2021 Gear Performance

[Wags]

I added a few things but the one that stands out was the FL Chamberlain Jacket. That thing is as warm as advertised. I had a few cold mornings during 3rd rifle and it kept me nice and toasty.

SG 5900... Love it for all around use. It wouldn't be my "go to" if I were just hauling meat but it handled that job just fine and is very comfortable. I do wish the shoulder adjustment straps had a tail on them making them easier to grab and pull down.

BOG Tripod... it's not the Deathgrip, it's just a standard yoke you rest your rifle in. It's been flawless and worth every ounce. My son and I both used it this year and it made shooting , especially in the wind, a lot more stable when we couldn't get prone.

 

[chutinlead]

Willing to share how or where you found this deal and approximate price range?? Thanks

Looks like they are back on sale

Tradecraft Pants

Standing the test of time and harsh weather

www.outdoorresearch.com

 

[stump06]

I picked up a pair of Outdoor Research Tradecraft zip-on puffy pants on a steep discount. These things were a lifesaver, and surprisingly durable.

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Just ordered me a pair. Do you know about how much they weigh or how quiet/loud they are? (could you tree stand Bowhunt in them)

 

[spacemonkey]

Just ordered me a pair. Do you know about how much they weigh or how quiet/loud they are? (could you tree stand Bowhunt in them)

I have no experience treestand hunting so I can't help you there, but they aren't exactly quiet. They are less noisy than rain pants. The fit is kinda baggy which is great for throwing them on to glass.

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[Hectocotylus]

Just ordered me a pair. Do you know about how much they weigh or how quiet/loud they are? (could you tree stand Bowhunt in them)

I think the large is 17 oz and they are the business. No experience tree stand hunting.


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[stump06]

I think the large is 17 oz and they are the business. No experience tree stand hunting.


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I have no experience treestand hunting so I can't help you there, but they aren't exactly quiet. They are less noisy than rain pants. The fit is kinda baggy which is great for throwing them on to glass.

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Thanks guys, Ive been looking at getting some kenai pants but at this price these are impossible to pass up

 

[zion zig zag]

My order for tradecraft pants got cancelled. Said they were out of stock.

 

[KaleAndCamo]

FirstLite brambles gaiters. We ended up hunting in 6-18 snow the whole time we were on the mountain, and I never once had to tighten, pull up, or adjust the gaiters. I also never had any snow get in my boots.

FirstLite puffy pants. I was the only one in our group who had puffy pants, and everyone else was jealous. I credit these with keeping me from becoming hypothermic.

I used the Salewa womens Rapace and while they took some serious break in, I was very happy with them. So happy that even though the sole began to separate on the way down at the end of the hunt, I simply asked for a replacement pair. Now to break them in again

 

[twall13]

I've done a fair bit of pheasant hunting over the last few weeks and finally got some good use out of the First Lite Sawbuck Brush pants. Overall I really like them. They are lightweight and comfortable with a decent amount of stretch. The pocket layout does a decent job of keeping most of the debris out. That said, they don't perform quite as well as some other options I've used in the real nasty stuff. I felt a lot more of the thorns get through in a few areas in South Dakota. They don't look any worse for wear so they seem to be pretty durable for as light as they are, they just didn't seem to provide quite as much protection. I'll still get a lot of use out of them but I'll probably use a different pair of pants if I know I'll be hunting in a real nasty area. I'm not knocking them as they have their place, just don't expect them to provide as much protection as a traditional brush pant. They will probably be my go to chukar pants and for most of the areas I hunt pheasants in Utah but I'll probably still use my LL Beans more for a nasty side hill I frequently hunt in South Dakota as they are a bit thicker.

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[JD Jones]

I've done a fair bit of pheasant hunting over the last few weeks and finally got some good use out of the First Lite Sawbuck Brush pants. Overall I really like them. They are lightweight and comfortable with a decent amount of stretch. The pocket layout does a decent job of keeping most of the debris out. That said, they don't perform quite as well as some other options I've used in the real nasty stuff. I felt a lot more of the thorns get through in a few areas in South Dakota. They don't look any worse for wear so they seem to be pretty durable for as light as they are, they just didn't seem to provide quite as much protection. I'll still get a lot of use out of them but I'll probably use a different pair of pants if I know I'll be hunting in a real nasty area. I'm not knocking them as they have their place, just don't expect them to provide as much protection as a traditional brush pant. They will probably be my go to chukar pants and for most of the areas I hunt pheasants in Utah but I'll probably still use my LL Beans more for a nasty side hill I frequently hunt in South Dakota as they are a bit thicker.

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Use the same pants... pretty much same experience. In general, I take the weight reduction over the larger thorn/nastier area protection for my hunting areas.

 

[gjs4]

Got a big list- used from 17-70s, mixed precip from the NE to the MidWest. 5’10 165-75.

Marsupial bivy - love this thing, have RF pouch and zip tied on a metal vial for ear plugs and a milkweed pouch

New specter FL solitude- very happy with this set and wore it from mid Oct until DEc. Solid set from mid 30s to mid 50s. Touch smaller than last years. Specter seemed to fool some whitetail eyes.

New sanctuary 2.0. Only used a few times below 30. Great with wind and precip. Runs small- almost 3/4s of a size small. Sorta Ps me off.

LWCG .5- doubled the seat cushion and use the lwcg straps. Best portable stand out there.

LWCG Kuhnert platform- really like it, some flex but killer setup w pack straps and some lwcg sticks.

LWCG 1.0- newest version. Awesome stand the upgrades like the cable recesses are so nice. A bit comfier than the .5 but weighs a few pounds more. Sold the first ver and don’t regret it.

