Kuiu Gear and prohibitive customs duties and charges....

[BgBlkDg]

Kuiu stuff is pretty good quality and it is well tested. It can make a day very comfortable. The easy argument for buying Kuiu or Hunting specific clothing is that it is designed for Hunting. Therefore, a person who doesn't have the time to do a lot of research on mountain gear can simply buy Kuiu and it will do the trick in almost any/every scenario. Also, it is priced very reasonably, for the American consumer or the Canadians who can dodge duty/taxes either through luck or by living close to the border and lying to the border agent. As far as looking at photos of old hunters who killed animals, that is really irrelevant. Just because you can kill game in regular clothing doesn't mean it is always the best option. I bet there are a lot of old hunters who would love to have been wearing quick drying or wicking clothing, but it simply didn't exist. I have a couple pieces of Kuiu gear and I like it. But I'm not a Camo fan. I prefer solid colours.

Much of the gear we had in the 50s, 50s and much of the 70s was FAR SUPERIOR to a lot of the hyped stuff some find necessary today. I have worn wicking gear since I started hunting and working in the mountains, our merino was much better than most now available ( and I actually own and use this as I have for 50+ years) and the mountain boots were FAR, FAR beyond most one can buy now.

Pictures? Well, sonny, I was there, the guys I learned from in the Kootenays started before 1900 in some cases and I will take a good Ventile parka, in most cold conditions over ANY of the current ones, which, again, I have used since G/T became available in 1977-Early Winters, out of Seattle.

Sooooo, I think it is mostly marketing and the "herd instinct" which is promoted by certain sites and "kewl" hunters......YMMV, of course.

[bighornbob]

Much of the gear we had in the 50s, 50s and much of the 70s was FAR SUPERIOR to a lot of the hyped stuff some find necessary today. I have worn wicking gear since I started hunting and working in the mountains, our merino was much better than most now available ( and I actually own and use this as I have for 50+ years) and the mountain boots were FAR, FAR beyond most one can buy now.

Pictures? Well, sonny, I was there, the guys I learned from in the Kootenays started before 1900 in some cases and I will take a good Ventile parka, in most cold conditions over ANY of the current ones, which, again, I have used since G/T became available in 1977-Early Winters, out of Seattle.

Sooooo, I think it is mostly marketing and the "herd instinct" which is promoted by certain sites and "kewl" hunters......YMMV, of course.

yah but the same thing could be said about just using an old wooden stocked 30-06 for all the hunting in BC one would. How many rifles have you bought over your lifetime? And didn't you just buy a kimber mountain ascent rifle (I'm sure in a caliber you already own). The same could be said about that rifle being a marketing ploy and you ended up following the "herd"

Bhb

[BgBlkDg]

Many things can be "said", as so many of the posts here sadly demonstrate, however, such comments seldom have any factual basis.....

My comments were specifically concerning the Kuiu issues and the propensity for many to become "conned" into spending $$$$$ on gear that is not a real improvement over more commonplace and less costly "kewl" items, as my examples demonstrated. I do not care if someone wants to buy, wear or even "market" Kuiu, or some other apparently problem-plagued brand, go for it, knock yourself out.

The rifle issue is not really relevant as there has been a definite improvement in "mountain rifles" since I bought my first in 1964. While a wooden stocked .30-06 certainly will work, there have been more functional models available since I put together my first Brown-stocked .280Rem. in 1985. I found my then wooden stocked .280Rem. on a VZ-24 with a lovely handle from the Biesen shop in Spokane, was far less stable in wet conditions than the Brown stocked P-64-70 was and that made a big difference.

The Kimber MA I bought over a year ago, is lighter than any custom I have/had on a std. length action by at least 10-12 ozs. and while I did NOT ever have a .280AI, I find it the best overall round, now Nosler, has standardized it, for a really light rifle. I get 3000 fps-mv from a 160 NP with good groups and that is pushing 175 fps more than any of my standard .280s have ever given, a slight advantage, IMO.

There is NO factory rifle in a std. cartridge, that is as light and also CRF as the KMA and I have had enough highend and full custom pieces over 50+ years to know. I agree, the MA stock IS "marketing", but, the overall rifle is simply outstanding and worth the comparatively moderate cost.

My last two customs, both largely by Mitch Kendall, were a slightly lighter 7-08 he built as his own personal sheep shooter and it is about 4 ozs less overall than the KMA. It also cost quite a bit more and is not CRF, which I much prefer.

The next, is built on a HVA action, Krieger tube, Bansner, Wisner, the works.....it is light, shoots better than I now can and is a std. 280, BUT, while a super piece, it is STILL heavier then the KMA. I did not spend a lot on it as I have been at this for a long time and know where and how to find/buy the pieces for custom guns at good prices, but, it was not "cheap".

So, I did not follow any "herd" and would have much preferred that the KMA stock be just as the regular Montana one is, however, I bought for practical reasons and took what they offered as I am an old pensioner and did/do not have megabux for gear. That stock is certainly "marketing" which is, rather sadly, a large aspect of the current hunting gear scene.

