Backpack & General Hunting Gear

[GPhunt11]

Hey guys, I been hunting now for a couple years, enough to try some gear and make some bad choices so before I purchase anything this year aside from my Halavon Bolt I wanted to throw some questions out there. My focus will be to continue to hunt flatland this year from the start of bow to late season but also start to do some scouting in the backcountry with over night trips. So I looking into a complete new lineup of camo as well as packs/tenting gear. I've been watching Kuiu pretty close as Sitka is stupid expensive. I just picked up a pair of Guide gloves from Kuiu and although haven't had a real chance to use them they look and feel very impressive. Any advice out there as to the best camo and gear for your $$ and what gimmicks to stay away from. Thanks.

[jhyatt01]

If you're a tall thinner guy (I'm 6'2, 180 lbs) and you struggle with clothing that is either too short in the arms or too baggy, go with Kuiu. For the money, its great gear, but I've never worn a coat that fits better then my Kuiu Guide coat, and I mean any type of coat not just camo.

[Lr1000]

Kuiu and Sitka make great stuff. I wear both and no one is better then the other in my mind. I wait for sales for both. However Sitka only seems to have them in jan through feb. Boots I like kenetrek for mountain hunts. Hard scramblers in early season and extreme 400 in late. I love my kuiu 7200 pack but if I did sorter then ten day stints I would look at they're new 6000 and frame. Looks stronger. Tent I like hilliberg and spelling bag feather friends however that new kuiu looks good. For flat land hunting I still like just using Irish setter boots. There cheaper and work great.

[bdub]

Originally Posted by GPhunt11

Hey guys, I been hunting now for a couple years, enough to try some gear and make some bad choices so before I purchase anything this year aside from my Halavon Bolt I wanted to throw some questions out there. My focus will be to continue to hunt flatland this year from the start of bow to late season but also start to do some scouting in the backcountry with over night trips. So I looking into a complete new lineup of camo as well as packs/tenting gear. I've been watching Kuiu pretty close as Sitka is stupid expensive. I just picked up a pair of Guide gloves from Kuiu and although haven't had a real chance to use them they look and feel very impressive. Any advice out there as to the best camo and gear for your $$ and what gimmicks to stay away from. Thanks.

Hard to beat a lot of the mec brand stuff for price and quality when you are looking at bags, packs and tents. Go with down for your sleeping bag, it lasts forever. Msr whisperlite or jetboil seem to be the top choice for stoves. Thermarest makes good sleeping pads. Cheers

[BackPackHunter]

Originally Posted by bdub

Hard to beat a lot of the mec brand stuff for price and quality when you are looking at bags, packs and tents. Go with down for your sleeping bag, it lasts forever. Msr whisperlite or jetboil seem to be the top choice for stoves. Thermarest makes good sleeping pads. Cheers

You need to get on board with the Soto micro reg stove
And a Snow Peeks Ti cup....

It will drop a few oz's off your setup
It's a good value per price for weight savings

[bdub]

Originally Posted by BackPackHunter

You need to get on board with the Soto micro reg stove
And a Snow Peeks Ti cup....

It will drop a few oz's off your setup
It's a good value per price for weight savings

I've looked at and tried out a couple of friends stoves that use canister fuel. I wasn't a big fan once the weather got below freezing. I also didn't like the idea of having to pack the canister in and out. I would have a hard time giving up my whisperlite international, I like being able to burn anything and find fuel anywhere. The best thing they could do with the whisperlite would be to build one out of titanium, that would be a super stove then. I switched my cook pot to titanium several years ago and love it. Thanks for the tip though, maybe someday I'll be convinced the canister is better. I would be curious to see how the two fuels compare for the ability to boil water per weight. Cheers BPH

[manosteel]

Hunting the backcountry is a big step and your idea of starting off with one nighters is excellent.

If possible find someone who is experienced to take you out at least once.

You'll get a wide array of advice and lists. And a lot depends on how you want to do it. Take water for example...some carry a filter, some carry tabs some carry both. And then some will filter their water before it goes in the container and some filter it as they drink it. My point is, gear lists will vary widely- tent vs tipi, sleeping bag vs quilt, down vs synthetic...

Where are you hunting? Are you solo? Do you plan on walking and then packing out your harvest for more then 5 miles?

Camo is the least of your worries for hunting, and for the backcountry/ mountain type hunting clothing functionality is more important then cameo pattern. Kuiu is good, so is Kryptek and First light. I have used all three.

Here's a rough idea of what you need to think about. You'll need to refine it based on where/how you're hunting.

Pack.
Shelter.
Sleep.
Cooking.
Water ( filtration; dromardary)
Clothing.
Insulation
Rain gear
First aid/survival kit
Kill kit.
Lighting
Navigation.
Optics.
Camera
Trekking poles
Etc..

