2021 Gear Performance

[j33]

The addition of a Windshirt to my layering. 3.8oz Black Diamond windshirt combined with 6.5oz Kuiu Peloton 97 is such a versatile setup. Ran it as low as 25F sheep hunting with no issues and very breathable.

 

[willidru]

Sleep system for backpacking sea to summit x therme ether lite xt insulated way better than my ultra lightweight thermarest chip bag

canvas cutter for truck hunting soooo comfortable in the back of my truck

platypus 3L gravity filter

Sea to summit x brew coffee dripper, forget instant coffee

nite ize plus phone mount stays put on the roughest roads. Negative would be that it will suck right to your truck or anything else when in your pocket

Kuiu kutana pants for warmer weather. Fall between my zions and attack pants

marsupial gear phone pocket attached to bino harness strap keeps me from digging in my pockets

 

[Redwing]

New to me gear that I'm happy with:

-REI Silk Liner Socks. Light, thin, don't bunch up, seems to keep my boot socks dryer than they otherwise would be.

-First Lite Brooks Down Vest. Superlight. Warm. Packable.

-Swarovski EL 10x42. Good lord, these are nice.

-Marsupial Gear Enclosed Chest Harness. This thing is INCREDIBLE. The best harness I've tried yet. My only complaint is the bulk of the buckles on your chest, but that can be remedied with the buckle-delete-kit.

-ZYN Nicotine Pouches. I finally ditched Grizzly Wintergreen, thank god. The ZYN is nearly as good, and is almost certainly less likely to give me cancer someday.


New to me gear that I'm not as impressed with:

-Nescafe Instant Coffee Sticks. I bought these as a much less expensive alternative to Starbucks Via, They're OK, but not great. I'll pay the extra few bucks for better coffee in the future.

-Imported floorless shelter from Amazon. It was cheap and it shows. Shoddy stitching, crappy aluminum pole, cheap zippers, the worst tent stakes ever. I should have just bought a Seek Outside product.

 

[zion zig zag]

Argali Serac knife: I processed 2 mule deer with zero touch ups and it's still decently sharp.
First Lite Corrugate Foundry: used these from 15 to 55 degrees with varying base layers. Really liked the knee pads, hip vents and pocket layout.

 

[gelton]

Gas Bowstrings - the first time I haven't had to worry about peep rotation.

Davis Big boy cot with pad and organizer - kind of loud, squeaks when I toss and turn but comfortable as all get out.

Internal frame for the wall tent - easier to pitch, much more sturdy, more room without the center poles needed for the traditional setup.

 

[jnawalaniec]

Started selling my plasma in the early spring and upgraded a lot of gear this year. Second year hunting out west and figured I could invest in some comfort to keep me on the mountain longer and it worked!

Zamberlan Lynx BOA: Initial break in was rough, however I did make the mistake of wearing them for the first time while hiking in Montana over the summer. After about 15-20 miles they’ve been awesome, the sole it holding up very well. Bought a pair of Lowas in the spring and the sole was torn apart after 2 months of use.

Sitka Mountain Pants: Super comfortable, a little warm for the early season, amazing 40-60, they kept me warm glassing in the 20s with a base layer.

Sitka Apex Hoody: Picked it up pretty cheap in the classifieds, much warmer than expected, I really dig the face mask.

Kuiu Ultra Merino socks: All the padding I needed to break in the Zamberlans

Marsupial Gear No-Mag bino harness: Love being able to keep it open when still hunting or on a stalk

Vortex Ranger 1000: picked it up used, no complaints works well!

Warbonnet Ground Tarp: Slowly working my way into backpack hunting so figured i’d try sleeping under a tarp, this thing is awesome. Very light, kept us dry through a steady 8-10 hour rain, held up in what had to be 20-30mph winds, and seemed to stay moderately warm. Make sure you seam seal properly or the guy line tie out leak a little, however that was my fault not the Warbonnet’s.

Bear Paradox HC: impulse upgrade from a Bear Wild I bought last year (first year doing archery) it’s been awesome and I shoot well with it so no complaints there, maybe the guy at the shop was just trying to sell me the bow but he said it shoots as well as higher priced bows and I believe it.

Seek Outside Fortress 6300: Still working on minor adjustment for the perfect fit however it is a HUGE upgrade over my previous pack. My old pack tore into my hips, hurt my shoulders, and squeaked, swapped it out three times hoping it was just a lemon. Same issues kept occurring, picked up the seek outside, backpacked in 3.5 miles, 2800 feet of elevation gain, loaded with 50lbs of gear and despite not adjusting correctly it was so much better than my previous pack I could not believe it.

Badlands base layers: I live near the store and stop in from time to time to check out the deals. Picked up and Orvis Merino sweater that I love, great mid layer or when hiking in. The rise pants are also awesome under the mountain pants, kept me warm in the 20s!

Artic Shield Boot Insulators: Zamberlans are uninsulated and i’m not a fan of doubling socks, threw them on when I got to my spot, low to mid 20s, kept my feet nice and warm!

Now realizing how much gear i’ve gotten this year, plasma money and a salary increase we’ll spent!

