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First lite solitude thoughts?

greg728

greg728

Active Member
SH Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Messages
192
Location
Pennsylvania
FL has a 20% sale on outerwear and I’m in the market for a good rut to late season setup. I’m considering the new solitude bibs and jacket but I’m a little skeptical. What I want is something wind proof, warm, zippers to dump heat, dwr water resistant, quiet and can hold up to run ins with briar patches and trekking through the woods. The bibs look nice but the jacket looks more like a winter coat and the collar looks pretty big. I’m also considering Sitka status bibs and jacket but with factoring in this current sale I’d save $200 with FL solitude. My gut tells me stratus is probably better but I’m just curious what others think and if so how much better?
 
The solitude is very well designed and much warmer than the stratus is. But it's more a dedicated Nov piece. I like the Stratus because it can also take you into Nov as well as early season wind blocker without being too much. Just depends if you want something more versatile or not
 
I don't know where you live but the Solitude is something you'll probably only wear a time or two (maybe less) a season unless it bitterly cold in your area. From my years of hunting experience I've found it's better to buy something that you'll wear more often but get it big enough that you can layer under it as needed. I have a First Lite Woodbury jacket. It's very warm but is not good at passing moisture away from your body like something like Wiggy's does. Therefore I have to carry it into the stand or sweat to death. My Woodbury is large enough I can wear a Wiggy's Jacket or Vest Liner under it if the temperatures really drop and I need additional warmth.
 
Definitely depends on where you are... I'm kinda like why would you buy solitude when you could get sanctuary... I'm in MN though and will be in my sanctuary bibs and jacket (just bought that) from early November though the end of the year.... one thing to think of is.. you going to wear that stuff in?.. I hike up hills close to a mile so I don't wear that warm stuff in but put it on at the base of the tree... I'm not sure if the solitude but I definitely wouldn't bust brush with the sanctuary bibs... they're really soft and can't imagine they'd hold up
 
bigmike23 said:
The solitude is very well designed and much warmer than the stratus is. But it's more a dedicated Nov piece. I like the Stratus because it can also take you into Nov as well as early season wind blocker without being too much. Just depends if you want something more versatile or not
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Can you wear stratus into January? I’m in Pennsylvania it’s typically between 20-30 degrees with wind
 
ricky racer said:
I don't know where you live but the Solitude is something you'll probably only wear a time or two (maybe less) a season unless it bitterly cold in your area. From my years of hunting experience I've found it's better to buy something that you'll wear more often but get it big enough that you can layer under it as needed. I have a First Lite Woodbury jacket. It's very warm but is not good at passing moisture away from your body like something like Wiggy's does. Therefore I have to carry it into the stand or sweat to death. My Woodbury is large enough I can wear a Wiggy's Jacket or Vest Liner under it if the temperatures really drop and I need additional warmth.
Click to expand...

I’m in Pennsylvania. I’d ideally like something I can wear from November to January
 
greg728 said:
Can you wear stratus into January? I’m in Pennsylvania it’s typically between 20-30 degrees with wind
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You absolutely could with good insulation worn underneath. I had the money for the Fanatic set so I'd be in that for those temperatures. Many run nothing but the Stratus all season long early to late. It's that versatile
 
The solitude is my favorite set (MN pre-rut and rut). My only con is the jacket, and more so the high collar. I cannot shoot if collar is all the way up, remedy is to tuck it inside and make it “collarless”. I like that the hood is detachable, comes too far forward so I don’t keep it on and just wear other first lite headgear. I really like the hood design on the sanctuary jacket and can shoot with that thing (though that hood is not detachable). Hope that helps.
 
TooheyBirdie said:
Definitely depends on where you are... I'm kinda like why would you buy solitude when you could get sanctuary... I'm in MN though and will be in my sanctuary bibs and jacket (just bought that) from early November though the end of the year.... one thing to think of is.. you going to wear that stuff in?.. I hike up hills close to a mile so I don't wear that warm stuff in but put it on at the base of the tree... I'm not sure if the solitude but I definitely wouldn't bust brush with the sanctuary bibs... they're really soft and can't imagine they'd hold up
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I was looking at the Solitude Bibs and Jacket vs the Sanctuary set. Any input? I'm in WI.
 
Kayl said:
I was looking at the Solitude Bibs and Jacket vs the Sanctuary set. Any input? I'm in WI.
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So I can't really justify having a pretty cold setup and a really cold setup so I went right for the sanctuary... before it gets gnarley cold I layer up... kiln.... then furnace... then corrugate guide pants and a Klamath 1/4 zip... I bring corrugate guide jacket as well.... once it's in the 30s I swap the jacket for a winter coat...just ordered sanctuary 2.0...and I bring the bibs in on my back... I don't have experience with the solitude set, but I LOVE the sanctuary bibs and I'm assuming I'm going to love the jacket... especially now since I essentially been wearing my old duck jacket when it gets cold
 
I second the mention about not buying something you wear a barely few times for that price. But im sure those are nice either way. order them and try um on in house and see how they feel.

Not sure how long youve been hunting, but after 20+ years, i found myself with a layering system works best. That means nice rain gear/shell, Mid-weight jacket and pants, and some different thermal weights.

