SITKA Ambient Collection

[carsonkeys]

Likely an unpopular opinion here, but I just can't wrap my head around the the need for active insulation. I find it far more challenging to remain comfortable while static than remaining comfortable while moving.

Last year I bought a kelvin active and felt that, when stopped after movement, it remained damp longer and trapped a similar amount of body heat when compared with a similar-weight fleece (which can be had for significantly less money). Maybe someone smarter than myself can enlighten me, but I just don't see where a piece like this outperforms a fleece hoody, for example.

 

[jd1006]

I think I like the Shacket version better…it has the pocket as well. My lower arms never get that cold on the move, when sitting, I’d put something with windstopper on over the top.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

the purpose is for moving moisture from sweaty body when active, that transitions to a decent static insulator when stationary. For some of us, the sweat we would build up wearing a fleece jacket or hoody would be super chilling when we stop, because normal fleece does not move moisture well at all. You may not sweat as much as me, and that s fine. I sweat like a stuck pig when I start going, and when hunting in cold environments, wet can mean bad things. So this layer is supposed to move moisture well and act like your fleece when not needing to move moisture. Win win. If you can have one garment that does it all, that's the goal. For each of us, that one garment is unique to each of us.

Just trying to say what works for you probably doesn't work for everyone, and what works for me probably doesn't work for everyone. But it is important to find what works for you in your conditions.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I think I like the Shacket version better…it has the pocket as well. My lower arms never get that cold on the move, when sitting, I’d put something with windstopper on over the top.

Yeah not gonna lie I got rid of mine but might just get another one as I liked it a lot. No sleeves made layering puffy even easier.

 

[j33]

I think I like the Shacket version better…it has the pocket as well. My lower arms never get that cold on the move, when sitting, I’d put something with windstopper on over the top.

You prefer your Kelvin active hoody over your ambient hoody? Thinking of grabbing one, I find my arms always get hot anyway

 

[jd1006]

I don’t have the ambient hoody. I just think the Kelvin Active Hoody was very underrated and the ambient hoody is lacking some things they should have kept from the Active Hoody. I have a proton FL jacket if I want sleeves on an active insulation piece.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

Super excited to try this. Black is always an interesting "hunting" solid color choice, over say a gray or tan or olive/green even. I want to get one of these but med brown is sold out.

I don't use much camo and black is a hard one to wrap my mind around year-round use that including bowhunting.

 

[slowelk]

I don’t have the ambient hoody. I just think the Kelvin Active Hoody was very underrated and the ambient hoody is lacking some things they should have kept from the Active Hoody. I have a proton FL jacket if I want sleeves on an active insulation piece.

What's it missing in your opinion?

 

[jd1006]

A zipped kagaroo pocket on the hoody and a hood on the jacket.

 

[Desk Jockey]

A zipped kagaroo pocket on the hoody and a hood on the jacket.

Check out the sitka arrowhead stuff. Military versions with the same or similar insulation. HoodEd jacket with pockets. @MT_Wyatt i bought one in coyote brown. See details in my post above.

 

[R_burg]

Got mine in, tried it on for fit over and under a bunch of stuff (its the summer in AZ, cant use it yet here).

Just to summarize what I posted above in questions: I have a Jetstream and it doesn't fit my layering system well - too heavy and too "bulky" for me, even though it seems to fit tighter than the ambient hoody, it feels bulkier. I wanted another mid-layer that can also function as a lighter jacket.

I can confirm I can certainly layer it over a Peleton 200 half zip if I want... or wear it as a stand alone mid layer. This is perfect and exactly what I wanted. Its very light as well, so teaming two mid layers together wont cost me much weight if I want to carry both. When it's very cold and I am glassing I move straight to a puffy plus outerlayer anyway.

 

[somethinglemony]

I do find the sleeves run a little shorter than most Sitka pieces, they are about the same length as the kelvin active jacket - but the body is longer that the KAJ by id say close to 2".

That being said, the ambient hoody lacking a kangaroo pocket got the best of me. I cut a kangaroo pocket off an old hoodie and had some subalpine material from a core lw longsleeve crew that ripped a while back. Attached the subalpine to the face of that kangaroo pocket and sewed it on the Ambient hoody. It may trap some heat in that 1 spot where i put the kang pocket, but this thing is now the perfect midlayer piece that has more function as an outer layer now.

Absolute baller mod dude

 

[P Carter]

Slightly off-topic but I had to share:

I brought the Kelvin Active (short-sleeve hoodie) on a family backpacking trip. I knew my wife was going to say something 'cause it's so damn goofy looking. I put it on, slowly recline by the fire, self-satisfied look on my face, she looks me over and deadpans: "That looks like something a fat guy would wear golfing."

