I can't begin to explain how much I hate cold weather. That being said, I've been looking at hunting jackets and I'm interested to see how many of you might use the KUIU Proximity hooded insulated jacket. Your likes, as well as your dislikes. AND how are the sizes. (Is XL actually XL or is it LG?)

Thank you in advance.

Joe

i do not have any experience with the proximity but, i do have quite a few pieces of kuiu clothing.

i think it is good quality and worth the money (when on sale). a few times i have had to use the warranty and they stepped right up and took care of it.

the kuiu clothing that i have performs as advertised. i wear the kutana pant in a solid color almost daily for work and have pairs going on four years. i like this pant because it fits well, is lightweight, reasonably durable, stretches, and it dries quickly, all of which are equally important to me that i have not been able to find in other pants.

as for sizing and fit, it is one of the things i like best about kuiu. most kuiu clothing is referred to as athletic fit. i find the x-large in outer garments to fit perfect, and it's a toss up between large and x-large on mid or base layers. i have a few of each.

if i were you, there is a thread on bowsite about proximity as well as other cold weather hunting gear. i would locate and read more there, and ask questions.

If you are going to spend that kind of money. King of the mountain. Wool would bey choice. But Carhartt keep me warm are drake waterfowl clothing.

I have a heated vest. I can't stand the cold either.

not sure this will work but i found a link to one of the threads on bowsite.

if not, type 'kuiu proximity on bowsite' in your browser and it should take you to the link

Not to me it isn't. But everyone has a different budget. One thing about really good quality gear is that it usually lasts and you usually enjoy it. So there is that.

Wool works for some applications, but it's hard to beat high quality down for warmth.

A heated vest is another option these days.

well my link didnt work. ???

another place to get more feedback is from rockslide. type in your browser'kuiu proximity on rockslide' for more info

First of all, I'm a little reluctant to buy a product that I don't know how to pronounce. Haha

Kuiu had a space at Compton's this year so I made it a point to try on some jackets. I usually wear an XL but Kuiu's jacket fit tightly despite the fact that I put it on over a short sleeve t- shirt. The 2x fit better but there was still very little room for layering and the sleeves came down below my knuckles. When asked about the too long sleeves it was suggested that I could just roll them up! That would be a hard pass for me.

In all fairness, my athletic figure disappeared about ten years ago and I had previously read that Kuiu garments were "athletic cut" so wasn't too surprised that they fit me poorly. Their garments appeared to be well-made but they are cut for a lean build. Now, how do you pronounce "Kuiu"?

Have an old Pendilton wool coat (not like new stuff very tight weave and almost water proof for a long while)

)

that with a Down vest under I have never gotten cold

as far as Kuiu at their prices I'll never find out

No, not to me.

If you walk less than 1/4 mile to hunt, no. If yes,absolutely! This gear is specifically designed for backcountry hunting. End of story.

I'm the opposite of Popester, I hate heat and especially humidity!

Wool & Down for me.

I wear Kuiu of some sort nearly everyday. Yes to me it’s worth the money. However, I don’t have experience with the new proximity stuff. For me, I order a size up.

Check out Forloh. Similar price point and made in the USA instead of coming from China line KUIU and Sitka. I have the 1/4 zip and it’s fantastic. I bought my father in law the puffy vest and he loves it as well.

To your point: I have an old pair of KUIU Attack pants and I like them alot. I wear my Beyond Clothing pants more now, though. The KUIU are quieter I just have a big bottom and the Beyond pair fit better. Beyond is also TAA or Berry compliant so that’s nice.

Not worth it for me. Recently retired and watching my money. For the hunting I do now I have enough wool long johns and clothing to layer. Getting older I don't like to get out when it's that cold. I have a heated vest and a custom vest from Gray Wolf Woolens, so I can layer pretty well without getting bound up. I just got a KUIU catalog in the mail. I do believe they make very good quality stuff, but man prices are steep!

I bought a jacket for my son and myself a 3x and a 2x, 3x for me. I ended up giving him the 3x and it barley fit the stuff runs small and it was to noisy for bowhunting I was really disappointed in it I would never buy it again much better clothes out there . Sitkas better and Browning,or Gray. Wolf King of the Mountain is not in business anymore .

