Authentically Living And Torture Testing Through The Last Decade

We don’t live where modern conveniences are the norm. We find our office in a rugged fortress of rock and forest. Where the weather changes its’ mind as much and as fast as it desires. Where temperatures can be scorching one instant and freezing the next. We cut our teeth outside of four walls and roof. Where there is empowerment to strip yourself of everything and exist at your most minimalistic self, we realize this isn’t for everyone. But, for those of us who live for this kind of torture, there isn’t another high like it.

As many companies push each other to become better, we as hunters are reaping the rewards.  Each year companies innovate products to help us stay out longer, dryer, warmer and ultimately safer.  Mother Nature is a cruel mistress that doesn’t care about us, which means you have to come prepared with the best gear on any adventure.

Such accusations arise when a boast is made about something being ‘the best’. What makes something the ‘best’? When you think of having something that meets a certain level of criteria that would exemplify excellence, you can bet that this prestigious title didn’t just happen overnight. No, being the ‘best’ means so much more than that. The ‘best’ isn’t pretty, and most of the time, it is certainly not glamorous. It means that there has been trial and error, testing and application. When a product or an idea fails, it goes back to the drawing board. A cycle of rinse and repeat until that coveted title can be adorned with something being ‘the best’.

“Ten years ago, I was approached by Sitka Gear to be a ‘Sitka Athlete‘. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but they assured me all I had to do was just keep moving forward with my dreams. To keep pushing gear to the limits…and beyond. Over the years we have worked together on many products, both in the design and field testing. I was lucky to have one of my ideas come to life in the ‘Timberline Pants.’ Since then, myself and the team have tested many products along the way, and we feel fortunate to be part of the process that gets to see these amazing products come to life.” – Dustin Roe

In a world full of instant gratification and seemingly effortless personal gain, those of us that know the hardship and struggles behind the victory shots find ourselves far more impressed by things you don’t always see in the frame. The long nights under the stars, sending out a goodnight message to our loved ones to let them know that we are okay. Staying out and sacrificing creature comforts to stay camped out on our game, waiting for the opportune time to close in. We often find ourselves in less than ideal situations but learn to make do, snuggling into our jackets and settling into a makeshift camp or glassing spot. Sometimes it’s the days when we are ascending a mountain, pushing both our bodies and our minds to their limits as we get over that next ridge. All the while battling wind, rainstorms, and a variety of weather that never stays consistent.

It’s the warm days in the early season where we are trying to stay cool and regulate our body temperature, to the fall mornings that run crisp and cool where we are trying to keep what heat we have. It’s the all-out snow storms that catch us by surprise and test our readiness. There is little comfort in knowing we will never know what is going to come at us. All we can do is grind it out, and come prepared. Sure, we could get by in blue jeans and fleece. It’s been done long before high tech companies were a thing. However, the drive behind a company like Sitka has allowed us to be more comfortable, stay out longer and live in one set of gear for over 100 days straight every year.

We live in this gear. Let us say it again, we live in this gear. When our team sits down to a meeting, from behind our laptops we are wearing Sitka’s Everyday line. When we are getting ready for the season, when we are living out our routines in our day to day lives- we are not tiptoeing around the outfits, we choose what makes us comfortable, and keeps up with us on a daily capacity. We don’t have the convenience of switching multiple costume changes per hunt. We wear clothes day after day. We need the clothes to practice what they preach. We need the seams to hold up as we walk through brush and slide down scree. We need the material to wick-off our sweat and keep us dry when we are miles upon miles from the nearest heat source. We promise you that the guides of the northern reaches will punish their gear harder than anyone on the planet.

There is always the question of “Do they wear these products because they are free?”  With many of us not a stranger to social media and ‘pro-staff kickbacks’ our commitment goes beyond that misconception or industry faux pas. For those of us that live this lifestyle, it’s never been about the free gear, promotion or ego; for us it’s a committed relationship on both sides. A give and take, a sharing of information. We want the best gear to make us the most efficient and successful hunters as we can be. These companies want the best, they want it to be used to the max- thrashing gear and testing the durability, it’s functionality and of course, it’s effectiveness. For us it is an honour to be part of a company that is working hard to change the landscape of the mountain hunting clothing market.

Sitka has become a sponsor of our operation, and by now if you’ve been following along on our YouTube Channel, Instagram and LinkedIn, we do show their logo and ‘pump their tires’ as some would say. We don’t do this because they pay us, or give us free gear. We do this because we are proud to use the best. We are proud to represent a company that believes in us and makes the right products for the job. They believe we are among the hardest working in the industry, some of the most successful hunters and will give them the honest feedback and authentic content that they value. We ‘Do What It Takes.’ We are a hunting outfit, not a television show.  We are not here to ‘sell’ product, we are here to harvest animals and make sure our clients have a hunt of a lifetime.  We do recommend their products to our clients, as we 100% trust that if our hunters show up with the list we provide, they will have the best chances at making the hunt the most it can be. That’s our main goal.

“I have been honoured to be able to take the prototype gear around the world.  I’ve tested base layers, mid-layers, insolation and rain gear (to name a few). I have had seasons with over 200 days a year in the field. I have been in some of the harshest conditions imaginable and with the right gear we always come out on top. Now that we have grown and assembled an amazing team of guides, we as an outfit can truly add value to testing gear in all conditions.  The Backcountry BC and Beyond team will continue to push the limits and work to be the best we can be. We don’t take short cuts and are solely dedicated to the process.” -Dustin Roe

It’s hard to describe the feeling or accurately convey the physical highs and lows we put ourselves through on a daily basis. It’s hard to tell someone what they will need when you don’t first do it or try something out yourself. Through trial and error, we work in conditions that are unforgiving, and demand the highest quality of fabrics and design. If we wear it, and Sitka sells it, you know you can be guaranteed to trust it.

Sitka Gear’s ‘Behind the Design‘ video is an inside look at the building and testing process that the internal team puts into making sure we (and you) have the best gear available. Like us, there is no short cuts and quick fixes. The guys were testing the new Kelvin system on Dustin’s late season British Columbia Mountain Goat hunt. Frigid temperatures, coastal moisture, and snow made this trip not only extreme, but dangerous if you weren’t going in with the appropriate layering system. Launching today is a closer look at the accolades of Dustin, and his preferred pack list- be sure to head over and check out his Sitka Athlete profile.

-The Team at Backcountry BC and Beyond