’t don’t have any experience with the Aegis.

 

[fightthenoise]

My vote goes to the Montbell Permafrost Parka. 9 oz 800 fill goose down paired with gore windstopper. That parka and my Schnees Hunter II’s are must haves for northern MN whitetail sits.


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[Desk Jockey]

I don’t have the most informed perspective on that kind of hunting but I will offer a couple of thoughts.

1 - The first lite sanctuary is a hell of a coat but it is bulky and HEAVY. Mine is stored away or I would tell you the exact weight but I bet it is over 4 pounds. For me it is best suited as a stand hunting coat.

2 - If you guy in the Serap direction, also think about a woobie which is a little lighter but less specialized for coat type conversion. Another trick is to drape your sleeping bag over you head and shoulders when you are stopped but it is really only workable in static mode.

 

[Kotaman]

I agree with Form here and will take it one step further and say that any jacket designed as a true “puffy” is not designed for stand use period and that includes the beloved Lost Parka. If you want a true tree stand jacket, go with one designed for that use. The Sitka Incinerator, First Lite Sanctuary, Cabelas Extreme Stand Grear, King of the Mountain Stand Master are a few that come to mind. (There are a ton of options available actually) These are not to be confused with”puffy” jackets designed to be lightweight, packable and pulled out on the side of a mountain to take the chill off. While most products have some cross over uses, I find that most people are happiest when using the gear that is designed for their intended use...

IMO, the OP should pick up a puffy for the Western hunts (even a cheap puffy goes a long ways) and a Cold weather stand jacket for the Eastern tree stand hunts. But that’s just the “gear whore” in me talking.

 

[TradLife406]

The Kifaru. I ran it from May through December here in MT last year. It's incredibly warm. You don't want to go hiking in it unless it's single digits or colder. I'd suggest the pull over model because I did find myself passing my pack belt through the muff a lot. Also the muff has handwarmer pouches in it.
Yeah its definitely pretty heavy. I'll probably going to get a Sitka Kelvin Lite for early season but when I need something to keep me alive this thing is money!

When I shot my buck last year it was just above zero. It definitely did the job. A few yote stands it was 10 below in December.

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