Almost ready to hit the mountains - how's the gear list coming along?

[Operator]

Good info, I didn't realize how much I could learn off RS hunting forum. A co-worker who is a member told me to join when he found out I was preparing for my first elk hunt. I am copying the list and suggestions to help me with equipment needs. I am taking a 17 yr old grandson on the trip so preparation in very important.

 

[sneaky]

You only listed one headlamp. Always pack a spare. 2=1 1=0 if you have a failure.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[specneeds]

Wow that is a lot of expensive gear for a first elk trip. Scary that I’ve got a similar amount with way more clothing after 20+ elk hunts on public land trying to improve every year. A 2nd headlamp is a great suggestion, I’d add super glue & clotting powder to the medical kit - hard to stop the bleeding of a deep cut if you get clumsy with your knife. I’m on year 3 of my Kuiu gaiters & love them. A light merino neck gaiter is handy for what it weighs, you need a hat, beanie & orange vest & hat if you end up rifle hunting I carry a face mask beanie & light / heavy hat one to climb one to sit. I was impressed by my kuiu axis gloves very wide comfort range 50-15 no problem. Lots of longer range practice with bow or gun will likely pay off & can’t hurt. Shoot off your pack practicing the MR pack frames make great sitting rifle rests.

 

[Operator]

I have most of the gear listed, no tent for emergency shelter yet as we will be in a wall tent but I am looking at 3lb or less 2 person tents to have for the incase, very expensive to save a few pounds but at 66 every lb. counts.

 

[rayporter]

one thing i add to the med kit is Imodium and pepto.

tums are also a good idea, in case you get a little altitude sickness.

now is the time to test sleep systems. know if it really works in certain temps! dont guess.

 

[Operator]

Good idea, will be easy as winter is definitely here, and setting up a tent a few times for practice so when it is needed I am not trying to figure it out.

 

[BKehoe05]

You’re thinking at least a 0 degree bag?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Big Agnes Anvil Horn 0°

 

[BKehoe05]

Was revisiting the gear I've slowly been accumulating in prep for heading out west next fall and feeling pretty good about where I'm at - thankfully this list has also been helpful with my eastern whitetail/turkey pursuits, as well as an upcoming trip to Patagonia. How's it coming along?

Working Gear list

Weapons/Optics
Mathews Atlas (Gold Tip Quantum Black Label 340, Montec M3)
Spot Hogg Wiseguy release

Browning Hell’s Canyon Speed .270 win, 130gr Barnes TTSX handloads
Leupold Vx3i 4.5-14x40

Vortex Viper HD 10x42
Bushnell rangefinder (1200)
Stone Glacier Skyline bino/rf harness
Vortex High Country II tripod

Pack
Mystery Ranch Beartooth 80

Food and water
Source 3L water bladder
Sawyer squeeze (with bags)
Aquamira (backup water treatment)
Jetboil Flash (with fuel)
Sea to summit long/light fork
Backpackers pantry (assorted)
Coffee

Shelter
Kuiu Storm Star (w/footprint)
REI Magma 15 Sleeping Bag (long)
Thermarest Neoair Xlite (long)
Trekology ultralight pillow

Electronics
Black Diamond Storm Headlamp
Black Diamond Moji lantern
Anker Powercore 20k
Garmin inreach explorer
Garmin forerunner 945
Phone cable
Batteries

Clothing
Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400
Darn Tough Socks x2
Sitka Core lightweight hoody
Sitka Mountain Pant
Sitka Jetstream Jacket
Sitka Mountain gloves
Kuiu attack pants
REI 650 down 2.0
Frog Togg rain jacket
Unknown brand of thermal top/bottoms

Various
Cascade mountain tech trekking poles
Benchmade Crooked river mini
Calls/bugle tube

Personal care and Essentials
Toothbrush & Paste
Dude Wipes
Chapstick
Fire: Bic Mini, Tinder, & Fuel Cube in Waterproof Can
First Aid: Ibuprofen, Sleep Aid, Bandages, Leukotape
Repair Kit: Patch Kit, Zip Ties, Hex Keys
Heavy Duty Contractor Bag
Paracord
Firestarter
Space Blanket
Emergency Bivy

Remaining items on list to pick up
Gaiters (Kenetrek)
Spotting scope (if I wind up going rifle)
Game bags
A few dry sacks
Maybe a few more layers for late season
Rain pants
Knife for cleaning
Windchecker
Microspikes

Check out the Stone Glacier Sky Scraper 2P tent. It’s lighter than the KUIU plus you can set it up in 4 different configurations including an emergency bivy using your trekking poles. It will save on ounces and budget by deleting the cost of the emergency bivy you included.

 

[S.Clancy]

You’re thinking at least a 0 degree bag?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I late season hunt elk and mulies in MT in a 15 degree bag. I've taken it down to 5-10 below zero layering puffy layers inside. In colder weather I'm taking 2 puffies and puffy pants so I just utilize them in the sleeping bag. Its worked well for years.

 

[WestTexasBestTexas]

Check out the Stone Glacier Sky Scraper 2P tent. It’s lighter than the KUIU plus you can set it up in 4 different configurations including an emergency bivy using your trekking poles. It will save on ounces and budget by deleting the cost of the emergency bivy you included.

It’s funny you mention this - I had it narrowed down to the Storm Star and the Sky Scraper, but the SG tent was sold out around that time. Ordered the Kuiu to check it out and wound up sticking with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Honyock]

Seriously reconsider your Frog Tog rain gear. Being wet will make a miserable day. I learned from experience when I was tight on $$ that being wet because of inferior rain gear sucked. I keep a Sitka Dew Point in my daypack all year. It also substitutes as the hard shell. Watch the Classified section on the forum page and find some 2nd hand,

 

[BKehoe05]

It’s funny you mention this - I had it narrowed down to the Storm Star and the Sky Scraper, but the SG tent was sold out around that time. Ordered the Kuiu to check it out and wound up sticking with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those were my two choices as well! What part of Texas are you from? I live in central Texas.

