Puffy Jackets!

[Yellowknife]

Holy smokes, I thought I owned a pile of jackets! Sounds like you certainly have a the ability to select the most suitable piece for the occasion.

Good run down

YK

 

[Ramcam]

Like I said, I own all of the original jackets listed and then some. Here are some of my thoughts:

*Sitka Kelvin Down - Awesome jacket but for me doesn't work as a puffy. I love wearing this as a casual coat though! The jacket is just too much jacket for me to consider it a "puffy" for hunting purposes unless I am using as a treestand layer jacket.

*First Lite - I've used this as an "outer puffy" on a couple hunts. Works great for that application, but is still plenty of jacket for me to be considered a true under garmet puffy. Again, awesome jacket but for me works better as an outer layer.

*Sitka Kelvin Lite - Nice jacket, nice weight compresses "ok". Though this is a nice jacket, there are better choices out there for the money.

*KUIU Spin Drift - This used to be my favorite Primoloft Puffy. Compresses nicely, works well as a inner puffy or outer layer.

*Kryptek Kratos - My new favorite synthetic puffy. Compresses well, is very light weight, fits great and just plain does it's job. Of all the puffys listed, this is my second favorite.

*KUIU Superdown - I have all three of these and they each have their own place in my "puffy arsenal". To me, these are in a class by themselves. Super light, they compress fantastic and they just plain work. They are also very warm. In fact they are too warm to hike in. Overall, I have yet to find anything I like better. Awesome product.

On late season hunts I am now carrying a KUIU Superdown as an inner puffy, the First Lite or Spin Drift as an outer puffy in addition to the Super Down pants. The stuff weighs so little and takes up so little room I see no reason to not carry all three. On a recent October sheep hunt in BC, I typically wore the Super Down with my KUIU Yukon Jacket for the 2 hours horseback ride everyday. For hiking, I'd remove the SD. While glassing on a windswept snowy mountain side, I would put the Super Down, Yukon AND First LIte Jacket on along with the Super Down pants! I was never cold in some horrible conditions.

If you only want one puffy to do it all, I would go with the KUIU Super Down. TO me the KUIU SD is in a class by itself.

Do you mean the (hooded) SD jacket for best overall

 

[Stid2677]

I'm extremely cold natured, so I have a puffy collection....

* Cabela's Trans-Alaska Series Insulator Jacket,,It's made with MicroDown, an water-resistant, high loft insulating material that is comparable to goose down, and is also machine washable. The shell is durable nylon ripstop material. The combination of high-loft insulation with a lightweight shell makes the garment very stuffable with an excellent heat-to-weight ratio. This jacket has served me well, but is kinda heavy and no longer on the market.

* SItka Kelvin Jacket,,Lightweight and packable, the Kelvin Jacket has an extreme heat-to-weight ratio. Filled with PrimaLoft® Sport; a synthetic high-loft insulation. Very warm, but not all that packable.

* Montbell Therma Wrap,, This is about the best synthetic insulation jacket I have ever used, lightweight synthetic insulation. Warmer than fleece. Retains warmth when wet. Extremely packable. At the heart of the MontBell jacket are two things — light weight and warmth. The jacket weighs only 8.8 ounces. According to the company, its proprietary insulation retains only 1 percent of its weight in water and keeps more than 80 percent of its thermal properties when completely soaked.

* Kuiu Spindrift,, The 13.5 ounce Spindrift Jacket warm, light and packable. The Spindrift is filled with 80-grams of Primaloft One synthetic down, warmer than the Therma Wrap but twice the weight and not as packable.

* Kuiu,, Hooded Super Down,, 10oz, I used this Jacket all fall and spent well over 30 days in it, from rafting to mountains. While I did get it damp in rain and sweating it never got soaked and even damp it was still extremely warm. The shell seems like it would be easy to tear, but I have yet to put any holes in it and I wear it as an outer layer a lot. This piece is awesome for wearing in my sleeping bag as an addition layer and the hood keeps body heat in. Packs down the smallest of any of my jackets and even better than the Montbell. This jacket was so impressive that I bought the Super Down Tee to use under it for the cold days.

