When my wife Tami and I met on a blind date in October of 2011 I soon discovered that she had never hunted before. In spite of that, we hit it off that night but our next date would have to wait for a bit. I was headed to eastern Montana the next day for a week of antelope hunting. Then elk and deer season opened the following week. So, she knew what she was getting into.
We were soon spending most of our free time together and she enthusiastically plunged herself into my world of horses, backpacking, skiing, fishing and of course, hunting. A few trips to REI and she was outfitted with a sleeping bag, pack and all of the necessary gear for our back-country camping trips. I even bought her a small saddle.
The Kimber Mountain Ascent rifle I had purchased a few years before for a mountain goat hunt proved a perfect fit and she was soon shooting tight groups with the little, super light .308.
But hunting clothes and gear that fit her 5’2, 110-pound frame? That was another matter.
With the hunting season of 2012 fast approaching we headed into Bozeman to see what we could find for women’s hunting apparel. There was nothing. We found an assortment of kid’s hunting clothes and cobbled together a mish mash of pants and jackets. The arms were too short on the jackets. The waists were too low, or the legs too short on the pants. No one had a hunting pack that fit a woman. The available day packs had straps made to fit a dude and were not adjustable enough for her frame.
Over the next few years we managed with what we could get our hands on. She took several nice antelope and mule deer, bought a bow, and went on a couple of forays after elk. A couple of companies came out with a woman’s clothing line but when she tried them on, she wasn’t impressed. Especially with the pink camo. So, when Sitka Gear announced that they were going to make a line for women, I cheered, but held my breath.
In 2018, Tami was successful in drawing one of Montana’s special elk permits. I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible in what would be some tough hunting conditions. John Barklow of Sitka had been heavily involved in developing the line of women’s Big Game clothing and helped us get Tami outfitted in Sitka’s women’s gear.
One thing that impressed us from the start was that Sitka didn’t try and differentiate the women’s gear by creating a completely new line or separate naming conventions. They took the highly successful products originally designed for men and changed the fit and a few small details. This was a brilliant strategy. There were no shortcuts taken and the women’s line boasts the same materials, quality and innovations that already make Sitka a standout in the saturated world of hunting apparel. Men already familiar with Sitka’s products can easily and confidently recommend gear for the women in their lives knowing its going to work.
So, the only real question was the fit. And according to Tami, Sitka nailed it. She loves the way the pants and jackets feel and fit her frame.
This winter, Tami and I had the opportunity to chat with Richard Siberell, a lead designer at Sitka gear. Richard, an avid adventurer, hunter and fisherman began designing backpacks and outdoor technical apparel back in the 70s. After a long stint with Patagonia, Richard joined the Sitka team. I couldn’t help but ask him about the challenges of designing a clothing line for women given there were so many different body types. Richard chuckled, “The new, stretchier materials sure helped!”. Richard was particularly grateful for the help they received from the female “Sitka Athletes” who helped test and critique the line. “They were critical to process and it made all of the difference.”
In January 2019 we picked up a pair of the Sitka Women’s Timberline pants that were not yet available last fall.
Tami loves the padded knees and the waterproof seat. We hunt eastern Montana for antelope and mule deer and do a lot of crawling. Those knee pads will come in handy. Again, she raved about the fit although we sent them back and opted for one size larger to ensure she could layer for colder weather use. This year Sitka is releasing new women’s products, including a pack. Tami is excited to try a hunting pack designed just for women.
Sitka Gear is not the cheapest women’s apparel out there. But as always, you get what you pay for. Its technical gear made for tough use in tough conditions. For Tami, her Sitka Gear means more than just “new clothes”. It was taking another step toward being recognized as a serious hunter dedicated to the sport and passionate about spending time outdoors.