W.L. Gore & Associates have been engineering “The Science of Nothing” since 2009 by developing their Optifade Concealment patterns. In 2012, they came out with a new waterfowl hunting pattern called Optifade Marsh. This pattern is helping to revolutionize the waterfowl hunting industry and how hunters view their current camo patterns and its effectiveness. Sitka has incorporated the new Optifade Marsh pattern in their new line of waterfowl hunting gear.
Sitka is known worldwide as a maker of premium hunting clothing. They engineer and develop industry leading clothing that is made to take anything that serious hunters can throw at it. Sitka uses performance fabrics and different types of insulation to make systems for any hunting situation. The principal behind Sitka gear is using various articles of gear to create a system designed for any specific hunting environment. This allows individual hunters to purchase just the gear they need for their hunting locations and conditions. It truly is not a one size fits all approach.
The Boreal Jacket is new to the Sitka lineup this year. It is almost like wearing a waterproof sleeping bag. The jacket features a 650 fill down insulation along with a Gore-Tex waterproof lining. Down is one of the best insulators known to man. However, when down gets wet is loses all of it insulating properties. Combining the down with a Gore-Tex lining makes this a go to jacket when the mercury starts to drop. Hunters don’t have to worry about wearing this in the worst waterfowl conditions imaginable. On the more technical side of the jacket, it is loaded with features serious hunters demand. These include welded and watertight zippers, cuffs that have watertight gaskets, pit zips, and an adjustable hood. The Boreal Jacket is also loaded with useful pockets to help keep all of your necessary gear handy.
I was extremely impressed with the Boreal Jacket as soon as I got my hands on it. For such a warm jacket it is lightweight. Down has a high weight to warmth ratio and that is noticeable when you put this jacket on. The gaskets that make up the watertight cuffs work great when cinched down tight. All of the pockets on this jacket are useful for storing gear and having it easily accessible. While extremely warm, it is still recommended to layer this jacket over a low loft insulating layer like the Sitka Traverse or Core shirts. Overall this is probably going to be one of the warmest jackets you will find on the market for waterfowl hunting. I would challenge any waterfowl hunter to find a warmer and more technical jacket on the market.
