Equipment review
I went the “ballin’ on a budget” route with my equipment. Part of it was I wanted to make sure I was truly interested in getting back into hunting before investing a ton of money. I made a few purchases that I considered expensive, but these were made with the thought of selling the equipment after the hunt if I didn’t like it or decided I wasn’t going to get back into hunting. That also meant solid colors for clothes so that I could use them outside of hunting as well. Below is a list of the items I used for the hunt along with my review of each item.
Weather conditions were dry with highs for the first two days in the low 50s and lows in the high 20s. The last three days we saw highs in the high to mid 40s and lows in the mid to low 20s. Our base camp was at 9100 feet and we made it all the way up to 10,500 feet of elevation on our daily treks through the mountains.
Kuiu Pro 3600 Pack
https://www.kuiu.com/products/pro-3600-full-kit
I like this pack but I’m not sure I love it. I really like the external pockets. Easy access to the three external pockets on this pack without having to unclip anything is it’s biggest strength. Having one external pocket for cold weather gear (gloves, beanie, insulated gloves, balaclava) one external pocket for snacks, another for headlamps, batteries, lighters and hot hands was awesome. One downside of the pack was that being 3600 cu in, it allowed/encouraged me to pack more than I needed for each day. I only needed a day pack as we were staying at a lodge and I feel like I ended up with a heavier pack than I needed. I feel like I’m going to try some other options in the future. I may end up back with the Kuiu in the long run, but it wasn’t a home run right off the bat.
Kuiu Pro Bino Harness
https://www.kuiu.com/products/pro-bino-harness-valo-camouflage?variant=40340231258270
Another item that I like but not sure I love. Will have to try some other options to see how I feel about it. The Velcro on the bottom is an annoying choice that limits its modularity. If not for that I would have probably loved it. It was easy to get my binos in and out of and was quiet for me.
Salomon Outback 500 GTX boots
https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/191800/salomon-outback-500-gtx-hiking-boots-mens
Super comfortable boots that performed for what I needed. They aren’t insulated and I didn’t really need insulated boots with the temps we saw. We were in some pretty rocky terrain though and I can already see some ware on them. If you’re not going to be in rocky terrains, I think these are great boots.
Wrangler Fleece Lined Pant in Magnet
https://www.wrangler.com/shop/atg-by-wrangler-mens-fleece-lined-pant-NS265.html
I love these pants. They held up great to some rough terrain and they were super comfortable. The fleece lining was enough that I didn’t need a base layer in the mornings because I was moving and yet breathed well enough that I was never sweaty when things warmed up during the day. Things would start to get cold when sitting still as the sun was going down and the wind picked up, but never to the point where I felt I needed a base layer. The only thing I wish they had were cargo pockets on both sides and something that held the back pockets closed but that’s nit picking. These things were awesome.
Target All In Motion Wool Long Sleeve T Shirt in Olive
https://www.target.com/p/men-s-merino-wool-long-sleeve-t-shirt-all-in-motion/-/A-82276818
These were great. They are 74% Poly and 26% Wool, but they did a great job regulating temp. I tested these along with another Target base layer and the Black Ovis 200 gram wool quarter zip and really couldn’t tell a difference. At more than half the price or the Black Ovis, I’d go with these.
Target All In Motion Long Sleeve Waffle Knit Shirt in Grey and Olive
https://www.target.com/p/men-s-waff...n/-/A-82277043?preselect=82098755#lnk=sametab
This was the other base layer I tried from Target and liked it just as much as the semi-wool ones above. Again, not much difference between these and the Black Ovis mentioned above. No stink to speak of even though they are Poly.
Black Ovis 200 gram Wool Quarter Zip in Kodiak
https://www.blackovis.com/brands/blackovis/blackovis-nwt-200-merino-qz-base-layer-top
I liked this piece, but since I didn’t notice much of a difference between it and the Target pieces above, the Target stuff is a no brainer for me. Maybe that changes in cooler temps? Who knows. I also had the same weight and color 3/4 base layer pants but never needed them.
Columbia Mens Trail Tech Full Zip Hoodie in New Olive
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B089K8KHRN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
I loved this thing! It along with the Target base layers and a 60g Primaloft Gold insulated Magpul hooded jacket did an outstanding job of regulating body temperatures. I was rarely sweaty when hiking and it had to get pretty cold before I would actually get cold sitting still.
Magpul Light Insulated Hoodie in Rust
https://lapolicegear.com/magpul-mag949-light-insulated-hoody.html
I mentioned it above. It’s really hard to find these anymore but it worked great. If you come across one cheap I highly recommend it.
Mechanix Gloves
Just the plain black ones you’d find at Home Depot. These worked great when there was a chill in the morning or it got windy in the evening. Cheap too.
Carhartt Water Proof Insulated Glove in Black
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XSZ3RWZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Only had to use these in the evenings a few times when it got windy and the sun went down but they did their job. Didn’t rain much at all so I can’t attest to their waterproofness
REI Wind Pro Balaclava
https://www.rei.com/product/136793/rei-co-op-wind-pro-hinged-balaclava
This thing was awesome! I used it on two occasions. One was middle of the day with it sunny and 56 degrees. I forgot sunscreen and the sun was beating down on us, so I threw it on to protect my face and neck and it worked great. I didn’t sweat at all. The other occasion it was windy and cold after sunset and it did a great job of keeping me warm and blocking the wind. VERY useful.
Tripod Set Up
Aoka Lightweight Carbon Fiber 28in
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07PK9Q627?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
ProMaster SPCH20 Head
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07J9KRS43?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image
Staiptics Bino Adapter
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08XTT99RG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
Maven C3 12x50 Binos
https://mavenbuilt.com/products/c-3-10x50-12x50?variant=32127722389582
This setup is probably my favorite set of purchases. Everything here worked great. It may be because I have no experience with nicer stuff, but the Aoka was awesome. Lightweight but stable enough for me to do some serious glassing. I was able to use it sitting easily. Was able to set it on rocks and glass while standing. I was even able to use two of the three legs firmly planted into my hip to glass while standing. The cheap Staoptics Bino adapter had no issues and always felt secure and being able to glass through binos instead of a spotting scope with the 12 magnification was awesome.
Smart Wool and Darn Tough Socks (Both in Size Large)
https://www.rei.com/product/193035/...ull-cushion-crew-socks-mens?color=MEDIUM GRAY
https://www.rei.com/product/114126/darn-tough-hiker-boot-full-cushion-socks-mens?color=CHARCOAL
Both of these were great but I preferred the Darn Tough socks. The main reason was they fit a bit smaller than the Smart Wool socks so they didn’t slip as much.
Question for everyone. I am a size 11 when it comes to shoes and boots. That means for most socks I have to wear a large which is usually sized for up to 11.5 or 12 in most cases. I also have large calves, which causes my socks to slip down regularly. Does anyone else have issues with their socks slipping down and causing the fit inside of the shoe to get sloppy? This happens or me with most socks, including the Smart Wool socks, but not with the Darn Tough socks. They seem to be sized a bit smaller so they stayed tight in my boot even when they slipped off of my calves. If this is an issue for you, I would go with the Darn Tough socks, but both were great. If anyone has any suggestions on how to solve this issue I’d love to hear them.
That’s all I can think of right now. If I missed a piece of equipment I’ll update this post.