The simple fact is, we’re harvesting more Grizzly Bears every year under our current LEH (Limited Entry Hunt) system then we ever did under a GOS (general open season) and with the LEH system there are even LESS hunters in the field.

BC has a strong population of Grizzly Bears that is kept healthy and growing at acceptable rates (that their habitat can sustain) strongly in part, because we have such well regulated Grizzly Bear hunting.

When groups like Rain Forest Conservation are spending nearly .40 cents of every dollar they bring in on their own salaries it’s no wonder they are constantly trying to get people to donate.  If you’d like to verify their financial statements you can do so here.

Very little money is spent on habitat projects, just more biased, pseudo research they can spin and use to try and swindle more money from the public.

Find a great pair of pants for your high country hunts and you’re likely never to want to try something else ever again.  I definitely fell into that category… The last few years I’ve been using pants from North Face and they held up amazingly well on my sheep hunts along with all the hunting I do on the Island for Deer and Black Bear.

Second, these pants boast a variety of design features that are attractive to mountain hunters, such as the waterproof bum and knee sections (with removeable knee pads), the built in suspenders (I quite like these), great useful pocket placement and they are made out of a 4 way stretch material.

What Were My Initial Thoughts…?

From the moment I tried these pants on I was sold!  Sitka pretty much nailed it with the design and came up with a functional garment that any mountain hunter would see the value in.  The padded knees seemed bulky and akward to me so they immediately came out and were never used all season.

The material the pants are made from is very stretchy, picture your wife’s lulu lemon pants, but in Camo, well close anyways…!  All kidding aside the stretchiness makes for nicer walking when the going gets rough as there is less friction from the material and you have better mobility.  My “other” pants would hinder my movement when the pockets were full, especially when climbing up and over obstacles.  Not these pants.  The Timberline pants feel great while hiking up through the thick stuff.

Another cool addition worth mentioning is the button system for the leg pockets, it’s not your typical metal buttons, that make noise when you open and close them but a much sleeker rubber design that is both strong enough to hold shut in the rough stuff and silent as a whisper when opening and closing your pockets without the ominous “zzziiiiippppp” of a zipper or sharp “snap” of an ice cold, even frozen metal button.

The pants fit great, I am 5′ 10″ and about 200lbs and went with the 38″ waist in regular, the fit was perfect for me.  The built in belt is a handy feature most outdoor pants have these days but after using them for a little while I much prefer the suspenders, they make life so much easier, even with the best belt, when you’re backpacking you build up a sweat and your pants (belt or not) can start to slide down.  The suspenders really helped combat that, and are thin enough they didn’t cause any interference with my shoulder straps on the Mystery Ranch pack.  They worked better at holding my pants up after a long hike than the belt did.

How Did They Perform In The Field?

My first few trial runs with these pants, were hiking up the lower portions of our local Mt. Arrowsmith in the heat of the early summer…. lol.. Let’s just say, these pants are a little on the warm side!  As Sitka has “pit zips” on many of their jackets, some sort of “heat dump” mechanism in the pants would be a welcome addition.  Something like a zipper on the (inside leg seam) that opens to a breathable mesh lining,  or even a zipper around the knee, a feature my other pants had (where the legs zipped off) and it worked great for dumping heat, you’d just open the zipper 1/2 way and with every step your legs would be pumping the hot air out and the fresh air in.  It felt nice, and if Sitka adopted a similar mechanism or some other cool idea, that would awesome.

The warm weather issues aside once it started to a get a little cooler out these pants really started to shine.  On our October Stone’s Sheep hunt into Northern BC, they kept me warm and comfortable throughout the hunt with nothing but a thin merino base layer underneath and my Sitka Coldfront Pants as my outer layer when needed.  Obviously Sitka is meant to work as a layering “system” and for this it works very well as the Timberline pants fit like a glove inside the Coldfront or Stormfront pants.

