hunting jacket

If the upper 30's are as cold as it will get you don't need anything really fancy. I borrow a lot of techniques and equipment from my backpacking experiences for hunting. I prefer to wear several lighter layers instead of 1 heavier garment.

If in the mid-30's I'd walk into my hunting area wearing only a long sleeve wool or synthetic T-shirt. After getting there I'd pull 1-2 layers of fleece shirts out of my day pack along with a windproof shell if windy and probably be warm enough. Fleece is very quiet.

For colder temps I really like any of the jackets or vests with Primaloft insulation. It is a synthetic substitute for goose down. It doesn't pack quite as small, nor is it quite as warm. But is close, and is a lot cheaper and unlike down works when wet. I'm betting the Sitka and Kuiu gear are using primaloft. It is good stuff, but Cabela's sells several items using the same insulation a bit cheaper. As would places such as LL Bean or REI. If you want to spend less I'd look at those places.

Not the right time of year, but most of my hunting gear actually comes from hiking/backpacking stores. Anything in camo seems to sell at a premium and I have some high end gear made in green, brown, black or gray that was a lot cheaper. Especially if you buy in the summer. There are 2-3 stores locally that reduce their winter gear every June to 50% off, anything left goes to 70% off in July. I have several items made by Mountain Hardware, Marmont, North Face, etc. that were bought at Walmart prices. I paid $35 this past June for a North Face, Gore-Tex rain jacket that originally sold for just under $200. It was a discontinued color, green digital camo, which looks a lot like the Sitka camo pattern.

For such mild temps I would recommend this Ranger Hoodie from triple aught design. Free range of motion, lightweight and easy to pack when the temps start to rise. For high 30s, this with a good base layer will be all you need and cheaper than the Sitka.

http://store.tripleaughtdesign.com/Ranger-Hoodie-LT

Layering with any cheap layers will do you.
Cotton t-shirt under.
Flannel shirt over it.
Sweater.
And a cotton fleece hoody over that.

Only thing fancy needed would be an outer breathable rain suit if weather demands it.

You can take off as many layers as needed & tie them to the pack to stay comfortable & cool while packing out meat.

Then layer back up again when you get there.

No single coat can be warm enough standing still, and cool enough while working hard.

Rc

BP hunter, Which part of WA are you located? Im in the Wahkiakum county area, So its a jungle out here... haha If your anywhere near my location i can show you some of the best water resistant gear i have found. And trust me there is NO such thing as waterproof gear of any sorts In WA weather... Either youll soak it thru sweat or soak it via upwards, sidewards every direction relentless rain. Its hard to see in the picture but thats a browning jacket thats lightweight and Very water Resiliant.... That was last weeks deer and it was a 4.9 mile pack out, My jacket didnt leak until about mile 2 of the deer riding on my shoulders.

I'm a big fan of the Arktis waterproof smock. I've used mine in all sorts of weather, both for more active hunting and sitting in a blind. It's a great bit of kit!

http://arktisusa.com/Arktis_North_America/Windproof_&_Waterproof_Smocks.html

5 miles isnt too bad, hardest part is pushing past wanting to sit down and take a break haha. Benton county so your in the dry part of the state, But here is the jacket i use. http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/clothing/detail.asp?fid=055A&cid=303&tid=302

I'm a fan of wool base and mid layers. As gunnerboy said, you're gonna get wet either from sweating or from precip. Wool can still keep you warm when wet.

I have a bunch of stuff from firstlite that work pretty good. I can't speak for other brands like sitka.

Layers Layer Layers...I too borrow from my backpacking and snow boarding gear when hunting....especially when it gets real cold...I have some Hot Chilies base layer that came from snow boarding. I will say this this though. I still use dedicated hunting gear over my back packing outer layers. Mainly the durability of hunting gear is a little stronger. I tend to sit and lay on sharp rocky land. And while my down jacket may be warmer and lighter, I wouldn't want to tear it laying on the ground or pushing through sticky brush. Another problem with too much stuff is your flexibility...I wouldn't be able to shoot a bow very well with my cold weather gear. But I tend to go to rifles by the time it gets that cold. I tend to stay away from cotton too for the most part. But if I am not expecting to have to walk or get wet, then sure cotton is fine.

I basically have a light weight outer layer and a heavy weight outer layer. The rest is base layers and mid layers that can come from anywhere. It is nice to have these in camo for when you start shedding layers, but if not, then shed the inner layers first....no biggie.

I also go for bibs over pants....mainly to keep the crud out of my lower back. You can also use the front flap to hold your binoculars. But I will admit to having a hard time finding a good lightweight bib. You do however have to accept the hill billy aspect of the bib.