When KUIU says athletic fit, they mean athletic, so if you are not, then you might be dissatisfied with the fit.

Not familiar with the KUIU line, I have Sitka, but I do know that good clothes definitely does make a difference. Good luck with what you get.

Sitka gear for me also. You get what you pay for.

Get you some heated clothing. I have a thermal that's heated and also a down vest that's heated. I turn them on once I start to get cold which is about a couple hours before shooting time is up. Works very well especially if you have some wind proof outer. Day one camo,is also excellent clothing , very warm.

You ain't going to believe this. The warmest coat I have came from Walmart. I wear a heated vest under it an it is light an quiet. I own 2 sets of the high dollar wool. They are warm but heavy.

I think a lot of it depends on how your are built and what are you using them for. I am tall and skinny and they are the first brand of hunting clothing that actually fit without me swimming in them. Yes, some of it is noisy, but most of it is designed for the lightweight mountain hunter. I don’t wear it when I’m hunting from a treestand in Michigan in November, but it works great when hiking the steep mountains of E TN and W NC. I’m not a fanboy for Kuiu or any other brand, but modern clothing is a lot more technical than back in the 80s when we just kept layering on multiple sweatshirts until we could barely move

^^^^Yep

Well, you don't always get what you pay for, that's been proven many times, and cost alone has more to do with advertising expenditures and sponsorships than it does quality of build. Once in a while a product will live up to the hype, but mostly those days are past. Cost now is more related to which "celebrities" you can get to wear the product, and of course they pay little to nothing for them.

Also, what works for one guy may not work at all for the next, whether or not you think it's the best thing ever. If I'm paying over $250.00 just for a pair of pants, they damn well better be the best ever....for me, not some guy in Montana or Iowa. The biggest disappointment ever is to buy something because it's touted as the best ever by someone who has an investment in saying so. Kuiu may be a great product, but don't set your expectations too high before you try it, just like anything else, it still has to work for you.

i have several kuiu pieces, vest, jacket, couple merino wool pull overs (favorites) and 3-way stretch pants. I bought a few pieces at a time when they had 25%-40% off sales. At discounted prices I think its worth it. Its well made, light and compact, esp compared to wool etc. For example my kuiu guide jacket is half or less the weight of my hidden wolf wool jacket, packs smaller and is definitely more wind and water resistant. Insulation wise slight nod to the wool, but easily mitigated with a merino base layer. I love my hidden wolf wool, but the weight and bulk difference is significant enough to give pause on which one to grab.

As mentioned, their stuff is athletic fit. So if you're not comfortably in the middle of your BMI it doesn't matter what the price is or whether you think its worth it or not. Getting a good fit will be elusive.

I think their target consumer is the more active hunter that travels miles on foot vs yards to hunt, back packing etc. The fedora and plaid crowd not so much. :)

For me no. I can stay warm for a lot less money, and I sure don't need the athletic fit, LOL.

For mountain hunts the KUIU gear is awesome… I have not used their cold weather gear.

My son and his buddies wear KUIU and Sitka. I didn't hear them bitching about cost.

Don't know to much about kuiu, but I bought another expensive brand ,on a sale, and it keeps me a lot more comfortable in the cold days, so,it was worth it to me

I have a bunch of Sitka clothes and gear and I think it’s good stuff. BUT, my wife worked at Gore (now retired) so all of it was purchased at 50-60% off. I don’t think I would ever pay full retail for it.

I hope the animals in the mountain are deaf

I got tired of being cold. I bought an IWOM suit. Not good at all for walking or still hunting but works great in a blind or treestand where mobility is not an issue. All my buddies were cold today and got down to go home or the cabin. I did not and at 12 noon killed a nice 8pt.

You don’t like cold weather but you’re from Minnesota?? You are in the wrong spot. How bout I’m sitting here by a nice fire in a pleasant 45 degree beautiful evening. I know nothing about kuiu.

To each his own if you want it and can afford it than it’s totally worth it

And still no one has enlightened us on the pronunciation.

No experience with Kooyou. I, like you, hate being cold. I spent big money on First Lite. Nothing compares that I’ve owned. I blind/stand hunt northern Michigan.

