BOWTREADER WEEKLY: Your Guide to Sitka Gear

Let’s talk about camo!

This week we have a lot to unpack so we’ll make our report simple. Take these four words: The. Deer. Are. Moving.

If there is one sentence to describe the week up here, that's the one.

That means a few things for our guys. Shots were taken and deer were tracked. The trail cameras keep picking up clusters of them for every hour of the day. They come to our yards to taunt us.

Dents are popping up in cars everywhere, as with posts of harvests on social media. It looks like we have started out a great, busy season in the hunting world!

Another thing that's evident this week for some of the guys? There are a few things that can ruin a hunt.

Yep, here we go.

Of course, we mentioned some of these before but there is one more we just have to add that is particularly relevant for this week. Squirrels know how to make hunters lose their minds.

One wrong movement sends them screeching out to the other animals so everything gets tense. A sound, the fact that you are drawing your bow — if you so much look at them wrong they will open their little buck-toothed mouth in a tattle-tail warble so every animal in the woods looks around for danger. 

Apparently, there is something extremely offensive about a misplaced leaf or a camo pattern that doesn’t quite blend that makes them want to scream.

Sometimes it doesn’t ruin the hunt but it can certainly ruin your sanity. The solution? Don’t move. And be as invisible as possible.

If you read our earlier post from this week, you probably know a thing or two more about harnessing the power of invisibility. Digital camo is an inspiring innovation — it's the one thing we have found that confuses even the squirrels and acts as a close cousin of invisibility. 

And Sitka does digital camo better than anyone.

It is developed by experts and proudly carried in our store, but an issue has risen to our consciousness lately that must be addressed: many people are infatuated with Sitka’s brand but very few know how to choose the right lineup. 

We don’t blame them for it either — it really is an amazing brand, but a complicated one. You have to do your research if you are going to buy Sitka gear. Many people who come in have spent hours picking out exactly what they need for their fit while still some are confused about the Sitka model. 

Whatever category you may fit into, here is a quick guide for buying your Sitka gear and the purpose behind each piece!

THE SITKA “SYSTEM”

Sitka is a professional hunting brand, with different ranges for different types of hunting. Lineups differ depending on what you are hunting, the climate, the temperature, and even the location. 

Because of this, it is a versatile brand that allows you to mix and match what they call the perfect “system” for each hunt. Also because of this, the brand can be very confusing. 

Follow the guide below for tips on creating the best system for you!

#1 IT TAKES LAYERS

Sitka Gear has many different rules of thumb when it comes to picking your lineup. The first one you have to know concerns layers. It's the basis for everything Sitka.

They use layers for everything. 

Core

Every Sitka system starts with a core.

The core is your first layer — mostly the lightweight, skintight, or thermal you will need as a base. In some cases, if the climate is hot, you can stop there. Especially their lightweight core gear can be sufficient for warm weather and every day wear.

Mid-layer 

However, in most cases, people try for at least the next level — the Mid-layer.

Sitka Mid-layers are mostly composed of a light jacket and some regular-thickness pants — about the same thickness as jeans. These can be worn by themselves for most Georgia weather and are our top local choices along with the lightweight core hoody and sometimes a heavier jacket or two. 

Insulation

Which leads to the next layer. Layer three is the Insulation layer, normally just consisting of a heavier jacket.

This is where the technology goes from amazing to outstanding in terms of holding in warmth. Even when the material looks thin, trust us when we say this magical master of invisibility works just the same amount of power on warmth. 

Outerwear

With these layers, you should have the perfect lineup for a cold Georgia whitetail hunt — from there, the layers go on.

If you're farther north or plan to hunt in colder climates, Sitka Outerwear is the best advancement for you, along with an ensemble of different accessories to keep you warm! Outerwear is the heaviest and warmest layer — this is what you will want for everything from moderate snow to Alaskan weather. 

Sometimes even the accessories have layers, each with different styles depending on different types of hunts.

