The news is weeks old but still stings. While his family and the KUIU team are no doubt still reeling from their loss the rest of us likely won’t feel the full effects of Jason Hairston’s passing for years to come. Hairston was a passionate visionary and innovator whose legacy will continue to live on in every product he helped create and story he played a part in. Please consider this small tribute as a thank you to Jason and the entire KUIU team for the inspiration they have been to us.
As a founding member of both Sitka Gear and later KUIU, we consider Hairston the Henry Ford of technical hunting gear. There were people that came before but none that hold a candle to the lasting impact these brands have had on the industry and the establishment of technical hunting gear as the benchmark for quality equipment. From their camouflage patterns to their clothing systems and packs the KUIU brand is synonymous with aggressive innovation and unwavering attention to detail throughout their product lines. Spend just a few minutes scrolling through Hairston’s social media pages and it becomes evident that this pioneering culture was organic and flowed from the top throughout.
We caught the KUIU bug early and in any photo you’ll likely catch a KOTA Team member rocking everything from a pack, base layer, hat, or bow in KUIU’s Vias or Verde camo patterns. We love everything Jason Hairston stood for and recognize the tremendous vacuum his passing has left in this community. We pray that both he and his family are at peace and we extend our deepest condolences to the entire KUIU Nation of which we consider ourselves a part of. The KOTA team is less concerned with the circumstances surrounding Jason’s passing but the legacy he shaped while he was alive. Every time we don a piece of KUIU gear we will remember what Jason Hairston symbolized and hope we can do his memory justice by taking on his pioneering spirit.
#KUIUStrong
Much Love,
The Knights of the Apex Team
For more on Jason Hairston’s background and KUIU’s founding check out the links and videos below.