A Guide to WINDSTOPPER® Windproof Hunting Clothing

It doesn’t matter what kind of hunting you’re doing; wind is always a factor that hunters need to consider when gearing up. Wind can sap your focus, drain your stamina, and sap your core heat, turning otherwise good days south in a hurry. Good windproof hunting gear is an essential part of your gear system. We sat down with Scot Times, Fabric Application Engineer at Gore, to talk about the use cases for every type of SITKA product built with WINDSTOPPER^® fabric by GORE-TEX® Labs.

Key takeaways

• WINDSTOPPER® technology delivers 100% windproof protection while allowing sweat to escape, helping hunters regulate body temperature and stay comfortable.

• The best windproof hunting clothing balances breathability, water resistance, warmth, durability, and packability based on hunting environment and activity level.

• SITKA WINDSTOPPER® hunting clothing has a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment that sheds light rain and snow, but it’s not waterproof.

• The Jetstream Jacket is one of the most versatile windproof hunting jackets available, offering durable windproof protection for a wide range of pursuits.

• For high-intensity mountain hunts, the Timberline Pro Jacket combines windproof protection and insulation in one lightweight package.

What Is WINDSTOPPER® by GORE-TEX® Labs & How Does It Work?

WINDSTOPPER^® by GORE-TEX^® Labs blocks the chilling effect of wind. This technology can be incorporated in a range of fabrics that balance other factors like breathability, water resistance, warmth, comfort and lightweight packability to give you exactly what you need to combat the wind based on environment and pursuit.

Gear equipped with WINDSTOPPER^Ⓡ technology is 100% windproof. These fabrics offer complete protection against both light and strong winds while staying reliably breathable. Sweat vapor escapes easily, helping to regulate your body temperature. Outerwear, like jackets, is usually treated with durable water repellent (DWR) to help keep you dry in light rain and spray. 

Gear with WINDSTOPPER^Ⓡ technology is:

• 100% Windproof: Blocks all wind, so the wind chill doesn’t steal your body’s warmth.

• Reliably Breathable: Sweat easily escapes, so you stay dry and comfortable.

• Water-Resistant: Repels light rain and snow, so you stay protected and comfortable.

• Lightweight and Versatile: Less bulk and fewer seams allow for closer contact, improving dexterity.

In products featuring WINDSTOPPER® technology, the fabric is typically made by sandwiching a WINDSTOPPER® membrane between a face textile and backer textile. This allows WINDSTOPPER® technology to be incorporated into a variety of garment weights for different pursuits.

The demands of a spring training run are very different from a late fall backcountry hunt, and a waterfowl hunter’s priorities are different than those of a whitetail hunter. The product design teams at SITKA and Gore carefully choose WINDSTOPPER^® fabrics to balance the dynamics of the end use to create specialized solutions for hunters and anglers.

Tims describes these opposing factors:

Generally speaking, the more waterproof something is, the less it will breathe. Likewise, a fabric may achieve a high level of durability but may end up being uncomfortable or too heavy. To achieve these balances, WINDSTOPPER^® technology can be leveraged in a variety of fabric types and weights, allowing SITKA to build products that ideally balance breathability, weight, durability, packability, and other factors.

How To Choose The Right Windproof Hunting Clothes

When choosing a WINDSTOPPER^® product, Tims’ advice is simple: “Think about what you’re going to be doing and what environment you’ll be in. From there, choose a product that balances what’s most important based on those two factors.”

Every WINDSTOPPER^® fabric undergoes extensive testing to ensure quality and optimal end benefits for the user. Windproofness, water resistance, flexibility, thermal resistance, breathability, and abrasion resistance are all rigorously tested. Every SITKA WINDSTOPPER^® product receives a final DWR treatment to help shed water and prevent the face fabric from becoming saturated.

Wind can be a hunter’s best friend or worst enemy. SITKA Gear products with WINDSTOPPER^® technology offer versatile solutions to keep hunters warm, comfortable, and focused on the task at hand when the wind is blowing.

WINDSTOPPER® Hunting Clothing by Pursuit

WINDSTOPPER® for All Pursuits

One of SITKA’s longtime best-selling products, the Jetstream Jacket was designed to cover a wide range of pursuits. It’s durable, dependable, and a time-tested workhorse. 

WINDSTOPPER® for Tree Stand Hunting

The Fanatic Jacket lets you stay ninja quiet while you bow hunt. And it keeps you warm and protected from the wind, so you don’t have to sacrifice your comfort to stay quiet. 

The Stratus Jacket 2.0 was designed for quiet tree stand hunts. Each feature and detail helps you stay silent, warm, and safe while deer hunting. 

WINDSTOPPER® for Backcountry Hunting

The Timberline Pro Jacket is ideal for high-intensity mountain hunting. It combines the benefits of a windproof layer and an insulation layer in one lightweight package.

WINDSTOPPER® for Waterfowl Hunting

The Duck Oven Jacket is windproof and designed to fit under your waders or bibs without bulk. Every feature is designed with waterfowl hunters in mind. 

WINDSTOPPER® for Fishing

The Kelvin Pro Hooded Jacket blocks the wind on cold days on the water. It’s warm even if it gets wet and breathable, and the pockets are accessible when you’re wearing bibs or waders. 

SOURCES

1. What are WINDSTOPPER^® Products by GORE-TEX^® Labs?

2. WINDSTOPPER^® Product Technology

What is the difference between WINDSTOPPER® and GORE-TEX®?

The difference between WINDSTOPPER^® and GORE-TEX^®  is that GORE-TEX^Ⓡ is waterproof. WINDSTOPPER^Ⓡ is water-resistant but is also more breathable. Both technologies are windproof and excel in the situations they were designed for.

Is WINDSTOPPER® windproof hunting clothing warm?

Yes, WINDSTOPPER^Ⓡ windproof hunting clothing is warm. For even more warmth, insulated WINDSTOPPER^Ⓡ windproof hunting clothing is some of the warmest gear you’ll ever own. 

Can you wear WINDSTOPPER® hunting clothing in the rain?

Yes, you can wear WINDSTOPPER^Ⓡ hunting clothing in the rain, though it is water-resistant rather than waterproof. It has a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish that sheds light precipitation. In a downpour, you’ll want to pair it with a GORE-TEX^® shell like the Dew Point Jacket. 

How do I care for WINDSTOPPER® hunting clothing?

To care for your WINDSTOPPER^® hunting clothing, machine wash on warm (105°F/40°C) with a small amount of liquid detergent. Do not add softeners, bleach, or powders. Rinse twice, then run a minimal spin cycle. Line or tumble dry on a warm, gentle setting, then tumble dry for an extra 20 minutes to reactivate the DWR finish.