Which leads us to #2…

#2 FIND THE RIGHT ACCESSORIES 

As a multifaceted brand, you can only expect Sitka to have plenty of options when it comes to accessories.

For every different kind of hunt, with variations between nearly every fabric and color, and a different tool to use for every weapon, Sitka has it all when it comes to equipping you perfectly for the hunt.

They make fingerless gloves for bowhunters and sell single-hand gloves so one hand can go on the handle of your bow while the other remains undisturbed with your release.

Bags, hats of every kind, headbands to keep your ears warm, neck guards for both snow and hot weather, bow-slings, knee pads, and belts — there is something to fix anything from a loose-fitting pair of pants to a bow without a case to a slight chill. 

The material is extensive — they even have a giant glove with a fluffy hand pocket for duck hunters who use their bare hands for their duck call for goodness’ sake! There is truly something for every outdoorsman.

Whatever your need may be, there is an accessory for it that will not only do its job well, but blend seamlessly with the rest of your Sitka camo — and some of it can be worn for casual wear as well. 

Find it in exactly the color and fabric you need to match your other gear — and don’t hesitate to make the purchase on accessories. 

With Sitka, they are not just concessions but versatile and useful tools with the best technology on the market. As we have, you will find yourself using them repeatedly for years after you buy them!

#3 A TECHNOLOGY/COLOR FOR EVERYTHING

Something that sets Sitka apart very distinctly from other brands, is the specialized technologies and color codes used to enhance the patterns most effectively. 

Color and technology both depend upon the climate.

Different articles are specially enforced to be silent, waterproof, compatible with certain color backgrounds, bug repellent, scentless, heating, cooling, wind-stopping, and ombré to make the smoothest blend with one's surroundings. 

For example, Sitka’s Gore-Tex Wind-Stopping technology uses insulating material between two layers of fabric to prevent virtually all wind from getting in.

Their Gore-Tex original gear is engineered to be waterproof, yet breathable and Optifade is designed to fade with an ombré effect — all of this comes in a range of different colors and styles for just the right conditions. 

Overwhelmed by the specs yet?

Colors range from a span of five basic varieties: 

Elevated II - for basic whitetail hunting 

Open Country - for rocky terrain

Subalpine - for stalk-hunting in well-foliated areas

Marsh - for (what it sounds like) marshland and fields — predominately for hunting waterfowl 

and...

Timber - for the darker marshlands underneath the shadows of trees.

The main point of us telling you this is of course so you will have a guide for choosing your color — but also to remind you to pay attention! 

When you are buying Sitka, look for the Gore-Tex logo when you need advanced technology and keep your eyes peeled for the right color for your hunt. They make things specific for a reason — so you can pick out just the right thing for the hunt you are going on. 

#4 TRY IT ON

This tip is straight from the mouth of a customer: “I had to come in to try it on first. Glad I did because I would’ve bought a different size for everything!”

The simplest tip about Sitka gear?

Come in and try it on.

Like everything else Sitka, the sizes can be extremely variable and differ from the size you normally wear. In some of the heavier jackets, people have to size up a bit, whereas they have to size down for lightweight material. 

Everyone is different, which is why we encourage you to come in and try things on first. There is nothing like waiting for Sitka in the mail or finally making that in-store purchase of it — only to find that it doesn’t fit.

That will conclude our basic tips on buying Sitka!

All of them come from our own personal testing and from what customers have told us. Everyone in the shop uses Sitka for hunting and it has proven to be worth our time over the past years.

Drop a comment below if you still have questions — we have an answer for most and plenty of other helpful articles on the specific aspects of the brand.

Keep your eyes open in the store (online or local). 

Pay attention to the tags. 

Find the right color for your hunt. 

Wear your layers properly for the big hunts. 

With these, you can’t go wrong in making sure you get the perfect Sitka lineup!

You’ll be invisible in the woods and, more importantly, the squirrels won’t even know you’re there!

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