Lwcg minis w cable aiders. Love these sticks and they bite like vampires. Glow in the dark paint made them nicer. Cable aiders rock but are easier going up than down. Love the packability. After a number of different t securement straps I went back to covered buckles.

Lwcg 20” doubles - modded them some and they great sticks but we’re for me between sag, noise and bite. Sold.

Tethrd One Sticks- same review as the doubles but super light. Sold.

Lwcg bow holder- not bad not great.

Tethrd Phantom- very nice saddle but for my middle aged runners physique… it does all it needs to do but doesn’t feel like it fits me.

FL fingerless wool gloves- the brand likely doesn’t matter but I love these things esp w chem handwarmer in your pockets.

Burr Paw-$20s well spent. Love that thing.

Outdoor edge (mini 4” I think) folding limb saw- won’t leave home without it.

Pse EVL- likely my favorite bow I’ve owned. Not the best at anything- and even a little wide and heavy- but it is fast enough, quiet, stable, vibe free and holds so nice one you yank the crap plastic grip.

Hamskea Pro Hunter- did all that it needed to but still scared the spring will stretch and lead to timing failure at some Pt.

Tactacam Reveals- both the ogs and the xs. Great bang for your buck cell cams. A touch quirky. Cs sucks. My tin foil hat theory based on my non cell cams- game knows where they are for some reason. Laugh if you want.

Self conscious of my list length and gear purchasing persona… feel free to PM or post questions.

 

[JD Jones]

Crispi Nevada’s: best leather boots I’ve worn. Regret not spending the money sooner

Sitka mtn hauler 6200: sold
Mystery Ranch pop up 2800: selling
Stone Glacier 5900: love this pack. It fits me so well. Plan to add a day pack option eventually.

 

[Deadfall]

Only thing I added this year were trekking poles. Holy crap what a difference when packing heavy loads. I am now a trekking pole koolaid drinker!

After a few years of researching stuff I am pulling trigger on some junk for 2022.
1. El coyote quilt
2. Helinox packpack cot
3. Swaro ATS 80mm spotter(Vortex sucks). Still unsure on the tripod
4. few thousand rounds of pistol ammo. To many way too close bear encounters to continue with bear spray. It's getting real out there.
5. leatherman with square nose plyers
6. multi gas backpack stove. Jet boil just don't cut it in cold weather and to one dimensional.

 

[Noodlestheshaman]

Kuiu Yukon lives up to the hype and their XL sizing for that set is damn near spot on for my long armed self lol

 

[Cwilliams77]

Swarovski STX 65 - swaro doesn’t disappoint. A lot of scope for the size and weight.

Slik 734 with a VA-5 pan head - amazing tripod for the money and the VA5 head performed great. Switched from an outdoorsman tripod and pan head. For a cheaper setup I think it’s better although slightly heavier.

Stone glacier sky archer 6400 - ran kifaru before but wanted to see if the grass was greener on the other side. It was not. Very disappointed. Loved the bag layout. Loved the weight. But I couldn’t wait to bring the kifaru back out after hauling out my bull. Painful. Sold it.

Kuiu insulated snap shirt - great mid layer/active insulation/early season puffy. Light. Very versatile. Cheaper than a kelvin active. Purchased another just in case they stop making it.


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[stvnshnn]

Went well:
I really liked moving to a wind shirt (Patagonia Houdini) and just a merino tee under it for moving. I stopped sweating through fleece or long sleeved layers when climbing, and it was nice to have a super light layer to shake off light rain or while busting brush.
Kifaru Slick Bag 20 degree—I put off buying a new sleeping bag too long. Glad I got this one this year.
Tylenol PM—wake up less sore, and go to bed faster. I struggle to fall asleep in a tent, especially while I’m over-thinking the day’s events.
Just plain lucky—picked up a brand new pair of Hanwag Alaska boots for $75 on eBay last spring and they worked really well on the hunts I went on this year. I’ll buy another pair if they show up for $75 again


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[gdiemer]

Wiser Precision Quik Stix - clipped trekking poles together to form a bipod. It was nice shaving the weight of a bipod while still having the ability to create a stable shooting rest

 

[35WhelenAI]

I'm going with a slightly larger flask, to hold the celebratory black brandy. 5 guys showing up to help dress an elk shot at the end of the day doesn't leave enough to go around.

 

[scott_co]

No surprise, Swarovski NL 12x42 were amazing. Used for deer and hog hunting. Just amazing!

A little surprise to me was the Sniper Hog Light 66LRX light. Originally, I picked up a Fenix TK26R that has red/green light options, but it could not focus a beam. The red/green filters simply had a flood option. It was workable but not ideal. So, I picked up a 66LRX light, which was a great choice for a red/green options for night hunting hogs.

 

[Seeknelk]

Sitka Kelvin WS puffy is incredibly warm. Great late season coat.
-Skre 850 down puffy pants, ditto, have to stick a finger out sometimes to see if it's still cold out when wearing this puffy set.
- old BD trekking poles got replaced with Sissy Stix Elites. Very nice , they held up to some strain and go shorter which is huge to me.
- Crispi Nevadas with Sole brand footbed. Very nice for my foot.
- Sea to Summit 4" thick ether extreme xt pad with EE quilt went thru some 25 degrees nights just fine..their pillow retention strips work well with their pillow. Not chasing the pillow all night.
-Kowa 883 spotter is incredible.
- 21 year old Leica 10x50s work but are HEAVY and just got replaced with 12x NLs. Can't wait to put em to work.
-Oh! The Slik Sling is my new favorite rifle carrier over the kifaru gunbearer. I much prefer it! Highly recommend for only 20$.