For those of you who haven't seen it already, the Sitka 45 Bivy Pack received the Editor's Choice Award from Outdoor Life Magazine.  We were the only pack to receive an overall rating of four stars based on comfort, design/ features, ease of use and price/ value.

Thought I would share just a few of the review's on Cabela's website, where the Ascent Pants are seeing an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. Got to love it.

5 out of 5 Surprisingly Tough, March 23, 2009 By IdahoMW from Idaho

"Thought that the ascent pants may not be tough for high country abuse, but to the contrary, they have withstood abuse well. Very light, and the stretchable fabric moves well with you. Suspenders are a nice touch, and they wick moisture better than any technical hunting pant I have owned. Built to hunt very hard and mobile, especially during early hunt seasons." Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

5 out of 5 Sitka Ascent Pants, February 23, 2009 By BlackBearKilla from New York

"These are the most comfortable hunting pants I have owned and I've had a lot. Very soft, stretchy material. I highly recommend this product." Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

5 out of 5 My new favorite pair of pants, December 15, 2008 By cajunshooter from South La

"After purchasing the Sitka 90% jacket and loving it, I decided to give the Ascent pants a try. These are by far the most comfortable, quiet pants I own. I've been a fan of North Face and Mountain Hardware softshell for a while, and the Sitka is every bit as good, if not better in my opinion. These do fit a bit snug, and not intended for very cold temperatures, but they are great for their designed use." Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

5 out of 5 Great Pair of Pants, November 7, 2008 By Holleywood from Birmingham, Alabama

"I hunt mostly in Alabama where the bow season temps can range from 40 degrees to 70 degrees. These are the best pair of early season pants I've ever had. Not only are they lightweight, they are quiet and extremely comfortable. I liked them so much I bought the matching 3/4 zip pullover. I highly recommend the lightweight Sitka line to anyone that hunts early season in the southeast." Would you recommend this product to a friend? Yes

Sitka is rounding out it's line this year with the addition of new insulation pieces to keep your core warm.  The Kelvin Jacket and Vest incorporate lightweight and packable PrimaLoft One insulation for an extreme heat-to-weight ratio.

The Kelvin pieces are designed to be layered under one of Sitka's soft or hard shell pieces.  PrimaLoft insulation is a superior synthetic loft  material that holds in maximum heat with minimal weight.  This is what you want for hunting in the coldest temperature or stand hunting.

Kelvin will be available to consumers in June 2009 in Mothwing Mountain Mimicry camouflage pattern and the new Gore OPTIFADE Concealment Technology, the only pattern designed according to how deer and other big game animal vision works. Available in sizes S-3XL.

The Kelvin Jacket features two chest pockets, articulated arms and an internal waist cinch to trap core heat. Retail camo $199, retail solid $179.

The Kelvin Vest features two hand pockets, a cinched neckline and internal waist cinch.  Retail camo $149, retail solid $129.

Where Can I buy Sitka Gear?

See the Dealer Locator on our website to find a Sitka dealer nearest you.  If you cannot find a dealer, two of our largest online dealers are Cabela's and Schnee's. The new products for 2009 will be available in June.

We know a lot of people are wondering where and when they can buy the new Sitka gear in the new Gore™ OPTIFADE™ visual concealment (aka camouflage pattern).

Unfortunately, our website isn't ready to go yet, so we'd like to use our blog to give you the information you need.

The new Sitka gear will be available this June. You can download the 2009-sitka-dealer-workbook to get info on the new products until the website is up and running.

Use the Dealer Locator on our current website to find a dealer in your area.  Just go to the Sitka Gear website and click on the Dealer Locator link on the left-hand side of the web page.

If you can't find a dealer near you you, our two biggest online retailers are Schnee's and Cabela's.

Check back here frequently as we will post information on the new gear to help you with purchasing decisions.

Sitka was at the 25th Anniversary Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Elk Camp & Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Expo in Fort Worth, Texas last week.  This is a great place to support an excellent organization, check out some new gear, and day dream about your next hunt.

Jonathan Hart of Sitka was interviewed by Kevin Paulson, owner of the HuntingLife.com.  Check out the interview here:

This post is clearly tardy, as the shows were over a few weeks ago. However, an update and photos are always good to share. Great shows, feedback on the new product pieces (Stormfront and Coldfront Series, the Kelvin Series, and of course "The Dutch Oven" to name a few) and Optifade Concealment Technology was overwhelming. A peak from the shows...

We are about to tackle trade show season. It's brutal, the hours long, the conversations repetitive, you tire of regurgitating the same material over and over and over. One thing I want to stress, ask a lot of questions and then practice "golden silence". Tell, tell, tell doesn't matter. What matters is finding out what your potential customer is trying to fix, accomplish, or avoid. Ask the right questions, you'll get the answer.  And then tell them what they need to hear. It works, and it makes the day a lot more enjoyable and ten times more fun.

Now what I actually wanted to post was a piece that Seth Godin had written some time back, but it stuck in my mind as being very relevant at shows. We have the incredible opportunity to meet anyone we want within our industry. So, do it. And here's why:

If you could meet one person...