And she's completely right. Cracked me up. I love that thing but man it is goofy.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Not to derail but adding these thoughts here for those considering the ambient line.

after a little research and looking at @mtwarden review, I went with the arrowhead version. Key points for me were:

• I wanted a hood AND pockets
• i like coyote
• I believe / hope it was roughly the same insulation value as the ambient hoody (90vs100 gram)
• Price was $225 shipped with welcomeback code so slight cheaper than list on the ambient.

so it arrived next day (+1 for US Elite Gear) and here are initial thoughts:

• For reference, I am 6’3”. 250#. On the dad bod side of the CrossFit spectrum. It is not fat, it is power.
• XXL weighs in at 15oz
• hood is snug but not tight. Could wear a ball camp under it but maybe not a bulky beanie. No draw string
• left breast pocket is ample size for phone, map etc. hand warmer pockets are quite large.
• no draw string at waist.
• overall fit is roomy but not billowy, some room to layer underneath
• sleeves are extra long. Actually cuffs come 3” below my wrists and I wear 36-37“ sleeves. Sleeve fit is not loose but also thankfully NOT that skinny jeans / stick arms sit that Sitka has been putting out lately.
• exterior fabric feels a little crepey but is quietish, has some stretch.
• insulation feels like it’s on par with a grid fleece Like a heavyweight hoody but feels thinner and more airy. It looks like a carpet from the 70s.

overall, i am impressed and I am hoping this thing is what I always wanted my kelvin active jacket to be. It seems to sit in a sweet spot between wearing a fleece and a puffy. Time will Tell if the added warmth for comparable weight story holds up. It will be a while before I see the weather to prove this thing out but I am happy to answer questions. Not having seen the ambient in person, I have to imagine that anyone who is contemplating those pieces ought to give the arrowhead stuff a look.

So I finally got some weather to field this. Wind River range. Temps from 30s to 50s. Some light precipitation.

I like it. It breathed well under some high exertion. A little less well when I had to don some rain gear over the top. It shed some light rain And it was warmer than my grid fleece but less stretchy. I wore it alone around camp and with a down vest while sitting and stationary in camp. Was very warm.

I think it is a neat piece that blends some of the best of a light puffy and a mid layer. I am not sure yet if the difference in performance is so much better to make it worthwhile but time will tell. I wouldn’t say throw out all your puffins and fleece just yet, but the active insulation presents some interesting options.

 

[Dkuczek]

So I finally got some weather to field this. Wind River range. Temps from 30s to 50s. Some light precipitation.

I like it. It breathed well under some high exertion. A little less well when I had to don some rain gear over the top. It shed some light rain And it was warmer than my grid fleece but less stretchy. I wore it alone around camp and with a down vest while sitting and stationary in camp. Was very warm.

I think it is a neat piece that blends some of the best of a light puffy and a mid layer. I am not sure yet if the difference in performance is so much better to make it worthwhile but time will tell. I wouldn’t say throw out all your puffins and fleece just yet, but the active insulation presents some interesting options.

Did you have a Kelvin Active before this? Want to know if its worth it to change

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

So I finally got some weather to field this. Wind River range. Temps from 30s to 50s. Some light precipitation.

I like it. It breathed well under some high exertion. A little less well when I had to don some rain gear over the top. It shed some light rain And it was warmer than my grid fleece but less stretchy. I wore it alone around camp and with a down vest while sitting and stationary in camp. Was very warm.

I think it is a neat piece that blends some of the best of a light puffy and a mid layer. I am not sure yet if the difference in performance is so much better to make it worthwhile but time will tell. I wouldn’t say throw out all your puffins and fleece just yet, but the active insulation presents some interesting options.

My plan would be to still bring my puffy jacket, but use the ambient in place of my grid fleece mid layer. Do you think its worth the change? I currently use a SG helio grid fleece and KUIU strongfleece 260.

 

[Desk Jockey]

My plan would be to still bring my puffy jacket, but use the ambient in place of my grid fleece mid layer. Do you think its worth the change? I currently use a SG helio grid fleece and KUIU strongfleece 260.

@Dkuczek I had an active jacket. never loved it. Sold it. I like this one better. Hood. Better stretch. more durable out face.

@Fins_N_Tines I had a helio on this trip too. Ambient is warmer. Fleece stretches and breathes better. FWIW I like the ambient better when it was dry 40-50*. We got two days of rain and 40s the last part of the trip. I wore the ambient under my OR rain jacket and sweated pretty heavily the first rain day. I switched to the grid fleece the second day and was less sweaty.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

@Dkuczek I had an active jacket. never loved it. Sold it. I like this one better. Hood. Better stretch. more durable out face.

@Fins_N_Tines I had a helio on this trip too. Ambient is warmer. Fleece stretches and breathes better. FWIW I like the ambient better when it was dry 40-50*. We got two days of rain and 40s the last part of the trip. I wore the ambient under my OR rain jacket and sweated pretty heavily the first rain day. I switched to the grid fleece the second day and was less sweaty.

Thank you for response and good info. Sounds like they both have a place in the lineup.

 

[streetdoctor]

8 days in and over 50 miles in my ambient hoody and it's by far my favorite piece of clothing. It's shocking how well it works as advertised.

My setup for archery season in Colorado so far has successfully been-

First lite short sleeve
Sitka synthetic long sleeve
Ambient hoody
Sitka puffy
Sitka mountain pants

Obviously not wearing everything all at once all the time. Majority of the time it's first lite short sleeve and the ambient hoody or just the synthetic long sleeve.

 

[dkell]

I will second what street doctor said. 7 days in CO. The ambient hoody is the bee’s knees for what I used it to do. Temps from 30-70. I lived in Sitka core LW hoody and the ambient. It breathed really well, got dry as a bone quickly, and retained heat well when I wanted it to. We did get a decent amount of rain and it did pretty well shedding light rain. I really love the hood. I basically wore it like a beanie the vast majority of the time. The hoodie itself is supremely comfortable.

I am absolutely in love with that thing.