[Alaska at heart]

I've worn the stratus for the past several years and it was great but I find that most mornings I'm chilly without more insulation layers and think something slightly heavier or with a little insulation would be better. The majority of my hunting is all day sits in Pennsylvania Novembers when colder weather is here. I also hate the elevated II camo. I may re-visit after the new pattern comes out but for now I want to try something different.

To me, that adds a great deal of versatility to the Stratus garments. If it is 45* you wear less base layers than when it is 30*.....but utilizing the same clothing across the range. Then when it warms up, you can remove a mid-layer base rather than sweating with a heavier insulated jacket or bibs where the insulation is sewn in.

I have several types of heavier insulated camo that live most of the time in a tub because the weather isn't that extreme. Last season I carried a puffy style vest on my pack that went on under my Stratus jacket if it was getting chilly and it worked very well just adding that one extra layer at the right time. For Christmas '23 I received a Traverse insulated hoody top that I plan to carry with me this fall as an outer layer when the wind isn't going to be a factor. Plus it will go under the Stratus when windchill is going to sap body heat.