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Thread: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Cloverdale
    Posts
    49

    Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    Over the past 6-7 years I’ve been slowly accumulating quality hunting gear and so far it’s all been trial and error and it hasn’t been easy on the wallet. I can really use some feedback on how to go about getting the ideal winter wear.
    I can’t seem to find an outfit that can regulate body heat....Currently I’m using the Browning Hell’s Canyon Parka & Bib, I did read up on this product and all that it promises to do, but in reality it fails. So I end up mix and matching with good money down the drain.

    I have a husky body type, 6’ tall and 250 lbs...mostly muscle mass (weight training).

    Outer Shell
    • 3-in-1 shell with a removable insulated jacket
    • 2-Layer Pre-Vent shell with fully-taped seams
    • Water/windproof and breathable
    • Fully adjustable attached hood
    • Fabric hook and loop cuff closures
    • Two oversized handwarmer pockets and Napoleon chest pocket
    • Water-resistant front zipper
    • SilentSnap front storm flap closure
    • License tab on back
    • Internal pockets for smaller gear
    • Harness Access
    • Regular Fit


    Insulated Liner
    • Water/wind-resistant shell fabric
    • PrimaLoft® Hi-Loft Silver 80 gram insulation
    • Handwarmer pockets, left chest zipper pocket, internal zipper chest pocket
    • Internal zippered security pocket for valuables
    • Full-length zipper with chin guard
    • Regular Fit


    Most of the items (80%) listed are irrelevant if you can’t keep this parka on, It absolutely provides “No” breathing, starts to condensate and the internal liner becomes soaking wet and this is with little or no walking. At times I feel like lighting it up on a campfire......since it’s so uncomfortable, I just end up using a hoodie. So why did I buy this garbage?

    Is it me or this gear? I even looked at installing air vents in the liner and the outer shell and that’s not cheap, and most places flatly refused because of the work required.

    Should I look at buying something better? KUIU? Will this work? Any KUIU owners, please provide feed back. I’m looking at the KUIU, Kutana Gale Force hooded jacket & matching Bib
    https://www.kuiu.com/global/hunting-...-vests#start=1

    Will this product work? Is anyone currently using this brand? Please help before I make another bad decision.

    Thanks,

    Mak

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Lower Mainland
    Posts
    343

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    I'd definitely look at upgrading.

    I think the Gale Force may be a bit of over kill. Personally, I'd recommend looking at getting the Yukon Pants and Jacket set, as well as the Superdown Pro for an insulation piece you can take on and off depending how active you are(heats up quite abit when you're hiking but its great for when you slow down to glass and want to keep that heat in.

    Under that stuff, I run almost all synthetics, I used a heavy Merino base on a recent late season trip and although it worked, I did find alot of the times it was soaking up my sweat and extremely difficult to try and try out, not fun in the cold... luckily that superdown pro worked great to keep me warm and still allowed the merino to slowly dry through without losing any loft(to my pleasant surprise).
    Life begins where your comfort zone ends

    WSSBC Monarch; RMGA; 2% for Conservation Certified; WSF; BCWF

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Cloverdale
    Posts
    49

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    I will definitely look into your recommendations....Yukon Pants and Jacket set, as well as the Superdown Pro for an insulation

    Thank you...much appreciated

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    N. Okanagan
    Posts
    14,182

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    Most people make the mistake of over dressing for temps and not adjusting soon enough to reduce moisture overload
    A good sop is to 'start out cold'
    Think 'warm when wet' for quick drying under-layers, save the parka for the sedentary times
    Paying big dollars won't help, nothing vents enough to keep up with what the body puts out
    Never say whoa in the middle of a mud hole

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    North Island
    Posts
    252

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    Excellent recommendations by porthunter in my opinion.
    Synthetic base layers, Yukon rain gear and a puffy.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    6-04
    Posts
    1,820

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    I usually don’t change much for winter hunts, except for mix matching base layers depending on temps. I mostly use sitka, although my one piece of kuiu (an older SD jacket), comes with me no matter the time of year, the thing is amazing for its weight, but it does sweat up when a guys working hard. I tend to layer more, vs one big suit, although my big suit, is always with me on winter hunts, just incase.

    My outer layers usually consist of rain gear (sitka), it’s worked well for me so far.


    My “big suit”, consists of the sitka blizzard parka and a medium weight wool pant for under my rain pants. Depending on the hunt, I like to have these two spare pieces for when things get cold, or wet and sweaty, I can nearly go commando under the parka and wool while my under layers dry out.

    No matter the big suit tho, if a guys going to be moving, he’s probably going to be sweating.

    Quality layers under a good rain set, I find to be my favourite, it’s a lot easier to regulate your temp that way.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Burnaby
    Posts
    325

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    I would also take a look at the FL uncompahgre jacket, I've been pretty impressed so far.
    "You can learn more about hunting with a bow in a week than you could in a lifetime of gun hunting" - Fred Bear

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Posts
    378

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    I'm investing in more wool hunting clothing the last couple of years.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    kamloops
    Posts
    3,260

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    The kuiu axis may be what you need. Its my go to cold weather gear. With pit and hip zips you can shed heat and perspiration when hiking. If its real cold you need some layers underneath. When I am varmit hunting on my snowmobile I wear a cheap large parka and bibs over the axis gear. I shed those off when I park the sled and start hiking.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Cloverdale
    Posts
    49

    Re: Winter Hunting Gear....looking for something breathable

    Thank you, appreciate all the input and recommendations.

    Mak

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