 

[Redwing]

Gas Bowstrings - the first time I haven't had to worry about peep rotation.

I'll second this. I went with GAS for my latest set and they've been great.

 

[idcuda]

Kowa 773 + Slik 624 + Sirui VA-5 was a game changer. The whole setup works much better than what I've used before, so it gets more use.

 

[flyovercountry]

Kodiak Canvas Flexbow deluxe 10x10. By no means a new model, but it was my first foray into canvas tents. From family summer camping to fall base camp it was fantastic. Love this tent and am looking at more canvas options to get rid of my nylon sweatboxes - i’ll deal with the weight penalty.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Hunted elk/bear archery this year. Might go back out for whitetails out east. Here's my rundown.

The good:
1. Cheap UA Boxers I got on outlet. Kept my man parts comfy and dry.
2. Cedar Ridge Outdoors Quilt. Slept well. I have their 20 degree synthetic model that compresses well and doesn't have the care requirements or cost of down. I love it.

The bad:
1. Crispi Colorado GTX. I was in denial all through scouting and prep season, but these just don't fit my feet well. Will be looking for another boot model.

 

[Adventurfreak]

4th season with the kifaru sawtooth and I have never been disappointed.
I added some cheap Amazon puffy booties because my feet tend to get cold when I sleep and these were absolutely amazing! Probably the best addition of the season.
Stone glacier 7900: I took this to Alaska and before we left we weighed our packs and I was right around 125. Obviously it sucked physically but that pack just hugs my back and hips perfect. I had no weight shifting and the hip belt never slipped. This was the reason for switching from my last pack. I am very impressed with how well that pack carries for me.
last item that was a life saver was my seal skinz. I got stuck in a swamp and had water up my mid thigh so water came in over my gaiters and down my boots. I put those on hoping they would work as well as advertised and they absolutely walked my boots dry while keeping my feet dry. I was so happy I brought them. I was worried my hunt in Alaska was going to be a nightmare with wet boots.

 

[Hectocotylus]

Started selling my plasma in the early spring and upgraded a lot of gear this year. Second year hunting out west and figured I could invest in some comfort to keep me on the mountain longer and it worked!

Zamberlan Lynx BOA: Initial break in was rough, however I did make the mistake of wearing them for the first time while hiking in Montana over the summer. After about 15-20 miles they’ve been awesome, the sole it holding up very well. Bought a pair of Lowas in the spring and the sole was torn apart after 2 months of use.

Sitka Mountain Pants: Super comfortable, a little warm for the early season, amazing 40-60, they kept me warm glassing in the 20s with a base layer.

Sitka Apex Hoody: Picked it up pretty cheap in the classifieds, much warmer than expected, I really dig the face mask.

Kuiu Ultra Merino socks: All the padding I needed to break in the Zamberlans

Marsupial Gear No-Mag bino harness: Love being able to keep it open when still hunting or on a stalk

Vortex Ranger 1000: picked it up used, no complaints works well!

Warbonnet Ground Tarp: Slowly working my way into backpack hunting so figured i’d try sleeping under a tarp, this thing is awesome. Very light, kept us dry through a steady 8-10 hour rain, held up in what had to be 20-30mph winds, and seemed to stay moderately warm. Make sure you seam seal properly or the guy line tie out leak a little, however that was my fault not the Warbonnet’s.

Bear Paradox HC: impulse upgrade from a Bear Wild I bought last year (first year doing archery) it’s been awesome and I shoot well with it so no complaints there, maybe the guy at the shop was just trying to sell me the bow but he said it shoots as well as higher priced bows and I believe it.

Seek Outside Fortress 6300: Still working on minor adjustment for the perfect fit however it is a HUGE upgrade over my previous pack. My old pack tore into my hips, hurt my shoulders, and squeaked, swapped it out three times hoping it was just a lemon. Same issues kept occurring, picked up the seek outside, backpacked in 3.5 miles, 2800 feet of elevation gain, loaded with 50lbs of gear and despite not adjusting correctly it was so much better than my previous pack I could not believe it.

Badlands base layers: I live near the store and stop in from time to time to check out the deals. Picked up and Orvis Merino sweater that I love, great mid layer or when hiking in. The rise pants are also awesome under the mountain pants, kept me warm in the 20s!

Artic Shield Boot Insulators: Zamberlans are uninsulated and i’m not a fan of doubling socks, threw them on when I got to my spot, low to mid 20s, kept my feet nice and warm!

Now realizing how much gear i’ve gotten this year, plasma money and a salary increase we’ll spent!

Interested in those boot covers, do they really make that big of a difference? Can you walk around in them? Thinking glassing in the cold, can a guy go look over there 20 yards away or will he skate to his death?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bsnedeker]

I upgraded a few areas this season I can comment on.

Benchmade Bugout S90V - This is my first premium steel knife and my goodness I love it so much! It's my EDC knife but I also used it to process my bull elk and it was still shaving sharp at the end of the job. No more scalpel blades for this guy! Being a folder it was a bitch to clean though!

