The Real KUIU

[SUMMIT75]

Well it's no mystery the constant debate when people inquire on here or other forums about which clothing company to go with. Usually that companies platform gets added into the mix.

Kuiu has had a very bittersweet following on many forums, sweet for how much people love their products and bitter for a lot of conjectures and speculation in concern of their stance on conservation and being a company who looks out for the average joe hunter.

Well I got very tired of the bad wrap that Kuiu was taking and decided to simply ask Jason for the truth. I asked him how involved they were in conservation, what groups they support as well as some good points that help others understand how much they care for all hunters regardless of budget or background. Well not only did he respond incredibly quick, the response was very elaborate and enlightening.

Below is Jason's email back to me. Needless to say I'm a solid customer of Kuiu from now on.


--------------------------------------------


Hi Tanner,

Thank you for reaching out. I appreciate your concerns regarding claims made about KUIU and your willingness to ask me for the truth versus internet speculation.

I created the KUIU direct to consumer business model to eliminate the 100% retail mark up so more hunters could afford my products. I built this company so the “average joe” as you call it, could afford to buy the best technical product line ever created. There is no other retail apparel or gear company in this market who does not charge their customers retail mark up except KUIU. If I was just catering to the “Elite” rich sheep hunter I would have been much better off taking my product to retail and charging the top of market retail prices that only these elite sheep hunters could afford. Instead I took the risk to build a company differently so that more people could afford to buy KUIU products, not just the elite as some suggest.

Northern Sheep hunts set the bar for the performance level for KUIU products. If our gear performs under these conditions it will certainly perform in any other mountain hunt. This does not mean KUIU is an elitist brand or we only cater to sheep hunters. I sheep hunt every year so I can personally evaluate and test our gear. It is the best way for me to continue to evolve and improve our materials, technologies and product lines. How else can I confidently tell my customers my gear performs in these conditions if I have never been on a sheep hunt? I do not believe in outsourcing credibility through “athletes” or “pro-staff” or solely relying on others for input on my products. I believe it is very important to put my boots on the ground each year in the harsh conditions only a northern sheep hunt can deliver.

In regards, to conservation. I believe strongly in conservation, KUIU spends hundred of thousands of dollars each year supporting organizations such as the of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wild Sheep Foundation, SCI, Mule Deer Foundation, CA FNAWS, DU, CWF, CA Mule Deer Foundation and many other local and regional organizations across the country. We always have and always will. I believe it is critical to be actively involved to support the future of hunting and if is very important personally to me.

I hope this gives you some insight to KUIU and the questions that have been raised on social media. Please feel free to post any and all of this email. If you or others have any other questions please let me know.

Thank you for your support, loyalty and business.

Warmest regards,

Jason




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[dotman]

Too bad you didn't ask him about why he is such a fan of SFW and Don P. That is what I would of liked to hear him talk about.

 

[SUMMIT75]

On a side note.I actually own virtually every piece from First Lite and will always be a strong customer of First lite but I also love Kuiu and will be adding a bunch more from their line,incredible products and quality. I love that FL really set the bar high for contributions to conservation and they are very vocal about it but very glad to finally clear up the rumors on Kuiu. They are just as involved and love how much Jason made this company for all hunters a like.


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[gelton]

Too bad you didn't ask him about why he is such a fan of SFW and Don P. That is what I would of liked to hear him talk about.

Or ask him about why they didn't recall the first version of their tents even when they knew they had failures. No recall, no statement, just released a different version the next year. This is about the time they shut down their forum too. I have their gaitors and a guide vest but I can live with a failure of both of those, a shelter, not so much.

 

[dotman]

On a side note.I actually own virtually every piece from First Lite and will always be a strong customer of First lite but I also love Kuiu and will be adding a bunch more from their line,incredible products and quality. I love that FL really set the bar high for contributions to conservation and they are very vocal about it but very glad to finally clear up the rumors on Kuiu. They are just as involved and love how much Jason made this company for all hunters a like.


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Guess I missed all the rumors but I don't see what your email answered that any hunting company wouldn't say. Did you ask him why he personally defended SFW and Don P? Then did you ask him why he removed his praise of SFW and Don P? Too bad people copied what he said and posted it on various forums like bowsite. So that isn't a rumor that is a fact if you want to research it, just something worth asking him.

Maybe send him a follow up email asking, bet he doesn't reply as quick.

I as well own gear/clothing from Kuiu, FL, Kryptek and Sitka. They all are great but I respect a few more then others as far as their true views and actions.

 

[SUMMIT75]

I'll ask, it can't hurt to ask. I'm very impressed though how quick he responded and helping to paint a much better picture. No one nor their company is perfect but happy to support a company like Kuiu. Between FL and Kuiu I'm a happy hunter.



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[elkyinzer]

Here it goes again.

This "debate" is simultaneously amusing and disgusting, but here is what I know:

I would just like to point out the very real possibility that the email was a canned response and some office admin person pushed the send button.

Saying the right thing in a carefully crafted email message, and having a history of doing the right thing are two entirely different scenarios, so this doesn't prove or refute anything.

Dude's got an ego (or marketing strategy?) the size of Alaska, but last I checked that's not a crime.

A lot of annoying posers rock that brand, but this company is far from alone in that regard, in the hunting world or anywhere really.

They make some pretty good stuff.

They've taken risks some companies wouldn't, and made some real pieces of shit. A risk of doing business with an innovator, maybe?

I have confidence that I could kill just about anything out there wearing FL, Kuiu, Wranglers, or effing animal skins if I had to. Who cares what another grown-ass man wants to wear. There are real problems out there and people waste time worrying about this grade school bullshit.

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

Interweb drama is serious business...