The sheep hunt we took these pants on was relatively dry but hunting Blacktails here on the Island put them through the wet weather test.  The reinforced waterproof knees and the reinforced waterproof bum worked great for the most part, and only under constant downward pressure for extended periods of time did they start to leak through slightly, and I exected this… One example was kneeling for well over an hour on a wet mossy bluff, in a downpour while hunting an area with lots of buck sign here on the Island, the knees had started to leak through ever so slightly… My legs were totally soaked though, no fault of the pants, as the rest of the pants aren’t made to be waterproof.

 What Are My Final Thoughts

I wore these pants throughout my entire fall hunting season, both on my sheep hunt up north and 2 full months of Blacktail Deer hunting here on the Island.  If I was going out hunting, my Timberlines came with.  These pants aren’t cheap with retailers selling them from $250-$300 so their longevity will ultimately decide their value.  If I get 3 or 4 years of use out of these pants then there won’t be any complaining.  Judging by how they’ve held up the first year I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.

Sitka Timberline Pants Pros:

• They Fit Great
• Stretchy Material
• Great Pocket Placements
• Built-In Suspenders
• Open Country Camo
• Waterproof Seat and Knees
• Very Warm

Sitka Timberline Pants Cons:

• They will be warm for August sheep hunts.
• I really don’t have anything bad to say about these pants!

In conclusion, if you can find a pair of Sitka Timberline pants in your size, and they’re on sale BUY THEM!  They are an excellent hunting pant, especially for guys who like to hike in cooler weather chasing sheep, deer or anything in the high country.  These pants provide great warmth to weight ratio and are very comfortable to wear.  If you’ve already got Sitka outer layers these pants will fit your system perfectly.

Thanks for Reading!

Having spent the last 6 Stone Sheep seasons hunting primarily in August or early September, this year we wanted to try our hand at a late season October hunt.  The first thing we had to start thinking about was upgrading and acquiring some new warmer gear for the winter weather we’d be experiencing in Northern BC.

Sitka’s Coldfront Jacket and Pants made out of a Goretex softshell and featuring their “open country” camo pattern seemed to be a worthy contender.  Advertised as 100% waterproof, this jacket/pants also has a thin layer of microfleece liner on the inside to help keep you warm.  We decided we’d give the Coldfront a good run.

What Were My Initial Thoughts?

It’s very well put together gear, no question.  The design of Sitka gear continues to improve from their user feedback and it’s evident in the functionality of the goods they are producing.  This top tier gear is however, very expensive if you pay full retail and as any smart outdoorsman would know, it’s probably best to be patient and wait for it to come on sale… Because it does.  There are other companies making Softshell Goretex jackets and pants that are in similar price ranges, but they don’t come with the open country camo pattern either.  If you spend a lot of time in the hills that’s a deal breaker.

Sitka “Open Country” camo is absolutely perfect for the mountainous terrain we hunt in Northern BC and for that matter much of what we do down here on the coast, like black bear and deer hunting in clear cuts and slashes   For someone who just started wearing camo (I’ve always worn mountaineering type clothing) I was very impressed with how well the pattern allows you to dissapear into mountainous surroundings.  In fact… I really don’t think you’ll find an equal on the market right now as far as camo patterns are concerned.

The fit was very small (or athletic) and we had to exchange sizes, I went from a Large to X-Large in both the pants and jacket.  At 5′ 10″ and about 200lbs the Large fit, but it was a very tight fit, and wouldn’t allow me the option of much layering.  I’m one of those guys that usually hovers between sizes but with Sitka I think it’s a wise decision to “move up” a size especially with their outer layers.

The Coldfront is very comfortable to wear and once we moved up a size, offered great mobility, even with our loaded hunting pack on.

Sitka sends the gear quickly if you order direct, I don’t think anything has taken longer than 5 days to get to Canada.  They box the gear up nicely for you, sealed in plastic, along with a Sitka Catalogue, a Sitka Sticker and a Warranty sheet to send in with your clothing should it ever need repair or warranty replacement, it’s obvious Sitka cares about customer service.

