Best Gear...... what is yours??

[ORbowhunter869]

Oh I forgot--Lowa Tibets (got those for $110) great backpacking boot.

 

[BigMac]

1. Arc'teryx Bora 80

2. Golite SL3 or SL5

3. Thermarest Z-lite

4. Danner Grouse

5. Snow Peak Giga

6. Zen Ray ED3

 

[Jplus4]

I'll weigh in with what I've got now.

Eberlestock J34
REI Lumen bag w/ BA pad
Marmot EOS 1, GoLite SL3
Keens - looking at the Lowa Renegades
SnoPeak Giga
Nikon ATB 10x42's

Still working up to some of your levels. It's helpful to see what a lot of guys are using.
Josh M

 

[Aron Snyder]

I'll weigh in with what I've got now.

Eberlestock J34
REI Lumen bag w/ BA pad
Marmot EOS 1, GoLite SL3
Keens - looking at the Lowa Renegades
SnoPeak Giga
Nikon ATB 10x42's

Still working up to some of your levels. It's helpful to see what a lot of guys are using.
Josh M

Hey brother,

Take a look at the Lowa Camino....I think you'll like it better than the Renegade.

I've been using testing Lowa boots throughout the winter, and the Kumbu and Camino are nice!

 

[Jplus4]

I'll definitely check those out. Thanks for the heads up Aron!

 

[Yukondog]

Pack - DT1
Shelter - BA Fly Creek 3
Bag - Montbell UL SS DH #1
Pad - Exped UL7
Cooking - Soto OD-1R
Boots - Hanwags Mtn Lights
Bino's - Cabela's brand 10x42 (12yrs old)
Spotter - Nikon ED50

 

[Buckman]

Pack--- Unknown, sold my T-1, looking.

Shelter--- MSR Hubba Hubba

Sleeping pad--- B/A Q- Core

Boots--- Kenetrek Mt. Extreme

Cooking Device--- Brunton Raptor

Optic--- Swaro El 8.5X42

 

[pyroducksx3]

[*]Pack - with out a doubt my T2 was the best (recently sold for a duplex which I think will be more versatile)


[*]Shelter - tarp tent rainshadow II at 3lbs it has been great and has worked well for two guys plus hunting gear or two adults hiking with my 4 yr old along and all gear in the tent.


[*]Sleeping Bag - montbell ul ss that bag is so comfy I like it better comfort wise than the slick.


[*]Sleeping Pad - exped ul 7, minorly less comfortable than the ba q core but with a little weight saving and carrying the dry bag/pump sac at 2oz no more filling mattress's by mouth (which was easily my least favorite part about setting up camp)


[*]Boots Asolo sassalong have been good to me but the soles are a little stiff may try hanawag mountain lites


[*]Cooking Device - good ol jet boil


[*]Optic - my new Ziess 85 diascope is amazing and my budget swaro "Khales" 10x32 have performed well

 

[Slim Jim]

Pack - kifaru BT1 (when it gets here next month)

Shelter - BA seedhouse SL1

Pad - BA Q-core

Boots - Crispi summit brown GTX

Stove - jetfoil sol

Optic - vortex diamondback 10x42

 

[GrantMan]

Pack - Kifaru T1
Shelter - Kifaru Mega Tarp
Sleeping Pad - Exped Synmat UL7
Boots - Kenetrek Mt. Extreme
Cooking - Soto OD-1R
Optic - Vortex Razor 85mm spotter

 

[HvyBeams]

Pack: Kifaru Highcamp 7000/Bikini Frame
Shelter: Kifaru Supertarp
Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest Prolite
Boots: Hangwag Mountain Lights
Cooking: Jetboil
Optic- Swaro EL 10x42; Swaro 25-50 65mm spotter

 

[Floorguy]

OK I will play

Pack - Barney's hunter
Shelter - GoLite sl5
Pad - thermarest xlite
Boots - still looking
Stove - jet boil stove
Optics - Nikon monarch 10x42 still looking for a spotter

