SITKA Gear Review: Women’s Traverse Hoody / Women’s Core Merino 330 Hoody

Website: https://www.sitkagear.com/

You’ve heard the saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” but what’s a girl to do when her dream vacation in Alaska gives her 8 straight days and nights of cold, pouring rain? Torture test gear from SITKA of course!

I’ll be honest, we were expecting better weather – but we certainly didn’t get it. No worries though, I had packed 2 items that I just received from SITKA, which I fully expected I’d never get to wear up there. I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Not only did I wear them, I wore them almost daily. They got a workout and I got to know this amazing brand a whole lot better.

I didn’t expect it to rain. I didn’t bring any sort of rain gear. What I did bring were the Women’s Traverse Hoody and the Women’s Core Merino 330 Hoody. I’ve described both below.

Women’s Traverse Hoody: Classified by SITKA as a hoody, to me it’s more of a jacket. A nice, lightweight, water-resistant jacket with a beautiful and warm high-loft Berber fleece interior. And I wore this jacket day and night. The “Storm” color was beautiful, while I normally choose black, I’m so glad SITKA went with Storm for me on this one.

The Traverse Hoody is a perfect weight for cool summer evenings, and it will get worn all Fall and again in the Spring. The weight is perfect whether you’re layering it or wearing it as a light jacket. And, if you’re out and about and get caught in a drizzle, the Traverse has you covered.

Key Features – provided by SITKAs website:

• Ultra-quiet polyester knit fabric with high-loft Berber fleece interior.
• Eco-conscious fabric constructed from recycled materials.
• Mapped mid-weight fleece panels at sides and underarms for optimal comfort and range of motion.
• Durable water repellent finish sheds light precipitation and keeps fabric from wetting out.
• Zippered hand pockets provide secure storage.
• Sculpted hood won’t obscure peripheral vision.
• Integrated facemask for concealment.
• Low-profile thumb slots for easy layering.
• Total weight: 24 oz.

Women’s Core Merino 330 Hoody: A hooded pullover with a generously long zipper which allows for perfect ventilation when layered with other pieces. I generally wore this alone and when outdoors, layered with the Traverse Hoody over top. Perfect for cooler days, the technical fabric would work well if you’re a jogger or doing a lot of activity outdoors. The Core Merino 330 Hoody also has integrated thumbholes to help the sleeves stay in place while keeping your hands warm. A handwarmer pocket across the front is great for stashing your phone, keys, or your hands if they get chilly. A zippered chest pocket is perfect to store anything you’d like quick access to (like your cell phone). The Core Merino 330 Hoody is made with recycled materials.

Key Features – provided by SITKAs website:

• Lightweight and durable 330-gram, 17.5-micron ArmorSpun Merino Wool exterior fabric.
• Recycled synthetic interior for anti-itch comfort and improved moisture management.
• Easy-care merino wool can be washed and dried with your regular laundry.
• Contoured hood for coverage and concealment.
• Low-profile handwarmer pocket.
• Breathable merino wool mesh facemask for concealment.
• Snag-preventative stitching along sleeves resists abrasion from your pack.
• Zippered chest pocket safely stores your valuables.
• Low-profile integrated thumb holes for easy layering.
• Total weight: 16.8 oz.

This was my first experience wearing any gear from SITKA. I found myself reaching for my Traverse Hoody every time we went out. The hood gave great coverage in heavy rain and wind, without obstructing my peripheral vision. Although not categorized as “waterproof” it was very water resistant and perfect for this trip. Despite being outside on a catamaran boat glacier tour, in heavy rain, it never soaked through. Water beaded and could be brushed off the Traverse hoody.

A unique feature that both hoodies have is a face shield integrated into the hood. The hood could be worn as a traditional hood, or you could pull down the face shield to cover your mouth, nose and throat. I’ll be honest, my Core Marino 300 Hoody is black, it did make me look a bit like a ninja! This feature would be perfect as camouflage when hunting, or when you’re in the field and need a little extra protection from the weather.

SITKA makes high quality gear. After getting the opportunity to try out some of their gear, I’ll be a customer for life! I didn’t get as many great Alaskan photos of the gear, because the weather was truly horrific; so bad in fact, one of our airplane tours got cancelled due to fog and rain 2 days in a row. Now that it’s Fall here in New York, my gear will get plenty of use and I’ll be posting more photos on my socials so make sure you follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Threads!

About SITKA Gear: SITKA Gear, based in Bozeman, Montana, created and leads the technical hunting apparel category. The company is recognized for its commitment to continually improving the life experience of the hunter and for its support of healthy ecosystems and wildlife populations. SITKA products work together in systems, and each piece is designed and tested rigorously in both the lab and the field. SITKA is owned by W.L. Gore & Associates, an advanced materials company well known for Gore-Tex™ fabrics and many other industry-leading innovations that provide durable comfort and protection to outdoor enthusiasts. Go to sitkagear.com to learn more about how SITKA enhances the full life experience of the hunter.