Founded by Jason Hairston and Jonathan Hart in 2005, Sitka Mountain Gear™ was an idea spawned by necessity. Having just climbed 3000 vertical feet in the dark, with intermittent snow flurries and driving sleet, we hunkered down behind a gnarled White bark Pine to get some reprieve from the elements and a little food in our bellies. Cold and wet with sweat from our climb, we knew we didn't need to be this uncomfortable in our gear. So, on that September morning, at timberline, surrounded by bugling bulls, we decided to create a company to fulfill this need. Utilizing our personal experiences in mountaineering, we set out to design clothes built to tackle mountains. We could say that we simply make the best high-performance system of hunting clothes on the market, but it's more than just quality. It's a philosophy: Built to Climb.

In 2006 Sitka introduced the Mountain Line, a nine-piece layering system incorporating designs and technologies from the mountaineering industry. By utilizing performance-driven fabrics and construction techniques in a true layering system, Sitka excels in the most diverse and challenging range of hunting conditions.

For 2007, the System has expanded. Sitka has developed a Technical Storm Protection System, late season gear such as the Soft Shell Pant, and select accessories that you “Got to Have.” The line-up now covers all your needs, whether it’s tundra, treestand, or Thar in New Zealand, the Sitka System keeps you in the game, regardless of conditions or excuses.

If base camp doesn’t provide laundry service, we’ve also incorporated the latest in scent prevention technology: ATB-100 Silver. This Scent Prevention System is built into all of our next-to-skin pieces. Silver has proven itself invaluable, as it kills bacteria on contact, eliminating your body’s natural odors from reaching the noses of wary game.

Design Philosophy

We had a simple goal: to introduce to the hunting industry a system of clothing that incorporates the latest high-performance fabrics with a mountaineering design philosophy. Sitka has created a line of clothing that is designed to perform under the various circumstances that hunters find in the mountains, while hiding them with an extremely effective, multi-season pattern called Mountain Mimicry.

To do this, we hand-picked fabrics that wick moisture, incorporate two-way and four-way stretch for comfort and mobility, block wind and have Durable Water Repellant (DWR) finishes that are quiet and tough enough to withstand extreme abuse. We then set strict guidelines on design, stressing a minimalist approach to eliminate bulk, decrease weight and increase packability. On Sitka Mountain Gear you will find storm-proof zippers versus bulky storm flaps, taped seams versus sewn, internal cuffs for heat and pockets you can use with a pack on. What you will not find is 10 pockets on one jacket, hidden lanyards, micro LED's or chemical heat warmers. Just what you need; no more, no less.

Sitka Mountain Gear™ is based on the tried-and-true system of layering, which gives the hunter the flexibility needed for hunting in the mountains. We offer a moisture-wicking base layer, warm thermal layer and quiet and tough DWR-finished outer layer that is based on Soft Shell Technology. This allows you to climb light when you are heating up and to control your temperature when you are slowing down or when the weather changes.

Philosophy on Camouflage

At Sitka Mountain Gear we have created a system of clothing designed to keep you comfortable on hunts from summer pronghorn to late-season elk. We wanted to hide our hunters in a camouflage pattern that would be just as all-purpose, working in almost every environment and leaving you simply to layer as needed.

We were fortunate enough to partner with Mothwing Camo Technologies to develop a pattern and color scheme that would accomplish our goals. Mothwing has a unique design approach that uses the colors and pattern schemes from moths specific to the environments you want to hunt in. Using this research and design philosophy, we created a pattern based on tans, grays and browns. These were then overlayed with a balance of well-spaced dark branches and forest elements to create a high-contrasting pattern that blends in at close range and breaks up your silhouette at distance. Putting all of this together we developed Mountain Mimicry, available only with Sitka Mountain Gear™.

Now you can hunt Pronghorn to Stone Sheep in the same clothes. Layer appropriately and Hunt Hard!

Soft Shell Technology

The demands of the mountaineering industry continue to drive Soft Shell fabric innovation. Technically superior, Soft Shell Technology has inspired multi-seasonal garments that replace the traditional three layer systems, creating less bulk and offering more versatility. Traditionally, a shell layer was worn over an insulating layer during downpours, snowstorms, or cold wind. This works great, but shells sacrifice breathability. With the development of the Soft Shell fabric, you now have a highly breathable outer layer that is both abrasion and weather resistant, stretches, and has a high warmth-to-weight ratio. We can make it waterproof, yes, but we would have to compromise extreme breathability. The outer weave is tight enough to block wind. It’s treated with a Durable Water Repellant (DWR) finish to repel all but the worst downpours or snowstorms and a mid weight fleece backer provides insulation. The 90% Series provides ultimate weather protection, superior comfort, silent finish, excellent freedom of movement, and is highly breathable. For extreme weather, pull out the Downpour Series for that next layer of protection. Now you are utilizing the full layering system as intended.

Fabrics

When considering design elements within the Sitka line of gear, one of the foremost factors is the incorporation of stretch materials into every one of our pieces. By doing this, we are able to maximize full range of motion without adding additional panels of fabric. Ultimately, this results in more lightweight and less baggy pieces of gear that will not compromise your experience in the widest range of weather conditions. Experience the Performance.

Dual WiK S

Our base fabrics are designed to keep your skin dry when you sweat. All fabrics in this series feature a patented dual-knit construction that uses different yarns on either side of the fabric. This creates two different surfaces: one that is optimized to move moisture away from the skin, the other to dry quickly by quickly increasing surface area. Coupled with ATB-100 Silver, you have wicking and scent prevention.

WindBrake 4

Body-hugging, four-way stretch, and very breathable. Our Mountain Shirt keeps you dry when you sweat and provides warmth without weight. This is an extremely versatile fabric. A proprietary construction technique with two unique surfaces: the durable polyester outer layer is wind- and abrasion-resistant; the soft inner layer pulls moisture away from your skin keeping you dry, warm and comfortable.

Versa Core 3

Versa Core fabrics are used in the Timberline Vest. Extremely breathable yet provide 4x more wind resistance than traditional fleece. This is the new “super fleece” which spans an incredibly wide range of conditions; performs as both outerwear and insulation; and offers exceptional durability. This is a versatile fabric which can be worn all year long for a variety of activities.

AT Stretch

Our AT Stretch fabric is a polyester mechanical stretch yarn woven to achieve stretchability comparable to Lycra/spandex. As a result, this fabric has superior abrasion resistance, stretch recovery (no wearing out over time as with Lycra/spandex), UV resistance and durability no matter the activity or environment. Mechanical Stretch yarns are not adversely affected by saltwater and do not dry out, wear out or break down with extended use.

90% Soft Shell

Soft Shell fabrics are the next generation of technical outwear. This clothing concept goes beyond traditional 2-layer systems, which feature fleece insulation and a waterproof/breathable shell, to a single layer that protects against all but the worst weather conditions and delivers extended breath ability, abrasion resistance and stretch to enhance your outdoor experience.

Downpour

The structure of our Downpour membrane is what makes the Downpour jacket and pants completely waterproof. In real terms, a 15,000 mm/H20 rating equates to withstanding over 30 feet of rain in a 24 hour period. Microscopic pores are 10,000 times smaller than a drop of water, which means no external moisture, from rain to snow to that puddle you just stepped in, can penetrate the membrane, while perspiration is free to pass through and out. Incorporate stretch and some breath ability, and you are set.