I personally love mine. It’s warm stand-alone but does much better with layers. I think it’s pretty quiet for a warm camo but the one downside I do see is that it can get pretty wet if raining/snowing. I have always stayed dry but you have to dry it out overnight for sure.

 

Did you have anything before it to compare to? Where are you from and do you hunt in really cold weather with it? Does the fabric get tons of burrs in it?

 

I spent the money on a Fanatic jacket last year---best investment in clothing so far. I haven't worn any other top of the line clothing other than my older Cabela's stuff but must say Sitka wins hands down for me. The cons are the prices. If you watch sales and Black Friday events, you can save some cash. I just added a Heavyweight top for half price. I'm not to hip on the angled zipper on the jacket when putting it on----but am thankful for the handwarmer pouch in the front. I don't have cold hands anymore.

 

You just own the jacket? Does the size fit close to other standard sizes of clothing for you? How bad is it with burrs my area has tons of them looks like it would be horrible.

 

I’d go with incinerator I have everything they have and for warmth without layering you can’t beat incinerator. I don’t even use the fanatic at this point it’s just as bulky if not more bulky and not even close on warmth piece for piece. The only thing the fanatic has on it is it’s quiet. With that said 10 years in the incinerator and never been busted bc of noise. I see 40-100 deer an evening so I’ve got a lot to hide from.

30 degrees is stratus pant incinerator jacket with just a core t shirt under. Zero sweat walking in bc you have no layers and warmth when u get there and slip the jacket on.

Ive sat in -12 with 40mph winds with windchill at -30 with nothing but one core base layer next to skin and bibs and jacket. Literally 1 next to skin layer as cold as you can go. It’s not built for layering nor is it ever needed. A lot of guys love the fanatic but apples to apples it’s not even in the discussion.

some might say incinerator is to warm but if it’s too warm for that it’s also too warm for the fanatic.

if you like layering and having 2-3 collars around your neck use the fanatic. If you wanna stay warm without bulk it’s not the way.

 

So the incinerator is as bulky as the Fanatic?

 

Totally changed my ability to stay on stand longer, even all day. Love the pocket layout as well.

I picked up a barely used XL suit but then lost a few pounds so still using my L suit…so if anyone is looking for XL jacket or XL Tall bibs…😉

 

Totally changed my ability to stay on stand longer, even all day. Love the pocket layout as well.

I picked up a barely used XL suit but then lost a few pounds so still using my L suit…so if anyone is looking for XL jacket or XL Tall bibs…[emoji6]

Pm sent


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

I love my set and wouldn’t trade it for anything, however….the cost is high. I hunted the Midwest a LOOOONG time ago when I didn’t have the gear to even attempt it and got so cold I promised myself I would never get cold in the Midwest again so the price tag did nothing but make me smile when I purchased. You might also check out Code of Silence gear. Looks really good and Bill Winke promotes it. Never seen Bill put his name on something clothing wise that wasn’t top notch.

 

May wanna try fanatic vest with stratus set. Less bulky but good fanatic benefits

 

I have the jacket (size L) and bibs (size M). I'm 5' 11" 165lb. For my height would go with these sizes up to 180-190lb.. most likely bad with burrs. Not an issue in my area though. Everybody is different but I need some serious layering in cold conditions. still fanatic set is the best I have found and the built in hand muff is great. gets wet in rain or sleet as mentioned before and that's a big downer. if you can get a good deal would recommend absolutely. Good quality, lasts years if not decades.. 😏

 

When you layer up is there plenty room in the arm area. It does look like a burrs dream. I thought about buying their other bibs but don’t look as quite as the fanatic just for burr reasons.

 

base layer, fanatic hoody, knitted wool shirt (+ vest if needed 😁), fanatic jacket. Sitka heavyweight base, sitka equinox midi pants, fanatic bibs. I'm light weight dude but would say good for layering no problem there.

 

Do you hunt the North Pole haha. Do you walk far into stand if so do you get all sweaty or does it breath decent with that many layers

 

The Fanatic set is my go-to for all cold weather sits.

Pros:
It is very quiet, both through the woods and quiet when you moving around in stand/blind.
Big pocket in front is the best feature of jacket, sit all day with light or no gloves.
Very warm, even in extreme temps
Good athletic fit, very little extra bulk
Most under-rated feature of this set is how well it blocks the wind.