KOO-U :)

I just don't understand why so many have the need to bash specialty hunting clothes. I am a climbing lineman for years I wore Hoffman's and Westco boots. Today I wear Carolina boots because I don't climb as much. Those good boots cost me 300-450$. There were worth it! When I'm in mountainous terrain way back, I LOVE my Kuiu clothing. Like others have said ,buy when they have their annual sales 30-50% off. Their merino 145 1/4 base shirt is awesome. They have merino full zip pants base layer that doesn't require me to remove my boots when I get to my tree to layer up. Most of the people complaining about it,have never even tried them. My closest has shrunk because I have gave away tons of cheap, yet effective hunting clothes that did not fit well and replaced with much better/ fewer garments.

If you would asked me five years ago I would of said no way in hell I am spending $150 on Merino wool pants or top I would said you bumped your head. I have three pair of the First Lite Obsidian paints and I wear them from 100 degrees to 30 degrees I don't know how are why but they cool when it hot and warm when it's cold.

I can't afford KUIU. A $100 REI down puffy is my go to coat. When this one craps out in a couple more years I'll buy another. I've basically worn work clothes afield, and everywhere else since 1973.

I have a KUIU down jacket and to me it was 100 percent worth it. I wear it chukar hunting when the wind always seems to blow 30 mph and instead of shivering I'm toasty warm.

In my opinion Sitka is a much better choice based on their customer service and LE/Military discounts.

Get a Wiggys liner vest and liner jacket. (130 for both) Get some fishnet undershirt ($20) and some cheap polyester second layer. ($30 at Academy Sports or wherever) Get a Day One Camo Parka or a Grey Wolf Woolens Wolfskin Parka/Jacket.($225) This system will cost you less than the chopped staple fiberfilled techno stuff and will keep you warm in almost all situations and your outer layer is camo and dead quiet and does not pick up burrs. Regular poly-cotton parka works,too, if it has a good pattern. Down will pick up moisture and loose the ability to keep you warm over time. Do not wear goretex or windstoppers, as they will keep your body moisture in and will make you cold. For pants, get a regular poly-cotton pant from Academy one size larger and get some czech military undergarment (2 for $15). Wear that over fishnet long underwear. That will give you 3 layer options. The underfarment can be easily shortened with a sewing machine to accomodate for boots. For boots, get some Wiggys socks, get a cheap pack boot with removable felt liner and change the felt liner to a Wiggys sunwalker2. If this is not warm enough, you can get some Wiggys overboots or mukluks. Moisture management is everything in cold temps. By the way, Wiggys makes the survival suit for the Airforce Pilots in the Arctic (Alaska). The stuff is packaged in a vacuumed brick under 20 tons of pressure, but regains 90+% of loft in under one hour. No imported fiberfill or down will ever do that.

If I lived somewhere where it was cold consistently I might have a different opinion. Good quality usually don't come cheap. I dress in layers because at times it may be 35 in the morning and 60 by noon. I have a good quality wool sweater I bought about 10 yrs ago at the thrift store that I wear over my layers for when it does get cold. Have a pair of insulated bibbs my brother gave me 15 years ago because the straps broke..I bought some elastic strap material for the bibbs and been suing them since.

If you like something and it's expensive and you can afford it, that's all that matters. Like John pointed out, different folks have different definitions of expensive.

KUIU used to advertise that they offered lower prices (vis-a-vis Sitka Gear, for example) because there was no middleman. They sold directly to the consumer. They still sell directly to the consumer, but now their prices pretty much equal Sitka Gear.

Both Sitka and KUIU have pretty much priced themselves out of the market for me, unless I can find a good sale or something used on E-Bay.

My first choice, now, though is First Lite Every bit as good, and though still not cheap, about 25% or so less expensive than the other two.

let's say you buy a jacket and it cost you $500 but it last 5-10 years, is it worth it than???

what did people wear before expensive hunting clothing ?

My sons all are into big dollar, gear, right down to their shoes.

i'm still vintage i guess, but ive noticed....

i hunt the same weather, same conditions, go in just as deep, kill just as much game.

when its cold?....they say..."man its cold", just the same.

As usual, a bunch of people with no experience with this brand piped up and provided their uninformed opinion.

