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Mid Layer Piece

Diesel40 said:
I have struggle to find the right mid layer piece. I am very happy with my base layers witch mostly consist of merino wool and fleece vests. Most of the merino is First Lite, a few are Black Ovis. I am very happy with my bibs and jacket, which are the First Lite Solitude set. With my base layer options and the puffy vest I tend to wear under my Solitude jacket, I can comfortably hunt most conditions in south/central Illinois. I have been struggling to find that piece when I need a little more than the base layer but not quite needing the solitude jacket. A light weight jacket that blocks the wind would be great and I think would fill my gap, but it needs to be silent. The puffy jacket thread got me really thinking about this again. A puffy would fit this spot well, if it were silent, but it is not silent enough as an outer layer. I have been searching for this piece for a while, but have not found one that fits this need. Any suggestions?
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a great compromise to quiet things over a puffy down jacket is a quiet button up shirt

i'll sometimes wear in just a base layer on top when it is going to be warm midday and then when it starts to get cold i'll put on a puffy jacket that packs down and then over that an oversized button up shirt made out of a quiet material

i have several shirts that fit the bill, but had trouble finding a quiet ultralight one until i found one from nomad on cabelas, i'll sometimes wear the ultralight shirt over the base layer while walking

keeping the nylon of the puffy from rubbing itself makes it quiet enough
 
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Hall17 said:
That is a tough one. I have some great mid-layers that I love but they are not windproof. The Stratus jacket from Sitka is windproof and quiet but maybe a little bulkier than you'd like but also a bit similar to the Solitude. Not sure I don't know much about the FL stuff. Interested to see what others recommend. I am a Sitka guy and can't think of anything off the top of my head from them that would be quiet enough for you.
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i think windproof outerlayers are sweat boxes if you wear them walking in (unless it is brutally cold)

so, i pack my windproof layer in just like my midlayer insulating layers

 
Diesel40 said:
Your setup isn't much different than mine. I have several of the FS shirts - Wick, Kiln, Chama and 2 older ones; one t-shirt and one long sleeve but I cannot remember the names. I wear a combination of these depending on the temps. Those in combo with a cheap Cabela's fleece vest and my solitude set I can hunt through November. I do not have a Klamath and have almost pulled the trigger on it a couple of times. It just never felt like the right piece. Does it cut the wind? I'm looking for something like that, but that cuts the wind and can still layer under my solitude jacket.
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Klamath is nice, but no…it does not cut wind. Neither does their Sawtooth Hybrid vest.
 
Mid layers I really like the Sitka fanatic hoody and Sitka Celsius midi. I wear the fanatic hoody on about every single hunt. Have had it for 8 years or whenever it first came out.
 
Diesel40 said:
Your setup isn't much different than mine. I have several of the FS shirts - Wick, Kiln, Chama and 2 older ones; one t-shirt and one long sleeve but I cannot remember the names. I wear a combination of these depending on the temps. Those in combo with a cheap Cabela's fleece vest and my solitude set I can hunt through November. I do not have a Klamath and have almost pulled the trigger on it a couple of times. It just never felt like the right piece. Does it cut the wind? I'm looking for something like that, but that cuts the wind and can still layer under my solitude jacket.
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Klamath does NOT cut wind. It's a great piece but it's a mid layer through and through. Mine got fuzzy wearing it once I to some thick stuff.... when it's cold cold in MN I go furnace, Klamath, then my jacket... current just my cabelas duck hunting jacket.
 
Good to know about the Klamath, thanks guys.

I have been eyeballing the FL catalyst jacket, but really would like something that would also layer under my solitude jacket. If they would come out with a soft shell hoodie or something like that I think I would have what I need. Not necessarily to wear walking in, but to throw on once up in the stand after your walk in, but would still layer under your coat/ jacket after it cools off toward the end of the hunt in the evening.
 