There ARE some real improvements in gear now, especially in light and U/L rifles, good for we geezers, in backpacks most definitely and in some tent fabrics and sleeping pads. I also find that Neoshell, especially from top makers such as Westcomb, absolutely rocks in shitty weather.

However, much of what we had when I started was as good and OFTEN superior to a lot of the hyped "kewl" gear we see now, for example, have you ever seen/worn Galibier boots, Kastingers or the original Raichles, ValDor Eiger Darbelles and/or FGL serious mountain boots? NO pos GT boots made now come even close in fit, longevity or real performance in the mountains.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

[300rum700]

Many things can be "said", as so many of the posts here sadly demonstrate, however, such comments seldom have any factual basis.....

My comments were specifically concerning the Kuiu issues and the propensity for many to become "conned" into spending $$$$$ on gear that is not a real improvement over more commonplace and less costly "kewl" items, as my examples demonstrated. I do not care if someone wants to buy, wear or even "market" Kuiu, or some other apparently problem-plagued brand, go for it, knock yourself out.

The rifle issue is not really relevant as there has been a definite improvement in "mountain rifles" since I bought my first in 1964. While a wooden stocked .30-06 certainly will work, there have been more functional models available since I put together my first Brown-stocked .280Rem. in 1985. I found my then wooden stocked .280Rem. on a VZ-24 with a lovely handle from the Biesen shop in Spokane, was far less stable in wet conditions than the Brown stocked P-64-70 was and that made a big difference.

The Kimber MA I bought over a year ago, is lighter than any custom I have/had on a std. length action by at least 10-12 ozs. and while I did NOT ever have a .280AI, I find it the best overall round, now Nosler, has standardized it, for a really light rifle. I get 3000 fps-mv from a 160 NP with good groups and that is pushing 175 fps more than any of my standard .280s have ever given, a slight advantage, IMO.

There is NO factory rifle in a std. cartridge, that is as light and also CRF as the KMA and I have had enough highend and full custom pieces over 50+ years to know. I agree, the MA stock IS "marketing", but, the overall rifle is simply outstanding and worth the comparatively moderate cost.

My last two customs, both largely by Mitch Kendall, were a slightly lighter 7-08 he built as his own personal sheep shooter and it is about 4 ozs less overall than the KMA. It also cost quite a bit more and is not CRF, which I much prefer.

The next, is built on a HVA action, Krieger tube, Bansner, Wisner, the works.....it is light, shoots better than I now can and is a std. 280, BUT, while a super piece, it is STILL heavier then the KMA. I did not spend a lot on it as I have been at this for a long time and know where and how to find/buy the pieces for custom guns at good prices, but, it was not "cheap".

So, I did not follow any "herd" and would have much preferred that the KMA stock be just as the regular Montana one is, however, I bought for practical reasons and took what they offered as I am an old pensioner and did/do not have megabux for gear. That stock is certainly "marketing" which is, rather sadly, a large aspect of the current hunting gear scene.

There ARE some real improvements in gear now, especially in light and U/L rifles, good for we geezers, in backpacks most definitely and in some tent fabrics and sleeping pads. I also find that Neoshell, especially from top makers such as Westcomb, absolutely rocks in shitty weather.

However, much of what we had when I started was as good and OFTEN superior to a lot of the hyped "kewl" gear we see now, for example, have you ever seen/worn Galibier boots, Kastingers or the original Raichles, ValDor Eiger Darbelles and/or FGL serious mountain boots? NO pos GT boots made now come even close in fit, longevity or real performance in the mountains.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

So you've used all this new gear and tested it side by side to the old stuff? Everything feels better when your thirty years younger. Give those guys wearing blue jeans and plaid a choice between what we have now and what they had then and I'm pretty sure they'd be wearing the new stuff.

[BgBlkDg]

I have used the gear I recommend very extensively and also worked in the industry where I saw what was returned on warrantee.

We HAD excellent gear back in the day and we used it as I still do, albeit not as I used to. I still use gear I bought in the 60s and 70s and have used to make my living, daily, for months on end in BC-AB.

My latest *cutting edge* gear is the Westcomb I referred to and it is outstanding, better than my two eVent shells, custom made for me by Integral Designs when Evan still owned the company.

I am not *anti* innovation or change, but, am skeptical of many of the claims made for some of the gear so hyped on certain sites and in slick magazines.

YMMV, its merely MHO.

[dereke]

I buy most of my high end gear used... Its the only way to go and if you have patience and know where to look its around. No duties, no BS and much better prices for the most part.

[charlie_horse]

Speaking of Kuiu, I have 30$ to spend there so I don't have to deal with them again. Does anyone have any experience with their game bags?

Edit: or their ULTRA merino socks?

[Pinewood]

So, just to be clear BgBlkDg. You've never worn a piece of Kuiu clothing, but you know that it's crap because it's modern and meant to be "kewl"?

[BgBlkDg]

That is NOT what I said, but, whatever,.......

[Sitkaspruce]

On the Alberta Hunt site, they are setting up a meeting with the Canadian Kuiu rep at one guys home where you can try and buy at 20% less than advertise prices. The products are supposed to be in Canadian prices with all the sh*t already added.

There is always lots of talk of a Canadian distribution store for this stuff, not sure if it will ever happen......

Cheers

SS