Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting KUIU Founder Jason Hairston Announces Lower Pricing

KUIU announced today a price reduction on select key products. Below are the details behind the price reduction and a personal message from KUIU founder Jason Hairston.


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Still waaaayyyyyyy to rich for my blood

Lowered prices because most of their stock is on backorder....

And made in China.

I've been very happy with almost all my kuiu gear, glad to hear of the price drop.

My Attack Pants are unreal. Best hunting pants I own.

Gonna try their Ultra 6000 pack next.

I ordered some gear and am looking forward to getting it this week!

Having worked in manufacturing most of my life, I am partial to keeping my US and Canadian friends working. I am very willing to pay a bit more for product which is not sent offshore.

Kuiu makes very good gear. I was skeptical at first but after owning and using their stuff for a couple of years now I have become a big fan. I am also pretty conservative financially so their gear seemed pricey but you get what you pay for, and in the backcountry in tough conditions, you don't want a garment malfunction.

Normally I would have concerns about manufacturing being shifted overseas but I think in this case the founder will be laser focused on quality control. From a pure business standpoint you almost have to do business overseas to be competitive.

I am glad to see the reduction in pricing and the founder passing that down to the customer. It will make Kuiu gear accessible to more folks.

I often hear sentiments like these being voiced but I have to disagree. You do not have to send manufacturing overseas to be competitive, you just have to be good ... very good. Fortunately, in the arena KUIU is playing, cost over the counter is far less important than quality and design. KUIU's customers are not shopping price, they are looking for quality. If you can provide me with excellent product built right here in North America, you have access to my wallet. I will pay less, if I buy at all, for product from a company who does not employ their own customer base.

I've got both Canadian and Vietnamese KUIU and I'd be lying if I said the stuff from Asia isn't comparable in quality to that made in North America. If you're curious, it's all of excellent quality. Still wish it was made in Canada, but it's quality gear either way.

I don't really care where a product is made, if it's good quality and what I need, I buy it. I have yet to try Kuiu, but know several people who swear by it. I am a Sitka fan, and would bet all their stuff is also made in Asia. Do I wish Kuiu and Sitka were made in the USA, sure, but such is life.

Brent

Let's see... Next step - sell the company and start over, dragging the fan base along for another "this is the best hunting gear in the world" ride?

Wiggy's and Kifaru make great synthetic bags in the US. The BEST hunting packs are US made. Western Mtneering and Feathered Friends bags are without peer, both US made. It gets a lot more difficult to buy US made when it comes to clothing.

Let us not forget that we want foreign folks to buy our products made right here in America. Anymore it is a global economy.
If you like something and it works for you, buy it. If you don't, don't. Simple as that.

This sums up my experience as well. Big fan of the Kuiu clothing line.

Kuiu gear was delivered today... Very impressed with their guide pant, merino wool not so much, I would recommend first lite for that department. Down jacket fits great but time will only tell on durability/moisture repellent ect... Really like Kuiu and what the company stands for. Props to Jason for passing on the savings to the hunter, wish him nothing but the best.

I like Kuiu's gear but their sizing flat out SUCKS. If you are a midget I am sure the sizing is fine. What really pissed me off was I ordered a XL vest and it was to short. So no big deal I will order a XXL and be good to go but a little baggy. WRONG same length on both size. So I give the XL vest to a friend that is 5'10" 155lbs and it looks short on him as well.

Their Jacket sleeve length is to short too.

I know I am a fairly big guy so if it was a tad to short that would be one thing. But way to short is another. Not to mention my buddy is by no means a large guy. If an XL doesn't fit correctly on a guy 5'10" and 155lbs the sizing is F-ed up. Add that an XL and XXL are both the same length and well you get the picture.

Another BS move is having a "Sale" but only on in stock items. What makes it even worst is when you have only 2 sizes of the item in stock. My wife hit the roof and refuses to do any business with Kuiu ever again. It is not the consumers fault you can't get your inventory under control and their for you shouldn't be punishing the consumer.

Their business model is a very small niche market. They should be doing everything they can to be consumer friendly. For a direct to consumer product their pricing is on the high side, not over the top high but not the bargin it should be.

I totally understand Jasons need to take the production overseas. But at the same time the price should have followed suit and it did not.

Price is generally not a good reason to buy anything. Seems the U6K was built more with price in mind. Mine went back to be replaced with a SG.

I picked up a Chugach jacket in vias camo when it went on sale and just got it in a week or two ago. I may end up sending it back for a verde version once they get them in stock again.

Very nice jacket although the sizing runs a little slimmer in the waist then my Sitka rain jacket in the same size. Sleeve length and hem seem about the same as my Sitka.

new brand called Kodiak lol soon ...

