The Yukon
morning kit
Three layers that took us from a frozen tent to the top of the pass every day for five days. All $367 of it, made in Ukraine.
- Base, mid, warmth
- Proven in the Yukon
- Made in Ukraine
The three layers
Worn every morning of the trek
1 · The warm layer
Polartec 200 Midweight - Ninja Hoodie
- Stay warm on long, cold stops: Polartec 200 midweight fleece that breathes on the climb and dries fast when you stop.
- Leave the balaclava at home: zip it all the way up and the hood closes around your face.
- Carry a loaded pack all day: stretch nylon panels on the forearms and lower sides take the wear.
- Keep hands warm and kit secure: 2 zip hand pockets plus a big kangaroo pocket.
- Seal out the wind: storm guard behind the zip, bungee hem you can cinch tight.
2 · The moving layer
Polartec PowerGrid Ultralight - Quarter-Zip
- Move hard without overheating: raised squares hold warmth, the channels between them let sweat and heat out.
- Zip up when the wind hits the ridge, open it on the climb: quarter-zip with a stand collar.
- Scramble and carry without wearing it out: stretch nylon on the forearms.
- Keep a phone or keys secure on the move: angled zip pocket.
- Light, stretchy, packs down small. Goes under everything.
3 · The base layer
Bamboo Active Long-Sleeve
- Feel good against your skin all day: a soft bamboo blend (66% bamboo rayon, 28% cotton, 6% spandex).
- Stay comfortable as you heat up: the knit helps move sweat away from your skin and breathes.
- Move freely under a pack: seamless shoulders and just enough stretch.
- Wear it everywhere: under fleece on the trail, on its own at the gym, at work, on the plane.
- Made in Ukraine.
People who own our earlier Defender fleeces
Defender 2026 is brand new, so here is what customers say about the Defender fleeces that came before it.
“What few mention is how dense it is! … it’s going to hold heat better and resist wind more than any fleece I’ve encountered, ever.”
“I wore it while hiking the alps in summer, going out with friends on a fall evening and now in the winter - it always performs and keeps you warm, when you need it to.”
“Sizing is spot on. Very warm in winter, and breathable when inside. … Best mid layer I’ve ever bought.”
“I’ve had the previous model for a year now. Great design, craftsmanship. The patch is a bit worn but everything else is still like new.”
“Better than any fleece hoodie I have purchased from name brand s in the past.”
“Washes very well - no sign of pilling or bobbling, even after numerous washes…comes up like new.”
Store-wide: 4.89★ from 5,469 reviews (Judge.me, 28 October 2026).
From a sticker to a full kit
Saint Javelin started in 2022 as a sticker. Four years on, we make every layer of this kit in Ukraine.
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February 2022It started with a sticker
Journalist Christian Borys prints a sticker: a saint in green robes holding a Javelin. He hopes to raise a few hundred dollars for Ukraine. Days later Russia launches its full-scale invasion, and the saint goes around the world.
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2022Made in Ukraine
We stop being a meme and start being a maker. Production moves into Ukraine, and we start learning how to make things that last.
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November 2023The first Defender
Our first cold-weather collection: a fleece, and the padded work socks people still buy from us today.
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2024Polartec arrives
Defender moves to Polartec: quarter-zip fleeces, a sherpa hoodie and thermals. Customers start calling them the best fleece they own.
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2025Into the mountains
The Karpathian Sherpa fleece, shot with Ukrainian veterans hiking the Carpathian mountains. Our first real step into outdoor gear.
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2026Tested in the Yukon
Defender 2026: Polartec Power Grid, Micro 100, 200 and High Loft, cut and sewn in Ukraine. Before it went on sale we wore it for five days and 55 km off-trail in the Yukon backcountry, with nights down to −10 °C.
