why is a windshirt missing from almost all the lineups?

[Kotaman]

The Sitka Flash will have a hood.

 

[mtwarden]

^ that's some good news

 

[R_burg]

Guys, interesting thread. I don't know if I would have a use for it as I don't get super hot so my Gore Tex shell with pit zips is usually fine, but I like the idea behind what you are describing.

Out or curiosity, how is it different than a Kuiu Chinook? Is the problem with the Chinook that is has some insulation in it?

 

[mtwarden]

a windshirt by nature is just a lightweight shell (wind and moisture resistant, but breathable)- can be layered over something as light as a base layer or heavy as a parka

there are garments that combine wind/moisture resistance with different weights of insulation, those usually fall into the general category of softshells

 

[ianpadron]

I'd personally rather roll with an 8oz ultralight rain shell that bucks the wind and is still waterproof. The Flash looks interesting coming in at 5oz but I can't think of a time in the mountains where I thought dang I wish I had a windshirt!

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[FreeRange]

I'd personally rather roll with an 8oz ultralight rain shell that bucks the wind and is still waterproof. The Flash looks interesting coming in at 5oz but I can't think of a time in the mountains where I thought dang I wish I had a windshirt!

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In my experience having converted 4 or 5 buddies to using windshirts the thing I've found is most don't think they need one until they try one, myself included. High output hiking in an ultralight rain shell will get you soaked from the inside out, especially because the ultralight rain shells don't have pit zips.

For me it's allowed me to cut out my fleece insulation layer completely, which weighs more than my windshirt and doesn't pack down nearly as small. If I need insulation it's when I'm stopped and I'll just throw on my puffy which weighs 9oz and is way way warmer than a fleece weighing twice that.

 

[PJG]

Yep this ^^^ is my experience also. I can hike down to zero degrees with only a mid weight fleece base layer and wind shirt . Given when I stop I need a puffy, but a puffy is way warmer than any fleece layer I might carry.

 

[mtwarden]

agreed, the vast majority of folks who give one a try are sold

as I've mentioned previously I use one year round- it is by far the most used piece of clothing I own

 

[ianpadron]

In my experience having converted 4 or 5 buddies to using windshirts the thing I've found is most don't think they need one until they try one, myself included. High output hiking in an ultralight rain shell will get you soaked from the inside out, especially because the ultralight rain shells don't have pit zips.

For me it's allowed me to cut out my fleece insulation layer completely, which weighs more than my windshirt and doesn't pack down nearly as small. If I need insulation it's when I'm stopped and I'll just throw on my puffy which weighs 9oz and is way way warmer than a fleece weighing twice that.

Good looking out my man. I'll probably try one out simply due to your experience with them!

Any idea on if they classify the breathability ratings of windshirts like thry do with the new rain shells?

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[JP100]

Times I have hunted in high wind it's either raining or freezing cold. Rain jacket works fine.
If it's warmer and windy why would you need a shell??

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[mtwarden]

20 degrees and no rain or 40 degrees and no rain, doesn't matter- windshirts breathe; even the best eVENT jackets don't come remotely close- if I'm moving/climbing a rain jacket is going to get me wet with sweat.

I wear my hardshell maybe a dozen times a year (summer through winter), my windshirts are worn dozens upon dozens of times including light precip. They weigh all of 4-8 oz depending on the model, so it's a no brainer for me.

They do rate breathability of windshirts, but it's tough information to find. There is definitely a sweet spot, you want it to breathe, but still effectively block wind. Backpackinglight has several articles where some of their folks independently tested them (and also for hydrostatic head- resistance to precip), some good reading

 

[FreeRange]

Times I have hunted in high wind it's either raining or freezing cold. Rain jacket works fine.
If it's warmer and windy why would you need a shell??

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For you I can only imagine the weather you have to deal with. It's pretty typical out west in the lower 48 to have dry, cold, windy days and if it's going to be wet you know a few days ahead of time that it's on its way.

As mtwarden mentioned I probably use my wind shell 3-4 times as much as my hard shell. Hunting 20+ days this fall I only had to wear my hard shell two days to deal with rain. I wore my wind shell almost every day because the wind always blows. I do throw my rain shell over my wind shell when it's crazy windy and I'm stopped because no doubt about it a rain shell cuts wind better than a wind shell. The biggest point here is a wind shell weighs almost nothing and adds a lot of warmth.

 

[LBFowler]

When I lived in western Oregon I lived in a hardshell year round. I vented as needed and modulated my output accordingly, I very rarely got "soaked" from the inside. I didn't particularly see the point of a windshell as it would probably be taken in addition to a hardshell not instead of one.

When I moved to western Colorado I put my hardshells in a duffle and haven't really touched them in two years. Im more likely to meet precip as snow then rain, and wind is very common. My windshell of choice isn't even particularly breathable by most standards but I like the low cost, durability, weight and packsize. It dries faster then many hardshells and I don't worry about wearing out the DWR or membrane like a pricy hardshell.

 

[JP100]

For you I can only imagine the weather you have to deal with. It's pretty typical out west in the lower 48 to have dry, cold, windy days and if it's going to be wet you know a few days ahead of time that it's on its way.

As mtwarden mentioned I probably use my wind shell 3-4 times as much as my hard shell. Hunting 20+ days this fall I only had to wear my hard shell two days to deal with rain. I wore my wind shell almost every day because the wind always blows. I do throw my rain shell over my wind shell when it's crazy windy and I'm stopped because no doubt about it a rain shell cuts wind better than a wind shell. The biggest point here is a wind shell weighs almost nothing and adds a lot of warmth.

Yea I don't encounter those conditions often haha. I don't even know if I've been on a trip where I don't get wet haha.
We don't get cold and dry here.
Sitka looks they may be making something like a "wind shirt"??
Last clients I had were wearing a sitka mountain jacket maybe. Certainly light and I was pretty impressed by it. Good in light rain etc. Dried fast and warm for what it was

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[zeroforhire]

The best windshirt in my option is the arcteryx Squamish hoody. The bd alpine start is pretty good as well. If you want multicam look up the arcteryx wraith.


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[mtwarden]

Squamish usually gets pretty high marks; ditto the Alpine Start- I have an Alpine Start- it breathes about the same as my older Houdini (the newer ones evidently don't breathe as well), but it's a sturdier denier (and obviously heavier) and is more water resistant; the same can be said for my "army" Houdini as well

 

[dingle]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but what's the latest on straight up windshirts these days? Anything from the camo crowd?

 

[AttackMode]

Thlete makes a windshirt but no hood or camo. It's made from Polartec WindPro.

 

[mtwarden]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but what's the latest on straight up windshirts these days? Anything from the camo crowd?

I had a pretty long chat with both Sitka and SitkaArrowhead (military branch); don't know if I convinced anyone, but tried to make the case it was a glaring missing piece. Sitka is tied to Gore and I don't know of anything in Gore's lineup that breathes well, but still blocks wind. Their Windstopper stops wind great (and light precip), but doesn't breathe well at all, ie their discontinued Flash

WildThings (military) makes a windshirt in multicam, but lacks a hood.

Black Diamond still makes the Alpine Start (colors vary by season) that's a solid windshirt- more durable than the uber light ones and a softer hand in the fabric (made by Schoeller). Occasionally seeing Patagonia's military windshirt, but getting less common these days.

 

[jd1006]

Anybody tested the Vapor SD from Sitka as a wind shirt? It’s marketed as being the most breathable, waterproof jacket. That would imply wind breaking. It packs down to almost nothing.