SKRE Complete Review (+ Giveaway!!!), by Travis Bertrand

[fngTony]

So I got both the ptarmigan and nebo raingear. First impressions are good both ways. Ptarmigan fits really well, relatively quiet for a puffy and the shock cords in the pockets is a nice touch. Nebo fits similar to my chugach but with a hood that fits better for me. Chugach hood always let rain run down my hat and into my face. Also quieter and packs smaller than the kuiu. Only minus I can see is the lack of pit zips.

With your initial impression of the nebo how brush worthy does it seem? Is the sizing accurate, if it and your ptarmigan are of the same size do they layer well?

 

[blackdog of vt]

The sizes seem to layer accordingly. Xl in everything with no problems at all. I would say the brush worthiness isn't any different than my kuiu chugach. I wouldn't smash thorns with it, but in a woods I'm not going to have any worries. A big plus for me is the sleeve length is long enough where water won't run down in my gloves. A problem I had with Kuiu.

 

[realunlucky]

Ok guys I'll start working on an update. I hunted 16 days early archery and got an opportunity to hunt the Wyoming opener last weekend with a couple buddies. Still have a couple Nov hunts coming up and might get a few days in the woods later this month

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[realunlucky]

This is the country I was hunting for archery season and the mountain stealth camo pattern was much to dark for this country this wide open. I hope SKRE lightens or breaks up the pattern more in the near future.

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[realunlucky]

It was hot hit mid 90s most days. Starting out I wore the alpine top and uinta pants.

Alpine top to me just soaked up the sweat but was really slow to dry. It felt really "plastic" against my skin which I found uncomfortable. I typically don't like short sleeves when hunting but it was dang hot out. I wore this top a few times but found I just didn't like it and switched to the wasatch crew top.

Uinta pants - I found these very comfortable and the side zippers and pockets really helped to shed the heat when humping up these steep mountains. They don't seem to have any negative effects from busting the brush up there.

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[realunlucky]

Basin beanie I wore most days waiting in my glassing spot for the sun to come up. It did stretch out some for a better fit but I still always found myself having to tug it down to cover my ears after wearing it for awhile. I wore it in the rain and felt it sheds water well for what it is. This is a good mid season beanie in later season you may need more warmth if not moving.

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[realunlucky]

Deadfall gloves- I found these gloves difficult to pull on and almost impossible when either my hands or the gloves were wet.

They fit my hand very well when finally on and offer great dexterity. I found them warm and shed water better than I thought they would.
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I did find myself reaching for my kuiu guide gloves almost everytime due to my troubles getting the deadfalls on and off my hands

 

[realunlucky]

Wasatch crew top- easily one of my favorite pieces of SKRE. I wore one of these tops most days. The wasatch wicks very well and I've found it to dry out pretty quick. Very soft on the inside and durable when worn as an outer layer shirt.

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[realunlucky]

Mad trapper hoodie- didn't get much use early season because I felt it was to heavy to pack for short periods of time where I needed more insulation.
I did wear it everyday in Wyoming as mid layer over the wasatch and under the hardscrabble. I found it preformed as expected. I do also wear it as a regular sweat shirt around camp/town so there is versatility with it.

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[fngTony]

Wasatch crew top- easily one of my favorite pieces of SKRE. I wore one of these tops most days. The wasatch wicks very well and I've found it to dry out pretty quick. Very soft on the inside and durable when worn as an outer layer shirt.

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Would this be too warm for 65-70 degrees?

 

[realunlucky]

Would this be too warm for 65-70 degrees?

I wore it as a shirt in the 90s(might be little warm for some) it wicks and breaths very well. I would think the mid 60/70s would be perfect for this crew top

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[realunlucky]

Hardscrabble-
Wyoming opening day was rainy, cold, and windy (go figure).
Pants- I decided against thermals due to the long walk. Since it was still raining I opened the hip vents when I donned my rain gear. I feel it really helped me from over heating during my long walk. Next day the rain had stopped but not the cold or wind. I kept everything zipped up tight but with gusts over thirty mph I did notice some breeze got passed the hip zippers. When the winds died down to reasonable double digits the hip zippers seemed to hold it out no problem.

Jacket- I also opened up the pit zips when I had my rain gear on to help keep from sweating on my long hike. I also wore this soft shell in the drizzling rain without any rain gear and it never absorb any water. Pit zipper where in use multiple times everyday. I kept them closed to keep the wind and cold out and opened them up packing animals back to the truck (4 antelope and 1 deer) it was semi difficult to get the zipper fully open with my pack on but I got it done without much drama and the zipper seemed to work better the more I used it. I did find that the torso of the jacket was a touch short and let the wind into my waist line when it was really blowing across the plains

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[realunlucky]

Ptarmigan ultra down jacket. Jacket has rode every mile in pack. Love that it packs down small and is light wieght but is dang warm when you need it. It has been out in the misting rain and the dwr preformed very well.

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[realunlucky]

SKRE patch hat- still my favorite everyday day wear hat this thing is dang comfortable

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[fngTony]

Ptarmigan ultra down jacket. Jacket has rode every mile in pack. Love that it packs down small and is light wieght but is dang warm when you need it. It has been out in the misting rain and the dwr preformed very well.

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Curious what insulation you used prior to this and how it stacks up? From the picture it looks to have more fill than the common sweater type yet doesn’t look a Michelin man jacket either.

 

[realunlucky]

I have used a couple Cabela's puffy coats one with wind shear and one without the Russell lighting puffy has been my early season pack in puffy for the last couple seasons. The SKRE is my only down garment and haven't used it yet in truly cold conditions yet.

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[realunlucky]

Got a project in the mid west and took a day or two to get into the tree stand.

SKRE blends in well with the full foliage still on the trees here

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[realunlucky]

Beggar lice isn't a problem out west but it's a real pain the mid west. Unita pants really seemed to pick them easily due the soft texture. The hardscrabble pants seemed to resist them better thankfully

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[realunlucky]

Used the unita pants and wasatch top in 88 deg temps to wait out this doe

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[realunlucky]

Winds switched to the north and temps dropped to highs in mid 60s and out came the hardscrabble pants and jacket. Sure nice to have pit zips and thigh zips to regulate heat though out the day.

prefect conditions to break ole Bucky out and tickle the horns.

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couple basket rack bucks came to investigate but the big boys must still be holding in the standing corn. Can't wait to get back after them in a couple weeks when all the corn is cut and rut is turning on strong.