Baffles me when the OP asked for informed opinions based on experience.

I did a ton of research on all types or clothing, having tired of wet, heavy wool that is not warm when wet. I contacted people, read reviews, read specs etc.

I decided to get Sitka over Kuiu as it was quieter and better fitting. I have NEVER regretted that decision and am never cold now, yet can move easily and quietly. So nice to sit a 10 degrees for five hours and be toasty warm.

Some of my gear is five years old, has been worn a lot and shows no signs of wear. Pockets are in the right place, more than adequate belt loops and great suspenders.

Buy once…cry once.

Buy inc

It’s good to be a Southern swamp crawler. Waldrop pack seat, my bow and arrows and my year’s supply of Therma cell refills doesn’t cost what you cold weather types lay out for your hunting clothes…. LOL. Roll Tide.

"let's say you buy a jacket and it cost you $500 but it last 5-10 years, is it worth it than???" No, I think any jacket should last at least 5 seasons.

most (not all) of what kuiu, sitka, or first lite offer are not intended for the casual whitetail deer hunter that walks to a stand or hunts a patch of woods a relatively short distance from the truck or home. if that's your thing, you can certainly get by for a lot less money.

to appreciate the thought and design of some of this clothing it is important to understand most of it is intended for the hunter that covers a lot of ground and are miles from the truck or home, and often encounter weather conditions that change significantly throughout the day.

there is no question i am a better, more comfortable hunter, and safer because of kuiu clothing. by carrying a few pounds of extra clothing, i can dump heat when needed and stay warm and dry in all kinds of weather from temperatures well below freezing, to rain, snow, and warm and sunny.

pdiddly...What makes you think they have no experience?...maybe they do...maybe they dont.

Also one mans opinion of a product may differ from another.

The question was "is it worth the money"....you may say yes....next guy might say no

I will double post here...the original question is not, "is it good clothing"....I'll answer that yes it is.

The question is..."is it worth the money"....And that allows for differing opinions.

My opinion, (and yes i have experience)...is that for most no it is not.

If you hunt remote areas, often where you pack in, weight etc...means something, yea it has its place.

If you are by nature, prone to quit when your cold, then again it might have its place.

If your like me that is going to stick it out stubbornly, come hell or high water, regardless of what your wearing maybe not.

Man has hunted some of the worst conditions long before kuiu or any other expensive clothing ever existed.

I'm a fan of wool....you might not be, no problem buy what you like.

But to tell me that i will somehow miraculously become a better hunter if i shell out a few hundred bucks more for my outfit?...no i don't need it trust me.

I respect those that think it is worth the money....allow those of us that don't the same liberty.

As i mentioned....my sons and i hunt exactly the same, same weather...same conditions, only difference is the amount of money we spend on our gear.

They like it....no problem...i don't feel i need it, again no problem.

Yes sir Pdiddly I agree with the wool thing

shade mt...here is the original post.

"I can't begin to explain how much I hate cold weather. That being said, I've been looking at hunting jackets and I'm interested to see how many of you might use the KUIU Proximity hooded insulated jacket. Your likes, as well as your dislikes. AND how are the sizes. (Is XL actually XL or is it LG?)

He never asked if " It is worth the money?" At all.

He asked what people thought of that particular jacket and if they liked that jacket and how it fit.

Not what they wore hunting and how much they would pay, if it was worth the money and other unasked opinions.

I looked at the Proximity by KUIU and decided to get the Sitka Fanatic, a similar brand, and why.

I was referring to the title..."KUIU-is it worth the money"

My answer is simply....depends on the person.

It is good clothing no doubt about it.

I mentioned how when its cold....my sons still say..."man its cold"....even when they wear KUIU.

Is it better than cheap hunting clothing? absolutely.

Is it worth the money? if you can afford it,or need it, yes.

But if your expecting your Kenetrek, boots and your KUIU outfit to suddenly transform you into a super hunter, able to withstand anything nature can dish out, and never be cold....your probably going to be disappointed.

If you are looking for well made, comfortable, clothing that lb for lb, day in day out, gives a higher level of comfort...its good stuff.

just the way it is....ego, and outlandish claims aside.