So How Did The Coldfront Perform?

Overall, on our sheep hunt, I was very impressed with Coldfront.  Our first few days of hunting consisted of a multi-mile hike up a seldom travelled drainage and into some low timbered mountains that sheep tend to travel on during later season.  As we gained altitude it become very apparent we were hunting in winter.  The drainage we were hiking up was full of ice, and was pretty treachurous hiking actually, there were a few slips and falls, and many close calls.

The first few days we didn’t have much for moisture or for rainfall as everything was frozen.  The Coldfront Jacket and Pants were comfortable enough to wear all day in the cold, while hiking and with my pack. There is no doubt that the Coldfront along with the Sitka layering system (reviews are upcoming) definitely helped take a bite out of the cold windchill along the ridges we were hiking and glassing.

Another feature I really liked about the Coldfront (and this is on the Stormfront as well) was how well everything is organized and placed.  The pockets are all in great locations and hold all kinds of my junk.  The little arm pocket on the left hand side is where I kept my hunting license all year long, in a little ziplock bag for extra waterproof insurance.

After our sheep hunt, (unsuccesful by the way) we returned back the Island where Blacktail Deer season was in full swing.  The remainder of October, all of November and 10 days of December were spent chasing Blacktails.  I am fortunate enough to live right in the middle of some fantastic Blacktail area and can literally hunt 2 minutes from my door.  Every morning, and most evenings I was able to spend about 2 – 3 hours in the field at prime time.

The climate on the Island a stark contrast to the cold, dry north, the ”wet coast” weather put the Coldfront through a good test.  Many mornings I awoke to the sound of pouring rain and wind roaring through the valley… Perfect Blacktail weather if you’ve got the gumption to stay out, and the Coldfront allowed me to do just that.

One area of note that was an important test for me, was how well it would stand up to travelling on a quad, while it was raining.  The driving rain you experience on a quad is enough to blast through most inferior rain gear, leaving the hunter with a soaked chest, legs and crotch.  The Coldfront kept me bone dry under these circumstances… When kneeling down, in wet terrain (mossy rock) for extended periods of time, water DID seep through the stitching in both knees, not enough to make me upset, or uncomfortable as I didn’t even notice it in the field until I got home to take my gear off.  It happened on several different days, so it’s definitely something that could be looked into.

Are The Coldfront Jacket and Pants Quiet?

This was a concern I’d read about on many forum posts, and some reviews from others.  Many were worried about the noise being made from the softshell Gore-Tex and if it was really that quiet.  I am unsure if these guys are running while they hunt or what?  While there was a bit of noise from the pants while walking the Jacket is fairly quiet.  If you’re pushing bush, nothing will be as quiet as fleece.  One area they could really improve the pants would be to have some sort of tightening strap around the knees.  This would allow the wearer to cinch in the excess fabric that might rub together when you walk…. Just an idea.

My only dissapointment with the Coldfront was with my Coldfront Pants.  During Blacktail season here on the Island my hunting consisted mainly of quading to my “general area” before first light, and then quitely walking about 3/4′s of a mile into the slashes I was hunting.  A few minutes after leaving the quad you must cross a small creek that sits in the bottom of a small ravine… Maybe 30-40 feet wide at the most.  As I was climbing down the muddy bank into the ravine, prior to crossing the small creek, I slipped and fell onto my ass, sort of sliding down the hill a little… Oh well, got back up, crossed the creek and kept hunting, saw a good buck that I had no opportunity at, and went back home a couple of hours later.

When I took my gear off I had a 2″x 2″ rip in the butt of my Coldfront pants, right along the seam as you can see pictured.  I was a little dissapointed, because the gear had help up so well while sheep hunting and crawling through some pretty nasty buckbrush without issues.  Fall in the mud and I blew the ass out of the pants!  Hopefully Sitka can help me out on this front and either replace, or I will be happy to pay for repair.