Cons:
Pick up burrs and briars
Not great in rain

 

The Fanatic set is my go-to for all cold weather sits.

Pros:
It is very quiet, both through the woods and quiet when you moving around in stand/blind.
Big pocket in front is the best feature of jacket, sit all day with light or no gloves.
Very warm, even in extreme temps
Good athletic fit, very little extra bulk
Most under-rated feature of this set is how well it blocks the wind.

Cons:
Pick up burrs and briars
Not great in rain

When you get burrs or briars are they pretty much stuck there for good. Do you have the bibs also

 

I have a full fanatic set (hoodie, jacket. Bibs, and vest). I like them a lot, very warm. Also have the stratus bibs and wear them way more.

Knowing what I know now, I would buy the incinerator set however. Way less bulk, and less prone to burrs. I have a Burr paw and it works wonders, but obviously fleece type material will grab and hold them far more than the flatter material on the incinerator set.

I have about 20 peices of sitka now, but if I could only have 6 for cooler Temps id get the incinerator set, the stratus bibs, fanatic vest, traverse hoody and the neck gaiter.

 

I broke down and bought Sitka Fanatic Jacket and Bibs. Wow! They are warm……
But they are also quiet to move in,
Pocket are made for the bow hunter in mind,
Zippers are quiet,
And did I mention they are warm!

 

I had my first set of Fanatic Bibs and jacket for about 10 years. Age caught up with me and I had to go bigger. Didn’t hesitate to buy again. Super quiet and very warm. I pack em in and put em on once I get there.

 

So the incinerator is as bulky as the Fanatic?

What coat do you wear then. I was thinking about going with the incinerator bibs and fanatic coat for the quite side of it. Does that coat have a hood on it one thing I know I won’t like is no hood on the fanatic. Do burrs stick to those bibs and when you’re walking through brush do they make a lot of noise.

 

I commonly hunt at subzero temps. I’ve tried a lot of different tops over the years and the Fanatic has been my favorite.

Three reasons: 1) It’s warm, 2) It doesn’t impede my shooting at all, and 3) It’s dead quiet.

Preceding remarks about layering don’t match my experience. In cold weather, I wear a light, quiet puffy over a Merino top while walking in and put my bibs and Fanatic on at the tree. No sweat walking in and zero hassle under my Fanatic. I don’t notice any bulk or restriction of movement because (and this is important!) the smooth surface of the puffy moves easily inside the Fanatic.

Although the fit is great when the jacket is zipped up, the diagonal zipper makes it very awkward when unzipped. It’s not a “walking around” jacket. That helps to resolve the issue with burrs. They aren’t a problem if you put it on at your tree.

I’ve been fine in light rain, but it doesn’t rain a lot here and it’s usually too cold to rain when I wear my Fanatic. Snow usually builds up on me without melting and I shake it off.

The Fanatic is indeed bulky… but not in the wrong places. Doesn’t affect my shooting or get in the way at all except that it takes up some pack space.

Noise is perhaps a bigger issue for me than for others. I sit in short trees, so ears are within 6-8 feet of me when deer are directly under my tree. In ultra-dry subzero air on a still evening, the tiniest sound carries a surprising distance. My experience under such conditions has been that deer are likely to hear my clothing if I can hear it. They can’t hear my Fanatic.

I can’t comment on Sitka bibs because I wear bibs that were discontinued about 25 years ago. My priorities for bibs, however, are different than for my top. Water resistance, for example, is more important because I often kneel or sit in snow. Resistance to burrs and less bulk are more important because I sometimes walk in my bibs after a long, cold sit. Finally, I can tolerate somewhat noisier fabric in bibs than in tops because fabric is only part of the equation: most noise I make results from upper body movement.

 

Best cold weather gear I have ever owned. I travel around United States and hunt whitetails most years and the fanatic is my go to late season stuff. I’ve been in -10 and been comfortable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I have the fanatic vest and it was pretty awesome while in the teens the other weekend. If you find it on sale I'd say it's worth it.

