Contributors to this thread:
Looking at their outer layer jackets and was wondering if they are cut so you can layer under them or do I need to size up?
Most coats that are true to size I take a XL.
They are cut for layering
I found there jackets run small
Jacket is going to be a little tighter fit than you are likely used to. Perfect for bowhunting. I wear XL in everything and Kuiu is no different. Just be prepared for it to "hug" you. If you like loose and baggy then size up.
Everything as far as tops ( shirts and jackets) I’ve had to send back for a larger size.
I size up in Kuiu as well, especially the tops. I'm an XL in most everything, except I'm an XXL in all things Kuiu
KUIU is DEFINATELY not "cut for layering", with the exception of maybe the rain gear. If you are looking at the Guide Jacket...Size up for sure. I would guess you'll need 2X in all of their jackets, especially if you want to layer.
I have found most KUIU runs small. Several years ago, I ordered a Chugach jacket in XXL. I generally wore XL but wanted to layer. When the XXL arrived, the only thing I could layer it over was a tee shirt. Their customer service was great and refunded my money. I went with First Lite after that. Very happy with that. In full disclosure, my son is a total KUIU fanboy.
I have a Rubicon jacket that I have to force my hands through the cuffs every time. I am thinking about taking it to the local alteration shop to get some elastic put in the cuffs.
Why do my pants fit like millennial skinny jeans?
Agree, KUIU clothing is built for normal size. It is more of a "tailored cut" rather than "loose-fit". The cut style aids in heat retention and it reduces void areas when heat can escape and cold can enter.
Being a smaller, skinny build, I like the way it fits me and keeps my temps regulated. AND it does not make my butt look big !
I bought quite a bit of Kuiu clothing last year. I went one size up on everything. Perfect !
Is this stuff really worth it or do guys wear it to be in the designer camo crowd? Under Armour seems to be a lot cheaper and worn by personalities like the Solo hunter guys.
Worth every penny to me. I could care less about the pattern. I wear it for the stretch, warmth and breathability.
Yes, Kuiu is worth it if you can afford it. I think it's about as good as it gets. I started with an Attack pant and a Chugach rain jacket top. I've since added several other items. I won't go on a northern hunt without my Chugach jacket and pants. The Attack pants tend to repel water and are the best I've found for a 7 day backpack hunt in all kinds of weather.
Like previous posts, I tend to size up when ordering. The exception are the pants and the rain gear. I wear a 33" waist wrangler but the 32" Kuiu pants fit great. I get large in all the base layers but also bought medium on the rain gear. The rain pants fit over my hunting pants and the jacket fits over a few layers of shirts. Other Kuiu jackets tend to be smaller.
If you ever get to any of the winter shows where KUIU has a booth, take the time to try on a bunch of items and write down what fits.
Every thing i have got fits just fine
I think it's worth every penny. I've never had hunting clothes fit and feel as good as Kuiu does. I've been at this for 52 years, and only wish I could have had clothing like this a long time ago.
Their gators are priceless
I'm right there with your comment stagetek. I got a lot of good, old style clothes that I just have issues parting with. Most of the time they sit in the closet and bring be good memories but my KUIU is on the travel squad.
All KUIU- all the time.
I have a fair amount and everything other than pants is one size larger than what I wear from any other company.
I have a big chest. In just about everything I take a xl. In kuiu I need a xxl to get a layering fit.
Worth every penny.
And the rain jacket/pants are definitely cut to have something under them.
I've toyed with the idea of buying some but I find it hard knowing I could buy a nice rifle that won't turn into dryer lint with the money the stuff costs. I walked ten miles in a $20 pair of rubber boots last year and shot a nice bull doing it while wearing Wal-Mart camo. Not to mention, I live in wide open ranch country and I'd have a fit the first pair of $200 pants a 5 strand barbed wire fence claimed.
They are not cut for layering. Great fit with a t-shirt our light shirt. I wear XL in everything and had to go to XXL for layering. Great product thought.
Thanks for the info fellas!
Or purchase Sitka where you can go to the store and try it on.
I size up on outer layer tops and go with my normal size for pants and under layer.
I'm always a M in everything and M in Kuiu. Every piece I own is M. I'll easily get over 20 years from every piece other than maybe the attack pants. But that's not fair cause they get worn at home every 2nd day cause they're so awesome. So as far as a long term clothing investment, prob cheaper than all the Walmart crap I've bought over the years.