 

[fwafwow]

Not sure what you mean by bandages, but always worth beefing up med kit, tourniquets, Israeli/pressure bandages, blood clotting gauze, medical scissors, Sam splint,

And coolers for hauling meat home

+1 on the tourniquet

Add saline nasal spray - elevation can dry you out

Check out the Lightweight forum - there are lots of packing lists there - but don’t get too caught up in saving weight that doing so hampers the usability of your gear

 

[WestTexasBestTexas]

Those were my two choices as well! What part of Texas are you from? I live in central Texas.

Grew up about an hour west of Odessa, was in Lubbock for 6 years, now out in FL. Miss Texas every day, but I still get out there a lot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RCB]

The Magma 15 apparently has an ISO Limit rating of 16 F (and a comfort rating of 28). From what I can tell, that doesn't mean the "survival" rating is 16 F. From REI's website:

• Lower limit rating (which is always lower than the comfort rating) indicates the temperature at which a warm sleeper might still feel comfortable. This is the temperature rating brands use on men’s bags.

I have also seen it written that the lower limit means you'll be curled up in a ball to sway warm.

There is also an "Extreme" rating on the EN system, which according to Switchback travel is "the temperature at which a standard female can remain for six hours without risk of death from hypothermia" (https://www.switchbacktravel.com/sleeping-bag-temperature-ratings). Typically, the extreme ratings are a good 20-30 degrees F lower than the limit (for instance, see the WM ratings here https://www.westernmountaineering.com/faqs/).

Obviously you don't want to be anywhere near the extreme rating. Point is, you're not going to die if it dips a few degrees below the limit rating. But it might be pretty uncomfortable if you're not a warm sleeper. Adding a few extra insulation layers can help.

 

[BKehoe05]

Grew up about an hour west of Odessa, was in Lubbock for 6 years, now out in FL. Miss Texas every day, but I still get out there a lot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Stephenville for me although I travel for work.. so 5+ months in Michigan at the moment

 

[Mike Islander]

Lose one pair of pants. Base layer top and bottom. Add two mini lighters. Replace lantern with a second headlamp. That becomes your battery tote as well. 20k backup battery is 2X larger than you probably will need. Replace "Squeeze" bags with a good compatible bladder and add one Smart water bottle or equivalent. Bring a pot or single wall steel bottle in case you need to cook over fire. Rubber gloves for kill kit. Patagonia will be colder and windier. Maybe add a dyneema/smal poly tarp.

 

[Islandeer]

Was revisiting the gear I've slowly been accumulating in prep for heading out west next fall and feeling pretty good about where I'm at - thankfully this list has also been helpful with my eastern whitetail/turkey pursuits, as well as an upcoming trip to Patagonia. How's it coming along?

Working Gear list

Weapons/Optics
Mathews Atlas (Gold Tip Quantum Black Label 340, Montec M3)
Spot Hogg Wiseguy release

Browning Hell’s Canyon Speed .270 win, 130gr Barnes TTSX handloads
Leupold Vx3i 4.5-14x40

Vortex Viper HD 10x42
Bushnell rangefinder (1200)
Stone Glacier Skyline bino/rf harness
Vortex High Country II tripod

Pack
Mystery Ranch Beartooth 80

Food and water
Source 3L water bladder
Sawyer squeeze (with bags)
Aquamira (backup water treatment)
Jetboil Flash (with fuel)
Sea to summit long/light fork
Backpackers pantry (assorted)
Coffee

Shelter
Kuiu Storm Star (w/footprint)
REI Magma 15 Sleeping Bag (long)
Thermarest Neoair Xlite (long)
Trekology ultralight pillow

Electronics
Black Diamond Storm Headlamp
Black Diamond Moji lantern
Anker Powercore 20k
Garmin inreach explorer
Garmin forerunner 945
Phone cable
Batteries

Clothing
Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400
Darn Tough Socks x2
Sitka Core lightweight hoody
Sitka Mountain Pant
Sitka Jetstream Jacket
Sitka Mountain gloves
Kuiu attack pants
REI 650 down 2.0
Frog Togg rain jacket
Unknown brand of thermal top/bottoms

Various
Cascade mountain tech trekking poles
Benchmade Crooked river mini
Calls/bugle tube

Personal care and Essentials
Toothbrush & Paste
Dude Wipes
Chapstick
Fire: Bic Mini, Tinder, & Fuel Cube in Waterproof Can
First Aid: Ibuprofen, Sleep Aid, Bandages, Leukotape
Repair Kit: Patch Kit, Zip Ties, Hex Keys
Heavy Duty Contractor Bag
Paracord
Firestarter
Space Blanket
Emergency Bivy

Remaining items on list to pick up
Gaiters (Kenetrek)
Spotting scope (if I wind up going rifle)
Game bags
A few dry sacks
Maybe a few more layers for late season
Rain pants
Knife for cleaning
Windchecker
Microspikes

I’d consider a kuiu puffy system top and bottom, light safety gear for the later hunts.

This might free up some room to omit some other clothing pieces.

This is a quality thread!!

 

[BDRam16]

I have the core lightweight hoodie as well and it wouldn’t be in my pack for a backcountry trip. In my experience it holds a smell too quickly for me. I’m sticking with all merino for base layers including socks and boxers.

 

[Operator]

I have the core lightweight hoodie as well and it wouldn’t be in my pack for a backcountry trip. In my experience it holds a smell too quickly for me. I’m sticking with all merino for base layers including socks and boxers.

I too am going with merino for scent control and performing well if they get wet.