Sitka Coldfront Jacket Pros:

• Very good fit (when you get the right size)
• Open Country camo is unreal at breaking up your outline.
• 100% waterproof (our jacket didn’t display any signs of leaking, after many days in very heavy rain)
• fully taped seams.
• full length pit zips. (definitely makes up for breathability issues)
• hood has excellent fit and the brim stays up.
• softer/quieter than a hardshell outer layer.

Sitka Coldfront Jacket Cons:

• I think these jackets are cut too short, an extra inch or two of length below your waist would be welcome.
• the zippers are quite small and hard to grab with gloves on.
• the camo pattern on the outside melts away if you touch it to a woodstove!  Don’t do this!
• this is an expensive jacket - watch for a sale.

Sitka Coldfront Pants Pros:

• Kept me dry in several downpours while riding on a quad.
• Lots of pockets and lots of room in those pockets.
• Built-In Suspenders, I never realized how much I’d like them!
• Full-Length leg zips make them easy to take on-off with boots on.
• Full-Length leg zips help greatly with keeping your legs ventilated if you’re hiking.

Sitka Coldfront Pants Cons:

• Not happy about tearing a hole in the butt.
• Little bit of water leaking through knees.

To conclude our review, overall we are quite happy with the performance of our Sitka Coldfront gear.  It kept us warm and dry through plenty of wet and cold weather hunting throughout British Columbia.  When compared to other outdoor gear in it’s class (Gore-Tex Softshell) Sitka is generally right in line with others pricing, but with one distinct advantage.  Open Country Camo… If you want to dissapear in the mountains, this is the camo pattern that will do it for you, no question.  If you are patient enough to wait for this gear to come on sale at one of many retailers who stock it then you’ll end up with some excellent camo rain gear at a very good price.

Thanks For Reading!

Layering 101: With Sitka Founder, Jonathan Hart from Sitka Gear on Vimeo.

Layering is an important aspect of equipping yourself for an enjoyable hunt.  Multiple layers of clothing working in synergy to “wick” moisture away from your body, keep you cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool.

This short video from Sitka Gear explains the layering concept quite well.

Basic Layering System For Hunters:

• Base Layer – This layer wicks moisture away from your skin and helps push it to the outer layers of your clothing system.
• Mid Layer – This layer is like your first layer of insulation.  Not too heavy, not too thin.  It’s very important for comfort.
• Outer Layer – This is your heaviest layer of insulation and is meant to insulate you against the cold.
• Outer Shell – This is your layer that protects you from the elements.  It should be waterproof, windproof and breathable.

A representative with Sitka Gear approached me a few months back about potentially advertising on our website.  Sitka has provided us with a set of their “Coldfront” Jacket and Pants in “optifade” camo.  We’ll be taking this gear on our late season October Stones Sheep hunt this year, and we’re excited to write a review on the product.  The conditions we’ll be experiencing in Northern BC, at the tail end of Stones Sheep season should be perfect for a thorough and detailed review.  I can tell you right, from having lots of high-end gear in my possession, this is some nice constructed stuff.

Carl

I’ve owned a number of Merino Wool products over the years and have always taken at least a Merino mid layer on all of my backpacking trips.  I was searching on Google one day looking for Merino Wool products when I typed in “Merino Wool Camo” and found the FirstLite website.  I had never heard of them before but they were the first company I’d ever found that was making Merino Wool clothing for hunters in a variety of camoflauge and earthy tone patterns.

FirstLite is definitely a company that knows and understands the unique benefits Merino Wool has to offer hunters. 

The desirable characteristics of Merino Wool are explained quite well on the FirstLite Website and I’ve also linked to them below.

