First Lite Boundary Stormtight

24 September, 2014

Tips for Maximizing Performance in Waterproof / Breathable Outerwear
Tips for Maximizing Performance in Waterproof / Breathable Outerwear

Tips for Maximizing Performance in Waterproof / Breathable Outerwear

Tags: 37.5, First Lite Boundary Stormtight, First Lite Rain Gear, Gore-Tex, Gore-Tex vs. eVent, Hunting Rain Gear, KUIU Chugach, KUIU Rain Gear, Rain Gear, Rain Gear Performance, Sitka Dewpoint, Sitka Gear Rain Gear, Toray|

I’ve tested a lot of rain gear and in the process I’ve learned a thing or two about what makes rain gear effective. In other words, the balance between design intent and proper maintenance. In fact, rain gear can be flat out useless if you don’t clean it on a regular basis. Additionally, that light weight set of breathable rain gear is not going to survive a month of brush busting, continual downpours as well as a burlier set of

1 September, 2014

Kitting up with Cabela’s Instinct System
Kitting up with Cabela’s Instinct System

Kitting up with Cabela’s Instinct System

Tags: Alaska Hunting, Backcountry Hunting, Backpack Hunting, Cabela's, Cabela's Instinct, First Lite Boundary Stormtight, KUIU, Sitka Blacktail|

Continuing my train of thought from Thursday’s post (Kitting up with First Lite) and last Friday’s post (Kitting up with KUIU) I am going to use the same potential hunt scenario (Mid October Elk & Black Tail hunt on Raspberry Island) to build a kit highlighting Cabela’s new Instinct line Once again in this scenario 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

28 August, 2014

Kitting Up with First Lite
Kitting Up with First Lite

Kitting Up with First Lite

Tags: Alaska, Alaska Hunting, Backcountry, Backpack Hunting, Backpacking, First Lite, First Lite Boundary Stormtight, First Lite Merino, Gear, merino wool, Rain Gear, Uncompaghre|

I was having a conversation with a few guys and decided to turn that into a blog entry as it seemed to be an interesting topic. My kit (kit = backcountry clothing system) is a mixture of several brands and is a combination of colors and camouflage patterns. The conversation focused on what your setup would be if you could only run ONE brand. This is actually a bit harder than we thought because even though guys may, or may

21 August, 2014

Comprehensive Rain Gear Reviews
Comprehensive Rain Gear Reviews

Comprehensive Rain Gear Reviews

Tags: 37.5 Cocona, Alaska Hunting, Backpack Hunting, First Lite Boundary Stormtight, First Lite Merino, Gear, Gear Selection, Gore-Tex, Gortex, Hard Core Rain Gear Review, Hunting Rain Gear, Kryptek Koldo, KUIU Chugach, KUIU Yukon, Rain Gear, Rain Gear Reviews, Sitka Coldfront, Sitka Dewpoint, Sitka Gear, Sitka Stormfront, Toray, Western Hunting|

I started this journey out of a desire to better understand rain gear and its performance in the field; vs. the hyperbole of marketing and internet biases. This journey has been huge, its exposed to me a behind the scenes peek at the technologies, thought, and processes that it takes to make a high quality, high performing set of rain gear. In reality rain gear performance is both complicated and simple, and the key is to use the gear as

2 June, 2014

Backcountry Adventure with my Son

Tags: Alaska, Alaska Hunting, Backcountry, Backpack Hunting, First Lite Boundary Stormtight, First Lite Merino, Kifaru EMRII, MSR Reactor, Rain Gear, Realtree Max1, Sitka Kelvin Hoody|

May was an unique month here in Alaska. The unseasonably warm weather triggered the highest pollen counts in Anchorage’s recent history (both for Alaska and the world) and created a tinderbox forest that ignited in several places across the state. As such my plans for filling a registration brown bear tag were thrown into a turmoil. I never could get the 3-4 days I needed to at least have a decent shot of punching that tag. As May 31st approached

25 November, 2013

Let it rain!

Tags: Backpack Hunting, Chugach NX, First Lite, First Lite Boundary Stormtight, Gortex, KUIU, Marmot Precip, Rokslide, Sitka Dewpoint, Sitka Gear|

http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-05-09-42/clothing/269-let-it-rain-light-weight-rain-jacket-shootout You can check out my latest gear review above. Let me know what you think. Thanks!