Harklia Vs Shooterking
- Thread starter Bazhutch
- Start date
Hi Bazhutch - ShooterKing are actually a lower price point than Harkila.
Last year we looked at quite a few brands of waterproof trousers etc before we decided on ShooterKing; we felt that the quality/range was superb and at a decent price.
Not knocking Harkila though.., and there's plenty of options in the market.
Rgds
Rob
Last year we looked at quite a few brands of waterproof trousers etc before we decided on ShooterKing; we felt that the quality/range was superb and at a decent price.
Not knocking Harkila though.., and there's plenty of options in the market.
Rgds
Rob
My experience:
1. Harkila pro hunter jacket. Very warm (too warm for summer). Lots and lots of pockets (including excellent poachers pocket at back). Relatively thorn proof. Hood is useless. Not terribly waterproof - fine for light showers or short periods in heavy rain, but soaks through quite fast, then becomes extremely heavy and takes ages to dry. Soaks through at elbows immediately when crawling. My verdict: excellent jacket for woodland use, milder conditions, high seat use. No good for the open hill, unless you’re certain it’s not going to rain much.
2. Swazi Tahr. Substantially more waterproof that the Harkila. Will cope with hours in heavy rain and crawling. However, will start to seep at the chest zip eventually. Neoprene cuffs are badly designed: soak up water that then transmits to your sleeves, which end up wet to the elbows. Hood is ok, but restricts vision a lot, and will allow quite a lot of water in if rain coming from front. Almost no pockets: just a pair of hand warmers at the front. This is a very serious design flaw, and in my opinion makes the jacket close to useless. My verdict: a reasonable jacket for something like beating, where you don’t need much equipment with you. I also use it a lot for dog walking in heavy rain.
3. Norrona Kvinerrad. Extremely expensive. Generally well designed and very waterproof (at least initially). Essentially what the Swazi should have been. Loads of pockets in very well thought out places. Outstanding hood - best I have ever tried- will keep you sealed in even with a gale blowing in your face. However, does have flaws: again, has stupid cuffs that wick water into your sleeves. Also has a little pouch on the inside at the back that is meant to be where you can slide in a bit of foam mat to sit on. This is completely useless, but also wicks water up your back - I cut mine off. Probably has too many seams and vents, so that after reasonable use it does start to seep. My verdict: the best I have tried for hill stalking in really awful weather. But probably too expensive for what it is.
I have handled shooter king in a shop, and was not convinced by the build quality.
1. Harkila pro hunter jacket. Very warm (too warm for summer). Lots and lots of pockets (including excellent poachers pocket at back). Relatively thorn proof. Hood is useless. Not terribly waterproof - fine for light showers or short periods in heavy rain, but soaks through quite fast, then becomes extremely heavy and takes ages to dry. Soaks through at elbows immediately when crawling. My verdict: excellent jacket for woodland use, milder conditions, high seat use. No good for the open hill, unless you’re certain it’s not going to rain much.
2. Swazi Tahr. Substantially more waterproof that the Harkila. Will cope with hours in heavy rain and crawling. However, will start to seep at the chest zip eventually. Neoprene cuffs are badly designed: soak up water that then transmits to your sleeves, which end up wet to the elbows. Hood is ok, but restricts vision a lot, and will allow quite a lot of water in if rain coming from front. Almost no pockets: just a pair of hand warmers at the front. This is a very serious design flaw, and in my opinion makes the jacket close to useless. My verdict: a reasonable jacket for something like beating, where you don’t need much equipment with you. I also use it a lot for dog walking in heavy rain.
3. Norrona Kvinerrad. Extremely expensive. Generally well designed and very waterproof (at least initially). Essentially what the Swazi should have been. Loads of pockets in very well thought out places. Outstanding hood - best I have ever tried- will keep you sealed in even with a gale blowing in your face. However, does have flaws: again, has stupid cuffs that wick water into your sleeves. Also has a little pouch on the inside at the back that is meant to be where you can slide in a bit of foam mat to sit on. This is completely useless, but also wicks water up your back - I cut mine off. Probably has too many seams and vents, so that after reasonable use it does start to seep. My verdict: the best I have tried for hill stalking in really awful weather. But probably too expensive for what it is.
I have handled shooter king in a shop, and was not convinced by the build quality.
I have a Deerhunter Pacha jacket which is very comfortable with plenty of pockets and 100% waterproof.
I use a pair of Harkila Ultimate trousers again very comfortable and waterproof and probably the toughest material possible except for the bottom half from a suit of armour.
I use a pair of Harkila Ultimate trousers again very comfortable and waterproof and probably the toughest material possible except for the bottom half from a suit of armour.
Shooterking is substantially cheaper than most of the "big brands" and in my opinion brings a very good product. The finish and overall build of the garments isn't as nice as you get with Harkila, Swazi, etc but I'd rather they were saving cost on that area than on the fabrics and overall design. I'm very happy with my Shooterking smock, as I said it's lacking a bit of "polish" but it was half the price of alternatives.
