Sitka Hudson Duck Hunting Jacket Review

Duck looking is synonymous with moist and chilly circumstances. Typically, the colder, snowier, and windier the climate, the higher the looking. To achieve success on essentially the most brutal migration days, you want severe outerwear just like the Sitka Hudson Jacket. I used it whereas breaking ice, setting decoys, and sitting in a blind for hours in excessive winds and freezing temps throughout a late-season hunt in Utah. Here’s how the Hudson Jacket stood as much as the circumstances.

• Weight: 42 ounces
• GORE OPTIFADE concealment waterfowl marsh camo
• 3-layer GORE-TEX stretch expertise 
• PrimaLoft insulation
• Bellowed shell pockets and zippered tuck-away pockets
• Water-sealing gasket cuffs 
• Drawcord hem

3-Layer GORE-TEX

There are panels of GORE-TEX stretch materials behind the shoulders of the Hudson to permit for a speedy shotgun mount and a free vary of movement whereas retaining excessive water and wind safety. The panels don’t permit chilly, wind, or water in though they range drastically from the remainder of the laborious shell. The materials feels extra like a handled and stretchable waffle knit than your typical thick and clean GORE-TEX. Being in a position to effectively pull your self again into the boat, attain for decoys, and mount your shotgun easily is a large advantage of this jacket. I used to be impressed that these panels didn’t end in a chilly spot and as a substitute retained the integrity typical GORE-TEX efficiency.

Gasket Cuffs 

The water-sealing cuffs modify to forestall water from getting up your sleeve, even when submerged. You can seal the cuffs beneath your gloves to forestall water from seeping in. This approach you gained’t should take care of damp sleeves for the remainder of the day in case your gloves fail or it’s important to attain underwater. 

Pockets

The Hudson options two open pockets on the chest to heat up your arms, two bellowed shell pockets that match a full field of shells however lay flat when empty, and two zippered tuck-away name pockets on the outside. There can also be an inside zipper pocket over the left chest. The name pockets will preserve your reeds from freezing and detachable straps on the entrance of the coat assist you to safe calls for straightforward entry. I might have appreciated two extra open pockets behind the bellowed shell pockets on the waist for a further place to maintain my arms heat, however all in all there’s loads of storage on this jacket.

Testing the Sitka Hudson Jacket In the Field

I took the Hudson duck looking in freezing temperatures to check simply how water and wind resistant it truly is. The bay I used to be looking was frozen over with about an inch of ice. Realistically, our prospects for killing geese weren’t superb with the bay froze, however it did make for perfect circumstances to check my jacket. After the one different boat on the market rotated with a busted prop, we hopped into the water to interrupt up the ice for the boat. I trudged by means of mud and used my physique weight to interrupt the ice, so I used to be working up a sweat whereas splashing loads of water in opposition to my coat. This shell operated fantastically, maintaining the chilly out with out inflicting me to overheat. It was a lot breathable whereas I used to be in movement, however sealed in opposition to wind and ice. 

After clearing a half-dome of ice out from the boat blind, we started setting decoys. No splashes or breeze penetrated the Hudson and I used to be nonetheless comfy waist deep in freezing water. Next, the actual check of sitting nonetheless for hours with moist waders on.

While the Hudson options PrimaLoft insulation, it performs like a shell, not a puffy. The heavy GORE-TEX was actually a useful layer when attempting to maintain heat, however with out insulating mid layers, you gained’t final the day in frigid temps. The padding contained in the jacket is slim and physique mapped to permit the again and underarms extra breathability but the design retains your core and arms extra insulated. 

This jacket isn’t extraordinarily heat by itself. It additionally matches snugly, which I assumed saved me colder as a result of it compressed my mid-layers. However, after a couple of hours of little motion, I used to be simply as heat as once I first began the sit. I might advocate sizing as much as accommodate thicker layers beneath.

What the Sitka Hudson Jacket Does Best

This is a efficiency piece of outerwear that’s well-designed for its meant objective. It blocks the weather whereas giving the wearer mobility and breathability when needed. The excessive water resistance and wind resistance are the most effective components about this jacket, that are additionally an important elements when purchasing for a duck looking jacket. The technologically superior GORE-TEX stretch panels, plentitude of pockets, and gasket cuffs make this coat well worth the funding for severe duck hunters.

What the Sitka Hudson Jacket Does Worst

This jacket may benefit from a looser match to accommodate extra layers. It’s comfortable for a medium, my typical dimension. At occasions it felt prefer it was compressing my layers, not permitting them to lure sufficient heat air to actually preserve me toasty. A shell shouldn’t match so snugly, however the stretch expertise helps mitigate this subject so you’re nonetheless versatile even when it’s a trim reduce.

The closure options twin zippers to make sitting extra comfy, however it takes some convincing to safe the zipper lead. When it’s frozen and you’ve got gloves on, it may be finicky. Though, the tabs on the zippers give gloves sufficient buy to function.

Final Thoughts

Sitka’s Hudson jacket is a dependable outer layer with some artistic options to the challenges related to looking within the worst climate. Staying heat and dry is essential to crushing a duck hunt the place motion can occur rapidly or after hours and hours of sitting within the chilly. The mobility on this hard-core shell is one thing you’ll discover and recognize on each hunt you put on it.