Whether braving the cold while hunting or even just exploring the outdoors, Junior Outdoor Product Design and Development student Mason Larsen recommends the KUIU Guide DCS Jacket to stay warm.
“It’s pretty versatile as a soft shell,” Larsen said. “It has enough pocket space for everything I need. Water and wind resistant but breathes really well. They included pit vents as well as waistline drawstrings. It’s super good for layering and I almost always have it. It’s got an aggressive hood and has a micro fleece lining for all weather conditions. I would definitely recommend it to others. If I had to pick one jacket this would be it.”
This jacket is only sold through the KUIU company. While expensive—around 219 dollars—this soft shell is wind and water resistant, making it well-worth the price. The Guide DCS Jacket is an all-season option that can be paired with layers for the cold months. The jacket comes in five lowkey colors perfect for hunting season, while not being bulky and hard to move in.
“One time I was muzzleloader deer hunting and was coming off a mountain that was about 4 miles from any road,” Larsen said. “It was getting dark and I was in some pretty rugged country. I decided I would hit the trail in the bottom to cut my time out of there in half rather than take the ridges all the way around. Keep in mind the sun was fading and I was at least 2 hours from my truck. So I found what seemed to be a feasible route out and went for it. As I started my descent down I realized it was a lot steeper and rugged than I thought. I lost about 4000 ft of elevation in very little time. It came to the point where I was on my bum and hands backwards sliding down shale rock and sliding off little cliff edges from 5-10 feet in height. When I finally got to the bottom almost all the gear I was wearing was shredded. The seams in my pants were torn And the pack was as well. But what surprised me is that my jacket was still fine and didn’t have a single hole. So pretty grateful for the durability of that textile and garment.”
The next time you try and take a shortcut to make sure you are wearing your KUIU Guide DCS Jacket.
By Summer Vaughn