Buying Gear with NO Budget!

[Aron Snyder]

If you had an endless budget, what would you but for backpacking gear if you had to head out tomorrow and live for the next month with what's on your back?

Optics

Tripod

Tent

Bag

Clothing

Backpack

Bow

Rifle

and whatever else you could think of!

I'm looking for the names of companies, but feel free to list specific items as well.

 

[Hoyts n Mulies]

Optics - Swarovski Swarovision 10x42 with built in range finder.

Tripod - Gitzo

Tent - Nothing

Bag - Kifaru Slick Bag 20*

Clothing - New set of Merino Base Layers - First LIte or Kiui

Backpack - Kifaru T2

Bow - Hoyt Carbon Element

Rifle - Remington 700 Classic in a 250-3000

and whatever else you could think of! Spotting Scope - Swarovski HD

 

[JSonn]

upgrade to Swarovski Optiks

 

[Steve O]

So, what are we hunting and we are doing this alone? I pack a lot different for an elk hunt than sheep hunt, or moose, or goat...

 

[Aron Snyder]

Good question, and that's the point of the thread!

You gotta be ready for anything, so the only thing you know is your living off of your back and if it fails you're screwed!

 

[Aron Snyder]

So Hoyts n Mulies... you're gonna freeze to death without a tent

 

[cmeier117]

Optics- Zeiss Bino's and Spotter

Tripod-Outdoorsman

Tent-Kifaru Sawtooth or Hilliberg

Clothing-Kuiu for Camo and Arc'teryx for non camo

Pack-Kifaru Timberline

Bow- Athens Recluse in Multicam

Boots- Crispi Idaho's

Sleeping bag- Kifaru Slickbag

 

[bowinhand]

Optics- Swarovski binos, spotter, the new vortex range finder, and a new camera with digiscoping kit

Tripod- some top of the line fluid head carbon fiber thang

Tent- Hilleberg and Kifaru tents and tipis/sawtooth

Bag- Western Mountaineering and Kifaru

Clothing- A whole lot of KUIU

Backpack- Kifaru timberline 1,2, and 3

Bow- Hoyt, Mathews, bowtech

Rifle- something custom maybe what Jason from KUIU had made

Boots- Lowa Bafin pro



If I say win the Lotto most of these companies would have my credit card on file so they could just send me new products as they come up with em.
A guy can dream right?

 

[JG358]

Optics. Swaro spotter, leupold mark 4 scope, Nikon binos, Lieca 1200 rangefinder

Tripod. Don't know

Tent. Kifaru tipi with stove

Bag. Big Agnes Blackburn with Exped downmat and z pad

Clothing. first lite base layers, Sitka

Backpack. Kifaru T1

Bow. Hoyt

Rifle. Custom 6.5x55 improved or 358STA

 

[cmeier117]

After people answer they should say if they actually HAVE the item they put down. I only have the Timberline pack and the Crispi boots coming. That way we can feel sorry for the guys that don't have what they want and curse the guys that do!!.

 

[littlebuf]

Optics-i drool over swaro's.id pick up the latest and lightest out there.a spotter is what my next big buy is going to be

Tripod- dont know much about all the different brands but those gitzos look pretty nice with a pistol grip head

Tent- got the one i like but would give a kifaru tepee a run if money were no object

Bag-20 degree slick bag

Clothing-happy with my sitka but would buy a full line of kuiu to try out

Backpack-its already on the way T1

Bow-i wouldnt mind trying the new mathews heli-m out.the weight alone appeals to me

Rifle-thats a tuff one.probably have a fully custom pre 64 model 70 built for backcounrty hunting. i.e really lite and blue printed in 30-378

 

[Steve O]

Optics--65mm Diascope and 10-15 Duovids. Leica LRF. No reason to change.

Tripod--Slik Sprint Mini with Jim White Head, again perfect for just about anything, no reason to change

Tent--Kifaru Sawtooth. This would be a compromise from what I have in the Supertarp/Annex and an 8-man, but I don't want to carry the 8man and don't want to spend a month kneeling around in the ST. I would bring the ST along for emergencies. TiGoat cylinder stove to upgrade my Kifaru box stove.

Bag--LOVE my Big Agnes Deep Creek. Upgrade the BAIAC to a Exped Synmat and keep a Zrest along for duplicity and a glassing pad.

