First Lite

First Lite strives to make the industry’s best apparel for the hunter who demands nothing less. We design simple and functional products built to work for an evening in a tree stand on the back forty, a morning at a walk-in duck hole or a nine-day expedition in the Brooks Range. We also fully understand that the passion of our customers and employees depends on the conservation of the world’s wildlife resources and the protection of our collective access to the wild places they inhabit. Therefore, First Lite is about more than simply producing awesome gear. Supporting the people and groups who protect our sporting heritage is an equally important part of who we are as an organization and a group of folks who love to hunt.

First Lite was conceived by Kenton Carruth and Scott Robinson who had long lived in Central Idaho and worked in the winter sports industry. As merino began to emerge as a premier fabric for skiing, biking and climbing, Kenton and Scott began to try wool garments on their fall hunts. The fabric kept them warm in the cold mornings, cool as the day heated up and, amazingly, kept them completely odor-free day after day. Soon Scott and Kenton were wearing merino from September to January, bow season to the end of waterfowl. However, the bright color’s preferred for other sports were less than ideal for hunting. The two longed for merino in effective camouflage, so that they could remain concealed even as they took off and put on layers across the widely varying condition of Idaho’s mountains and rivers. First Lite was born from this dilemma.

As the company grew, Scott and Kenton again drew on their background in the wider outdoors industry in order to design effective synthetic outerwear. After extensive R&D, they settled on partnering with 37.5 by Cocona. The fabric company produces a truly game changing technology that breathes better than anything on the market and also provides unparalleled protection from the elements. Additionally, 37.5 is no stranger to apparel brands and also works with notable company’s such as Carhartt, Adidas, Rabb, Billabong and Salomon. With the addition of outwear that could be put up against any in the wider outdoor industry, First Lite began producing a complete system for sportsmen who demanded the highest quality apparel for the most extreme conditions.