Outdoor Edge - I also tried one of these this season over my previous Tyto. I like that the blades are more durable than the true scalpel blade knives but just like those blades this thing lost its edge instantly. No thanks.

Kryptek Takur rain jacket - Best rain jacket I've ever used by a wide margin. The schoeller fabric or whatever it is called is amazing. I used it as a windbreaker more than a rain jacket this year but it did keep me dry in the rain as well.

Forloh 3L Rain Pants - their first store is right down the road from me in Whitefish and my neighbor works for them so I tried them out. They are amazing rain pants. Very comfortable, and they kept me dry while riding my bike in the rain which is the ultimate test of rain pants in my opinion. the only bummer about them is they don't yet have tall sizes in their rain pants so I had to go with a large instead of a medium, but they have an adjustable waist so I just cinch them down and they work great. they should be coming out with tall sizes in the rain pants very soon according to the folks who work there that I've talked to. They are 100 percent made and sourced in America. I will be replacing all of my hunting clothing with Forloh as my Chinese clothes get retired.



Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[jnawalaniec]

Interested in those boot covers, do they really make that big of a difference? Can you walk around in them? Thinking glassing in the cold, can a guy go look over there 20 yards away or will he skate to his death?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was glassing for a few hours in the low-mid 20s wear uninsulated boots and one pair of socks and my feet stayed warm. There was snow on the ground and I was fine walking a little bit in them, they are a little loud though when walking.

 

[cali_hornhunter]

SG Solo pack with xcurve frame. got it last year as I thought this was a solution for what I was looking for. Longtime user of kifaru bikini and cavern. Pack worked great and was comfortable with heavy loads.

Marsupial Enclosed. I think I’ve found the one so far best harness I’ve owned yet got with buckle delete kit Slim and serves my needs.

Everything else worked good. After hunting Nevada and future hunts anywhere might start carrying a tarp either kifaru or maybe a zpacks

 

[montei]

Beyond clothing k2 hoody. Really love this thing love the fit and was very comfortable hiking in it.

Also got to try out my argali knife. It’s a nice knife, lightweight and comfortable in hand. Like any knife it gets dull, wasn’t super impressed with the s35v steel. I will still continue to use it though.

another thing I really liked was running a synthetic base layer. I had been running wool previous. Bought some super cheap synthetic work out shirts (don’t even know the brand) and was really impressed with how quick they dried and how much more comfortable in general I was.

 

[intunegp]

Stone Glacier Helio Set- excellent mid layer, wore over Coldpruf merino base and rarely needed an additional top layer down to 25 degrees. Leg vents are huge and a game changer if you're sweaty like me.

Stone Glacier DeHavilland pants- Wore these all week long, favorite all-purpose hunting pants by far. Same zip vent as the Helio and being able to open the two outer layers and let my legs breathe was huge for my comfort as the highs approached 50. After quartering two bulls and a buck where they fell in some rough terrain, the lower legs looked like the animals were shooting back. Soaked in cold water with some borax before running a regular laundry cycle and they look good as new.

Kuiu Pro 2300 full kit- Light, comfortable, and plenty of volume for what I carry on a day-hunt. Expanded out the load shelf and was able to take a mature bull rear quarter + either skull or parts bag pretty easily. Packed out two bulls in one day for close to 8 miles with ~300 feet of elevation on each trip, pack is no worse for the wear and didn't have a sore back the next morning.

Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x56mm- Excellent hunting optic, zeroed my .308 at 100 yards and used the CDS to connect with a muley at 307 yards and my bull at 275, put both shots right where they were supposed to be. I could have shot at the first and last seconds of legal times every day of the hunt, the 56mm bell collects a ton of light.

 

[montei]

One other thing I used and forgot to mention, was the $80 decathlon puffy. Now this is my first down puffy and was really happy with it. Kept me warm glassing in the high 30s-40s. Haven’t tried any of the higher end stuff but for the money it seems like a good buy.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Love my marsupial harness as well! Better than my old style elastic harness.
Love my kifaru Stryker xl! Hadn’t used a western pack before.
Love darn tough socks, coming from cheaper merino.

 

[rj2]

Things that made my whitetail bowhunting better this year:

-Back seat bow case so I can quit bringing a big bow case. Super efficient from practicing the months leading up to hunting, to having it ready during hunting. Just grab and go. Awesome.
-Knee Pads, bought them for saddle hunting, but wore them any time I thought I might hunt from the ground or might be walking a few hours. Great to be able to just plop down on your knees for a quick break. I got the vibram brand. Highly recommend.
-Doyles hoist. I use preset hang-ons and do hang and hunts. The doyles made them all better. My presets even have bow ropes and I found myself still using the doyles. I'm usually a weight weenie but this is worth the weight. I would pay twice as much for it if they could cut the weight in half.
-lumbar pack. The last few years I used a Kuiu Pro 1850 with ultra suspension and aluminum stays, no carbon frame. I added a few compression straps to be able to strap my bow on. Worked well but not the best organization. Switched to lumbar pack and so far I am a big fan. Sets up perfect for saddle hunting so I can get to tree and start climbing without taking anything off.