Stone Glacier vs Kuiu vs First Lite vs Sitka

[Axlrod]

Your wife knocked it out of the park with the black label SG! They were sold out before I knew they existed.

You will get a lot of different opinions asking about gear. Everyone has different experiences. Take the Kuiu attack pants referenced above. I own a distribution business, and while not as strenuous as hunting, I am very active throughout the day.

My previous pants would last about 4 months after wearing and washing each pair once per week. A couple years ago my favorite work pants became unobtainable. So I bought 5 pairs of Attack pants in solid colors. After 2 years of being worn and washed 100+ times each, they are still in perfect condition. When I bought them I thought they might last a year, but they come with a lifetime guarantee.

 

[RBC]

King's Camo XKG Ridge pants are outstanding. I have three pair in various solid colors. I wear them in early season for Whitetail hunting and everyday wear.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

Jacket or Hoody? Is the jacket comparable to an Arc’teryx Atom for warmth?

Hoody! I have not worn the Atom so can’t comment, but I’m sure others on here can chime in.

 

[wnelson14]

Stretch Alpha L5 Jacket

The Stretch Alpha L5 Jacket is proudly made in the USA. It's one of the most versatile jackets we offer. Delivering 3 technical layers that all support moisture wicking properties.

beyondclothing.com

Has anyone tried on of these seems pretty good for the price, USA made and Berry Compliant

 

[bearclaw]

I am 5'8" and 170 and medium athletic build so likely similar dimensions to you outside of length. KUIU I am mostly a large in tops and a true 32 in pants. The talus pants from KUIU are amazing, I use them exclusively for wet or cool mornings in spring turkey and once it gets a little cooler in the fall. I have hunted down to 17deg in 2nd season last year in CO with only the talus pants and the KUIU 120 zip off bottoms, though that half hour of glassing before the sun hits can be a bit cold, I absolutely love the pants. They are super durable, great pockets, have waterproof material up to the knees and on the butt, and the best part is likely the knee pads. Once you get an animal on the ground, they make the breaking down a pleasure vs. no knee pads, and even being shorter the regular pants have the knees where they should be. Being able to avoid a wet butt when you get setup quick to glass or shoot and not need to take time for a butt pad is a nice thing in serious conditions. Top level kit is not only useful and helps get the job done, but also can be as much a lifesaving purchase as a first aid kit or satellite messenger can...

I do have the SG grumman puffy (got it because I wasn't warm enough up top last season and needed two thinner puffies to get the job done).

Primary late season kit is as follows:
base layer - Kuiu 120 zip off bottoms and 145 zip t hunting shirt
pants - KUIU Talus or the axis hyprid (prefer the talus with the knee pads, but the axis was a gift and are great. I even use the axis as snow pants when I take my kids snowboarding and they are great for that too)
insulation layer - SG Grumman puffy
Outer layer - Axis jacket
Rainwear - Chugach jacket and SG M7 pants
Gloves - Blackovis has a pair of lobster mittens that are absolute awesome. It took me a few tries to get the right gloves but those are durable, lightweight, and warm and if you toss in a few hot hands you can be toasty in 0 deg pretty easily.

Also, don't rule out used gear either. I got my chugach rain jacket and a pair of the talus pants here on rokslide... save some money and get killer gear.

KUIU and SG also have solid customer service. I wanted another waist belt so my kids could use one of my KUIU packs (Since switched to SG) and they didn't sell the belt separately but had just received a return on one and sent it to me for free because it had been used. SG did something similar, but forgot the scenario.

Anyway, welcome to western hunting and the pursuit for a perfect clothing kit. Outside of damaging something the only real reason I would be new hunting gear is boredom and being a gear wh@re... Good luck!

I have a few FL items and honestly have no need to even know their web address any longer, durability and fit was not the same as KUIU and SG. Dang it, now I want to look at more gear...

 

[SpeedymanWCC]

I wonder if muted earth tone solids are just as good as camo, since most of the camo is for human marketing vs wildlife fooling.

 

[Mojave]

I have a lot of stuff from a lot of these guys. I am 5'11 and about 250. Kuiu and Sitka consistantly fits. Never even touched anything from Eberlestock. I have a pair of Stone Glacier pants that don't fit.

I also have a mountain of stuff from other people. Browning, Swazi, Blaser, Beretta, LL Bean, Rascher, Tru-Spec, Condor, 5.11, Harkila and a few others I can't remember.

My biggest problem is with boots. I wear a 14, and hate most of the offerings from everyone.

 

[Blacktail_Brown]

I have a lot of stuff from a lot of these guys. I am 5'11 and about 250. Kuiu and Sitka consistantly fits. Never even touched anything from Eberlestock. I have a pair of Stone Glacier pants that don't fit.

I also have a mountain of stuff from other people. Browning, Swazi, Blaser, Beretta, LL Bean, Rascher, Tru-Spec, Condor, 5.11, Harkila and a few others I can't remember.

My biggest problem is with boots. I wear a 14, and hate most of the offerings from everyone.

I'm curious if you wear the same size in Kuiu that you wear in Sitka? I have been really disappointed in the durability of some of my Sitka and First Lite stuff. I've heard great things about the Kuiu.

 

[ccarr]

Like everyone says. They're all good but you'll like certain peices better depending on what you're doing. Whatever you can get deals on. The kuiu peloton 240 hoodie is one of my favorites for multiple situations.

 

[Mojave]

I'm curious if you wear the same size in Kuiu that you wear in Sitka? I have been really disappointed in the durability of some of my Sitka and First Lite stuff. I've heard great things about the Kuiu.

I don't have the same kinds of things from each company, and I have so much stuff I am constantly trying new things.