• Comfort Benefits of Merino Wool
• Merino Wool Odor Control
• Thermal Regulation

Interested in the products, I shot off a quick email to FirstLite asking if they would be interested in advertising on our website in exchange for some product for us to review.  The next day I received an email from Kenton (the owner)  and he was interested in working something out with me.  FirstLite provided me with the following items:

• Merino Wool “Red Desert” Boxers in ASAT Camo L
• Merino Wool “Chama” Base Layer in ASAT Camo L
• Merino Wool “Springer” Vest in ASAT Camo L
• Merino Wool “Labrador” Shirt in ASAT Camo L

What Are My Initial Thoughts?

Shipping was fast, I think the gear showed up in less than 3 business days.  The fit was excellent on all of the items I received (size LARGE for all my items), for your own sizing reference I am 5′ 10″ and 200lbs.  So if you’re bigger than me I think it would be safe to go up a size… First Lite is unique in the marketplace in that they offer their Merino lineup in an ASAT camo pattern, which is kind of cool and works well to break up your outline in a wide variety of terrain.  Merino available in camo patterns was definitely “cool” in this hunters eyes. 

The quality of the clothing is impressive and what I would expect from a hunter making gear for another hunter… The Merino Wool is a much heavier weight than what’s in some of the more athletic brands out there which is a big plus if you’re hunting in a cooler climate such as in the mountains, or during a late fall hunt.  The clothing comes in various weights so you can mix and match based on the conditions you might expect in the field.

The clothing has much heavier duty stitching than other Merino Wool clothing I’ve used and seems to be manufactured a little more rugged than some of the more “athletic” marketed brands.  The zippers are very heavy duty, like what you’d expect to find on a canvas duffel bag, seriously!  This adds a little weight to the clothing but I don’t think you’ll ever be able to complain about one breaking, or trying to find one in the early morning light in November Deer season when you have a thick pair of gloves on.

First Lite is aggresively priced too, especially for Merino clothing, considering they are heavier weight wool than comparable products in their price range and also they come in 3 different camo patterns.  ASAT, Mossy Oak Breakup Infinity & RealTree Advantage Max1. 

How Does It Perform?

Our spring Black Bear season started April 1st and I’ve been wearing the FirstLite product on my daily outings.  I am lucky enough to live not 3 minutes ATV ride from some prime logging slash and Black Bear habitat so I am often out looking for bears from 3pm until dark, depending on the weather.

The Red Desert boxers are awesome for a base layer as they are long cut and very comfortable against the skin.  The fit is very athletic, which also helps keep your muscles warm.  I haven’t done any extreme hiking with them on yet but haven’t noticed any creeping, or seam issues causing chafe.  Generally I find if the fit is very athletic (tight) and has great moisture wicking then these issues are much less of a problem.

The Chama “mid” base layer  is also very comfortable against the skin and has a very generous 1/4 zip on the front to help you regulate heat, not really significant enough to be worn on it’s own the Chama would perform best when used with another heavier layer (or two) such as the Springer Vest and then the Labrador zip up shirt.

The Springer Vest is where we start getting into the much heavier weight Merino and you can really feel the difference in thickness between the Springer and the Chama base layer.  The vest fit is excellent, it’s got 2 handy hand warming pockets along with a chest pocket to store small items in.  The vest makes a noticeable difference in the warmth of your core and works well as part of the “system”.

On top of it all, goes the Labrador full zip shirt.  This is the same heavy weight 18.5  micron 400gm Merino that the Springer vest uses and the Labrador really tops off the system nicely.   When you zip it up it has an athletic fit and compresses all of the layers nice and tight your body.

Using any one piece of the system on it’s own doesn’t seem to offer the same benefits as the “system” itself as there is a noticable difference in warmth when using all of the layers together and it’s very comfortable to wear.

For the past few weeks in the cooler than usual spring temperatures here on mid Vancouver Island the First Lite layering system along with my eVent outer shell has kept me nice and warm.  No complaints.  For later season fall hunts, or extreme weather hunts the First Lite layering system would be a great foundation for your layering system, topping it off with a primaloft or down vest and then a really good outershell and you’d be set!

