First Lite Core Jacket and Bibs Review

Right here’s the factor: you don’t precisely want costly clothes to treestand hunt for whitetails in 45- to 30-degree temperatures. Throw on a pair of longjohns, a heavy pair of bibs, and an insulated coat and also you’ll most likely be simply high-quality for a morning sit or two. However if you wish to hunt severely and pull all-day sits — day after day in more and more nasty situations — you’re going to wish extra technical gear to remain heat, dry, and cozy, and that’s the place First Lite’s Core collection is available in. 

I area examined the Core jacket and bib this fall throughout the coronary heart of my Wisconsin bow season and located the system to be one of many quietest and most comfy whitetail fits that I’ve ever worn. On the draw back, I did discover some sturdiness points that you just may need to take into account earlier than you pull the set off on this $900 combo (for the jacket and bib). We’ll dig into the small print beneath.

• Sizes: Small to XXXL
• Camo: First Lite Specter
• Physique cloth: Nylon with DWR 
• Micro-fleece liner
• Zip-off detachable hood
• Chest pockets which might be accessible whereas carrying a bino harness
• Security harness pass-through port
• Twin-zippered hand pockets
• Ports for entry to inside pockets and hand hotter muff on the bib (magnetic closures)
• PrimaLoft Gold Insulation (80gsm within the physique and 60gsm within the sleeves)
• Worth: $450

Core Bib Specs & Key Options

See It

• Sizes: Small to XXXL
• Camo: First Lite Specter
• Physique Material: Light-weight nylon with DWR 
• Micro-fleece liner
• Full-length facet zips 
• Zip safe chest pockets
• Kangaroo-style handwarmer pockets
• Twin entry cargo pockets optimized with magnetic high flap and facet zip closures
• Worth: $450

Testing the First Lite Core Sequence

I bow hunted in northwestern Wisconsin from mid-October to early November with the Core jacket and bib, carrying them on nearly a dozen sits. Temperatures ranged from 60 levels to the mid 30s. I noticed wind as much as 18mph and solely mild precipitation (general we’ve had an unseasonably gentle fall up right here). All of my searching was from treestands. Like most personal land whitetail hunters, I’d stroll a number of hundred yards from my truck, climb into my stand, after which wait. 

How the First Lite Core Sequence Carried out

Consolation & Quietness

The very first thing I observed about this swimsuit was how extremely comfy it’s. Each the outer nylon materials and interior fleece are tremendous mushy to the contact. Regardless that the jacket is insulated, it doesn’t really feel cumbersome or heavy. I by no means felt just like the Michelin man whereas sitting in my stand, even when layered up. 

I’m 6’2” and weigh 185 kilos and the Giant match me effectively with loads of room beneath for layering. With the jacket, there was just a little further materials across the waist however I didn’t thoughts in any respect. 

The second factor I observed was how splendidly quiet the jacket and bib are. As a result of that outer nylon materials is so mushy, it’s additionally tremendous quiet, each when rubbed towards itself or different objects. That is key for drawing undetected, but in addition for creeping into your setup stealthily. That is subjective, however to my ear, this was the second quietest whitetail searching swimsuit that I’ve area examined behind solely the Sitka Fanatic, which is a cold-weather jacket with a berber-fleece outer layer. 

I appreciated the quietness of this swimsuit when a pleasant buck grunted his means into my setup to chase some does and run off a youthful buck. I drew my bow stealthily with does immediately beneath my stand and made an ideal shot on him at 25 yards. The Core jacket and bib obtained a pair bonus factors on that night hunt. 

Heat and Weatherproofness

First Lite says this combo is good for temperatures from 45 levels to 30 levels, and I’d say that’s about proper. With the correct layering beneath I might comfortably put on this swimsuit in 20-degree climate, but when it have been a lot colder than that, I’d go for heavier gear.

I by no means felt chilly whereas searching within the Core and I often wore solely a base layer, lengthy sleeve shirt, and uninsulated pants beneath it. 

