Kitting up with KUIU

Continuing my train of thought from yesterday’s post (Kitting up with First Lite) I am going to use the same hunt scenario (Mid October Elk & Black Tail hunt on Raspberry Island) to build this KUIU kit.

As mentioned we are flying in via a Beaver and operating out of a base camp so I can take more gear than I typically do. As in my earlier post I’ll need a good base layer, solid pants, insulation, and of course rain gear. KUIU’s VIAS is my preferred KUIU camouflage for the terrain I hunt in.

Base Layer:
Ultra Merino 125 LS Crew – VIAS
Ultra 145 Zip T – VIAS
First Lite Red Desert Boxer Short – any color / pattern is fine. (2)
Ultra Merino 145 Zip Off Bottom – Stone
First Lite Mountain Athlete Compression Sock (2)

Mid Layer:
Chinook Jacket – VIAS
Sitka Mountain Pants – I’ve grown too accustomed to knee pads to give these up…

Insulation:
Super Down Hooded Jacket – VIAS

Rain Gear:
KUIU Yukon Jacket – VIAS
KUIU Yukon Pant – VIAS

Head & Hands:
Ultra Merino 145 Beanie – VIAS
Ultra Merino 145 Neck Gaiter – VIAS
Ultra Merino 210 Glove – VIAS
Northstar Glove – VIAS, but would prefer to see this in KUIU’s solid colors for added versatility.

Like with my First Lite Kit I would take an additional jacket for around camp and traveling. For KUIU this would be the KUIU Guide DCS Jacket. It’s a very versatile jacket and more than adequate for this pursuit.

KUIU offers a large range of products and its fairly easy to build an exclusive KUIU kit. However, they don’t offer a pair of merino boxers or socks and I return to First Lite for those offerings. While the Attack Pant is an industry leader, it’s flared front pockets and lack of integrated knee pads pushes me back to the Sitka Mountain Pant. Countering all that is the ability to add a KUIU Tent, KUIU Sleeping Bag, KUIU Pack, and even KUIU Boots. KUIU also offers a wide variety of KUIU branded accessories and is   selling non branded items that they recommend to pair with their branded offerings.

Success in KUIU

One thing to note is that KUIU states you can run the Yukon Pant as a combination of both your pant and your rain gear pant. This is a great option and if the Yukon pant had integrated knee pads I’d be all over it! If knee pads are of no interest to you, then the Sitka Mountain Pants can be removed from this  list and save you that extra piece of gear.

I’m not as comfortable recommending this KUIU kit (compared to the First Lite Kit) chiefly because I have NOT tested many of these items as most of my KUIU gear is form the previous generation of products.

I have tested the Yukon Rain Gear and KUIU’s previous merino line. The rest of these products are newer to the line and my gear budget has not yet reached that far. I’m a bit leery of the new ULTRA Merino with Nuyarn as I have had such good experience with the standard merino offers of KUIU, First Lite, Sitka Gear, and Smartwool over the years. However, KUIU’s reputation speaks for itself and I trust readers understand the intent of this article is to highlight vendor specific kits vs. wholesale endorsement or disparagement of any vendor or product.

I’ll continue work my way over to Cabela’s new Instinct line and Sitka Gear’s Big Game series over the next week or so.

First Post in this series: Kitting up with First Lite