Becoming LESS gear oriented.

[robtattoo]

Total turnaround here, especially on a primarily gear oriented sure but here goes.....

Over the last couple of years, I've become MUCH less interested in gear, accessories & accoutrements & far more concerned with putting that money into experiences & hunts.

I've got a couple of good packs. I've got 2 great, though not high end, tents. My rifles are more than sufficient for my needs for anything I'll ever hunt, although non are high-end or custom built (can you still kill deer with non Magnum calibers or carbon barrels??). I've got a great sleeping & cooking setup. My clothing suffices for my needs (a bit of Kuiu, some First Lite, lots of 'clearance' merino) my knives are.....knives, my offroad 'rig' is a totally capable, 22 year old, 350,000 mile daily driver.

I feel like I've literally got everything I need to hunt anything, anywhere, ever.

I'm at the stage where I feel like I can honestly comment on every 'which ---------- should i go with' thread with absolute certainty, whilst being an utter rank amateur in western hunting.

Am I alone in not wanting to change, upgrade or update absolutely everything??
Some days I feel like hunting gear is really up there with iPhones. It feels like everyone wants to upgrade, renew or update absolutely everything, all the time!

I'm pretty much over buying new shit, to be honest. I've gone ultralight & minimalist. I've tried everything but the kitchen sink.....

I'd anyone else just freaking happy with what they've got?!

 

[KClark]

I have always been behind the curve as far as new gear. I have a GPS bought for a moose hunt in 2011 still in the box.

I make up for my lack of gadgets and fluffery by holding center and squeezing, it serves me well.

 

[justinspicher]

It’s a lot easier said than done for me. I’ll narrow gear down, just to get more because I think I want to try something new. However, I always have the same basic gear I’ve always used.

 

[elkduds]

When I'm scouting or hunting I spend 0 time thinking about better gear, unless something fails. I studied marketing 30 years ago, the answer to every test question was "new and improved."

 

[Pontius]

Once the basic needs are met, what’s the point really? This has been proved over and over when studies look at happiness vs. income. Happiness (the blue lines) increases until income reaches a modest level, then correlation stops.

 

[Huckleberry Hound]

I find myself going the same way more and more. Ive got what i need, and a bunch of stuff i really dont. The less gagetry i use and pack around, the closer i get to an animal before a kill, the more i enjoy the hunt. My one major exception to my general inclination to get more basic and low tech is trail cameras. Man i just love those things.

 

[rlmmarine]

I find myself in the same boat. I used two buy 3,4,5 guns a year but i wasnt getting a chance to use them. I said a few years ago i was putting that money towards hunts and not towards guns on the shelf. Ive got a seperate closet just for clothes and nick nacks and dont see upgrading unless i run across a "deal" here in the used market. But when i reflect on the last year i did buy a sporting a400 and a golden boy 22 i gound on the used shelf. And just last week i bought a used bag from someone on here for my pack.
So to answer your question yes i have plenty of stuff. No i dont want or need anymore, but like most hunters i collect stuff and still add to the pile when the right deal comes along. Best of hunting to everyone out there this year.

 

[Boarmaster]

For the last 5 years I have not been adding gear but upgrading. Over the last 15 years I have practiced the buy once cry once theory. I buy a few trinkets here and there. The only exception is if my needs change. One example is I might need to pack out meat this year on a day hunt type trip so I bought a MR Sawtooth. Probably work for me for the rest of my walk in days.
After 15 deer rifle purchases I finally found the one that suits me about 99%. So that quest is over. For the most part I am satisfied With what I have.

 

[rodney482]

Im bad about selling expensive gear that I wont use again for a few years. Then having to buy it again. But I love proven gear!! My old Kifaru is like an old friend.

 

[Wellsdw]

I’m with you man, people place way to much emphasis on “stuff”. Amazing how much my day freed up when I quit researching sh!t I don’t need. Well guess I’m Gonna go put on my work clothes, tactical “hunting belt”, and load up my “rig” with grass seed and start working! Haha thanks for this thread

 

[rodney482]

Sold 1/2 my gun collection and bought a new Lund big water boat. So much more useful than dust collectors.

 

[jorgensen.travis]

I feel this way about my mobile whitetail setup. It seems kind of silly when I hear people geeking out about it. Partially because I’m bored with it, and partially because I think it doesn’t matter much. I guess western backpack hunting is still new enough to me that I enjoy geeking out on gear. Probably because I only get to do it once a year. I just returned and I’m currently enjoying picking apart my list and trying to find something to improve on.


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[T28w]

people are just different and we all go through different “phases” IMO. I think most folks would agree that when you have a hobby , be it hunting, fishing , woodworking, or whatever, when u first get started in it, trying out new things is part of the enjoyment. You don’t know if you like a product or if it is a good fit for you until you try it, and if you get to try it, you are involved in your hobby which you enjoy.

Also as a beginner, I’m not sure that the best thing to do is just buy the nicest of everything u can.

Sounds like you have spent money and tried a lot of different things and now you have what you want and have what works for you after years of trail and error. No reason to spend a ton of money now.

I’ve been through the same thing and arrived at the same place you are just happens to be with duck hunting and woodworking.

 

[ChrisAU]

I try, but I fail. For me, Western Hunting is very new and shiny still. An unfortunately, (Western) hunting season for me is only about 1.5 weeks long...meaning gear season is 50.5 weeks long.

 

[kiddogy]

sometimes less ,is more.

I've nothing against gadget chasers but I am content to make do with less

 

[chasewild]

Buy less, hunt more.

 

[*zap*]

Some guys pay 1k+ for lighter, newest stand/sticks to save a few pounds and when you ask them what their fitness program is they look at you like you have three heads. I think your body is #1 and improvements there can take a while and require hard work/commitment. As far as gear goes some higher end stuff is very worth having but it can be a few years old, have been used and in good condition. It basically comes down to 'is the juice worth the squeeze' for me but I am financially challenged. If you have the do-ray-me there is nothing wrong with spending it on gear because there are lots of worse things to spend $ on. But spending all the $ in the world will not improve your skills.....yes, you can purchase 'success' but you cannot purchase skill/knowledge unless your paying someone to teach you those things. Desire and mental toughness comes from within...

 

[ethan]

I'm pretty close to being the same. I don't tinker much with the bow/arrow combination or actual hunting gear. I think I've made one or two changes there in the last 15 years. I am somewhat of a gear head on the backpacking or backcountry gear side of things, but for the most part I'm happy with what I've come to be comfortable with over the years. But that being said, I think I will always want to try out certain new things every once in a while. But as far as different camo patterns, or slightly lighter this or that, etc.... I'm kind of over that as well.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

for me, I hate wasting time and energy behind a screen of any sort. I have no desire to research any more than I need to. I used to fall into the category of a "gear nut" I suppose but over the last decade I just want as little junk as possible and the stuff I do own I want to work.

I'd rather spend my time, even off season outside or with loved one's vs seeeking out and purchasing more "stuff".

 

[LostArra]

If I'm happy with a piece of gear I don't consider upgrading unless it breaks or wears out.
For a while I stumbled down the binocular upgrade path but finally said "enough", bought used alpha and never look at optics reviews again.
Boots seem to be my only semi-regular replacements when they are trashed. I won't tolerate uncomfortable boots.