* KUIU Super Down Tee,, pull over, 7ozs, great piece to use as an under layer not as warm as the Hooded SD, but incredibly warm when worn under the SD hooded and as Rain Jacket or other wind breaking jacket is used. Very light and easy to pack, I got one in grey and use it around town as well as a insulating layer.

* First Lite Uncompahgre Puffy Jacket,, Have not had it long enough to give more than first impressions. I have not been able to weight it yet, but it is very similar to the Cabela's Trans-Alaska Series Insulator Jacket, in design and weight, I do like the way it fits and the outer shell is tougher feeling than any of my others. Still need some time to in the field to make a better review of it, but my first impressions are I like it.

I have a full season in the Kuiu Super Down and have several seasons in the other jackets, with the exception of the First Lite Uncompahgre,,

Based on MY experience, and the way I use a puffy, the Kuiu Super Down is the winner for me, The SD Hooded, 10oz, alone or layered with the SD Tee 7ozs, for a total of 17ozs is an amazing combo. Add a Rain Jacket and you have a lot of stay warm for long cold sits.

Just my humble opinion, I bought and paid for all these, what a great thing to have so many choices.

 

[Kotaman]

Do you mean the (hooded) SD jacket for best overall

For me it is a toss up between the hooded and non hooded version. I like them both equally well...My hooded SD is in the black/graphite, so I wear it to work in the winter. My non hooded one is Vias and it has gone to Alaska, BC and the Yukon. On two of my hunts this year (AK and BC) my guides both had the hooded version and wore the heck out of them. They LOVE the hooded version. I was on a hunt in NWT last year and my guide had the 1/4 zip and never took it off the whole time I was there...NOT ONCE. He hiked in it and wore it to bed and wore it for everything inbetween. I will say this...I absolutely cannot hike in Super Down no matter what the conditions are as I am sweating instantly. I've gotten lazy a couple times on hunts after sitting on the mountainside and left the SD on. The stuff leaves me soaking wet in a matter of minutes hiking.

My other favorite use for Super Down is around camp/tent at night. Takes the chill right off. Also great if you are cold in your sleeping bag. I am 100% sold on the stuff...All four pieces.

 

[Ramcam]

For me it is a toss up between the hooded and non hooded version. I like them both equally well...My hooded SD is in the black/graphite, so I wear it to work in the winter. My non hooded one is Vias and it has gone to Alaska, BC and the Yukon. On two of my hunts this year (AK and BC) my guides both had the hooded version and wore the heck out of them. They LOVE the hooded version. I was on a hunt in NWT last year and my guide had the 1/4 zip and never took it off the whole time I was there...NOT ONCE. He hiked in it and wore it to bed and wore it for everything inbetween. I will say this...I absolutely cannot hike in Super Down no matter what the conditions are as I am sweating instantly. I've gotten lazy a couple times on hunts after sitting on the mountainside and left the SD on. The stuff leaves me soaking wet in a matter of minutes hiking.

My other favorite use for Super Down is around camp/tent at night. Takes the chill right off. Also great if you are cold in your sleeping bag. I am 100% sold on the stuff...All four pieces.

Thanks i am currently using the spindrift and guide jacket.I'm looking to dump the guide jacket as it is too heavy and does not provide enough warmth.for the weight.I figure the SD and my windshirt should keep me warm glassing and around camp.I just wear merino when i'm on the move.

 

[strawhunt]

heres a random question, I was just on the kuiu website and the super down hooded jacket has been taken off the site. What up with that?

 

[strawhunt]

Also ramcam. let me buy your guide jacket! large? vias or verde?

 

[Ramcam]

Also ramcam. let me buy your guide jacket! large? vias or verde?

Sorry not for sale it is a very nice jacket.I just don't want to use it for gram counting sheephunting.

