Sitka Mountain EVO jacket

[StevensonRanch]

I will say that Windstopper is the king of cutting wind, on par with a rain jacket. But like a rain jacket, doesn't breathe very well.

I purchased a Sitka Flash a few years ago (now discontinued) as a wind layer- it was basically a Mountain jacket with a hood and a pullover vs a full zip. I found that on the move (other than going very slow- which obviously is something that is common with hunting) it didn't breathe well enough for me. For cutting the wind, it easily blew away all of my other windshirts.

The other thing Windstopper does well is fend off precip. The fabric has a hydrostatic head of 10,000 which means it falls into the bottom echelon of waterproof (Goretex Pro is 30,000-ish). I was really impressed with the Flash in rain; a couple of times I got caught out in some pretty heavy rains (not all day rains, but short heavy rain) and was fine.

I've since relegated the Flash to a light duty rain jacket (brought when forecasts are favorable ie little chance of precip).

I toyed with the idea of getting long pit zips sewn in, to enhance the breathability a bit. Got a couple of quotes that were outrageous (more than what the jacket cost!) and quickly dropped that idea.

The Flash is pretty darn light too, 8.5 oz for a XL. The stretch panel fabric evidently must be a little heavier than the Windstopper fabric, as the Evo comes in at 13-ish oz.

Clearly the Evo will breathe better than the Flash; with the breathable back panel, obviously wouldn't do as well with precipitation, unless your backpack fully covers the back panels.

I can't lie, I'm definitely intrigued by this piece

If you are ever looking to the sell the Flash Pullover, I am WTB one Large or XL possibly!

 

[WoodBow]

While we're on this topic does anyone have any experience with the breathability of the Patagonia Houdini?

I wore one last year. We packed in in the dark. Temps were probably40s- 50s. I was wearing a base merino, sitka core heavyweight hoody, and a houdini. It was windy. I thought i'd be shedding the houdini pretty quick but I never took it off and never felt sweaty. I was very impressed. Very valuable piece to have for what it weights and costs.

 

[Greenbelt]

I wore one last year. We packed in in the dark. Temps were probably40s- 50s. I was wearing a base merino, sitka core heavyweight hoody, and a houdini. It was windy. I thought i'd be shedding the houdini pretty quick but I never took it off and never felt sweaty. I was very impressed. Very valuable piece to have for what it weights and costs.

If you don't mind me asking.....were you doing some pretty heavy miles in this?

 

[WoodBow]

If you don't mind me asking.....were you doing some pretty heavy miles in this?

No big climbs but 2 hours with full packs.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[mtwarden]

If you are ever looking to the sell the Flash Pullover, I am WTB one Large or XL possibly!

I'll probably be keeping mine (mainly as a rain piece); but they still come up occasionally on eBay- you can set a search up (ie Sitka Flash) and then be notified when one shows up.

 

[AKDoc]

While we're on this topic does anyone have any experience with the breathability of the Patagonia Houdini?

The newer Houdini's breath less than they used to, but are now more wind/precip resistant. They change fabrics fairly often, so tough to stay up with it. If you want more breathable, they make the Houdini Air.

I've had my Patagonia Houdini for about ten years, so I suspect mine is version 1.0

It is an extremely versatile piece of gear that I have with me pretty much always. I wear it by itself, as an under-layer or over-layer, and I've slept in it under a quilt on lite-wt backpacking trips. I've not ever felt clammy wearing it. It stuffs down small into its own pocket...pretty much the size of a taco LOL! My 1.0 cuts the wind pretty good...not as good as a rain-jacket...and mine is definitely not a rain-jacket LOL!!

OP...apologies if my response is too far off topic to your intended interest/question

 

[TrailDog]

https://www.firstlite.com/products/...PsJz4oV25E9goNpBggH4DEwjIHdYjjRBoC22gQAvD_BwE

Anyone tried the Ridgeline? Looks somewhat comparable, almost half the weight of the Evo though, so likely not quite as much wind protection.

 

[mtwarden]

^ imho you really want a hood on a wind layer; the hoods on my wind layers have saved me suffering more times than I count

Sitka's "old" Mountain Jacket looked like a great piece- fabric, layout, weight, etc but lacked a hood- never made much sense to me

 

[carter33]

So I just got the Sitka MTN Evo jacket in and will say it’s great quality, impressive really. Without using it I can’t truly speak to breathability but it’s hard to imagine it breathing real well. On the other hand I feel like I could crash through thick alders without it catching or ripping. It seems very durable.