Diesel40 said:
Your setup isn't much different than mine. I have several of the FS shirts - Wick, Kiln, Chama and 2 older ones; one t-shirt and one long sleeve but I cannot remember the names. I wear a combination of these depending on the temps. Those in combo with a cheap Cabela's fleece vest and my solitude set I can hunt through November. I do not have a Klamath and have almost pulled the trigger on it a couple of times. It just never felt like the right piece. Does it cut the wind? I'm looking for something like that, but that cuts the wind and can still layer under my solitude jacket.
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No, I would not say it cuts the wind. Pretty much an insulating layer for the cold. If it's windy but not extremely cold I'll just walk in with the furnace on then put the solitude jacket on when I get to my tree.
 
Diesel40 said:
Good to know about the Klamath, thanks guys.

I have been eyeballing the FL catalyst jacket, but really would like something that would also layer under my solitude jacket. If they would come out with a soft shell hoodie or something like that I think I would have what I need. Not necessarily to wear walking in, but to throw on once up in the stand after your walk in, but would still layer under your coat/ jacket after it cools off toward the end of the hunt in the evening.
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I have the catalyst jacket, solitude jacket, and solitude vest. I don’t think it is your intention to layer the catalyst with the solitude but just in case…..

In my experience the catalyst jacket does not layer well with the solitude jacket. It’s great with the solitude vest but I did not like it under the solitude jacket.

The catalyst is a good stand alone kit. Here in KY I wore the catalyst bibs and jacket probably 70% of the season. In my opinion it’s perfect from 45-65° by either adding or removing layers underneath.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
TreeSick said:
I have the catalyst jacket, solitude jacket, and solitude vest. I don’t think it is your intention to layer the catalyst with the solitude but just in case…..

In my experience the catalyst jacket does not layer well with the solitude jacket. It’s great with the solitude vest but I did not like it under the solitude jacket.

The catalyst is a good stand alone kit. Here in KY I wore the catalyst bibs and jacket probably 70% of the season. In my opinion it’s perfect from 45-65° by either adding or removing layers underneath.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Ya, definitely don’t want to layer the jackets. That would be to bulky.
 
Just got an email back from FL. I was asking basically the same question as this tread. basically a midlayer that will block wind and layer under my solitude. Dylan said that they have some new pieces coming out in 2022 and feels that some of the items will meet my needs. Of course couldn't tell me what they were at this time.
 
Mid layer is not usually a wind proof. I can give you a direction. Either a Sitka Celsius midi or something like the badlands detour. I don’t buy into all the windproof Necessity. I have a hard shell for that over down.
 
Lowg08 said:
Mid layer is not usually a wind proof. I can give you a direction. Either a Sitka Celsius midi or something like the badlands detour. I don’t buy into all the windproof Necessity. I have a hard shell for that over down.
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I realize a mid layer is not usually windproof.
 
Lowg08 said:
Of course if you want it to be it can. No
Rules saying it can’t be
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Looking for something that will cut the wind, not necessarily wind proof. Most of my base layers are merino and they don’t do well with the wind. Looking for a mid layer piece when my solitude jacket is to much, would still layer under my jacket if needed
 
It's been in the 30s today and we've had a steady 10-15mph with gusts up to 25. I played around with the ultalite suit...base layer (we just call them long underwear? :confused: ) frog togg top and bottom, lightweight quick dry fishing type zip off into shorts pants, puff vest, and lightweight surplus fleece 1/4 zip, wool socks, and Crocs.....100% cuts the wind and definetly quiet enough to bow hunt. Without the frog togg I would need addition layers for sure....I know it's not the kinda temps u guys deal with so I can't say much on that but I'm definetly going to add this to my layering system for when it gets windy cold around here.
 
Diesel40 said:
Looking for something that will cut the wind, not necessarily wind proof. Most of my base layers are merino and they don’t do well with the wind. Looking for a mid layer piece when my solitude jacket is to much, would still layer under my jacket if needed
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have you thought of a v neck windshirt under your jacket? you pack it in and so you don't sweat as bad
 
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