Contributors to this thread:
Just bought the Sitka Fanatic jacket last years model i believe. I find it a bit noisy right out of the box. The time of year I'll be wearing it the deer are on high alert by then, the woods are quiet, & most of my shots can be 10 yards or less. Those of you who own them do they seem noisy to you? Do they quiet down over time? Seriously considering sending it back if this is just how they are.
The pieces I own with the fleece are not noisy at all. Grabs seeds but not noisy.
Yes noisy. I believe the windstopper material is making the noise when I move my arms. My wife could clearly hear it too. If we can hear it the deer can hear it.
Mine is completely silent.
Wasn’t the Fanatic series designed by the “King of Quiet” Jim Hole JR. Maybe with time or a few washes it will get quieter. But for what it costs you’d hate to be wrong.
I use Cabelas Berber or Wooltimate in the late season. Too bad Bass pro turned that into a sh!t show. God forbid the day I wear out all my old cabelas and have drop a thou on Sitka. There really isn’t much of an option out there anymore.
The new version (Jim Hole, Jr version -2019), is quieter than the previous version by quite a bit. IMO it is silent. Previous versions you can definitely hear the Windstopper.
You should definitely send it back and buy the current “Jim Hole Approved” version. And if you already have the new stuff and still think it’s too noisy, you’re just gonna have to hunt naked and freeze ur sack off bro.
Huh, I have the Gen 1 stuff in the dark blue camo and its pretty dang quiet. New stuff is quieter yet
My old King of the Mountain stuff is silent. Probably not as warm as the new fangled stuff but have sat in some darn cold conditions with the right layers.
If you want silent, wool is the best.
I sold mine but it was the 2018 stuff. I just had the Bibbs but way too noisy. I have hunted with Jim Hole jr. Great guy. I prefer the old Cabelas Berber fleece with the outfitter camo.
I havent been around the newest version but always found the previous models louder than my cabelas berber windstopper fleece. Pricer too.
You may not have the Fanatic? In the early years noisy Sitka could be wire brushed quiet but I still use the pre 2019 Fanatic and it is plenty quiet. Something is not right?
Old Cabelas Berber fleece Outfitter camo with Windstopper was the best. I lost quite a bit of weight and was forced to get some new gear...nothing compared to it until I dropped some coin on the new Sitka gear...and I'm glad I did....the new Fanatic gear is quiet and warm. No buyers remorse here.
Matter of opinion I guess. I find last years model a little noisy, as did I the first gen (Forest camo) as well. I used the forest stuff since inception until this last year, and it got quieter with use, but far from perfect. This years model is a lot quieter, and getting dang near fleece quiet. But if you want to stay warm and quiet, what you have is pretty awesome, with the only move in my mind being, the new fanatic, or going fleece or wool and you won’t be as warm
My Sitka parka was purchased in 2016. Yes, it is too noisy. It is warm but on a very quiet cold morning drawing the bow it is simply makes an unacceptable amount of noise. Very very poor given what I paid. Not sure if I will every buy any more SITKA gear for that reason. Looking hard at First Lite. Starting with bibs first to see if they are quiet.
I have the 2017 Fanatic and it is too noisy. If there is a decent wind it is OK but if the wind goes down as it often does towards sunset, it is too noisy.
The newer version of the Fanatic jacket is not noisy. The older ones were. Scheels has a sale on Sitka Gear going on and I just bought the newer version of the Fanatic coat. Very quiet and very warm.
DOES the new version come in a hockey tape pattern too?
I hunted with Sitka fanatics last 3 years. I loved it, it is warm and silent. I killed 3 big buck with this clothes.
I am very pleased with the fanatic with one exception. Does anyone else find the forearm area of the jacket extremely tight? With just a base layer and one shirt, I have a hard time getting it on and off, and find it somewhat uncomfortable in that area.
Ok if it has wind blocker inside of it get rid of it, NOW! I have bought several different brands with wind blocker in it and they seem silent in the store. Then sound like a tin can full of marbles in the field.
I have the 2018 bib and 2019 fanatic jacket. I guess I'm extremely lucky to be really hard of hearing as well as all the deer I hunt.
If your not seeing and killing deer it's not the noise that your clothes are not making.
Like others have stated the only way your going to be quieter is to go buck naked.
With the exception of the 70% Jacket (or whatever it was called) all the Sitka pieces I have are too noisy for the type hunting I do. I haven't bought any of it recently, though.
Matt
I have Day One fleece camo with wind blocker. It is silent and over 10 years old.
I think some guys just aren't aware of how much noise their cloths make. My best hunting buddy wears the lightweight Sitka pants for early season elk hunting. On calm days I can hear every move he makes from 20 yards away when we hunt together. It drives me nuts! Don't even get me started on his noisy-ass Tenzing fanny pack....