 

[strawhunt]

Ha! fair enough, Im just in the market for a guide jacket, and a puffy and a new rain shell

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Ha! fair enough, Im just in the market for a guide jacket, and a puffy and a new rain shell

Send me a pm with your size, i may have a spare guide jacket.

 

[mtswampfox]

with latest coupon offer from kuiu have just ordered the sd jacket. cant pass up a bargain. still eyeballing the uncomp from first lite maybe next year.

 

[Kotaman]

Kuiu

heres a random question, I was just on the kuiu website and the super down hooded jacket has been taken off the site. What up with that?

KUIU does that when they are "revamping" inventory. Wouldn't be suprised if it showed up again soon. There are a number of items missing from the website right now that will show up again. Don't know why they do it or what the purpose is, but that is how it seems to work.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Going to post up a few "action" shots from this past weekend with the Sitka Kelvin Down Hoody.

This is a cold weather jacket, and well I was in cold weather. The temperature never got above 30 all day with the Wyoming wind doing it's thing most of the time. The glassing sessions were cold without the jacket, but once I put it on, it performed as advertised. The 800 down fill works very well for extended periods of time without movement, I was able to glass comfortably in the 25 degree range, relatively shielded from the wind for over an hour.

We didn't find any elk on the hill we were glassing, so I decided it was a pretty good time to see how hot I would get on the 2 mile hike back to the truck. This jacket is a little bit overkill for a lot of motion, but once into the cover of the trees and their shadows, the jacket remained comfortable. In the trees I never overheated, but once in the sun it was noticeable that I had too much insulation.

The fit is good for motion but an integrated stretch panel in the armpit or over the shoulders would be a welcome addition.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Tomorrow I should get to use the Kuiu Super Down Hooded jacket on a day trip to try and fill a cow elk tag. Weather should be pretty cold where I intend to hunt and I am looking forward to using it in the field.

My initial impressions:

-Very lightweight jacket, that can take the bite out of the cold. It's obviously not as heavy as the Sitka, but it does handle the wind well in just day to day use thus far. We will see how it does in field conditions.
-The forearms are very slim, guys built like Popeye would be wise to find one to try on first. There is a very good reason for the slim forearms though, when combined with my Guide Jacket(XXL), the fit is great. In the past I have had any number of pieces bunch up on the forearms while layering, one of the reasons I like thumbholes on baselayers. The slim fit on the Super Down hoody forearms prevents this from happening and movement isn't restricted.
-If you are a bigger person buying this jacket, I would for sure go a size bigger than you think. The sizing does run a little small, and it is better to be a on the safe side.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

I got out on Saturday a bit with the Kuiu Superdown jacket. Here are a few pictures, posting from phone so quality won't be as good as from computer.
The arm clears a bowstring when you draw.

 

[Ramcam]

I got out on Saturday a bit with the Kuiu Superdown jacket. Here are a few pictures, posting from phone so quality won't be as good as from computer.View attachment 12075
The arm clears a bowstring when you draw. View attachment 12076

Looks good i ordered the SD hooded the SD vest and SD pants.I should be warm for glassing .

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

You should be very happy, the jacket is a quality piece.

 

[Colo4x4XJ]

I've got 10 months of use in my Western Mountaineering Flight jacket and absolutely love it! It's been worn on ski trips, early season archery, summer backpacking and early spring whitewater trips. Their garments are of the same high caliber quality that their bags have been known for.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have the KUIU SD jacket without a hood. I can't stand hoods for the most part, but got this jacket to throw in the pack for Colorado archery season. Normally wouldn't need the hood but on a few occasions during that season, but have a hat so not too concerned with that. But considering the hooded jacket now for some later hunts and/or colder archery seasons. It's a great jacket that weighs next to nothing and compresses to almost nothing as well. I consider this jacket a staple for the pack, even during the summer high country months.

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Late season, i like a hood. Early season not so much.

How much i like a hood also has a lot to do with how easy it is to adjust. If the cinches are a pain to use im not a fan.