If you enjoy wearing $20 rubber boots when you're elk hunting have at 'er. No one is making you spend the money and no one says the clothing will make you kill. But it sure as heck can keep you comfortable. I also plunked barb wire into my Kuiu attack pants. Instead of shredding they simply have a small hole. I was going to sew it back together but the hole just hasn't been growing...and it's been 3 years. So until it becomes a problem I'll just leave it.
It's funny the differences of opinions on sizing. I always hear size up in KUIU pants and I wear the same size pant in six different lines of theirs and the same as every other brand no matter what. Now, my brother had to size up the last time he ordered, not really sure why that happens. I'm a 36" waist and I wear a Large in every top or jacket they have if I'm using it for hunting. If I want a looser fit for street wear, I go XL.
I'd say buy the size you think you need and then go from there. I've found them to be consistent in fit line to line, so once you know what you like, just keep going with it.
I wear XL shirts and jackets but all of my Kuiu jackets are XXL.
In general I think their sizing is hit or miss. Just very inconsistent. When in doubt order larger.
If you’re satisfied with Walmart camo and rubber boots, then I’d say put your $200 towards a new rifle......Besides, Kuiu is geared more towards us archery hunters, Thornton;-)
My experience is that the pants seem to fit true to size, whereas the shirts and jackets seem to run a size small.
I think KUIU runs fairly true to size, but they are an athletic cut. Most of it is meant by design to fit snug and most has a decent stretch to it to aid movement with that tighter fit. If you go to their charts rather than "I usually wear...." they are fairly close. Or that has been my experience.
A good deal of the clothing today, especially the jeans, are cut oversize as a 34 that's really more of a 35 or bigger sells better. Think "relaxed" fit. Think "vanity" sizes for an aging super sized population..... folks hate to have to add that next "X".....
It's likely not worth the money if you just walk to a stand and sit in a tree, but covering ground in the mountains, packing in a spike camp, having to wear the same pants for a week..... yeah, the higher end gear such as KUIU and Sitka (started by KUIU) First Lite and other technical gear is worth it IMO. I have a couple pair of non-camo attacks that I love for travel and casual as much as to hunt in. Awesome for the plane. They are just much better fit, cut and material than any other pants I own. I much prefer comfy boots that fit and made for purpose as well. Not gonna take my money with me when I check out but I do plan on takin' my feet.... =D
Not sure why kuiu uses the athletic fit and not just standard USA fit. The biggest complaint I hear about kudu is the fit. Not sure if folks just buy more to get right fit and kuiu make more money that way or if ppl send back stuff and kuiu make money on shipping.
This passed winter a acquaintance of mine, introduce me to someone who works in the recreational clothing business. Their company was researching about getting into the high end hunting clothing line. I had dinner with them and learned a lot about clothing. From material, functionality to fit. There is a standard to clothing fit. Also theres not one piece of hunting clothing that was invented by the hunt clothing industry. All materials used have been used by the recreational outdoor industry for years before it came into hunting clothes.. I spoke with her on the phone one time shortly after c19 hit about what kinda of clothing would be most interesting to hunters. I have not hear from her since then. I think there USA headquarters maybe shut down, as I believe it's based in New York City. She never would revealed what company she worked for, I know they market clothing in over 100 countries. At this point not sure if they dropped the idea or what.
Buy a brand that doesn't have the sizing problems.
Agree the technical outdoors backpacking/climbing etc are where much of this gear technology comes from. Honestly I think camo, much less matching camo, is overrated. Not worthless and likely has some edge in hunting, but overrated. Although I think the actual design of the hunting clothing is better in many ways for hunting. Not sure if Patagonia makes pants with removable knee pads, specialized pockets, etc. Much less backpacks that handle 100lb loads of meat. Even some of that comes from military/tactical and not necessarily hunting though.
I buy from the hunting industry because that is what I want to support with my dollar. Not some company that supports intro wolves, anti-hunter, anti 2A. Not a penny of it if I can help it. And I much prefer spending it with small business, at least part of the reason I prefer KUIU over Gore-Tex (Sitka). But everybody has their own priorities/preferences.
If you don't like it don't buy it. But most of their customer base is buying it for exactly that. The non-baggy athletic fit and performance. It's performance clothing. Judging by their insane growth pattern and 10 million in revenue last year it seems to be what people like?