Matt
I remember Pat intentionally tried to make noise with his while a buck was under his stand, and the buck did not hear it.
I documented a late season hunt and had deer within 7 yards, no wind, and I was filming them. I will admit the Celsius without wind breaker is quieter than the Fanatic, but I have no noise concerns with either.
Makes me wonder how much movement is taking place by those that have noise concerns? Admittedly, I am a stand or blind hunter so movement is limited.
Just bought the new Fanatic jacket 2019 Dec. Only thing I found noisy was the caller . A little bit of whisker stubble sounds like sand paper on hard wood. I might try a turtle neck. It's going down to -11 tonight maybe I'll try it in the morning.
X2 on The Day One gear. Great clothing, dead silent and not the mark up of Sitka.
I sit pretty still especially by late season. I don't hear all that well but use "hearing aids" when bow hunting. My wife on the other hand hears exceptionally well. I put the jacket on & had her turn her back to me. I started about ten feet behind her & simply raised my arms & drew my arm back just like raising your bow & drawing. Nothing more. She clearly heard it. I went out to ten yards & she still clearly heard it. If she can hear it facing away from me then a deer can hear it. I called them up to send it back. She asked why so I told her. No problems. Great customer service. High marks for that.
Everything is subjective. It was just to noisy for me in the environment I hunt at that time of year when I would need this. To be honest I'm disappointed as it seemed like a nice jacket overall otherwise. Thanks for everyone's input.
Late season, dead calm, within 7 yards. Fanatic coat, Stratus bibs.
Yesterday was the first day cold enough to wear my Fanatic bibs and jacket. Quiet enough to pull my phone out of the right thigh pocket and take pictures of these does at 15 yards without them being tipped off.
“The Science of Sound”
Hard to believe Gore goes to these lengths and still can’t make a quiet jacket?
I checked out the newest Sitka offerings at Cabelas a few weeks ago. It's still way too noisy for my tastes and style of hunting.
Matt
It depends on the piece. I have several Sitka pieces that are loud as hell and one or two that are silent. Even with the wind stopper the mountain jacket is dead silent although it's not near the jacket the fanatic is.
Busta.........What I saw was an advertisement to sell me something.
Like the guy said......Most fishing lures are designed to catch fishermen not fish.
For the guys it works for more power to you. It's too noisy for me plain & simple.
I hunted WI and then Ohio a lot. In those two states I sometimes did not wear my outer jacket because it was to noisy until I switched to fleece. Then I hunted Iowa and I quickly went to Cabelas it get clothing with a wind liner because the wind was blowing right through me and I was freezing. The wind liner was fine in Iowa where the wind always seemed to blow but was too noisy in Ohio. I noticed that people from MN, WI and OH seem to think that the Sikta gear is too noisy whereas the people from Iowa and other plains states think that it is just fine. Maybe everyone is right for their needs.
Fanatic too noisy? These threads crack me up.
Try googling “Nomad” that clothing company may have an item that matches your handle.
lol Charlie that was my first thought.
Nomad, so what are you wearing that is more quiet and just as warm as the Fanatic series?
I'm not being a smartass, I'm looking for a cold weather jacket. Don't own the Fanatic but it was on my radar.
GG, you tried the Fanatic?
Midwest,
I tried one on at Cabelas not too long ago. My impressions were the same as Nomads...too noisy. It would probably be fine for sitting still in a stand, but not for hiking around thru brush. My old Cabelas wool parka is still my go to for cold weather. It's a bit heavy, but it's warm and quiet.
If I was in the market for a new jacket, I'd probably go with the Sleeping Indian Mountain Hunter Series, or the King of the Mountain Bowman Jacket.
Matt
No way I'd be hiking around in the Fanatic or other cold weather jacket. Looking strictly for stand hunting....carried in and carried out.
It would have to be very, very, extremely cold out to hike around in a Fanatic. Unless of course your intent was to sweat some weight off.
Let's try to stay on point here fellas. We're not talking about Sitka's entire line, we're only talking about the Fanatic gear, and I'm only referring to the 2019 version. And no offense to any of my western brothers out there but if you're thinking about spot/stalk hunting in bibs you're nuts (the Fanatic system only comes in bibs). And there is no way I'd ever consider the jacket for stalking either, but not because it's noisy, because that's not what it was designed for. There are way better options for stalking. The Fanatic line is designed for cold weather treestand hunting, end of story.