What do you have now? What optics do you own? Assuming you have your chosen weapon and optics already, If hunting deep backcountry country then boots and pack should be your top priority. Don't skimp on these two items.

Their are other forums that focus on backcountry hunting if you do a search that are very helpful to people wanting to get away from the safety of roads and fields.

[Frank the Thank]

I am always mountain hunting when something is open, if I am not hunting I am trying to do some pretty cool mountain( Assiniboine, Victoria, Forbes, Lefroy....and many other glacier)
When I am hunting I bring the same gear that I bring on my mountain or glacier trip. It doesn't get any better than that for quality but no camo stuff. I try to buy dark color or black.
Arc'teryx is probably the top brand but expensive, I only have some pants from them.
Mec is a good place to buy gear, however mec doesn't like hunter

[GPhunt11]

Thanks for all the imput so far, I am planning on solo hunt eventually since working in the oil and gas sector has me and my junting buddies on all different schedules but I will be doing a couple trips in with a partner off the start and hopefully a fair bit off season over night hikes in the area.
As far as gear manosteel, I currently have the vortex razor binos and rangfinder, boomstick is a tika in 300wm with trijicon 5-20 50mm. So I guess this is why I raise the questions... ive never owed a good sleeping bag/quilt, tent, pack, mountain boots so i'd like to know want to the pros and cons of the different systems and how they react mainly in AB's north eastern slopes. I've done some research and the two product lines that have stood out for clothing would be kuiu and first lite especially kuiu for the one stop shop. But im sure theres no such thing as a one stop shop so thats why im here. Thanks.

[pdfish]

Originally Posted by GPhunt11

Thanks for all the imput so far, I am planning on solo hunt eventually since working in the oil and gas sector has me and my junting buddies on all different schedules but I will be doing a couple trips in with a partner off the start and hopefully a fair bit off season over night hikes in the area.
As far as gear manosteel, I currently have the vortex razor binos and rangfinder, boomstick is a tika in 300wm with trijicon 5-20 50mm. So I guess this is why I raise the questions... ive never owed a good sleeping bag/quilt, tent, pack, mountain boots so i'd like to know want to the pros and cons of the different systems and how they react mainly in AB's north eastern slopes. I've done some research and the two product lines that have stood out for clothing would be kuiu and first lite especially kuiu for the one stop shop. But im sure theres no such thing as a one stop shop so thats why im here. Thanks.

You may want to look at swapping out your rifle scope for a 4-12x40 or similar, could drop 5-6 oz. that way. Look at enlightened equipment for a quilt.

[Frank the Thank]

Scarpa boots works really well for me
Summit xlt tripod for spotting scope, attach on the outside of your pack for quick access. Attach to the tripod is a V shape adaptor(from bog gear) rest for your rifle. I carry that even if I don't carry my spotting scope.
Down booties from mec, allowed you to go for pee out of the tent without putting back the boots
Msr stove if you go for few days and u r not alone, if u go alone it is too heavy with the tent and other gear

[Frank the Thank]

A packing dog should be allowed one of those year, that would be great!!!!!

[GPhunt11]

Thanks for the continued input.

[manosteel]

________________________________________
You haven’t told us what you plan to hunt or the general area? Different time, place and animal will require different things.

The backcountry to me means the 400's where road and vehicle access is limited by terrain i.e the mountains.

You mention the Northeastern slopes, so I am guessing the Fort Mac areas? That’s some thick bush which will probably require an ATV and boat.

We need more information to be any help.

[GPhunt11]

Sorry I meant northeatern slopes of rookies which would be grande cache area for AB and ill be looking for elk and sheep.

[BackPackHunter]

Right now Kuiu has a sale on there 7200 bag, u won't find a better bag for the price.

I'm using Marmot plasma sleeping bags, pick the one right for u
There mid weight one was to warm for me in early season

Boots , I'm using Hanwags, but there's lots of good brands , see what fits you best, and look for no seams , n a vibram sole,

A good spotting scope n tripod n ball head are a must too
For a tripod I'm using Slik pro 624 n Really right stuff ball head

Buy a food scale from wal mart , n weigh everything

[nimrod]

keep the NEW gear info coming guys, Im always interested in the gear others are choosing, I need to save a few ounces here and there and if these ideas add up to a pound

[BackPackHunter]

Originally Posted by nimrod

keep the NEW gear info coming guys, Im always interested in the gear others are choosing, I need to save a few ounces here and there and if these ideas add up to a pound

^^^^
I still need to give you part of the gun holder for the MR bag
Built a new one for the Kuiu