Swazi / Harkila / Sitka

sammyc

Well-Known Member
Anyone have a preference over these jackets? I am looking at the Harkila Pro Hunter X, or the Swazi Wapiti.

I would also think about the Swazi Tahr but am unsure about the old Tahr with the bino pocket, or the Tahr XP with the hand warmers... Ideally I'd want both on the same smock!
 
Harkila are way over priced and you get no support when you have issues. I don't have any experience of the others. Regards JCS
 
I have a tahr with bino pocket and a harkila pro hunter. Had the pro hunter jacket for 8 years and its still as waterproof as the day I got it, and it looks smart. The swazi tahr for a couple of years and I would class it as a jacket for individual pursuits as it is a smock! But if I had the wapiti that may change that. The swazi's are layering systems, the harkilas are all you need. Both will serve you well.That is oossibly no help at all, and if i started again I don't know which way I would turn, actually I do, I would again buy both.As for trousers, I have still not found anything durable enough to withstand thorns and still be waterproof! If you find something let me know!
 
I have Sitka clothing, very happy with the layering system, expensive though, might be better to buy it if you/or a friend get over to the US.
I have heard good things about Swazi but have no experience of the product.
There is another make but i'm sure someone else will be along shortly promoting it.
Harkila......i have a pair of trousers i will be selling soon.
Cheers
Richard
 
I think there's always room for a few jackets on the back of the door...

I've a Nomad, Swazi, and Harkila. I don't have any experience of the Sitka but I hear good things.

So my two peneth the Harkila Pro Hunter is a heavier jacket so more for a low physical activity, high seat / standing on a peg of a driven shoot. The Swazi / Nomad are lighter and work well as a part of a layering system for harder foot stalking / hill stalking / beating etc.

As I say just my take on it.
 
I have Sitka and rate it highly. Vipa on here rates Kuiu highly [apparently, Kuiu's previously woeful delays in meeting orders has now been improved]
 
I have Sitka clothing, very happy with the layering system, expensive though, might be better to buy it if you/or a friend get over to the US.
I have heard good things about Swazi but have no experience of the product.
There is another make but i'm sure someone else will be along shortly promoting it.
Harkila......i have a pair of trousers i will be selling soon.
Cheers
Richard

:D

Forget the Scandinavian style heavy weight hunting jackets... whilst they are great.... for Scandinavian style hunting (low exertion, slow moving, sitting around, fending off knife attacks from the resident elk and maurauding bears.... they weren't really designed for anything other than Scandinavian style hunting... You need to be able to control your temperature and stay dry... staying LIGHT & DRY is the key to staying warm..... and cool..... with a geet big, heavy lump of reinforced cordura on you will neither keep cool or warm... or dry for that matter!

Remember, The pro hunter line is basically a 21st century version of a good old Barbour waxed jacket..... only heavier!!! much... much heavier... The Barbour will probably breath better too!!! :rofl:

Do yourself a favour and look towards a good quality, lightweight, highly breathable layering system... may cost a little more overall and initially but you can always build it up gradually... start with Merino at the bottom, plan your syatem carefully and you won't look back!!!

Some great suggestions on here and don't forget... even Harkila do lightweight(ish) layering gear... Personally I would look no further than KUIU but it all comes down to personal preference!
 
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I have Sitka and rate it highly. Vipa on here rates Kuiu highly [apparently, Kuiu's previously woeful delays in meeting orders has now been improved]

:thumb:

My last two orders were here in under 10 days, most of which was the time taken to get through UK Customs!!
 