What About The Odor Control & Washing?

Good Question!  Regardless of whether you were wondering or not.  While Merino Wool is odor resistant, it does not actually “kill” odor to my knowledge.  When you are hiking, making your way up a ridge, you’re going to sweat and that sweat will stink.  The Merino does a good job of not absorbing the odor, but doesn’t remove the smell completely.  The more Merino layers you have on the more effective this effect becomes.

As for washing the clothing it’s been through about 12 wash cycles so far without any noticable effect on the camo patterns or clothing itself.  We wash in cold water, and hang the clothing to dry.

What Are My Final Thoughts?

I am very happy with the First Lite Merino Wool camo clothing.  It’s a renewable natural fibre, it’s comfortable against the skin, it’s much warmer than synthetics, it helps with scent control and it comes in Camo patterns.  If you do your research on pricing and other Merino Wool brands I think you’ll find First Lite is competitively priced for a product line that is a little better suited for a hunter anyways. 

There are many choices out there when it comes to Camo clothing, but if you narrow it down to companies producing Merino Wool clothing in camo patterns for hunters then you’ll find that First Lite is definitely one of the best in it’s class and is worthy of a closer look.

Happy Hunting!
Carl

Where Can You Buy First Lite?

Direct From The First Lite Website

Vantage Point Outfitters (Vancouver Island & Online) 

Grouse River Outfitters (Kelowna & Online)

Why Would A Hunter Want To Wear Merino Wool?

• Merino Wool is a renewable resource. 
• Merino Wool has tiny little fibers, so is not itchy next to skin.
• Merino Wool offers the powerful insulating properties of wool.
• Merino Wool can retain nearly 1/3 of it’s weight in water and still provide the same insulating capabilities.
• Merino Wool will resist any body odor if you’re on an extended backcountry hunt
• Merino Wool clothing is typically light weight compared to similar synthetics which make it attractive for backpackers.

I had never heard of the RedRam product until I emailed Ice Breaker asking if they would be interested in advertising on my website.  They contacted me right away and asked if I would be interested in the RedRam lineup.  Obviously I was so they provided me with a set of the Merino Wool Long Underwear Top and Bottom.  They also provided some Icebreaker items we had requested as well that we will be reviewing at a later date.

RedRam Product We’ve Been Using:

• Merino Wool Bottoms – Size XL (I would go 1 size larger than you usually do as the fit seems small)
• Merino Wool Top – Size XL. (XL seemed like the sizing was more on par and not as small as the bottoms)

What Do We Think So Far?

We’ve been wearing the RedRam base layers through Black Bear season and so far this is great stuff!  I’ve always used traditional sythentic base layers such as polar-tec, xps and even the brands that Costco sells a ton of and I am glad I’ve made the switch to Merino.  The IceBreaker Merino that RedRam uses is incredibly soft and light weight against the skin I initially questioned it’s ability to keep me warm.   Wool Socks were my first introduction to wool and my feet hated them!  I couldn’t stand the itchiness and am happy to say that with the RedRam Merino there is no itch whatsoever.

They feel very light next to comparable synthetic products I own (polartec, XPS, paradox) and when thrown on a digital scale they are actually about 1 – .5 oz lighter than the comparable synthetics as well which makes them slightly more attractive to a lightweight backpacker.

Despite being a lighter material the Red Ram Merino product is actually quite warm and because of it’s many natural benefits I think Merino is a much better choice for hunters.

The Red Ram line would be suitable for most of your 3 season use, possibly even 4 season use if you were using it as part of a multi-layered system.  For everyday use like they claim on their website, it’s an excellent product.

Carl

Where Can You Buy RedRam Merino Wool Underwear?

Wholesale Sports Locations Across Western Canada

http://www.gandermountain.com/