Image courtesy of SitkaInsight.com

A few days after GORE announced their new Forest OPTIFADE camo pattern, their greatest partner, Sitka Gear, has announced a new apparell line to go along with it. Sitka in 2010 will be launching a new line of hunting clothing specifically made for the unique challenges that Whitetail hunters face and we should rejoice! In my opinion Sitka has been manufacturing the most innovative hunting gear the industry has seen in years and I’m pumped that Whitetail hunters will now have tailor made apparel. I’m hoping to get my hands on some of Sitka Forest Gear during 2010 and I’ll be sure to share the details with all of you in the Wired To Hunt Nation. This is just another great example of how new technology is changing the way we hunt, innovative camo and apparel design all combined in one…gotta love it.

NAPA, CA — 12/07/09 — Sitka today announced that it will launch a new system of performance hunting gear optimized for wooded environments. The Sitka forest system features base layers, mid-layers and outerwear to keep hunters comfortable, protected from the elements and effectively concealed from their prey. Napa-based Sitka has been manufacturing performance hunting gear for open country hunters since 2005.

The launch of forest gear is a significant step into a new market for the fast-growing Sitka brand. Up to 78% of the more than $10.7 billion hunting gear market consists of hunters who hunt whitetail deer in forest environments.*

“Sitka’s guiding principle has always been to design and manufacture the highest quality gear for the performance hunter,” said Sitka Founder, Jonathan Hart. “Whether that hunter is actively stalking prey in the mountains, or poised for hours in a tree stand, we want him to stay comfortable, concealed and focused — improving his chances of success.”

Managing Heat and Moisture

The Sitka system of gear relies on basic scientific principals of heat and moisture management. Moisture-wicking base layers keep skin dry — cooling hunters in warm environments and highly active hunts, and keeping hunters warm in colder temperatures. Sitka outerwear uses a combination of insulation like down and PrimaLoft® and high-tech protective textiles — including waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX® and windproof, breathable WINDSTOPPER(TM) technical fabrics — to shield the wearer from the elements. Hunters can layer Sitka gear in combination to suit the conditions they face in the field.

Sitka designed the new forest system of gear to address the specific challenges of hunting in a forest environment, which often requires hunters to endure long sedentary periods in adverse conditions, including extreme cold and precipitation.

“Until now, the Sitka system was suitable for active cold-weather hunts, where there is an expected level of exertion and heat generation from the hunter,” commented Hart. “With the introduction of the forest line, our gear now can provide ultimate warmth and comfort in severe cold even when a hunter needs to remain still.”

Key pieces of gear in the new Sitka forest system include:

-- Incinerator Jacket and Bib The Incinerator Series combines down and GORE-TEX® for waterproof warmth. A GORE-TEX® shell protects a cozy 700-fill down interior from rain, snow and wind. Heavy articulation through the arms, seat, and legs enhances a finished fit for a full range-of-motion and minimally restricted climbing and bow or rifle shooting. -- Downpour Jacket and Pant Downpour outerwear features the waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX® Paclite® shell with a lightly brushed face for quiet whitetail forest encounters. The minimalist build of the jacket enhances its packability and the fully articulated legs of the pants maximize fit for extended sitting situations. -- Stratus Jacket and Bib Made with the WINDSTOPPER® Soft Shell, the Stratus Jacket keeps hunters protected from the wind while giving them the freedom of movement. Its core features are ideal for extended periods of time sitting in treestands and its fully articulated arms give this jacket a full range-of-motion. This Bib features a clean pocket system -- pockets only where you need them -- and lower leg zips that make it easy to extend over boots. The Stratus' mid-weight lofted backer is appropriate for freezing and above temperatures. -- Dutch Oven Vest The Dutch Oven Vest, available in Sitka's Forest system and Open Country system, runs on an Ardica personal power system, providing continuous heat for up to eight hours without recharging. The rechargeable, lightweight lithium-ion battery system also provides enough juice to power GPS, cell phone, iPod® or other personal electronic devices.

Other Sitka items available in the forest line include:

-- Kelvin vest, jacket and pant -- Ascent Pant -- Core and Traverse base layers -- Gloves, accessories and packs

Concealing the Hunter

Outerwear in the Sitka forest system features a lightly brushed surface to reduce noise. All Sitka forest gear also features a new GORE(TM) OPTIFADE(TM) Concealment pattern specifically designed for wooded environments. Like the original GORE(TM) OPTIFADE(TM) Concealment Open Country pattern, the new GORE(TM) OPTIFADE(TM) Concealment Big Game Forest pattern is based on how deer and other hoofed animals see, and was created with the aid of animal vision and concealment experts. The Big Game Forest concealment pattern takes into account circumstances unique to hunting whitetail in a forest environment, including:

-- The elevated angle of attack common in tree stand hunting -- The vertical effect of trees, which can make detection of a hunter easier for the prey -- Closer engagement distances than those in open country hunting

Sitka’s new forest gear will be available at retail by early summer 2010. Sitka will showcase the gear for retail buyers at the Archery Trade Association (ATA) and SHOT shows in January.

