Gear In Review

Hyper Down Jacket

DESIGNED AND TESTED IN MONTANA

Climb. Hunt. Repeat.

Weather shifts in Hyalite Montana on a dime.
The night is cold, but the Goose is not.

We've climbed here before,
hunted Bull Elk on this same slope,
their screams at dawn still ringing through the canyon.

It can be a place of worship,
a place of solace,
or even death.

Rescues are common.
Mistakes—inevitable—
on the skate-surfaced rock.

Attempts to free climb the dry tool route to the right,
where lessons carve deeper than ice.
It has scared me enough to stay away,
yet dared me to return.

Warmth between sessions is critical.
This is a cold Elevator Shaft
A Broken Ladder

The quiver of Down in my garage is borderline insane—so much so that a friend once walked in, took a long pause, and said, I feel comfortable here. And honestly, so do I. There's a strange sense of security in knowing I have the right layer for the job, no matter the conditions. It makes me feel safe about my purchasing behaviors, justifying each piece as an investment rather than an indulgence. My passion—let's call it that—is rooted in using durable gear that will last for decades, surviving long seasons of hard use and, when necessary, undergoing repairs rather than outright replacement. Zipper sliders and chain wear out, and fabric frays, but with the right hands—thank you, Colleen Tretter and the many local repair shops—these pieces live on.

A New Layer in the Quiver

Down is essential for climbing, no matter the style. The ritual of donning and doffing your puffy between attempts in cold weather is second nature. It acts as a barrier and a trap for body heat, balancing warmth retention and breathability in that delicate equilibrium that keeps the chill bearable. For crag days, it might mean shivering at the inside base of an ice pillar, waiting for your turn to lead. On alpine routes, it gets jammed into a pack, compressed into a sack, sharing precious space with essential gear. And on truly frigid belays, it becomes communal—a shared refuge between partners swapping burns on lead.

Every scenario demands a different layering system, a fine-tuned kit that fits the majority of conditions. But there are constants: when your partner is on lead, you stand still, often for 20 minutes or more, perched on an icy ledge. That time stretches longer if they work a crux section or troubleshoot gear placement. An hour. Maybe two. All the while, spindrift spits in your face, tiny shards of ice explode off the wall, and your core temperature inches downward. You're grateful for every ounce of insulation in your jacket. And if that jacket happens to be built with Japanese Ripstop—lightweight, impossibly strong, designed to withstand the abuse of real-world climbing conditions—all the better.

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Sitka's Shift into Modern Lifestyle Gear

Sitka Studio is stepping into a new space—a refined evolution of what they do best. Their history in hunting gear is undeniable: years of research, testing, and dialing in details to ensure that clothing isn't just apparel but gear. The Studio carries that same DNA, but now with an added aesthetic, a balance between function and form that pushes beyond the backcountry. There's a philosophy here: Gear, Not Art. But with the Hyperdown Jacket, Sitka Studio seems to be subtly rewriting that statement—turning function into durable art, built with purpose but refined with a style that translates beyond the field.

Hunting and climbing share an overlap—both demand a level of preparation where failure isn't just inconvenient; it's consequential. Your gear has to work. While overland travel might seem more forgiving, anyone who has lived out of their vehicle for weeks knows the grind of managing warmth. When you factor in miles of rough roads, unpredictable weather, and the constant cycle of drying out gear at the end of the day, the right insulation layer becomes essential.

I've spent years testing Sitka's hunting gear in harsh conditions—fifteen years, to be exact. I can count on one hand the number of failures I've encountered, and every single one has come from prolonged, punishing use. The reality is, when you're in the backcountry, all the showroom durability talk disappears. It either works or it doesn't.

A Small Detail That Changed Everything

Not every design evolution is groundbreaking. Sometimes, the most minor changes are the ones that stick with you the most. For me, that detail is the fleece-lined pockets.

I don't know what it is about them—whether they calm anxiety, add a meditative element to the moment, or just make cold days feel more bearable—but the first time I slid my hands into them, it was game over. From now on, I will feel incomplete without every down jacket I own. It's simple, yet it shifts how you interact with the piece. It's not just about warmth; it's about comfort on a different level. A detail so good that once you experience it, you can't go back. And, reverse zipper for the belay and also hanging out and relaxing without the bulk. A feature overlooked by most.

The Sitka Studio Hyperdown Jacket is more than another layer in the quiver. It's a piece that bridges the gap between hunting and everyday adventure—a jacket that doesn't just live in the mountains but thrives in the spaces between—cuts wind like a champ. Whether it's warming up between climbs, shaking off the cold in a truck bed after a long hunt, or just navigating the changing demands of the day, it's built for the realities of those who move through landscapes with purpose.

And that's the kind of gear I'll always make space for.

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Fill Power

Feature: Uses 900+ fill-power goose down, one of the highest quality insulations available in outerwear.

Benefit: Provides superior warmth-to-weight ratio, ensuring maximum heat retention without added bulk, making it an ideal insulation layer for active pursuits in cold conditions.

Fill Weight

Feature: Contains 230 grams of 900-fill down, delivering a total of 7,290 cubic inches of insulation.

Benefit: Offers exceptional loft and warmth, trapping heat efficiently while maintaining a lightweight feel—ideal for both stationary warmth and high-movement activities.

Down Treatment

Feature: Insulation is sourced from Allied Feather + Down and treated with ExpeDRY gold particle bonding instead of traditional chemical treatments.

Benefit: Dries 1/3 to 1/2 faster than conventional water-repellent down, maintaining insulation performance even in damp conditions. Gold bonding technology is permanent, ensuring long-lasting reliability without the need for reapplication of treatments—All Gold Everything.

Shell Fabric

Feature: Made with 60-Denier, Japan-sourced ripstop nylon, featuring an integrated Gore ePE Windstopper Membrane. This fabric is PFC-free for enhanced environmental sustainability.

Benefit: Delivers outstanding durability and wind resistance while being lightweight and highly packable. The sustainable membrane ensures protection without harmful chemicals, making it a more eco-conscious choice.

Weight and Packability

Feature: Designed to be significantly lighter and more compressible than traditional down parkas, packing down to about the size of a melon.

Benefit: Maximizes space efficiency in a pack or vehicle, making it easy to bring along for any adventure without adding unnecessary weight or bulk.

Design and Features

Feature: Built without a hood, with a minimalist design and a small logo on the right rear shoulder to keep the hype.

Benefit: Intended for travel, bivouac, and crusing downtown rather than extreme Arctic conditions. The sleek aesthetic allows it to blend seamlessly into various settings, from backcountry trips to the Whiskey bar.

Pocket Design

Feature: Includes high-pile fleece-lined handwarmer pockets, an oversized mesh dump pocket for gloves, an internal zip chest pocket, a locker loop, and zipper chain shielding.

Benefit: Provides a combination of warmth, utility, and storage, ensuring comfort in cold environments while keeping essentials secure and easily accessible. The fleece lining adds an extra layer of comfort for hands during frigid conditions.