One factor I used to be fortunately stunned by was how waterproof the Core collection was. One morning I hunted in a really mild, sporadic rain and stayed completely dry. For just a little harder testing I sprayed the arm of the jacket beneath my kitchen sink for a full minute and located that water by no means soaked by way of. I attribute that to the DWR end on the jacket however I’ll be curious to see how that end and water repelling efficiency may (or won’t) maintain up over time. 

Nonetheless, this isn’t a totally waterproof swimsuit. If you happen to’re planning to hunt in regular rain, go together with legitimate rain gear. However the Core collection ought to stand as much as snow and light-weight, occasional rain.

Intelligent Options

Each the Core jacket and bib are filled with options that whitetail hunters will admire. Ranging from the highest, the jacket has a detachable hood that matches snugly. It additionally has a harness port within the again so you may put on your treestand harness beneath your jacket, which I desire to do. 

The jacket has openings on the edges, simply above the pockets, so you may entry interior pockets and the kangaroo-style pocket within the bibs. These ports are closed by a strip of magnets (they robotically snap shut when not in use). I discovered the system to be a stealthy approach to hold my arms heat. It’s particularly good for bowhunters, who don’t prefer to put on gloves. One small remaining contact is that the jacket has a small loop within the cuff, which you’ll be able to connect to a thumb launch, guaranteeing that you just don’t drop it out of the tree — or neglect it.

The bibs have adjustable straps on the edges so you may tighten them to suit. They’ve magnetized cargo pockets on the legs. The comfy kangaroo-style pocket within the entrance is a superb place to stash some handwarmers on chilly days. And, they’ve full-length zippers on the edges.

Sturdiness Points

The one criticism I’ve for the Core swimsuit is potential sturdiness points. Whereas the outer nylon is mushy and quiet, my pattern was not burr- or briar-proof. Whereas strolling into my setups on a number of events, I needed to slip by way of some thickets with burrs and thorns. After pulling stray burrs off the jacket I later inspected the sleeve and noticed that outer materials was pulling out and coming unwoven (not precisely coming aside on the seams, however form of). Scanning First Lite’s warranty exhibits that kind of harm “pilling, abrasion, pin holes or different beauty put on and tear which doesn’t have an effect on the efficiency of the garment,” most likely wouldn’t be lined.

The jacket remains to be practical after all, however at $450 I desire a searching jacket to final a number of years of exhausting use and that features the occasional burr patch. 

This wouldn’t be a difficulty for those who hunt open hardwoods and don’t must tromp by way of thick stuff to get to your spots. However for public land hunters who must cowl quite a lot of habitat to get in deep to their setups, the long-term sturdiness of the Core swimsuit may very well be an issue. 

How the Core Stacks Up Towards the Competitors

Within the final couple of seasons I’ve area examined a handful of different top-end whitetail searching fits as effectively, most notably the Sitka Incinerator and Kuiu Proximity. Curiously, I’d say the First Lite Core sits proper between the 2 by way of heat and worth, however in my view it’s extra comfy than each. Right here’s my fast tackle every:

Sitka Incinerator

That is the warmest and most weatherproof of the three, however it’s additionally the costliest and bulkiest. If you happen to hunt numerous sub-freezing temperatures otherwise you get chilly simply, this could be swimsuit to think about.

First Lite Core

That is the second warmest and second most costly of the three. I discovered it to be essentially the most comfy and quietest of all of them. However my long-term sturdiness considerations are actual.

Kuiu Proximity

That is the least cumbersome and least costly choice of the three. I discovered the Proximity to be good for gentle climate however not appropriate for chilly temps. 

Learn Subsequent: Sitka vs Kuiu, Whitetail Gear

Remaining Ideas

Total, I used to be impressed with the First Lite Core system and plan to put on it on extra deer hunts this yr and into the long run. I believe it’s a really perfect jacket/bib combo for a critical whitetail bowhunter who prioritizes consolation and tranquility — possibly simply not one who has to cross a burr patch in an effort to get to their stand.

 

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