The sharp blaring of my iPhone alarm snapped me awake at 4:45 a.m. I reached my hand out of the sleeping bag to shut the dang thing off, and quickly realized that the next few minutes were not going to be fun. It was easily below 15 degrees, and my hand was stinging within a few short seconds of being out of my toasty, sub-zero-rated cocoon.

　　But, there was hunting to be done. Ducks to kill. Upland prairies to walk.

　　I took a deep breath, braced myself, and threw open the sleeping bag. The first thing I reached for was the Kings Camo XKG Pinnacle Jacket. I bundled layers over it, and headed out of the tent for an extended sit in the duck blind. With the shocking cold, I was wide awake. No coffee needed.

　　The rest of that day was jam-packed. The crew I was with chased ducks and geese in the morning, and then stopped by the wall tent for brunch, before heading off to the prairie in search of roosters and Sharptail. And of course, storytelling and dinner in the heated main tent after dark.

　　It wasnt until I was crawling back into my sleeping bag that I took off the Pinnacle Jacket. Its that type of top. Youll put it on and never feel the need to take it off.

　　In short: Its now November, and the Kings Camo XKG Pinnacle Jacket has been on my body or in my pack on every single hunt this year. Whether I was chasing early-season whitetail in late September, hanging out in a bird camp in frigid Nebraska, or doing all-day sits during the rut, Ive come to rely on it as an essential piece. Its a near-flawless, versatile midlayer, with a price thats tough to beat.

　　Compare the Kings Camo XKG Pinnacle in our guide to the best hunting jackets.

　　Kings Camo XKG Pinnacle Jacket Check Price at Bass Pro ShopsCheck Price at Kings Camo

　　8.0 How we rate products Rating Details Warmth 4.0 Waterproofness 4.0 Breathability 7.9 Fit 8.0 Specifications Materials: Polyester, spandex Waterproofness: None Type of jacket: Midlayer Insulation: Lightweight fleece Colors: XK7, Desert Shadow, Charcoal, Realtree Edge Pros Hood design keeps view unimpeded Breathability makes it an excellent choice for high output hunts Versatility — great as a standalone piece or layer Durable for a midweight top Cons No DWR finish Tighter fit in torso Morgan Nowels What Type of Jacket Is It?

　　The XKG Pinnacle Jacket is excellent as a standalone jacket on high-output hunts; (photo/Hunter Arterburn) The Kings Camo XKG line has been around for a few years, but it recently started gaining popularity. Kings as a whole has focused on budget-friendly gear. However, the XKG is its high-end line thats more of a competitor with the big-name brands, like First Lite, SITKA, and KUIU. Its still more budget-friendly than those options, though.

　　After using a few pieces, I can say that its quality gear that provides some of the best bang-for-the-buck on the market.

　　The Pinnacle jacket is the fleece midlayer top in the line. Think of it as a sweater-like jacket thats the only insulation youll need on a September archery hunt, but can serve as the first layer over your base for those frosty December hunts.

　　If youre looking for comparisons, its similar to the First Lite Origin Hoody ($170) and the SITKA Alpha Fleece Hooded Jacket ($219). The real beauty is that this one retails for $140 and is often on sale at the Kings website. As of this writing, its available for a crazy 85 bucks!

　　What Type of Hunts Is the XKG Pinnacle Jacket Best For? I have a concise answer for this: all of them. When I first got this jacket, I packed it on my hunts for pure testing purposes for work. Now I pack it because its too stinkin versatile to leave at home.

　　On my early-season archery hunts, there was no reason to pack a full-on jacket for the mornings and evenings. The thin 400 GSM body mapping fleece in the body, and 320 GSM fleece in the sleeves of the Pinnacle, are all you need for insulation after the sun sets. And it packs up small and light.

　　On my Nebraska bird hunt, when I was sitting still in the freezing duck blind, the thin fleece was obviously nowhere near enough insulation to keep me warm. However, it was a critical layering piece, and I was happy to have the extra layer.

　　As the day heated up, I didnt need all of the layers and slowly started peeling them off. By the time we got around to upland hunting, it was warm enough not to need a heavier jacket, but there was still a slight bite to the air in just a long-sleeve tee.

　　At the truck, I debated wearing a jacket or not. I knew if I wore one, Id be comfortable now, but would probably regret that decision within a half mile of hiking.

　　I opted to leave the Pinnacle on. It was perfect for long hikes in the cold. It kept me relatively warm when I was stationary, and it breathed extremely well when I was sweating on mile 3 through the Sandhills. I never needed to stop and take it off.

　　Its now the only layer I wear on high-output hunts. Whether youre a Western hunter, whitetail nut, or an upland bird hunter, youll find a use for it.

　　My Favorite Features of the Kings Camo XKG Pinnacle Jacket

　　On high-output hunts, you wont need to take the Pinnacle off, thanks to its breathability; (photo/Nathan Borowski) Outside of its use as a versatile layer for all seasons, there are some particular things I love about the Kings Camo XKG Pinnacle Jacket.

