Everything You Need for An All-Season Hunting Gear System
#Learn how to build an all-season hunting gear system with just 8 pieces that manage moisture, warmth, and protection in the field.
In this video, SITKA Gear’s Senior Product Manager John Barklow shares how just eight key pieces can form a simple, versatile technical clothing system for nearly any hunt in North America. Drawing on 24 years of building systems for both the military and SITKA, he explains why you don’t need more than eight core layers—just the right pieces working together.
John breaks down the performance goals of an eight-piece system: managing moisture from sweat, rain, and snow; maintaining body warmth by dumping heat when it’s hot and trapping it when it’s cold; and protecting you from wind, weather, and abrasion. From there, he outlines the core components: a base layer top and bottom, soft shell pants, an active insulated top, a Windstopper jacket, a static puffy jacket, and a rain jacket and pants.
He dives into how a lightweight base layer next to skin is foundational for moisture management, the pros of synthetic pieces that dry quickly versus merino options that help manage odor, and why he always includes both a top and bottom. He then walks through choosing soft shell pants based on your pursuit—prioritizing quiet for spot-and-stalk archery or durability for sheep country—while still getting quick-drying protection with a durable water repellent finish.
John also explains the role of an active midlayer like a grid fleece or ambient-style hoodie, a static insulated puffy he considers part of his survival kit, and a wind stopper jacket that he calls a force multiplier in the backcountry. Finally, he covers why he always carries rain gear, whether he’s above timberline in Colorado or hunting in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, or New Zealand.
By the end, you’ll understand how to customize this eight-piece system for big game, waterfowl, turkey, whitetail, or even backpack training trips.
Build your system here: https://www.sitkagear.com/system-builder
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#allseasonhuntinggear #huntinggear #gearsystem #huntinggearkit #huntingclothingsystem
Video Chapters:
00:00 | Intro
01:16 | Benefits of an 8-Piece System
02:00 | What's in an 8-Piece System
03:21 | Baselayer Top & Bottom
05:38 | Softshell Pant
06:42 | Midlayer Insulation
08:28 | Static Insulation
09:55 | WINDSTOPPER Jacket
11:19 | GORE-TEX Jacket & Pant
12:37 | Conclusion