About Sitka Gear (www.sitkagear.com)

Established in 2005, Sitka is known for its commitment to using the best technology, fabrics, designs, construction and partners to produce the best products available in the hunting market. Sitka: Turning clothing into gear. 870 Napa Valley Corporate Way Suite N, Napa, CA 94558. Phone # (877) SITKA-MG or 877-748-5264

About W.L. Gore & Associates (www.gore-tex.com)

Perhaps best known for its consumer products like GORE-TEX® fabric and ELIXIR® guitar strings, Gore is a leading manufacturer of thousands of advanced technology products for the electronics, industrial, fabrics and medical markets. The company is headquartered in Newark, Delaware, posts sales of approximately $2.6 billion, and employs almost 8,500 associates at 50 facilities throughout the world.

For more information about GORE(TM) OPTIFADE(TM) Concealment visit www.optifade.com.

GORE, GORE-TEX, WINDSTOPPER, OPTIFADE and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.© 2009 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., 295 Blue Ball Rd., Elkton, Maryland, 800-431-GORE, gore-tex.com.

*According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation

When GORE released it’s OPTIFADE Camo pattern last year it was one of the most disruptive innovations to hit the camouflage and hunting apparel industry in years. Since then it has launched to critical acclaim with Sitka Gear in 2009 and now they are introducing another exciting line of camo with their new Forest pattern. Since the first pattern was more applicable to open area out west hunting, I’m excited to see a new OPTIFADE created specifically for Whitetail hunters. I like the idea and I think it looks great, but I am a touch concerned with how dark and blotchy it seems. I am curious if this will blotch up from a distance and make you look like a big dark green blob. I know that the original OPTIFADE was designed to eliminate this problem, but I question if this pattern can live up to the same billing. This is purely based on just my first impression of the pattern and I’m hoping that this is something the OPTIFADE engineers thought of and took into consideration when designing this. Here is the press release and all the details surrounding the launch of GORE OPTIFADE’s new Forest pattern.

Elkton, MD – December 1, 2009 – W.L. Gore & Associates today announced that it has developed a new GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Concealment pattern specifically designed for tree stand hunting in wooded environments. Like the Big Game/Open Country pattern, the new Big Game/Forest pattern is based on how deer see, both spatially and colorimetrically. A new line of Sitka gear featuring the new pattern will be available at retail by summer of 2010.

Gore launched GORE OPTIFADE Concealment at retail in the summer of 2009. Developed by a group of experts, including an animal vision scientist and a leader in military concealment, the pattern was the first to consider how a hunter appears in the eyes of his prey.

GORE OPTIFADE Concealment incorporates a micro and a macro pattern. The unique micro-pattern considers the way a deer or other ungulate perceives color, the ratio of positive to negative space and other visual elements to create an effect that allows the hunter to blend with the animal’s perception of the environment. The macro-pattern breaks up the symmetry of the human body so that if a hunter is detected, the animal will not be able to identify the hunter as a predator.

“GORE OPTIFADE Concealment is a game-changing technology in the sport of hunting,” said David Dillon, hunting category leader at Gore. “Since the very successful launch of the Big Game/Open Country pattern, we have put our considerable scientific expertise toward developing gear and a concealment pattern that addresses conditions unique to tree stand hunting in a wooded environment.”

While the original Big Game/Open Country pattern is optimized for spot and stalk hunting in western mountain environments, the new Big Game/Forest pattern takes into account circumstances unique to tree stand hunting including:

• The elevated angle of attack common in tree stand hunting
• The vertical effect of trees, which can make detection of a hunter easier for the prey
• Closer engagement distances than those in open country hunting

For the GORE OPTIFADE Concealment Big Game/Forest pattern, Gore has manipulated the micro and macro patterns to account for these differences. Gore has optimized the pattern contrast through shading and colorization to account for how deer see when looking up in a wooded environment.

Sitka Gear, which has seen sales skyrocket with the debut of gear featuring the original GORE OPTIFADE Concealment, will incorporate the new pattern on an innovative line of gear for 2010. The gear itself is specially designed for tree stand hunting, which often requires hunters to endure long sedentary periods in adverse conditions. Pieces of the system also incorporate Gore’s durably waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX® and windproof, breathable WINDSTOPPER® technical fabrics.

“Our system of gear constantly evolves to meet the needs of the performance hunter,” commented Jonathan Hart, Sitka founder. “Whether he’s stalking in the desert, or poised in a tree stand, our aim is to keep him concealed, comfortably protected and focused to enhance his chances of success.”

BowTech, a manufacturer of bows and archery equipment, will offer the new GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Concealment Big Game/Forest pattern on its BowTech and Diamond brand bows and Octane accessories. Gore’s new partner, G5™ Outdoors, will feature the new pattern on sights and rests.

For more information about GORE™ OPTIFADE™ Concealment visit www.optifade.com.