Is Sitka worth the price and does it hold up?

I am thinking of picking up the Dakota Hoodie for the upcoming waterfowl season. It looks like it would be nice an warm. Ever since I started on blood thinners, I notice the cold a lot more. In the past I have layered up but am intrigued by the sherpa lining of the hoodie.

It is a pretty fair chunk of change and I never would have considered it when I was younger. But now that I a (c)older, I am willing to pay for comfort.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

No, not for me. Look where its made. Price for what it is off the charts imho.

Take a look at Day One camo to see if he makes something that fits your needs. Small company in the
USA.

There are others.

I have a pair of their Timberline pants. Good product but not built to last. Comfortable though.

Sitka is really good stuff.
Kuiu is my go to though. Their stuff is great, pricey as well but quality and warmth is awesome.

Kuiu is made in China. Maybe that is not an issue for you. If I am spending the kinda of $ they ask for this stuff I am looking for something else other than chicom stuff.

Thanks for the replies. The search continues.

Previous mention of DayOne Camo is right on. And my all around, go to jackets are Rivers West. Ten year warranty. For great deals on Rivers West, check out Cascade Direct. If money is no object, Arc'terx LEAF is top end stuff.

I switched all of my hunting gear over to Sitka a couple-few years back. I have been very happy with it so far. I like the way it moves with me. It doesn't bunch or ride up (particularly speaking of bow hunting here). The range of motion on the draw is great.

So far the weather proofing has not degraded. I also like the cut of it. If you're a bulkier guy, you might not like that, but as a trimmer guy, I feel like some gear is like wearing a burka.

Is it worth the money? I dunno. It's like any premium product, the law of diminishing returns went out the window a while ago at this price level, but if you don't care about the cost, it is a fantastic product.

I got their down winter gear two seasons ago and it's amazingly warm. I can sit in a tree in 15 degree weather for hours and be comfortable.

I have a couple pieces of Kuiu that were gifts over time and I have been very happy with them as well. If all of my gear magically turned into Kuiu overnight, I'd be fine. They are equal imo.

How could it be better than Polartec which is wind proof as well??

Maybe they copied the Polartec design.

There was a time when Sitka was the only technical hunting apparel on the market. It was designed, performed and priced the same as all the technical outdoor brands only with camo and appropriate features. Fast forward a decade and half: the original founder of Sitka sold the brand to Gore (creditor?), and started another brand Kuiu applying what he learned and rebooting his dream of high-end hunting apparel. Other brands have started to catch-on that hunters are looking for better performance from their clothing, and refuse to use house-brand garbage like Redhead or, Killik. FirstLite has been one of the few to rise-up and provide another performance option for hunters; Simms providing the same performance for fisherman.

quote:

Originally posted by Green Highlander:
I am thinking of picking up the Dakota Hoodie for the upcoming waterfowl season. It looks like it would be nice an warm. Ever since I started on blood thinners, I notice the cold a lot more. In the past I have layered up but am intrigued by the sherpa lining of the hoodie.

If you're just looking for a insulating mid-layer, don't limit yourself to just hunt/fish brands. If you're not going to wear it as an outer layer and just need a keep-warm layer, you can wear basic thermal fleece, get a thicker thermal fleece or, better yet, get a synthetic insulated jacket to wear. Lighter, packable, better comfort, not bulky, wind resistant but, retains thermal capacity. Here's one from Columbia. Just remember, good wool sock and warm head gear, you're sitting around for periods, and don't bundle yourself up too snug or, you just won't be able to trap as much warm air needed to keep you comfortable.

quote:

Originally posted by 41:
How could it be better than Polartec which is wind proof as well??

Maybe they copied the Polartec design.

Polartec is USA Made fleece textile brand, they make a variety of fleece & stretch-woven fabrics from basic thermal fleece, performance dual-face, stretch woven soft-shells and lamination technology like NeoShell. Polartec textiles command top dollar as it's USA milled (90% of fleece is milled in Asia) so, most brands will produce maybe 2-3 types garments using Polartec fabrics.

I have a lot of Polartec jackets, etc and given many for Christmas presents.

While Polartec developed thermal fleece, they didn't patent it so others could use it.

Then there was the time the factory burnt down and the owner paid the employees until it was rebuilt.

................................
Polar fleece originated in Massachusetts in 1979 when Malden Mills, (now Polartec LLC), and Patagonia developed Synchilla (synthetic chinchilla).[2] It was a new, light, strong pile fabric meant to mimic—and in some ways surpass—wool.

Company CEO Aaron Feuerstein intentionally declined to patent Polar fleece, allowing the material to be produced cheaply and widely by many vendors, leading to the material's quick and wide acceptance.

Thanks for the continued replies. I was aware of Kuiu previously. My BIL is an avid big game hunter. My main hunting is waterfowl in a marsh and estuary setting. I like the Sitka waterfowl marsh pattern. The other brands mentioned do not seem to offer waterfowl patterns.

The comparison to Simms is interesting. I am also an avid fisherman and have a lot of their gear. It was expensive but well worth the cost.

I appreciate the recommendations for the non-camo options but that won’t work for the intended application. I have non-camo clothing (including Polartec) that is plenty warm. Like others, I a fan of Polartec and especially the guy who owned it, Aaron Fueurstein. I lived in Boston when the fire destroyed the mill. His decision to pay his employees during the rebuild made a huge impression.

^^^^^
I was going to recommend Drake, however as they've grown, they've broadened their market to appeal to more mass market and become less specialty.

Banded is a local Arkansas company that specializes in waterfowl hunting clothing: https://banded.com/shop-banded/?category=52264/Banded

I haven't personally used their stuff, but have some friends who like it.