 

[realunlucky]

Thanks for being the fluffer. Now hopefully you both feel good all day.

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[SUMMIT75]

I understand that in a day and age of anything and everything gets under our skin, we can't please everyone nor can Kuiu. The point of this post was to finally shed some light directly from the owner of this company to put to rest for the most part just empty conjectures.

The reason why I find this debate so troubling is because we DO in fact make a lot of our purchasing decisions based off of many factors, for some the companies platform doesn't mean much, to others it does. But I can understand as a Coach/Tech that is relaunching a tuning website in October and buying the ownership of a existing archery product, it would trouble me to have people paint me to be a bad guy for rumors that are mostly just that...rumors.

With that being said Jason quickly noticed my post and I didn't even have to ask him to respond,says a lot about a guy to take out of his time to clear the air with us all as hunters and customers without being asked to.

At the end of the day, buy what you want, shoot what you want and support who you want, but may we not forget regardless of the product, these are people who have done what we have dreamed of doing, to own our own brand/company. As well as people making a living from these products, and it troubles me to see a question or a post just about every week over Kuiu,First Lite or even Sitka and someone always chimes in with very subjective rumors.
All in all, Kuiu is a awesome brand, I trust the build and quality and what they and Jason stand for...period.

Here is a response directly from him over the question over SFW and Don P.

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Hi Tanner,

My google alerts took me to your post on RS. I guess these guys are trying to find anything they can against me.

In regards to Don Peay and SFW, these same questions/concerns were on a thread on Bowsite several months ago. A customer emailed me about the Bowsite thread and I responded to him as well, addressing this concern. I do not financially support SFW or Don Peay in any additional way other than as a vendor at the Western Hunting Expo just like the other vendors at the convention. I appreciated that these issues with Don & SFW were brought to my attention as I do not live in Utah and were unaware of such controversy. I have done a bit of digging to better understand why there is so much controversy. It was very helpful and appreciated.

You may post this response as well. Let me know if any other questions or concerns may arise. Thank you for your help.

Best regards,

Jason


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[gelton]

Jason seems to be coming around and I appreciate you posting those responses here. As others have said they make great clothing. I choose to buy my shelters and packs from other companies. I buy Kuiu when I think they have outdone the others in certain categories (gaitors, vest, and probably attack pants and probably Chugach rain gear, but I dont have those yet). I will be wearing vias, highlander, optifade and fusion this year so I am sure to confuse the animals.

 

[sneaky]

I understand that in a day and age of anything and everything gets under our skin, we can't please everyone nor can Kuiu. The point of this post was to finally shed some light directly from the owner of this company to put to rest for the most part just empty conjectures.

The reason why I find this debate so troubling is because we DO in fact make a lot of our purchasing decisions based off of many factors, for some the companies platform doesn't mean much, to others it does. But I can understand as a Coach/Tech that is relaunching a tuning website in October and buying the ownership of a existing archery product, it would trouble me to have people paint me to be a bad guy for rumors that are mostly just that...rumors.

With that being said Jason quickly noticed my post and I didn't even have to ask him to respond,says a lot about a guy to take out of his time to clear the air with us all as hunters and customers without being asked to.

At the end of the day, buy what you want, shoot what you want and support who you want, but may we not forget regardless of the product, these are people who have done what we have dreamed of doing, to own our own brand/company. As well as people making a living from these products, and it troubles me to see a question or a post just about every week over Kuiu,First Lite or even Sitka and someone always chimes in with very subjective rumors.
All in all, Kuiu is a awesome brand, I trust the build and quality and what they and Jason stand for...period.

Here is a response directly from him over the question over SFW and Don P.

---------------------------------

Hi Tanner,

My google alerts took me to your post on RS. I guess these guys are trying to find anything they can against me.

In regards to Don Peay and SFW, these same questions/concerns were on a thread on Bowsite several months ago. A customer emailed me about the Bowsite thread and I responded to him as well, addressing this concern. I do not financially support SFW or Don Peay in any additional way other than as a vendor at the Western Hunting Expo just like the other vendors at the convention. I appreciated that these issues with Don & SFW were brought to my attention as I do not live in Utah and were unaware of such controversy. I have done a bit of digging to better understand why there is so much controversy. It was very helpful and appreciated.

You may post this response as well. Let me know if any other questions or concerns may arise. Thank you for your help.

Best regards,

Jason


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He's full of crap, and I'll tell him that to his face. A lot of dealers, both small and large, took a chance on him when he came out with Sitka, they invested in his idea...and he turned his back on them with his me me me approach. Ask him how many times he has hunted with, or on, Don Peay's concession up north. He can blow smoke up your skirt if he wants, but where there's smoke, there's fire. His association with Don Peay and SFW goes deeper than renting booth space at the Expo. If you like his gear, fine, wear it proud. Along with all of the d-bags that I, as well as others, have ran into in the backcountry or the store, wearing his gear. You're right, it isn't limited to KUIU per se, but there's a greater percentage it seems associated with that brand than any other. He's putting lipstick on a pig.

 

[realunlucky]

Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus! Glad you got the answers you had hoped for. Are you guys facebook friends now?

 

[Ryan Avery]

I locked this thread because it's becoming pointless and ugly.

Jason, since you are watching on Google alerts: I want to offer you the opportunity to defend yourself and your products in a fair and honest way. How about instead of having to lock or delete threads about Kuiu every couple of months, I will set up a thread with a date and time for you to answer questions. Real questions, real answers, no BS. Just a fair and honest conversation. We(Robby and I) will moderate and keep the questions on point and civil. Once done; I will lock the thread and post it up as a sticky. This would clear up most of the 'lost in translation' part. I eagerly wait for your reply. [email protected]