As for the original OP. I think that jacket would be a nice piece of gear...but expensive for sure. I too have a hard time finding good light weight outer gear that is durable and maybe have some scent control abilities. Anything that falls into those categories tend to push the price way up and out of what I consider sensible value. But if money is not the issue...then you will be pleased.

I think the UnderArmor stuff is worth the $$. It lasts forever. That's what I use.

In a hunting jacket it's sometimes as important to let the heat out as to keep it in. Look for adjustable cuffs that allow the sleeves to be wide open as needed. Look at a military M65 coat for an example.

Take a look at the military layer system, it can be found at reasonable surplus prices.
I'd also look at wool and at least some type of breathable waterproof cover.
Silk, Fleece, wool, gore tex make up good outerwear depending on the season but cotton will kill you in the back country 12 months out of the year.

I'd suggest a plaid wool shirt layered over a t-shirt of some sort. I prefer vintage Pendleton shirts but there are plenty out there. On top of that have a windproof and water resistant nylon shell in an earthy color, which can be purchased pretty much anywhere.

Don't know where the price is coming from on the Sitka Jetstream jacket. Cabelas has it listed as windstopper goretex which used to mean the seams are not taped. No mention about insulation, so I assume you are buying a goretex shell that will definitely leak. Plus it's imported from China. What's that worth ?

The reviews are rave and the camo pattern is pretty. Is this someting you are comfortable ripping a hole in on the first snag and getting blood on? Or is this
jacket more something you'd wear to a Seattle coffee shop to impress friends ?

We like wool midlayers as well. So do mice, voles, and chipmunks in a tent camp (they even like softshell fleece). It's something to consider. OYE

Wicking base layer, fleece jacket, frog tog rain coat will cover a wide range of conditions, is lightweight, and cheap. I also wear a lot of wool, but the base layer is important, and avoid cotton!

Robert said:

Kuiu makes better gear than Sitka IMO. My go to jacket for almost everything is my Mountain Hardware tech fleece. It is wind proof and roomy enough to wear a sweater underneath if needed. I wear it as a stand alone or as an outer layer of dry days. If it gets wet I put my KUIU (cooyou) rain jacket.

Click to expand...

I agree with this^^^ Look at Kuiu. The founder of Sitka is the founder of Kuiu after he sold Sitka. I love Sitka's patterns and designs, but I feel they are vastly overpriced and are "Gucci-cam".

I also would recommend looking at Columbia/Mountain Hardwear. I have 2 Columbia outlet stores within an hour of me so 90% of my outdoor gear is Columbia at less than 25% of MSRP. Even their outlet stuff is excellent quality.

Underarmour is another great brand to look into. All my underarmour products have lasted me years of abuse and those are my training clothes so they do get a beating.

Good luck. Heed the advice on layers. Let us know what you get!

I have a 20 dollar fleace jacket I wear in all kinds of cold whether it should be warm enough if your walking a lot if not put a long john top under it btw the brand it mossy oak you can find them at wal mart happy hunting

I guess in Washington state you are required to wear hunter orange ( with the exception of a archery or muzzleloader only unit). So I guess one must consider that. It makes the camo pattern of the jacket pretty much moot really.
For sure a light weight performance jacket intended for sheep hunting guides whether a mid layer 200.00 jacket or a goretex shell (or similar) outer layer, will last the user much longer (two to three times as long) if one takes care to hand wash them and avoid the machine and dryer. And they will keep you dry when the time comes when you really do need to stay dry. OYE

I did something very similar in Montana last week. I had to pack about 100 lbs of venison out on my back.

Layering is the name of the game. Synthetics and wool are your friends. I used an Underarmor cold gear base layer with a FirstLite Merino Wool hoodie over that.

That was my normal setup while hiking. If i got too warm I'd pull the wool layer off. Even when the weather was in the low 30's and upper 20's those two base layers were enough WHILE MOVING.

After I tagged out I went back to the truck and left my jacket, gloves, and all other gear to stay light for the pack-out. Big mistake. Once I got back to the kill site a freezing rain began falling on us...I was shaking to the core. I froze until I got the meat on my back and started hiking again.

I keep a heavier jacket and insulated pants in my pack for when I stop. If I'm going to sit on a ridge and watch for a while then I put the heavy gear on to keep the heat I built up on the hike. When I start moving again I stuff the heavy things in the pack.

Layer, layer, layer. Synthetics and wool retain heat even when wet...cotton does not. If you rely on cotton to keep you warm you'd better not get it wet.