Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting A Review of Sitka Mountain Pants vs. Cabela's Microtex

Haven't used them outdoors, so this review is based on in-home review. After extensive internet research, I decided that the Sitka was just the ticket as a warmer weather, do-it-all pant for use from Colorado to Alaska. [I plan to get a pair of Filson or Cabelas whipcords as a medium pant, and I have a pair of very heavy surplus wool for cold, cold weather]. I'm a 34 waist, though occasionally a 34" pant will be too tight. :-)! I ordered the Sitka in 36, and in loden green (Schnee's, on sale). I think the Sitka camo is perfect as an all-western pattern, but figured I'd use them for all sorts of endeavors where camo might be looked askance at. Wasn't immediately enamored of them, mostly as they seem a little rough - even scratchy - compared to the soft Microtex. So, I ordered up a pair of Microtex in outfitter camo; ordered 34x33.

Microtex. Feel great to the touch, inside and out. Seem to be just the right weight. Nice side pockets. The one-button rear pockets could use a flap. Cabelas online reviews mentioned a lack of belt loops, but they seem fine to me. Waist fits fine, maybe even a little big. Hemmed way too long; I'd been afraid to ordered too small. Just buy them unhemmed and do it yourself. Little bit tighter in the thigh when stepping up onto a high platform compared to my gold standard for fit and design (not including fabric material), the Army BDU. Can probably live with that though, even in the high country. One big problem though: a serious case of wedgie! C'mon, I'm 6'1" 185 (ok 190) lbs, never been accused of having a big a$$. I just don't think I want to hunt for elk, moose, deer etc. while constantly reaching around to pull my pants out of my crack.

Sitka. The more I wear them, the more they grow on me. One seam was a little out of place but think they'll be ok, and I assume I can always send them back for good customer service. Zippered rear pockets are supberb; I rarely keep anything in my rear pockets when hunting, but for hitting the bar after a day of hiking or XC skiing they would be nice. Silicon waistband is awesome. In loden, the "Sitka" logo on the cargo pockets is a bit much, but hey, they're new, doing good stuff and trying to grow. I'll cut them some slack. A bit long on the inseam; normally easy to hem, but might be a little tricky the way the double-front knee extends down the calf. I'm a little concerned that the fabric is too light; you can see light pretty easily through the single layer portions. And another forum mentioned that they weren't real windproof. But I thought posters here and Sitka said they cut the wind. Most importantly, no crack attack!

Think I'll be sending the Microtex back.

Thanks for the review! I've been pretty happy with my MicroTex so far; the dry fast and are comfortable (though I did notice the wedge thing). However, I'd like to have something with at least some weather resistance. I may have to start saving some pennies for some Sitka Gear...

I was really looking hard at the stika 90% pant but they don't have belt loops so I will wait. I don't understand why they would make pants without belt loops for hunting? I also looked at the microtex from Cabelas and didn't see belt loops????

I have the Sitka Mountain pants, which I am quite pleased with, the weird sizing aside.

I bought a Sitka Downpour jacket late last fall, but have yet to put it to the test, but I am expecting good things.

Thanks for the review!

Get some good Whipcord and forget the rest

I'll second that, I was gonna try a pair but their sizing was weird to me, the 34's were too tight and the 36's were too big.

After wearing them around the house all night, I did find that the Sitka are warmer than the thin material would suggest. They remain however, a little rough and scratchy. Not a problem with a base layer underneath, but maybe irritating for summer and early season wear. For a fabric that dries as fast as they would appear to, this may just be the trade off. Although they are cut full and stretch for steep ascents, the seam of the knee reinforcement patch rubs my knee. But other pants would probably be tight across the whole thigh.

What I'd really like is to buy a pair of 36 Microtex, and cut the waist down. But my seamstress skills aren't quite that good.

Brad, I came close to buying a pair of (stained and therefore cheap) Whipcords on ebay the other day, and got outbid and the last second!

Just kidding on the Whips... sort of I love mine, but they are pricey.

I'd buy a pair of Sitka Mountain pants if they fit... they're cut for guys a lot different than me... the fabric sure seems cheap but some of the guys here swear by them and that's enough to tempt me to buy a pair for sure.

Oh, I'm buying some whipcords, just can't fork out $180....so I'm hitting ebay and goodwill (good luck with that, I know) and may break down and buy the Cabela's; at least they are washable.