Thank you all for your responses. I ended up getting a Sitka Fanatic. I found it on sale, 25% off. Still plenty of $$, but so far I've been very happy with it! Sitting in my blind on Monday, it got up to 30 degrees and I had to take it off for a while. I've never had to do that before.

Thanks again.

Kuiu is worth the money and when you purchase it you only cry once! I walk 2.1 miles to our stands and every ounce is like a pound when you're walking that far to whitetail hunt. It is expensive but it is light to carry if you need to. Some of their items are wind proof and water resistant and they do have different degrees of rain gear depending on how you plan to wear them and tear resistant. Jason did sell off Sitka as he wanted to cut out the middle man so when you purchase Kuiu you are buying direct.

It’s worth it. Just think how cool you will look. You will be the envy of all your buddies. It says you are a big time hunter

It’s worth it. Just think how cool you will look. You will be the envy of all your buddies. It says you are a big time hunter

I liked how the athletic cut of the jacket hid my beer belly. Sold off the stuff I had (which was worth every penny for what it's for) and stuck with my First Lite. Sometimes I break out the wool plaids for an old school, freeze-my-butt-off-hunt, though ;)

Sizing was just a tad on the small side for tops, pants were snug at normal waist size for me.

Oh, and I don't have experience with the new whitetail Proximity stuff. Looks really nice.

Got mine in today, put it on and outside I went. Stood out in wind 40 minutes in 20mph wind 35deg. Wasnt layered hardly at all. I did size up to layer on pants and had to go with XXL on jacket(tried on another guys xl was to tight in shoulders and biceps). It is absolutely silent and cuts the wind. I wont be walking anywhere with this stuff on, I'd be sweated up good if I did. I'm really gonna like this stuff, can't wait to be in the tree with it....shoot straight

I bought my first Sitka Gear clothing 3 years ago. I have hunted in it nearly every hunt almost exclusively since then. It shows no sign of wear so based on the durability to me it is worth the money. With the Traverse pants and jacket I can hunt warm weather or layer up with a set of under armor heat gear and a merino pull over and hunt easily into mid 30 degrees sitting in a stand. As the temps drop I put on the Sitka Duck Oven jacket and can stand hunt well below freezing. I still have other hunting clothes but rarely wear any of it. To me I have gotten a bargain for the money spent.

Gentlemen, there are as many different brand of clothing as we have different requirements. For 60 years I hunted in wool clothes dating back to Woolrich shadowbark and up to King of the Mountain.

recently I ordered a Day One cold weather parka, and that changed everything. It is half the weight of the king of the mountain coat, has better insulation and windblock, therefore much warmer, and is made by a bowhunter. Custom features like straps to tighten the sleeve on my bow arm so the string doesn't hit is just one feature that you don't find in most other clothing. The fact that it is much less expensive made it a great choice. I had a matching set of insulated pants made and now there is no need for a heater body suit.

My cold weather hunting is more duck related than deer but you are relatively stationary in a blind. I sprung for Minus 33 merino wool expedition weight underwear. I wear a wool military shirt, waterproof hunting pants, Sitka Stratus coat which is roomy enough to get a light down coat under it and still not be bulky. The Stratus is uninsulated but very warm, windproof, and waterproof. I wear waders which take care of the legs.

For hunting deer and turkey in your back woods, probably not. For hunting deer on Kodiak Island where it could be 65 degrees and clear one minute and 30 degrees and snowing an hour later, you bet! I don't really have much of their "camo" but I do like their baselayers and a set of pants and a jacket in solid colors. Their materials are top notch. For cold weather clothing there are probably much better options for less money. For hunting in the mountains living out of a backpack, worth every penny.

I wonder how we ever survived hunting before all the "scientific" gear.

I hunted with old gear, made it just fine. Then I tried some more modern offerings and to me they are more comfortable. Your mileage may very. Folks can hunt in just about whatever they want and make it through. My dads favorite saying was “that’s why they make all kinds”.

When questions like this pop up i think its safe to assume different opinion.

One guy makes the statement, he got tired of being cold and got rid of his wool and bought KUIU, And is happy with it.

next guy is a prominent figure in primitive bowhunting, and loves wool for his late winter Idaho hunts, And he's happy with it.

