SIXSITE gear

[thinhorn_AK]

Has anybody here put any of this stuff through some hard use?Thoughts? opinions?

Im thinking of trying some it out even though I dont really need anything new.

 

[ccarter]

Hi there Newmexican. Kind of crazy that I happened to check the forums right now, because I just got back from the SixSite storefront in Dallas a couple hours ago. I picked up a pair of their Clear Creek pants, and had an opportunity to look at a bunch of their other stuff too.

Best I can tell, it's top-notch stuff. The pants I got have several pockets placed in useful spots, and the fabric flexes, which is nice when you're climbing. I was talking with the owner and founder, and he was telling me that they shed those little burrs that stick to everything in the mountains really well, too.

He also showed me the rain gear, which isn't listed on the site yet, and it is awesome. Pit zips, pockets at the right angle, and it has this neck seal thing that keeps rain from dripping down your neck if you don't want to wear the hood- which makes it hard to hear sometimes.

Anyway, if you're thinking of trying it just because, my guess is that you won't be disappointed. Something to think about- if you normally wear a 32 in pants, get a 34. For the tops, get the size you normally would get. good luck. hopefully you find this helpful.

 

[Jamo]

Hey Newmexican,
I was a faithful First Lite guy but wanted a softshell system which they did not offer at the time. Was not impressed with the Corrugate guides for my specific uses. So, I checked out Sixsite and their no questions asked LIFETIME WARRANTY and thought what heck why not.
I've got the Clear Creek pants, Gunnison softshell jacket and pants, Smith River Hoody, San Juan Insulated jacket and Cimmaron top and bottom. I've been using it since last October for whitetail hunting and the weekend scouting/trapping trips to the woods and am very happy with the stuff.

The Gunnison softshell system sheds water fairly good, blocks wind yet breathes well, is quiet, durable. and is very comfortable and moves with you. I do a lot of walking in brushy area's here in Minnesota and it seems to be holding up very well. Wish it had a removable hood but other than that I've been super impressed with it. Love the pit zips in the jacket. All the zippers are easy to operate and seem very robust. Good stuff. Just go up one size on the pants for sure. Especially if you'll be layering under them. The coat I have a medium which I run in FL is definitely smaller when compared to FL but fits me a bit better. I layer a medium San Jaun jacket under it and its like it was tailor made. Fit's a lot like some of the Sitka stuff.

The Clear creek pants are my new favorite for warmer temps, only wore them the month of October which we seen 82 degrees for the highest but they are super comfy. Prana Stretch Zion's were my last favorite but these are quieter and just as durable i'd say. Actually, with the FL Corrugates and the Zions when i do a lot of walking thru the brush the outer surface got all fuzzy or brushed and they would soak up water like a sponge. The Sixsite stuff doesn't seem to do that. It does not get snagged very easy on anything either. Simple, lightweight, durable and comfortable as well. Again, probably want to go up a size if you ever want to layer under them.

The Smith River hoody actually surprised me. Wasn't so sure about it but it is actually quite a piece. Can tell a lot of thought went into it by someone who pays attention to the details. It's a lighter weight that breathes well that seems to be able to be used in a range of temps with layering. The hood is what surprised me most. It's over-sized cut had me wondering. I hunt with a recurve and was always having to turn my hat backwards because my brim would hit the string otherwise obviously but this hood is big enough that it can actually be used as a sort of sun visor and it does not interfere with the string whatsoever. The other thing i like about the hood is that it is a double layer and actually cuts the wind and makes a noticeable difference for staying warm. There's always a cold northwest wind here in the fall and I gotta have a hood. I wish the Gunnison had a removeable hood but this one actually does the job quite nicely. I do have two small negatives with the hoody though. First, it does get a bit stinky after a coupled days of hard hiking and sweating. And secondly, I wish the thumbholes were rotated just a bit more towards your pointer finger as it does sort of seem to bind up a bit more than i like when you rotate your wrists towards the outside of your body. As far as sizing goes this piece seems to be right on. No need to order up a size.

Cimmaron base layers have been great. Seem like a good weight to be very versatile. Light yet provides ample warmth. Just got done with a run in 28F temps with a slight breeze and they were perfect. I have wore this top more than any other shirt i own this winter. I think I'm on about day 8 on the bottoms and the stink has not yet got to me so...lol! The sizing on these seems right on as well. No need to order up a size.

Last but not least, the San Juan jacket. This thing is crazy warm for it's weight and pack size. I had some Kuiu super down as well but there really wasn't much there. I also have the FL puffy which I love. However this thing stops the wind and flat out keeps the heat in! I think it is tailored to fit under the softshell and it works perfect. I have a medium softshell and medium San Juan. If i was going to use this jacket for everyday use I'd definitely go one size up. Which I have been so impressed with my Rana Brown one that I may just order up a woodsmoke one for everyday use. Just wish it had a hood. I should add that it is a bit noisy for close encounter stuff. Under the softshell it isn't to bad but still more than i like for whitetails here.

I have all my stuff in Rana Brown and have had numerous close encounters with whitetail and feel the camo works very well. Especially in low light as it is light enough that it doesn't seem to turn into a big blob.

Can't wait to see what they come with next as all my stuff so far has exceeded my expectations. Rumor has it they are coming with some new insulation pieces! And with the no questions asked lifetime warranty it's great deal. Ok sorry that got a little lengthy!

 

[Michiganhunter]

THe owner posts here every so often.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Thanks for the replies, I guess my interest in six site sort of passed when I couldn’t find any reviews from users several months back when I was looking to buy clothes.

 

[AK Shane]

I'd never heard of Sixsite but they had a booth at the local sports show. Being in Alaska I'm always interested in good rain gear so I had to take a look. Build quality and design seemed very good. I'm 5'8" 170 lbs and typically run medium. The medium rain jacket was good for arm and torso length but was snug in the arm pits. The overall chest fit was good but so I'm not sure if the sleeve diameter was too small at the arm pit or if it was just the pit zips that snugged things in. The size large jacket was just plain to big.

In pants I usually run medium but had to jump up to a large to get a good fit. The diameter of the bottom cuffs seemed to small to sit very far down over the top of your boots. On the website you'll notice that in all the pictures of the rain pants they have the bottom 2"-3" of the pant unzipped to get them to sit further down on the boot.

I tried on the a couple of the shirt in medium, the Smith River Hoodie and the Coronado. Both were a touch small in the arms but not bad. Switching to a large made them both pretty long in the torso. The gist, you may think of sizing up if your kind of in the middle of sizes.

All items looked like decent quality. I love that they are American Made. I think if they make a couple of tweaks to the fit in the rain gear it would be they would have a real winner. Looking forward to see how they progress over the next year or two. The rep I spoke with said they have been producing gear for three years now so I'm sure they are still constantly refining their products.