If there isn't one piece of clothing that isn't invented by the hunting industry why can no one find a jacket similar to the Sitka Fanatic? Why can't we find something that quiet, that warm, with that ease of motion? Because it's a copy of something else? Sorry man, I don't buy that. But I do buy the clothing ;)
The common thread about guys bashing expensive hunting clothing (I say expensive as in sticker price not ROI) is that 99/100 people that bash it haven't used it. They can't imagine that it could be worth the price. And yet, you hear of many many people "converted" after they buy it. The companies are growing. The # of happy customers grows. Ya, but it's all a waste of money and these companies are doing it all wrong...
I bowhunt up to several months every year. Kuiu was designed by a multi weapon hunter that used rifles frequently the last few years of his life.
TD has it right. . . .
I LOVE my Kuiu Attack pants. I once wore them for 17 days straight without a wash. They got soaked every day, and hung over a wood stove every night for 17 days. And didn't even stink that bad for the plane ride home. . . .
I'm sure REI, or Patagonia, or Northface, or some other hippy granola-eating, tofu-farting company make pants that are just as good as Kuiu Attack pants. Maybe better. Maybe cheaper too.
But I'd rather my money go to a hunting company.
I earned my money. I figure I can spend it on what I want.
And I ain't tough enough to wear crappy clothes either. My first DIY elk hunt I wore heavy-ass insulated leather boots, some cotton pants, cotton undershirt, and a fleece jacket. Talk about heavy and if it got wet. . . forget about it.
My last DIY elk hunt I wore Attack pants, a merino undershirt, merino 1/4 zip long sleeve, and I had a Sitka active jacket and a Sitka Kelvin. Expensive sure. But light, dries quickly, and kept me warm when I needed it. You all can have your Walmart and Costco clothes. I ain't tough enough to do it
If you're tough enough to do it in rubber and cotton, I salute you
All of Kuiu upper body stuff runs small.
Nice stuff, just remember its "athletic fit" and the 5 guys in front of the quarterback don't count in this use of the term "athletic".
I have two Guide jackets. One is an original Vias colored one made in Vancouver in XL. The other is a solid colored one made over seas- 3XL. They’re about the same size...
To me its not expensive compared to the other camo companies that sold the scent blocking clothing that was a fad. Or comparing it stuff at Cabelas or other hunting retailers.
Like others have said if you haven't tried it then you won't understand how the system works. I hunt early season archery at 10-11k feet. The vent zippers in the pants and jackets are the chit. The zip off base layers are the bomb too. When its in the low 30's at first light then 70 by noon Kuiu gear is your best friend!!!
I’ve been a Kuiu fan since it first came out - great stuff. But fully agree that sizing has been a long-time issue for them. Agree that their stuff (other than raingear) generally runs a tad small, but just as frustrating it is inconsistent from year to year. For example, I have several pair of Attack Pants (my favorite hunting pant) purchased in different years that are a slightly different size and cut. Very frustrating to know your size in an item and when the new one shows up it’s different.
However, I love Kuiu’s high-tech functionality and put up with exchanging if it doesn’t fit. Also make sure to try on their stuff when I see it at sportsman’s shows (now probably a thing of the past).
Agree that their jackets almost always run a bit small. Heard the “cut” argument before but these fabrics are very expensive and undersizing does cut their material costs in this highly competitive market.
Don’t have these sizing issues with selected pieces I’ve bought from other high-end manufacturers such as Sitka, First-lite, Kryptek, etc. But in most cases (other than Sitka Jetstream) find Kuiu’s field performance more to my liking - and they stand behind their stuff - never had an issue with customer service.
Bake wrote, “ I LOVE my Kuiu Attack pants. I once wore them for 17 days straight without a wash. They got soaked every day, and hung over a wood stove every night for 17 days. And didn't even stink that bad for the plane ride home. . . .”
I’ve gotta ask, did you actually smell them a day after you got home and got cleaned up?
Tilzbow: I had some others sniff test them. On day 15 I did “wash” them in cold water and hang to dry over a bush. But I couldn’t smell a strong smell on them
Also wore the same icebreaker merino t shirt that whole time and washed in cold water. And it wasn’t too bad either.
I’m sure I smelled. But not badly enough to scare everyone away ;)