 

It's awesome. Ive sat in 15 degree weather with 0 degree wind chill and I was very comfortable. My only con with the set is it's bulky for my style of mobile hunting. Particularly the bibs. I might sell the bibs and grab the incinerator bibs for their packability

 

I tried the Fanatic Jacket but did not like the diagonal zipper so I returned it and bought the Incinerator jacket and bibs and have worn it in down to zero weather so far. I did not like the hood on the jacket and cut it off and bought the GTX Incinerator Hat and that is all that is needed for any cold weather.

 

Out of all the money I've spent on hunting gear, I think the best investment I've made has been buying the fanatic gear. In late season my under layers are sitka heavyweight T, patagonia r2 1/4 zip and the fanatic jacket for tops. Lower is the sitka heavyweight thermal pant and basically a medium weight fleece pant. Good down to at least 20* F. Havent hunted much colder than that yet. Couple sits -10* but only for about 2 hours... I have a down vest I will layer in occasionally but hardly needed. I've sat many, many hours in this gear. Hundreds of hours and lots of friends have this set... they all agree it's totally worth it.
Not only is the fanatic set warm, but it is also very lightweight and not very bulky compared to other late season gear I've tried through the years. The hand warmer and pocket layout is just genius. They really hit a home run with this set of gear!

The only complaint I can think of is that the berber collects burrs/stickers. But so does most gear so its kind of a wash in my opinion... also it is not waterproof. But your crazy if your hunting in the rain anyways... I've sat a few times in heavy snowfall right around the 30-32 degree mark and I felt like i got a but damp in the shoulders. Not cold just damp. I'd try to test fit the set if possible with the underlayers you plan on wearing. I'm usually a large bottom and xl top but have XL bottoms and XXL top in the fanatic. Maybe the sizing has changed since 6 years ago?

 

I have a fanatic vest and a fanatic lite jacket. They are the best cold weather pieces I own. I hunt 99% on private ground where I do t have long walks to my stands/blinds.

Bisch


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

I have a fanatic vest and a fanatic lite jacket. They are the best cold weather pieces I own.

The Fanatic Lite sucks and terrible for cold weather........hence probably why Sitka discontinued it.

 

Anyone compare the Huntworth HeatBoost gear to Sitka? I’ve heard a few good reviews online but no one I personally know has it. I know we’re talking two drastically different price tiers but realistically I’m never going to spend $2K on hunting clothes that I might only wear a handful of late season sits but ~$300 is more palatable. Part of the reason I picked up bow hunting was to avoid having to sit outside in the dead of winter 😂.

 

For the price point of the Huntworth gear you could almost purchase and then sell if it didn’t work for you. I have heard great input about Huntworth but have never tried it personally.

 

My only con with the fanatic is that it can be somewhat bulky along the bow arm. Id recommend practicing shooting with it on. But saying that it is worth every penny. I have also worn the incinerator and hate it. Very loud while bowhunting and do not think it is warmer than the fanatic.

 

In your opinion what do you think about the incinerator bibs and the fanatic coat just to cut down on burrs we have a lot of them in our area

 

I have a hard time justifying the price. For most of the season I can get away with cheaper options. For the colder days I wear a rivers west outfit, find them super cheap during their summer sales.

 

I took the plunge and grabbed the fanatic jacket and bibs last year during a sale. Still a investment. A good one tho. It burned me out wearing it into stand on a 18 degree morning. Once in stand I was soaked. I cracked open some hand warmers and stuck against the top of the bibs and one in the hand warmer pocket. I was able to sit damp in 20 degree weather for three hours with no issues. Awesome setup. I unzip the legs and pack the coat in now. Only wearing a wicking base layer and I’m loving it. Wish it was waterproof tho. If you can swing it . Grab it. Great setup!

 

Best gear I've used/owned. Period. Worth the money but wait for a sale. Keeps me in the tree when winds and temps go south of freeezing

 

Sitka is a great product—-wouldn’t pay full price though—-look for a sale. I own the Stratus set and a Fanatic jacket. I wear the Stratus set from 40-50 degrees; and under 40 I break out the Fanatic jacket. The Stratus is much better in the rain. Additionally, I never got the Fanatic Bibs. Felt they were unnecessary as I typically wear the Stratus pants over a pair of merino and a pair of jeans—plenty warm and I don’t pick up ever burr I walk past.