Some wool hunting clothing is not exactly cheap either, unless you know what your buying and find it second hand. Oh my wear second hand clothing! (gasp)

And there is the wear factor..."Bought my KUIU no signs of wear after 5 years"

Then guys like me come along that have been using some cheaper stuff for 20 yrs ...(or more)....(ah chuckle)...

so the "buy once ,cry once" seems to vary with the individual as well.

only difference i suppose is i never cried at all......and i'm still wearing it.

wife and i were in a second hand store in selinsgrove PA, i spied a heavy grey wool sweater for 4.00, and snatched it up.

that thing is warm, iv'e been wearing it when its cold enough.

your mileage may vary, but that's my experience.

i imagine i'll be wearing that 4.00 wool sweater 5 years from now easy...Lord willing of course.

It's way too pricy for me to afford anymore. I've got wool and wolfskin and some good wool underwear that I'll wear here in the whitetail woods. I prefer not to hunt in those extreme conditions any more. Getting older! But if I was younger and doing the hunts I did 20-25 years ago in some extreme weather I would probably spring for some of this gear.

I’ve got several pairs of Codet wool pants that I bought years ago at Walmart. Plus I have a pair of LL Bean wool pants that belonged to my Great Uncle, who passed away 25 years ago. All in dark green color. I also have a codet wool vest, in the same dark green. A couple years ago I picked up an Asbell wool jacket. I also bought a Fratzke wool sweater from the internet sight. These are my cold weather hunting clothes. I also have a coat and pants that are Advantage camo pattern, for warmer weather. Everything but the Asbell jacket is at least 20 years old, some older. I would be very disappointed paying top dollar for a set of hunting clothes that only lasted 5-10 seasons!

we probably owe the OP an apology, he wasn't asking our opinion on wool, he was asking our opinion on KUIU.

sorry Popester.

My sons like theirs, and they are about as hard core as myself if not worse.

One thing i'm sure they do not want is equipment or clothing failure.

I will say one thing for their clothing compared to mine, theirs is lighter, dries out faster ect...and offers more warmth pound for pound.

I guess the bottom line is whether or not its worth the extra money, that would be an individual opinion, i suppose.

I have bought them all and the only warm stuff I have is wool from Day One camo.

So since my last post on here I stated that I have only used First Lite gear, Well couple weeks ago my wife surprised me with a Kuiu Strong fleece Hybrid 260 zip-T hoodie it is very light weight I thought to myself this will work good early Sept hunts. I have wore it on two outing the temp were in the upper 30ty low 40ty the wind was blowing both times all I had on under it was a cotton t- shirt I can't believe how warm I was I will be buying more of the Kuiu gear.

After 30 years of east coast hunting, and tending to be intolerant of the cold, I have accumulated a whole lot of stuff along the way. Even though wool has been the gold standard since the beginning of time, commitment, willingness to invest, fads and fashions along the way ( see various and seemingly endless development of the next best Camoflage patter), and technical developments have resulted in closets full of neatly arranged gear.

My point: after YEARS of thinking about it, I bought the Sitka fanatic coat. I wish that I bought it sooner.

I have Sitka and a few of the less expensive Kuiu pieces and they are all GOOD. Equally important is that I get email advertisements nearly daily from BOTH companies with the sale item of the moment and the discounts are good. I have the sense that this year they are openly competing against each other.. it would be too exhausting to check their websites daily so get on the mailing list .

Dollar for dollar not sure if you can beat the old Cabelas Microtex Outfitter camo line for camo clothing that functions extremely well and was available at bargain prices at up to half off if you shopped the sales. Add in the odd berber or microfleece pieces and you have a complete set. I started picking up pieces here and there 20 years ago. Aside from some very minor piling of the fabric, my Microtex pants I bought in 2001 have not shrunk, faded or worn to any noticeable degree. Got to wear some of that heavier stuff on a recent cold hunt in Northern AZ. Not running out and buying a new set anytime soon thats for sure. I have added a few Baselayer pieces of the fancy wool over the years. The merino wool they use feels good, minimizes funk, and keep you comfortanle across a variety of climates. Good base layers are not negotiable as far as I'm concerned. That is a must!

OsageOrangutan every quite.

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