Best jacket I have ever worn, Perfect for chasing Tahr in the New Zealand southern Alps.

I would give the Blizzard Parka and bibs 10 stars if they'd let me! I just used this suit for the first time on a seven day brown bear hunt in Kamchatka, Russia. Temps were in the 20's most days and we did a lot of snowmobile and hiking. I was nervous about the versatility of the system being able to handle the fluctuation of activity levels involved with this type of hunt, but the Blizzard performed incredibly. Half the day we are flying around on a snowmobile in single digit windchill - the other half we were on foot, climbing and glassing. I would have never imagined that a suit that could keep you toasty warm on the freezing cold rides wouldn't leave you soaked in sweat after a 1000 yard vertical. Somehow this suit just gives you the best of both worlds. Amazing technology from Sitka right here!

Received my Blizzard parka and pants just in time for late draw - cow elk season. Although I didn't have a tag my boys were drawn and I had just as much fun pushing bush and mentoring the boys on elk hunting! Conditions were brutal.....-38c the first day and no wind. Second day was -28c and a 15mph wind and the third day was -28c and a 40 mph wind. The jacket and pants performed as advertised (flawlessly).....although I opted to add my kelvin down jacket underneath to add an extra layer of insulation just for posting. I also broke through the ice (rat run) at one point and I was just as dry as when I started! If you hunt in extreme weather conditions And ain't scared of a little cold.......this jacket and Pant are what you need!! Hands down the best cold weather gear I have to combat these extreme Saskatchewan winter temp!!! Buy with confidence!!!

If your looking for a quiet coat that you can stalk in then this is not it, but if you want to stay warm in the worst weather conditions you can imagine then this coat is perfect. I purchased my parka last November and was amazed by its warmth. My first trip out it was 15 degrees with the wind chill below zero, all I had underneath was a heavyweight base layer and I was plenty warm. While the rest of my hunting party was complaining about being cold I was comfortable in my blizzard parka.

This is hands down my favorite piece of Sitka gear. And I have several pieces. I wear this for late season elk hunting aswell as, all winter Dog Mushing and Ice fishing in -18 degree temps and I was not cold. In fact I have never been cold once wearing this. It has a nice long back so no drafts, great sleeve gussets and warm hand warmer pockets. The noise doesn't bother me too much, it's a great trade off for how quickly this fabric dries that being said it repels water and takes a lot to get wet. There are many brushed face options so having this option is nice. Only wish the bibs came in a smaller size as I would own those aswell. But this for your lady friends and they will never want to go back inside.... If I could rate this jacket 10 stars I would!

Just got my new blizzard parka, love it!! It's a little noisey but overall it isn't awful... I'd say your probably not going to sneak through the timber with this coat on, it a very warm And you will sweat your butt off... But if your looking for the ultimate coat for long sits or for wheeling around on your quad or utv in below zero temps, this is it... I also have the incenerator jacket... My only complaint with the incenerator was it seems to only go to your belt line and when you sit the breeze can run up your back... With The blizzard parka that is not an issue... It plenty long and the fit is awesome! The sleeve cuffs are amazing!! and plenty of pockets for your gear... I'd highly recommend, to anyone that is serious about hunting in extreme temps... I'm an avid houndsman and I'm out in the mountains when no one else is, to do so you need quality gear... This coat is a must for me...

Great piece. Super light weight, very warm, and completely weather proof. I guide elk hunters in the Rockies. I carry this jacket with me every day. As soon as we stop walking i put this on right away. I can sit through the worst weather imaginable and be completely comfortable. Sheds wet snow, blocks heavy wind. The fit is an athletic fit. The outer fabric is not brushed and is a little loud. But this is way too warm for me to wear during archery season so it isn't an issue for me. This jacket is for extreme weather.

I recently tested many Sitka products on my recent hunt for Ibex in Kyrgyzstan. 15 degree mornings at 12,500' found me horseback in the Tien Shan Mountains on the border of China. The Blizzard Parka was so good in every way. It kept me warm on those early mornings and fantastically is so light that when it warmed up I took it off and tied it around my waist. I don't think you can do that with any other parka! The lens cleaning cloth came in handy as my guides would stop for nothing and we stayed horseback all day long. I could take out the lens cloth with one hand and clean my shades and put it back while maintaining control of my horse in the most treacherous locations imaginable. Finally my guides tried every way they could think of to get me to sell them my coat! Keep in mind many negative reviews come from people with little hunting experience and no expertise. Take it from someone who hunts for a living Sitka has no equal.

I agree with the previous review about the noise. I purchased this parka to be my late season whitetail coat but its just too loud. I have the incinerator parka & bibs and worn together they are an awesome system but a lot of times I just want to wear the jacket and some pants but the incinerator parka is cut so short in the back that my lower back gets cold when I'm sitting in the stand and not wearing the bibs. I purchased this Blizzard parka to fix this problem but now I'm sending it back and still don't have a solution. Sitka, please make a parka like the Blizzard but with a brushed face that is quiet or make the incinerator longer in the back, epically so the insulation doesn't stop a long way up from the back of the coat.

Bought both the blizzard parka and pants before going on Idaho backcountry mountain lion hunt. This combo was a life saver as we battled zero degree temps the first part of the hunt and later in the week it warmed into the mid 30's and had some moderate rainfall. I was the warmest and driest guy in camp all week!! Thanks SITKA! I'm a believer now!! I was also able to take a 150lb mountain lion on the 3rd day of the hunt!!

Hey Jamie - Thanks for contacting us. That's a great question. We take several different variables into consideration when designing a particular piece. As an Archery based brand, noise is high on the list. However, the Blizzard System takes a slightly different approach to late season/ extremely cold conditions. The textiles we used allow the garment to be lighter, more durable, dry faster, and more packable. It sheds water much better and dries more quickly compared to a brushed face fabric. This way you can dry the garment with a shake and you won't get everything in your pack wet. This is more accommodating for mountain hunters. This doesn't mean it's the right piece of gear for your situation or for everyone. If your a low activity hunter during late season we also have our Incinerator Series. Designed for Static/Tree Stand hunters. Highly insulated, 100% Waterproof, and constructed with a brushed fleece face. Might be more of what your looking for.

I bought this jacket only to return it. The problem being that it was too loud. Not sure why Sitka didnt make this a brushed face jacket but that was enough for me to return it.

http://alti2udeoutdoors.com/gear/2014/02/04/sitka-gear-blizzard-series-parka-and-pants-gear-review-by-matt-eastman/