I have zero doubt they have good products but it is now overseas built but priced for US wallets

They reduce the product cost 400 to 500% off the boat from Asia and pass along a 10% discount to the consumer. It happens every day and will continue......sux but thats the way it is

At half the price they ask they are still probably quadrupling the investment

Either way........I will pass

Sitka just opened a manufacturing facility in Bozeman. Not sure what all they are making here though.

The beauty of free trade at work - if you like a product or dislike foreign manufacture you can vote with your wallet. At super high prices you can make things here if you want despite our administration's seeming hatred of business. Some gear you cant skimp on like boots or optics - clothing I'm hoping to get all bloody anyway - ill buy cheap used garage sale, ebay, craigslist and keep the money instead.

I like and use KUIU clothing. Its spendy yes , but it is quality even-though Asian made , funny its being made by people that shot my father in 1968. A lot of comments about the slim sizing , think its geared toward hunters and hunts where the hunter might be in decent shape. I like N.A. made products , like ARC'TEREX but the prices are looney. I think we are "cannibalizing" ourselves in North America business wise. Even our auto industry doesnt use all american made parts, seems like the only thing we are producing these days that is %100 American is fat people.

Arcteryx, is also made offshore and is over-priced, IMO. I will not buy KUIU due to the manner in which production was quickly moved from Vancouver to Asia.

The finest clothing of this type I have yet used is Westcomb, which IS made here in Vancity.

Arcterex too now? Oh well makes sense , after all Vancouver does have the longest bridge in the world , Van. to china to pakistan

If being a skinny breadstick is decent shape to you, you may have a point. Believe it or not some people actually have chest, arm, and back muscles. Another thing is sizing should include length which Kuiu sucks big time in.

They make some nice gear but for direct to consumer their prices are high.

Thanks Jason for dropping your phuqing over the top high prices on your foreign made crapy goods� thanks for the too little too late gesture but you can keep your disposable Kleenex clothing line thank you. Didn't you make enough money when WL Gore overpaid you for the last hollywood clothing line you started? (think Sitka)� Hunting to most of us is not a reality TV gig, but keep overcharging for the plastic Ken doll clothes with the Jeffrey Giraffe camo patterns and see where it gets you� good night and farewell. Laffin, HINT! (humor)�

Foxx...

Somebody call the warden and get this psycho back to the ward. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Everyone

Redfoxx
I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion but wow! Have you personally used kuiu gear? Tested it? I have and find it to be amazing and I will continue to support Jason and his company.

Yes, I've wasted a lot of my hard earned money on it� as you can see in my admittedly over the top and emotional post I am displeased with it to say the least. After happening upon the post by Hairston announcing a price decrease, I guess I sort of over-reacted. I've spent EASILY $1,500, maybe $2,000 on his products in the last two years, all clothing, I'm very unhappy with the performance of pretty much everything. The only products that are worth anything, IMO, are the merino wool base layers, but even these are still overpriced and under constructed. The fabrics are too thin and fragile, and the stitching always seems to come undone. On the jackets and pants, the zippers break, waterproof layers are anything but waterproof and none of it really insulates very well. I have the guide vest, guide jacket, guide beanie, two spindrift jackets, 4 sets of merino base layers in both thicknesses, and the full set of chugach rain gear that I bought used with tags (so new)� So I'm back to my original all wool clothing kit� much heavier, much bulkier, but I can count on it to keep me warm, hold together, and keep my warm when and if it wets out. And my non-breathable $100 Frogg Toggs as light as they are are frankly better rain wear than the KUIU, at a fraction off the price� It's all gone down the river except for the Kuiu merino base layers, and I'll be looking to ugrade on that next year during the winter sale season.

So in closing, please forgive my unprofessional post from last night. It was a little bush league to say the least. I hope this response was a bit more useful. The Kuiu clothing may be ok for occasional use in non-rugged terrain for many� but I've found it to be not very useful for my needs.

Between this and the post in the Serve and protect thread in the Canada forum, I assume you are an angry drunk??

Redfoxx
I respect your opinion and have not had a chance to test any of the rain gear yet. I have used the new ultra merino wool and its been great. Also the Tiburon and attack pants have been amazing. I will be using my guide set this coming month. The icon pack I use all the time and love it. I'm sure some people dislike the pricing or some things about the clothing but me personally I love it.

ABW....

Anything. But. Wiggys.

I don't have any of KUIU gear. But If people are complaining that its too rich for their blood. How expensive would it be if it was made here in the states?
Obviously he (owner) believes that he will make more $ by selling more product at lower price vs. selling less at higher cost. Makes sense to me.