 

[RedStag]

Pack: MR Metcalf, just received it, 0 miles on it to date but my other MR packs have been great

Shelter: MSR hubba hubba

Bag: MEC Merlin -3 (packs into a nalgene if necessary)

Cook: jetboil flash

Boots: scarpa sl m3, just ordered hanwag Alaska gtx to replace these

Optics: vortex fury 12.5x40 (looking to upgrade under 600.00, any suggestions??)
Vortex skyline 70mm straight spotter, it's a beast but it's what igot

 

[fillthefreezer]

interesting to see all the gear in here thats brand new, just getting worked in or maybe a season old

 

[Yellowknife]

interesting to see all the gear in here thats brand new, just getting worked in or maybe a season old

Just come out and say it There are people claiming "best gear" that they not only don't have... it's not even in production yet!

To be fair, the premise of the thread is a little fuzzy to me, and some guys are posting wishlists and others are posting stuff they are actually using, whither they think it's best or not.

Ok, so with all the gear everyone has tested and used throughout the years I’d like to see what everyone has concluded as being their “best” gear. You only get ONE answer per topic and a short one liner of why you think so.

I kind of assuming this was the important part, but maybe I was wrong.

 

[armyjoe]

Hey Yellowknife - What gear are you referring to that people haven't used? I own and have tested every piece of gear that I put on the list?

 

[TXCO]

Pack-REI Traverse thats tough as nails and a badlands 2800 for a day pack
Shelter- REI half dome when with 2 people
Bag-
Pad-zrest
Cooking-Jetboil
Optics-Leupold bino/rangefinder combo (Best investment Ive ever made as a bowhunter)

 

[bbrown]

Pack - MR Dragonslayer with a few mods = I have put this one thru the ringer the past couple year and my only complaint is I wish it was a bigger... sometimes

Shelter - Oware 9'x9' pyramid tarp = 29oz with 11 stakes and 81sqft of living space - what more could you ask for

Bag - Marmot Cloudbreak 32 = Only used this last year but has been the best bag I have used so far and right at 2lbs

Pad - BA IAC = I really liked this pad but I just picked up a Q-core SL that I have a feeling will be MUCH better.

Boots - Asolo Sassalongs = I WAS a big Danner fan until I got to put some miles on these. Plenty of support and fit my feet great

Cooking - Snow Peak Giga and GSI Haulite minimalist kit = Whole kit with fuel, foon and a small spice jar comes in at 17oz

Optics - Vortex Viper 10x42HD and Swaro 65mm spotter = not sure how I ever spotted anything with my old Burris 8x32 binos and Leupy GR 50mm....

 

[kaboku68]

Pack- Modified K2 Dana Designs Longbed External frame.

Bag- Western Mountaineering Badger with STS Event Compression Sack

sleeping pad- Thermarest Prolite 4 Woman's pad(regular) I don't care about color(pink) its warm and durable without weight penalty.

Tent- Black Diamond Bibler Eldorado

Boots- Hanwag Alaska Trapper GTX

Stove- Soto microregulator stove with 700 Ml Snowpeak Ti pot with modified cozy and tuna can base

Optics- Zeiss Victory FL10X42 T with Loutec
Diascope 65 and 85 mm bodies- 65 is angled 85 is straight with two different eyepieces.
Tripod - Vanguard Carbon Fiber- 2lbs for full size tripod.

I really would stress to most on here that your boots and their fit are the most important element.
I would say that Optics would come next.
A hunter with with a Kelty Cache Hauler and a big dry bag and a cheap Alps Zephyr tent with good boots and good optics is ahead of a guy with
a $1500 pack and cheap boots/cheap optics.

Sincerely,
Thomas

 

[Yellowknife]

Hey Yellowknife - What gear are you referring to that people haven't used? I own and have tested every piece of gear that I put on the list?

Specifically, a number of packs listed as "on order". Not a big deal, put you did originally say "used".

YK