Overall it’s an impressive jacket. I’m not sure how versatile it really is and need to get it out obviously but don’t believe it’s an “essential” layer necessarily especially for the price. Maybe I will change my mind after some use though.

 

[Tick]

RAB has similar options with Windstopper or Pertex and breathable panels. Much cheaper but didn't see a hooded version.

 

[StevensonRanch]

I'll probably be keeping mine (mainly as a rain piece); but they still come up occasionally on eBay- you can set a search up (ie Sitka Flash) and then be notified when one shows up.

Thank you for the tip man!

 

[Ditt44]

Here's my opinion on the Evo. I have a store a few miles away and was able to get my hands on them a couple times. I wore a UA tech shirt for a base-layer feel/fit. I tried on layers using both the Ambient hoody and jacket, both under and over the Evo. I am 6'2 192, 42-44 inch chest. Most Sitka stuff fits me great in Large but some items are an XL for me so I have to try on anything before I buy.

Large: Sleeve length was fine but the chest was too tight under the arms with only a base layer thickness top under it. The Ambient hoody was workable in a pinch but not comfortable. The Ambient over the Evo was ok but the Evo being tight under the arms was a no-go.

XL: Sleeves were fine, chest was about perfect but the lower half was too 'blouse-like' for me. Layered over either Ambient just fine... too bunched up if under either of them.

Large Tall: The 'just right' fit. Sleeves are just a bit long, maybe 1/2 inch or less too much but YMMV. Under arm fit was better than the large, lower body fit is nice and trim. Still snug over an Ambient hoody but is a better fit than the Large. I have a Celsius at home in Large and that fits over or under the Evo just fine. If under it, and zipped all the way up, the Celsius crushes my throat if the Evo is zipped all the way as well.

Material is great, nice, smooth feel. We have had a lot of chilly 40-something degree mornings and mid to late days with winds. This is not a stand alone in the chill jacket but the wind does not cut through any of the wind-layer material. I am very pleased with it and think that with some every day around the house wear, the material should become a bit more quiet. Not an archery/close-quarter jacket, just a bit noisy for that unless so daily wear helps the material relax.

I really think this will excel for what it is designed to do, move with you, keep you protected from wind and breathe with a pack on your back. The fit under my pack, loaded at 20 pounds, which is my target day-pack weight, is good. No issues other than the hand pockets being a bit low... probably because it is a Tall version and they ride lower. My pack waist belt does crimp the lower part of the pockets so I have to pull the jacket up a bit. That is just an outcome of me selecting the Tall version, I believe.

 

[Brontosaurus]

Am I missing something here with the ambient going over the evo? Seems a little backwards

 

[Ditt44]

Depends on how you want to wear them and/or take one off to put the other on. Barlow said the same thing in his video with Blackovis. Either over or under per circumstances. Just giving my two cents on what I tried and how they fit for my sizes.

 

[Brontosaurus]

Ok that's cool! I'll check the vid

 

[Cutwater]

Does anyone know what the Arcteryx equivilent would be to the Mountain Evo Jacket? the Kadin Hoodie?

 

[MT_Wyatt]

Does anyone know what the Arcteryx equivilent would be to the Mountain Evo Jacket? the Kadin Hoodie?

That seems like the closest thing they make, although the Sitka piece is more panelized/mixed construction.

 

[cohunter1996]

Anyone have thoughts on the noise level on the evo jacket? Too noisy for archery elk?

 

[Ditt44]

I think in close quarters it would be pushing the limit of 'quiet'. Not silent... quiet. If there are no branches or greenery to make contact with. If it was layered under something, it would do better up close. I love it, I think it has a lot of potential but you may end up having to pick and choose your situations with it. For a rifle hunt, all day no concerns. For archery, it might be something you take off to stalk in or call a bull to you if you think you need to move much or the vegetation is tight.

 

[pugwylde]

Way to niche of a piece. The back being non windstopper under a pack makes sense. Until your pack is off, then what? You must put on a wind piece or insulating layer...unless those are not needed then you may be SOL. I really was hoping they would redesign the mountain jacket and more replicate a windshirt itself and cut the weight of it

I think they expect a lot of people wanting to use this for movement with a pack will be packing a puffy for sitting. It is 100% intended to be part of a system. Yes, it's niche, but it fits it's role extremely well. For what it is worth, I used this for spring bear, and it was perfect for busting up a hill, then sitting for a glassing session. Kept me dry, which is something my Jetstream made impossible.