This year I have been using a Kuiu soft shell jacket (maybe the guide, don't remember and the Kuiu superdown jacket. Kuiu doesn't have wind proof figured out worth a damn.

I have mostly sikta pants, so I can't tell you how that works. I do have one pair of Kuiu pants, the breathable desert ones. I don't remember what they are called.

 

[junitas03]

Unsure is a thread on here already. I looked and didn't find one. But, I am posting to discuss and get some insight on clothing commonly used in "Backcountry Hunting." For Christmas this year my wife got me a Black Label Stone Glacier Gruman Down Jacket. That being said, its one of the nicest, lightest and best warmth to weight ratio jacket I own. I haven't ever been one to wear camo, unless archery hunting. I like that Stone Glacier sticks to all solid colors as I can wear it around town when not being used in the backcountry. I have looked into KUIU, FirstLite, and Sitka's clothing and it all appears to somewhat similar. KUIU and SG appear the most expensive and I am a firm believer of you get what you pay for.

What I have gathered Kuiu has a few more options for Base and Mid Layers than SG. FirstLite and Sitka also have different options and patterns for Waterfowl and Whitetail Hunting. I could ramble on about this for days, but my main goal is establishing if anyone has anything to share when it comes to longterm durability and experience with one being better than the other. I'm partial to SG at the moment but I am open to everyones opinions.

I will note, I'm 6'0 185lbs, a smaller athletic framed person that tends to prefer a more athletic fit.

The Black Label Grumman is awesome - that's an epic gift.

A few things I found re-building my Western Hunting closet were 1) Pants are the most important (after boots, but this thread isn't about boots) 2) Active Mid-Layer is my most worn item 3) Quality base layers (fit and fabric) matter.

For me, SG takes the cake - from customer service, warranty to ease of shopping / building a system that performs I can't say enough. Sitka and KUIU are great with certain items that I'm okay buying from them (Sitka's Ambient Hoody is the best active layer on the market), but SG's overall experience IMO is top-notch.

The longevity of the garments will depend on how hard you wear them. I destroyed a Sitka Ambient Hoody and an SG Cirque Lite on two separate hunts - pilling, a couple pulls and abrasions. SG replaced my Cirque Lite, sent me a new one as soon as I got back home and emailed them some pictures. Sitka only offers repairs.

Baselayers - I give this category to SG & KUIU. From a fit, fabric and function POV, they are hands down the best. The quality of the KUIU's Nuyarn Merino and SG's Merino6 is excellent (best on the market including Outdoor brands) - they both add Nylon, which improves wearability and longevity. You still have to wash them a bit delicately, and hang-dry, but if you take care of them - they last a long time.

If it helps from a fit POV, I'm 5'10 170 - I prefer the fit of SG across the board minus pants. I've found inconsistent fits with Sitka and KUIU (in between MD & LG), not with SG (where I'm a true MD across the board).

 

[Houseminer]

I would switch to Kuiu from Sitka in a heartbeat, if Kuiu had the same program for disabled veterans that Sitka does.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

The Black Label Grumman is awesome - that's an epic gift.

A few things I found re-building my Western Hunting closet were 1) Pants are the most important (after boots, but this thread isn't about boots) 2) Active Mid-Layer is my most worn item 3) Quality base layers (fit and fabric) matter.

For me, SG takes the cake - from customer service, warranty to ease of shopping / building a system that performs I can't say enough. Sitka and KUIU are great with certain items that I'm okay buying from them (Sitka's Ambient Hoody is the best active layer on the market), but SG's overall experience IMO is top-notch.

The longevity of the garments will depend on how hard you wear them. I destroyed a Sitka Ambient Hoody and an SG Cirque Lite on two separate hunts - pilling, a couple pulls and abrasions. SG replaced my Cirque Lite, sent me a new one as soon as I got back home and emailed them some pictures. Sitka only offers repairs.

Baselayers - I give this category to SG & KUIU. From a fit, fabric and function POV, they are hands down the best. The quality of the KUIU's Nuyarn Merino and SG's Merino6 is excellent (best on the market including Outdoor brands) - they both add Nylon, which improves wearability and longevity. You still have to wash them a bit delicately, and hang-dry, but if you take care of them - they last a long time.

If it helps from a fit POV, I'm 5'10 170 - I prefer the fit of SG across the board minus pants. I've found inconsistent fits with Sitka and KUIU (in between MD & LG), not with SG (where I'm a true MD across the board).

have you used the DH lite pants? If so, whats your feedback versus other brands?

 

[junitas03]

have you used the DH lite pants? If so, whats your feedback versus other brands?

I have tried them on 3 times, but never used in the field.

I want to love them, and I have a few buddy's who do love them. But, they don't fit my body the way I like.

I'm 5'10 170 with a 30 in. waist, so I'm in between SM and MD. The Small inseam is too short. The Medium inseam is better, but then the leg is too wide (below the knee).

That said, I am super picky with my pant-fit. I prefer a tailored leg that still fits over a boot - it's just what I like, especially if I'm going to wear gaiters.

Best pants I've found, hands down (IMO) are the Fjallraven Keb Agile and Keb. I'm true to size in both waist and length 30/32. And, the tailored leg fits perfectly over a Crispi Altitude, Thor and Colorado.

They're an expensive pant, but well worth it - I can't say enough about the fit, fabric and function of the Keb series of bottoms.

I've also given the KUIU Kutana & Attack Pants a shot - but, I'm in-between the 30 and 32. Same issue, but not as bad as SGs.

Re: fabric noise - I've heard people talk about SGs pants being "loud," but I don't see or hear it - I think that's silly product feedback.