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
Whistles?
I. Farticus
Well-Known Member
Also look at the Deerhunter range. Their RAM range was superb value, and the new kit will have to be something special to better it
Same here. I treat mine like a top layer and have a Deerhunter windstoppa fleece on as a second layer.
As @Mungo says, it's primarily a winter coat really and gets very heavy when wet, at this time of year it's my goto jacket.
I'll second TF's comment that Deerhunter is good too.
reloader54
Well-Known Member
just a personal observation, and I certainly haven't tried every jacket available,, but the quality of some previously high end manufacturers such as Harkila, Swazi, etc, have deteriorated from what they once were, I have older Harkila and Seeland gear that is still going strong, but the newer stuff is often made in china to a price rather than a high quality.[ie; low manufacturing cost, increased profit but decrease in quality, durability, and suitability]
Deerhunter Ram is a reasonable jacket for the price, percussion too, but if you move around a lot as opposed to sitting in a high seat needs to be vented to avoid sweating, vents are installed for this very purpose.
depending on your type of hunting I would consider Tweed and Loden too.
Deerhunter Ram is a reasonable jacket for the price, percussion too, but if you move around a lot as opposed to sitting in a high seat needs to be vented to avoid sweating, vents are installed for this very purpose.
depending on your type of hunting I would consider Tweed and Loden too.
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I have a Swazi Tahir smock and Deerhunter Mouflon trousers for extreme wet weather, I also have a set of Harkila Pro Hunter X trousers and they leak like a sieve.
The Deerhunter Mouflon Trousers are brilliant Warm and keep you dry.
I also have a set of Kuiu Guide trousers and Jacket and don't rate them, It's rated late season yet the Wind blows straight through them even with the layering system, Not warm at all.
I still think for the money you can't go wrong with Deerhunter range, My next trousers will prob be Deerhunter Deer trousers Not the light ones.
The Deerhunter Mouflon Trousers are brilliant Warm and keep you dry.
I also have a set of Kuiu Guide trousers and Jacket and don't rate them, It's rated late season yet the Wind blows straight through them even with the layering system, Not warm at all.
I still think for the money you can't go wrong with Deerhunter range, My next trousers will prob be Deerhunter Deer trousers Not the light ones.
Ive harkila pro hunter trousers. Out yesterday they were soaked but my legs inside were dry. I have a swazi tahr that just seems to leak like a sieve. Ive some Laksen kit thats very good. Not convinced by the shooterking stuff never too keen to give all my money to one importer in any case!
Ranger22
Well-Known Member
Had bits and pieces of Harkila and Seeland, can’t say I was impressed by either considering the price. Seeland trousers leaked from day one. Harkila jacket, was ok but not great. Leaked after a few months of daily wear.
Shooterking, got the Greenland trousers and jacket. Trousers do exactly what your told they will do. I’ve just got the jacket and impressed by it. Been out in some horrendous weather of late and the water just falls of it. The length of the jacket is a big short, you get a draught when you bend over to gralloch a beast. I believe the Greenland smock is longer, next purchase.
Shooterking, got the Greenland trousers and jacket. Trousers do exactly what your told they will do. I’ve just got the jacket and impressed by it. Been out in some horrendous weather of late and the water just falls of it. The length of the jacket is a big short, you get a draught when you bend over to gralloch a beast. I believe the Greenland smock is longer, next purchase.
I have had loads of different stalking outfits over the years and to be honest I am yet to find the perfect combination. But, the best trousers I have found recently are the Deerhunter Mouflon light, waterproof, easy to move in, not too noisy and machine washable.
In terms of jackets, I haven’t found one that does everything. But I find both the Deerhunter and Harkila technical fabric jackets cover most situations.
In terms of jackets, I haven’t found one that does everything. But I find both the Deerhunter and Harkila technical fabric jackets cover most situations.
Hunterjohnb
Well-Known Member
Purchased a Game smock and trousers 3 years ago. a wash and reproof every couple of months and still dry and comfortable when out in heavy rain. Very happy with it. Price is very reasonable on them.
JabaliHunter
Well-Known Member
Pro hunter is the best I’ve used for lowland stalking. Hasn’t ripped and has kept me going through this wet winter. Too many pockets and flaps; and very heavy; but tough and dry. Does take a long time to dry out when soaked, but the gore-tex liner keeps you dry, although some wicking up the sleeves. May try the new Move jacket next, but not decided yet.
Limited experience with Swazi, looks and feels great, but prone to puncturing/leaking which I haven’t really experienced with pro-hunter.
Mostly use hill walking gear on the open hill. Never had an issue with Arc’teryx, north face, mammut, etc.
Limited experience with Swazi, looks and feels great, but prone to puncturing/leaking which I haven’t really experienced with pro-hunter.
Mostly use hill walking gear on the open hill. Never had an issue with Arc’teryx, north face, mammut, etc.
tusker
Well-Known Member
Decathlon.
Tusker
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