I have a hodgepodge of gear, but i have FL kiln and furnace thermals, badlands scree and task pants and kuiu guide pants, then badlands rise jacket and vest. For a shell, i have kuiu rain pants that zip to the hips and a badlands rain jacket. With that wardrobe I can hunt from 80 down to 0 degrees pretty comfortable.
 
greg728 said:
Can you wear stratus into January? I’m in Pennsylvania it’s typically between 20-30 degrees with wind
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I live in Pennsylvania and bought the Stratus jacket and bibs two years ago. I wear it all the way in to late archery season in January without any issues. I would suggest good layering system underneath. I used to use big and bulky Berber outfit from Cabela’s which was extremely warm but it simply was just too bulky. The Stratus set with good layers offers the same amount of warmth but with less balk

would highly recommend it
 
PancreasBroke said:
I second the mention about not buying something you wear a barely few times for that price. But im sure those are nice either way. order them and try um on in house and see how they feel.

Not sure how long youve been hunting, but after 20+ years, i found myself with a layering system works best. That means nice rain gear/shell, Mid-weight jacket and pants, and some different thermal weights.

I have a hodgepodge of gear, but i have FL kiln and furnace thermals, badlands scree and task pants and kuiu guide pants, then badlands rise jacket and vest. For a shell, i have kuiu rain pants that zip to the hips and a badlands rain jacket. With that wardrobe I can hunt from 80 down to 0 degrees pretty comfortable.
Click to expand...
How do you hold up in the wind? I thought of just layering but last year I layered under my mid season setup and was pretty uncomfortable. I probably wasn't layering as well as you though. Part of the reason I'm looking at stratus or solitude setups is because they have wind stopper and my season runs long so I need something that's going to be durable and keep me warm from beginning of November until the end of January. It would be more than half my season not just a few times
 
Hall17 said:
I live in Pennsylvania and bought the Stratus jacket and bibs two years ago. I wear it all the way in to late archery season in January without any issues. I would suggest good layering system underneath. I used to use big and bulky Berber outfit from Cabela’s which was extremely warm but it simply was just too bulky. The Stratus set with good layers offers the same amount of warmth but with less balk

would highly recommend it
Click to expand...

Thanks man, is it worth the money? I'll pay it if it's worth it and it's durable enough to last me a long time.
 
greg728 said:
How do you hold up in the wind? I thought of just layering but last year I layered under my mid season setup and was pretty uncomfortable. I probably wasn't layering as well as you though. Part of the reason I'm looking at stratus or solitude setups is because they have wind stopper and my season runs long so I need something that's going to be durable and keep me warm from beginning of November until the end of January. It would be more than half my season not just a few times
Click to expand...

If your hunting a lot in cold windy conditions, in that case you may be better off with a devoted set of jacket and bibs. Especially if your not doing long or steep hikes.

The rain gear I have is wind proof. My jacket is also windproof (i just checked and I have the Wasatch jacket but its discontinued). Late season virginia (early january) can see some low teen days. If its that cold I wear my furnace layers, my heavier pants, and sometimes a vest and my jacket with my rain gear over it. I get cold if I sit all morning, dont get me wrong, but I don’t freeze. But i also have some longer hikes and am warmed up before sitting. Having your head and face covered is a must too.
 
greg728 said:
How do you hold up in the wind? I thought of just layering but last year I layered under my mid season setup and was pretty uncomfortable. I probably wasn't layering as well as you though. Part of the reason I'm looking at stratus or solitude setups is because they have wind stopper and my season runs long so I need something that's going to be durable and keep me warm from beginning of November until the end of January. It would be more than half my season not just a few times
Click to expand...

If your hunting a lot in cold windy conditions, in that case you may be better off with a devoted set of jacket and bibs. Especially if your not doing long or steep hikes.

The rain gear I have is wind proof. My jacket is also windproof (i just checked and I have the Venture jacket). Late season virginia (early january) can see some low teen days. If its that cold I wear my furnace layers, my heavier pants, and my jacket with my rain gear over it. I get cold if I sit all morning, dont get me wrong, but I don’t freeze. But i also have some longer hikes and am warmed up before sitting. Having your head and face covered is a must too.

my hunting scenario may be vastly different from yours.
 
In a similar boat. I’m In PA as well, I have sanctuary bibs and either a woodbury or fanatic jacket for late season (say 35 and below) and ice fishing. Trying to decide between solitude bibs and stratus bibs to get to sanctuary weather.

I carry my outer layers and only wear them on stand. I prefer to sit for long periods without getting up to move around to warm up.
 
Gee wiz I have a pair of solitude bibs due to arrive tomorrow and you guys have me worried. I currently wear catalyst pants with a mid-weighit merino long john down to about 40. If it's windy I add rain pants. Was figuring the solitudes should get me into the 20's if I wear furnace long johns and fleece lined pants under them. The sanctuary set kind of seemed like overkill as I'm trying to keep the bulk down. Guess we'll see in a few weeks.
 
The stratus set with fanatic vest would be extremely warm and a bit more versatile than the FL set up.
 
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