Sitka Gear Review: Mountain Pant and Core Lightweight Hoody

It’s one thing to look at a piece of gear from the comfort of home and it’s another altogether to use it in the field. When I can, I like to test gear on actual hunts to see how it will perform in a real-world hunting situation. With this in mind, I had the opportunity to thoroughly test the Sitka Mountain Pant and Sitka Core Lightweight Hoody on a recent moose hunt in northern Alberta. This hunt was my first experience with Sitka apparel.

The weather was unseasonably warm on this hunt. While I had other clothing, the Sitka items were the lightest weight clothing I had along on this hunt. Given the warm weather, I kept reaching for the Sikta gear each morning and ended up wearing it every day for six days of hunting.

The surprising thing – after not showering and wearing the same clothes for a week – was the utter lack of smell. I should have been downright foul by the end of this hunt, but I smelled much better than I deserved to. Sitka attributes this to its proprietary odor-eliminating technology. I and my mates in the wall tent can attest to its effectiveness.

Sitka Mountain Pant – Overview

The Sitka Mountain Pant is a versatile pair of big game hunting pants. With proper layers, I can see this one pair of pants taking you from early season to late season elk without a problem. The material is synthetic and very water-repellent. I found the mountain pants to be exceedingly comfortable and with a bit of stretch in the right areas. I also found them to be extremely durable. There were several times when I was sure that I had snagged them in the bush, but they always came away without any rips or tears.

Mountain Pant – Specifications

• GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Concealment Subalpine is designed for stalking and ambushing ungulates from ground level in tree-covered and vegetated terrain.
• Weight: 26.2 oz. // Size: L
• Fabric: 4-Way Stretch-Woven Polyester.
• Durable Water Repellent finish resists light precipitation and prevents the face fabric from wetting out.
• Articulated Fit: Delivers a maximum range of motion with minimal bulk.
• Removable Knee Pads: Removable knee pads offer additional protection whether you’re scrambling through talus in the Northern Rockies, picking your way through cactus in the Sonoran Desert, or field dressing an animal.
• Imported
• Price: $209 (At this writing)

Sitka Core Lightweight Hoody – Overview

The folks at Sitka designed the Core Lightweight Hoody to be a foundational piece of their clothing system. It’s an excellent base for layering, and on a warm-weather hunt like mine, it was all I needed to wear on top. It has just the right amount of stretch and was super comfortable. I appreciated the integrated hood and facemask and the zip breast pocket is perfect for your phone or diaphragm calls.

Core Lightweight Hoody – Specifications

• GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Concealment Subalpine is designed for stalking and ambushing ungulates from ground level in tree-covered and vegetated terrain.
• Weight: 6.6 oz. // Size: L
• Body and Hood Fabric: Quick-Dry, Lightweight Comfort Stretch Knit (100% Polyester)
• Facemask Fabric: Quick-Dry, Lightweight Stretch Mesh (88% Polyester/12% Elastane)
• Polygiene® Odor Control Technology safely neutralizes odor caused from sweat.
• Stretch Thumb Loops: Shed layers with ease without compromising your foundational layer.
• Built-In Ultra Breathable Mesh Face Mask: Conceal your face on the move and increase your success rate.
• Imported
• Price: $129 (at this writing)

Sitka Mountain Pant and Sitka Core Hoody – Final Thoughts

Sikta is a premium outdoor brand and for me, they lived up to the hype. The quality was top notch and they made my hunt more comfortable. I reviewed these items together because they work as a system. If you’re considering investing in Sitka gear, these are the two pieces I’d recommend that you start with as they will cover a wide range of hunting scenarios.

For more information, check out Sitka Gear

Note: HuntTested may receive a small commission if you purchase a product from the links on this page. This does NOT increase your price and helps to pay for the content you’re enjoying. HuntTested did receive product consideration in coordination with this article. All opinions belong to HuntTested.