Snugpak sleeka jacket

[Septic]

Hi Folks

Im after a snugpak sleeka jacket either the elite or the original
there doesnt seam to be much difference betwen them. Has anyone used them in the past
which one should i go for.

thanks stevie

 

[Limaed]

Hi Stevie
Welcome to BushcraftUK! Im pretty sure the only differences between the Elite and the original is that the Elite is reversible black/green (for those special ops!) instead of just green as the original, it also has high wear patches on the shoulders/arms and has a compression sac rather than a stuff sac which is good for packing.
I like the Sleeka Elite its a good,warm bombproof bit of kit (except by the fire) most of HM Forces have brought one and the rest probably would except the MOD issue their version now in olive/sand which is nearly identical.
Depending on the use you had in mind I think the jacket is worth the money.
Ta Ed

 

[combatblade1]

Hi Steve, have you considered Buffalo? I have tried both and pound for pound the Buffalo special six shirt is lighter thinner and warmer. It dosent bunch the pile like the sleeka and has a bit more water repellant, although it is a bit more expensive but not by much.

 

[Jedadiah]

I personally have a Sleeka original and would recommend it if you are going to use it as a liner for a Ventile smock or some such outer layer. The outer material of the Sleeka (original OR elite) are too precious to be worn by themselves in any rough situation. They are susceptable to damage from thorns, flames, brambles infact anything sharp or hot. If you have a need to wear such a jacket by itself, without a outer layer, i would recommend the Nanok Arctic. It is harder wearing and warmer as well as cheaper but too bulky to wear as a mid layer. So, as i said, i'd highly recommend both of these jackets, they are ace, but both are designed for different uses and niether do the other very well.

 

[Shewie]

As CB1 says, have a look at the Buffalo Special 6 aswell.

I`ve got two they`re so good.



Rich

 

[British Red]

I use mine just as Jed suggest - a mid layer under a Ventile smock. Great kit and stuffs down really small. Good for sitting around in and I do wear it for just cold days when out and about. It is thin material as Jed says so not to be treated roughly.

Mine is the Elite Reversible and I think well worth the spend

Red

 

[SimonM]

I had the original in OD and it was excellent. Packed into a utility pouch, weighs next to nothing.

Sadly I tore it beyond repair - I have replaced it with the snugpack pile shirt and am equally impressed!

Simon

 

[Graham_S]

I have one, I got it for a deployment to Kosovo in winter (brrr, that was cold!) and it was great.
It currently lives in the boot of my car as an emergency winter jacket.
I prefer it to the buffalo shirt because it packs down smaller. It's a handy thing to have when you stop for lunch. just pull it out and throw it on.

 

[Surrey Yeoman]

I have the original Sleeka and I've never felt cold wearing it - although I've never been anywhere REALLY arctic! The only thing that bugs me is the fact that it's all to easy to catch the inner fabric of the jacket in the zipper as you do it up. Apart from being a fiddle to get the zip free again, once you've done it a few times the inside fabric around the zip starts to look a bit sorry for itself, a sort of "almost torn" look.

I think Snugpak recognised this as a problem, because on newer versions (mine's about 7 years old now) they've run a couple of lines of stitching down the jacket on either side of the zip which holds the surplus fabric out of the way.

Certainly a mid-layer item as it's not at all water resistant and as said before, easy to snag on thorns and the like.

Just my tuppence worth!

 

[Septic]

Thanks for the reply's guys.

 

[Boon]

ive got the elite one, like said by others it is bombproof and have found it to be very warm. only down side i can find is that if you wear it down the shops green side out it looks odd and people tend to give you weard looks, but black side out they dont even notice. all in all a great jacket.

Boon

 

[Greg]

I have recently bought the original OG jacket for £15 from Ebay absolutely nothing wrong with it, I also got the trousers in a seperate buy for £10.50 again nothing wrong with them.
I used both at the w/end in Brecon and they were the dog's bo**ocks!
It rained, snowed and was as windy as hell at times and using the jacket as a mid layer under my Ventile smock and the trousers as a base layer under my M65 OG combats I was both warm and comfortable.
I can't recommend them enough.
I just wish I'd had them when I was in the Army, especially in Norway!

Oh and welcome to BCUK!

 

[Karl5]

I've been looking at the Sleeka Elite reversible too, but I can't see on the pic's how its working with the pockets.
Are they only accessible from one side, e.g. from the black side, or can you get at them from both sides?

/ Karl

 

[John Fenna]

I have the Elite reversable.
The pockets are totally independant on each face, three on the black side, two on the Green. You cannot access the pockets on the inside through the pockets on the outside, so things stay very secure.
Great jacket - used it in the Croatian Mountains, Welsh Hills etc - love it!

 

[Karl5]

Just what I wanted to know.
Thanks John!!

/ Karl