I have owned so much high dollar, latest/greatest, best-in-the-world, ultra tech, wool, synthetic - you name it, hunting clothing. I have spent a ton of time bowhunting (from a treestand) for trophy whitetails in ultra cold (sub-zero), ultra quiet conditions wearing all that crap with ten layers on like a bubble wrapped mummy and still freezing my effin sack off. Not any more. Fanatic is the answer.
But hey, please, as soon as one of you guys finds a lighter, warmer, quieter, better designed system, PM me. I will test it in sub zero conditions just like I did the Fanatic and if it's better I'll sell all my Fanatic gear on eBay just like I did with all my other old stuff and then I'll trade up. Because I could care less what the name on the label says, I just want the best gear I can get my hands on and right now, for me (for cold weather treestand hunting) its Fanatic.
First Lite....I just wear it, am very comfortable, very quiet, and have money for lunch. I was very happy to get mine in ASAT before they discontinued it. The new Solitude line is even better than my set. You won't look as cool and can't use the #sickforit hashtags or whatever but it works good.
Midwest......late season I usually wear an old Cabela's fleece bib with a heavy fleece jacket in fall grey predator. I layer under that. When it gets real cold I use an Iwom suit in fall predator. I recently bought First Light bibs.
The Iwom is usually warm enough but when the wind is up it gets through & robs the heat. Plus it's bulky, noisier then I like, & kind of a pain in the butt. (Iwom fans can start trashing me now!)
I was looking for something easier to use, not bulky, & most important would stop the wind from getting through. The fanatic I bought was not the 2019 and I'm sorry for all the people whose feelings I hurt by saying it was too noisy for ME.
I may look into the newer jackets to see if they've cut the noise factor enough for MY situation. They seem like a good company that stands by their product.
For those of you who got their undies in a wad because some of us found something to be not quite what fits OUR situations.............just.....Wow!
"Undies in a Wad?" Such a typical pathetic internet response Nomad. You started a thread looking for help. You didn't even take the time to ID the product you were trashing. No $hit the older Fanatic was noisy, man, thanks for that profound update. That's why Gore spent so much time, effort and resources redesigning it to be silent. Then you trash the video showing the lengths they went to. All along, I'm just giving solid accurate info, just trying to help you buddy. Now, finally, you let us all know that it's the older, noisy version you had. Great! Well, have fun freezing your ass off in your cabelas fleece...
Reading comprehension is wonderful.
I said in my initial post that it was last years model. You even acknowledged it & I quote......."You should definitely send it back and buy the current “Jim Hole Approved” version. And if you already have the new stuff and still think it’s too noisy, you’re just gonna have to hunt naked and freeze ur sack off bro. "
I even complimented the company a couple of times then went on to say I may try the new jacket.
But OK!
I think plain old comprehension is your problem Nomad. “Last years model” Fanatic IS the newest version, you understand that, right? That’s the ultra-quiet version I’ve been touting, and the one you led us all to believe you had (and are still mistakenly referring to) and complained was too noisy. So, now you’re changing your tune, you’re not complaining about “advertisements” or “fishing lures catching fisherman” or whatever, and now maybe you’re gonna get “last years model” Fanatic after all? Boy, I sure do hope you like it.
I have the newest model out and love it,warm and quiet.
Kurt
When did the newest version of the fanatic come out last year? What month?
The answer to what month/year the upgraded Fanatic was released, depends on whether you ask Sitka, or wait to see/buy it from a supplier who is making sure to exhaust the old stock on hand first.
I’m not positive but I believe Sitka started shipping the new Fanatic line in June or July of ‘19.
It was in our Scheel's here in KS before the season started in mid-September if I remember correctly.
I think everyone knew "last years" meant not the current model. I'm sorry if you got confused. I do not buy every "latest & greatest" on the market & sell the old "that's so last years model". I'm glad some people are happy doing so......more power to you.
Yes........those videos are made to sell you something plain & simple. I don't believe any of them at face value. I try to do a little research. Otherwise I'd be fishing with that Flex Seal guy with the screen door for a boat.
So....it seems everyone agrees that "last years version", "previous years version", "the older versions" are noisy. "This years version", "the new version", "the Jim Hole version" is much quieter & most of you are happy with it. Like I said......I may just try it. They seem like a good company. Thanks for all your input.
I have found that flex seal works very well but they don’t tell you that if the cam is older than a year the adhesion is compromised. Be sure to upgrade annually and you will get the full benefit of the seal. It is nice that it is coming in white now too and not just black.
Ooops Bou'bound...........I meant "the older version" of Flex Seal! :)
I have the original version of the fanatic, maybe it quiets down after use but I would say it is FAR from noisy. I still want to upgrade to the new version, but the way the talk is you'd think it was insulated with corn flakes. Even the original piece of clothing is a darn fine piece of clothing.