　　Hood and Collar I dont think I have ever loved a hood as much as the one found on this jacket. Its hands down the shining star of the entire piece.

　　Unlike many midweight tops, Kings Camo put a full zip-up collar on this jacket. That allowed for the hood to be pushed back and offset from the front of the collar. The result is a completely unimpeded view in your peripheral vision.

　　It works perfectly. When Im in the tree stand, I get zero fabric blocking any part of my view. If it werent for the warmth provided, I would forget that the hood is even on.

　　Because of that, I leave all of my other hoods off and use this one to keep my dome warm on cold November mornings. Im confident Im not missing a thing in the woods.

　　Plus, the full zip collar is flat-out nice to have for the extra warmth.

　　Full-Length Zipper The Pinnacle has a full-length zipper down the front, which I like more than a pullover or anorak-style quarter zip hoody. It makes removing the jacket easier, and if Im hanging in a tree stand and need to dump heat, I can just unzip it. Its a lot better than fighting a jacket around a tether or harness.

　　Thumb Holes

　　(Photo/Nathan Borowski) Each arm has large thumbholes on the wrist. I personally never wear my jacket with my thumbs through the thumbholes, but it does come in handy when I start layering.

　　Using the thumbholes before throwing another jacket on prevents the sleeves from getting bunched up around my arm. Thats important for a midlayer piece that will often get covered up. Since this jacket is more budget-friendly, I could see justifying leaving minor details like that out, but Kings kept them. Delivering value, folks.

　　Stretchy Outer Material The entire Pinnacle Jacket is constructed with synthetic materials, which Ive come to prefer on this type of top. While the interior is made from fleece, the exterior is four-way stretch fabric. That allows for excellent maneuverability and a touch of durability.

　　Ive worn similar tops made entirely out of merino, and they were great from a warmth standpoint. But the second I went through thick brush, they got ripped apart. I have one with six holes in it.

　　For a top that I wear as my outermost layer on active hunts, that doesnt cut it. The synthetic material makes the Pinnacle Jacket more resistant to accidental tears. I went through some real thick pheasant cover in it. Its no worse for wear. Is it as durable as a hard shell? No. But its better than most mid-weight tops.

　　Is There a Reason Its Cheaper?

　　If things get wet, youll need to throw an additional layer over the Pinnacle Jacket; (photo/Hunter Arterburn) Another concise answer, albeit less clear: Kind of.

　　I have not personally worn the SITKA Alpha Fleece Hooded Jacket or the First Lite Origin Hoody I compared this to earlier, but they do have one leg up on the Pinnacle based on one spec alone: a DWR finish.

　　There is no water resistance built into the Kings Camo XKG Pinnacle jacket. Now, there are very few tops like this that do. The two above are notable exceptions. All the merino versions on the market will end up soaking wet. Additionally, those merino versions are also more expensive than the Pinnacle.

　　So on an industry-wide scale, its not a huge negative. I do not expect a midweight insulating layer to provide water resistance. If I expect rain, I pack a soft-shell jacket or a rain jacket. However, the one time I did get wet in it, the synthetic material still kept me warmer than I would have been without it.

　　And on that note, I have found the Pinnacle jacket to be quite slow-drying. After washing it, I left it to hang dry, but it still had a damp feel after 24 hours. But thanks to the Polygiene Odor Control, I hardly ever have to wash it. Really. I think Ive washed it twice.

　　Final Thoughts on the Kings Camo XKG Pinnacle Jacket

　　The Pinnacle is the perfect top for standard fall weather; (photo/Hunter Arterburn) Im a gear snob, and am always quick with a rational argument (excuse?) to have the best, most expensive stuff out there. I own merino tops similar to the XKG Pinnacle Jacket that are more expensive. And I like this one more. I really love the hood.

　　After using it this season, Ive seen the benefits of moving over to synthetic materials for this type of top — mainly, durability. Merino is great, but when it gets exposed to thick brush and cover, its charm starts to fade.

　　This is the perfect outermost layer when youre hiking around, and its too cold to be in a T-shirt or base layer top alone. Upland hunting and Western big game rifle seasons come to mind. On both of those hunts, youll probably come into contact with brush, and the synthetic material will stand up better than most.

　　No, it doesnt have a DWR finish like the most expensive options. But I genuinely do not care. Not once in my outdoor career have I gone into the field expecting a lightweight insulating top to provide any form of waterproofness. I expect it to breathe when Im active, keep me warm as a solo layer in the early season, and act as an additional layer in the winter months.

　　The Pinnacle checks all of those boxes. If youre looking for a midweight top, buy this one and save the cash for a fancy, impenetrable rain jacket or a puffy with a high warmth-to-weight ratio. This is one of those beautiful instances where the budget gear performs so well, I cant recommend the more expensive stuff with a straight face.

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