Clothing--no reason to switch from my Sitka Gear. I know I can be comfortable from 10-100F in my Sitka Gear layers.

Backpack--Would probably upgrade from my MR6500 to a Timberline 1.

Bow--TallTines Recurve--this one was built to be bulletproof--not one of my gorgeous exotic TTs

Rifle--would probably keep my home made 7lb M70 in 300WSM, but if money was no object, I would have Mark Bansner build me the same thing or bite the weight bullet and get a Darcy Echols Legend in 300 Wby. Leupold VX3 3.5-10.


Boots--My good old Schnee Hunters. They don't do everything perfect, but I know from experience, from them saving a Stone sheep hunt, they can do anything.

 

[Hoyts n Mulies]

I didn't read it through correctly. I thought it was just gear that you didn't have that you needed to pick up.

For Tent, I'd take anything sub 3.5lb as long as it is minimum 3 season. I use an REI Tent now, cant remember the name but it's served me well.

 

[Matt Cashell]

This thread got me so wound up I went and bought a Powerball ticket. My mom would be disappointed, she was a math teacher and always said the Lotto was a "tax on people that couldn't do math."

Anyway ...

If you had an endless budget, what would you but for backpacking gear if you had to head out tomorrow and live for the next month with what's on your back?

Optics: All of them.

Tripod: Outoorsman Medium pistol head full setup

Tent: Sawtooth/ Montana Canvas

Bag: BA Zirkel SL

Clothing: KUIU everything.

Backpack: Kuiu Icon 6000 and Kifaru T2, alternating until I could find which one I like better

Bow: Bowtech Invasion CPX, Tight Spot, Montana Black Gold, all the trimmens

Rifle: New Ultra Light Arms 7 WSM or 7 RM, March 2.5-25 scope

Sat phone: whoever makes the best.

Boots: The works from Lathrop on some Hanwags.

 

[MattEastman]

Optics-leica binos with rangefinder

Not sure about tripod

Tent- hilleberg Akto

Bag- probably one of the new marmot bags(not sure of the name )

Clothing- love my Sitka Gear............but KUIU looks pretty sweet

Backpack- love my Mystery Ranch Crew cab with the load cells and day lid

Bow- been thinking of getting a compound again, so the Bowtech insanity. Recurve- a new Black Widow

Rifle-The new Kimber Mountain Ascent in the. 270

Boots-lathrop and sons

I also plan on purchasing the Goal Zero solar panel

Spotter- swarovski

I really want a new i Mac, HD camcorder, Sony nex camera to start producing inspirational short films that show the beauty of high country mule deer hunting.

 

[Aron Snyder]

Hey Matt,

You thinking about the Marmot Plasma?

 

[pyroducksx3]

Optics: nikon edg 65 straight spotter with digiscoping kit / swaro EL binoculars with rangefinder and why not a vectronix terrapin RF
Tripod: outdoorsman I suppose but um pretty happy with my precision rifle systems "slik"
Tent: would like a hilleburg akto for 1, tarptent rainshadow 2 for early season multiple hunters, sawtooth w/stove for later or multiple hunters
Bag: haven't used it yet but kifaru slick 20 deg in multicam
Pack: again haven't used it yet but Kifaru T2 in multicam
Clothes: Kuiu
Bow?
Rifle: custom 260 AI on a predator action and 338 RUM on defiance action both with manners T2 stocks (maybe the 260 on an eberlestock chassis/Jewell HVR triggers
Boots? Happy so far with my asolo's

 

[dotman]

Haha, i would buy everything if budget didn't matter and then sell what i didn't like. I'm assuming if there is no budget that it really is nothing to just try everything, heck then i could write up reviews on each . Setup a corp and take a lose on investment when i resold all the leftover items on rokslide at a discount because i probably can use the tax write-off.

 

[dotman]

But really i would just upgrade my optics.

Pack - ku5200, already have
Boots - Asolo, already have and they have never let me down
Shelter - supertarp/annex, already have and i'm hunting not spending all day in it
Bag - kifaru 20*base bag, alredy have
Bow - hoyt, already have not the top of the line but does me well
Gun - t/c pro hunter, i like smoke

 

[MattEastman]

Yes Aron, the Plasma 15. 15 degree bag, under two pounds and water resistant. Only problem, I think is retails for $499. Not gonna happen this year