Just had a look on the Kuiu website and they had this photo on there... looks like there all about to keel over from exposure!

fs02_l.jpg
 
Bloody cold in Alaska :rofl:... the fact there is an ice axe in the photo should give it away although... well spotted WH... not the best bit of marketing I've ever seen! lol :rofl:
 
Bloody cold in Alaska :rofl:... the fact there is an ice axe in the photo should give it away although... well spotted WH... not the best bit of marketing I've ever seen! lol :rofl:

In the environment most of us are going to be using it in it looks like fantastic kit! and like you say it would work well as a layering system.
 
to jcampbellsmith

Way over priced....depends on what you are doing: Driven Shoot, Rough Shoot? Sure Seeland, Deerhunter, Jack Pyke etc would all do a good job. Harkila is made for a function, not to a budget price. No Support, from whom? Certainly not Harkila or a good Harkila Retailer. Please get in touch with us on 01525 211488, as a Harkila Agent we will give support even to customers who have not purchased from us. Your comment about support is never the service that Harkila or any of their agents would ever recognise!!
Andrew
Rugged & Tough
 
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I have the Prohunter, which is a great all-round jacket, including if you want to take just a single jacket on a hunting holiday and be able to wear it one day for stalking and the next day on the plane or down the pub. I have had no problem with any of the Harkila clothing other than the wellies, which were awful but were refunded without any hassle.

The Swazi is a great jacket for wet weather as part of a layering system. In general their clothing is top notch, and for four months of the year I seem to live in little else.

The Nomad is better to wear on the shooting peg than on the hill. It's advantage is that it is very light, and in the case of my jacket very waterproof as well.

The Fjallraven with a zip-in fleece waistcoat seems to meet most requirements so far.
 
Revisiting this old thread but thought I'd post the update as promised, as I have now purchased the Harkila Pro Hunter, Swazi Tahr, and some KUIU gear (I know! :doh:)

PRO HUNTER X: I do really like this jacket and it has been exceptional at keeping out the rain on a couple of days when being stationary has been the order of the day. Some lowland stalking too and it has been top notch. I would certainly recommend it to any one. My one complaint would be that the fleece lining in the hand warmer pockets is only one sided, which I can't see the point of and having them fully lined would be much, much nicer. It also seems very tough in bramble, etc. In terms of the 'no service from Harkila' point in one of the posts above. On my first outing I caught one of the large pockets on a door handle and it ripped slightly. They kept the jacket for 2-3 weeks which was annoying, but when I complained they got back to me the next day and gave me a new jacket in store (Farlows in London). That's both good and bad I suppose...

SWAZI TAHR: I haven't used it much as my last stalking trip up north all access to the glen was blocked by floods! However, once on the hill it did keep me very dry but I wouldn't describe it as breathable at all! After a arduous stretch I was really quite wet - perhaps even wetter than I would have been in the Harkila? As a layering system it could work well - but I think you could find something lighter to carry and put on just when needed. I imagine it would come into its own when crawling on your belly through the wet stuff...

KUIU: Just have a few things. All seriously light - I have the layering down jacket and Chinook outer wear. I think if you were really walking this would be superb. It really is made for mountain hunting as they say. For more sedentary stuff (i.e the UK outside of some parts of Scotland) I would say it's a little too light / you could maybe want something a bit warmer... The stuff also has a more 'athletic fit' than the others.

Conclusion: I am most impressed with KUIU - any new stalking gear will come from there. I would also buy Harkila again for some things like a windproof jumper when I just want something warm that looks a little traditional...
 
Kuiu gear particularly the Yukon is the best waterproof jacket I've ever used. Nomad is pretty good but has its flaws, ok in a days rain spend every day for a weeks wet and it's soon becomes an unpleasant place to be. My prohunter was ok but just didn't wear it just wasn't my cup of tea. Army surplus is good but when you wear it every day for work you begin to detest it, when i was keepering a dpm goretex was the jacket of choice and never et us down. fjalaven is solid gear but I only use there trousers there hydratic lining can get a little sweaty for me. Browning hells canyon is a superb little suit and will turn some nasty weather but is not completely waterproof particularly on pressure points such as knees and elbows on wet ground, very quiet I wear it mostly for foxing. Used others as well ie riverswest, , deerhunter, ect but IMO not great, not bad but not great. it's kuiu for me the stuff is exellent and can be tailored to most hunting environments.
 
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