But I want something for warmer weather and that can get WET WET WET and dry quickly...Microtex or Sitkas seem to be the way to go. The Mammut Champs and Sporthill 3SPs seem a little too expensive for a very specialized use. Sporthill makes a "XC" pant of the 3SP fabric, it's designed more as a running pant or XC ski pant. It's only available in black, and I prefer gray-tan-brown-green solids. But, I think it retails for $100 or so and goes on sale more often than the others. I do, however, generally prefer actual pants to "tights."

I had the Champs for a couple days... they fit great but there's no way I could see the Fabric holding up well for the elk hunting I do. For me, they'd make more sense for sheep hunting and winter stuff. I always seem to come back to Whipcord... it's tougher than nails, is warm when wet, dries quickly enough and just does everything I could ask for a pant for 90% of my hunting. It also is a lot harder to get holes in around a campfire... most of my synthetic stuff is fairly ventilated from campfires!

I do wear a Supplex pant (North Face Tibet) that's great in the early season but mostly I've never liked Supplex beyond a summer backpacking pant for "evening wear" It really doesn't dry out all that well IMO.

Are the Sitka's waterproof AND windproof? I'm looking at updating some of the stuff I have (froze my ass off in AK last yr for a mntn goat hunt).
Are whipcords water and wind proof as well? To be honest I don't know what whipcords are. Are they basically ski pants?
Thanks

I have two pair of Filson's "whips", the finest overall bush pants I have ever worn and I wish I had bought them YEARS ago, no more honking 5 lb. woolen heavyweights dragging my azz down all day in the rain/snow. A pair will last a lifetime of hunting if cared for properly and so are worth the cost.

I also bought some Sporthill XC 3SP tights last year, they are CRAP and I have replaced them with Wildthings Polar something XC tights which ARE excellent, but, rather pricey.

I bought two pair of HUGE Microtex pants in Outfitter camo two years ago and I like these very much for warm weather here in BC. They are comfy and dry quickly plus they cost very little, so, if you wreck a pair, it's no biggie.

3sp is better then the Sitka mtn pants if u are in cold , wet , windy conditions .I use Sitka in early season here and then switch over to 3sp in late fall when the weather deteriates.3SP has more stretch in them as well.

I'm surprised JRaw found the Microtex thigh to be tight. Mine (34x32) are very loose and I'm not a skinny guy. My microtex have belt loops.

The Chinese kid sewing them must have felt generous.

Redmtn, I found that my Sporthills pill, hold onto EVERY bit of house fluff and tend to drag on my legs, one of which IS quite crooked. I was some choked after I washed them and have worn them for house stuff as they don't cut it for hiking in the wet/cold, for me, at least. You seem to have success with them and I respect your opinions highly, what gives, are you just a "magic"guy?

I've got the Mountain pants and the Sporthill 3SP camo Expedition pants and like them both. The Exp pants really do well in the snow and cold. I wore them for a day hunt hunting moose not to far form the house. I walked in snow that was up to my knee's and the pants never soaked through nor had any ice build up on them plus they were very warm. The Mountain pants have only seen use in warm weather and so far I like them. Mine don't seem to be rough or scratchy as I wore them without a base layer. These are all I wear for hunting.

I should clarify: I found the Microtex plenty loose in the rear of the leg, but they do constrict the top of the thigh when stepping up. I think the front is more of a jean cut, maybe?

It would be pretty boring around here if we all liked the same stuff .In my closet i have 3sp,sitka,microtex,various Cabelas fleeces and tons of wool clothing .I have figured out what works for me where i hunt by trial and error thats all.

Champs for me, though I have a pair of whipcords and they are tough, and I can understand the praise. If I was busting willows all day, I think the whipcords would be the ones. If climbing, the champs get the nod from me, although mine are black and I don't like that. I'll drag my azz up the goat mountain in 'em this next October with gusto!
Don

I wore my 3sp pants form sporthill last fall in some snow and cold weather and I liked them too, but I get warm walking very far in them. I thinking the Stika 90% pants would be great in the weather with the thigh vents.

For warm weather we wore these cabelas hunt tech pant and they worked well for us in the early Oregon archery season although not sure they will hold more than a year or 2 as they show some signs of pilling and wear after a year. They are a light weight polyester They are nice on warm days and dry very fast. For the price I can buy almost 3 to one over the stitka pants.

Cabela's Hunt Tech Six-Pocket Pants Item:XH-932265