Cheap Stuff that Works

[carsonkeys]

Nice! I picked up a few of those knives. Great "quick gift" for buddies that helped with packouts.

lol I have 2 of them for upcoming Xmas gifts!

 

[jwiltx]

It only took me about 2 weeks, but I made it back to the surface. I've added a ton of things from the list, but I'll add a few that I didn't see:

1) Outdoor Vitals Nova Pro jacket. I did a lot of looking for a good puffy jacket, and it's on the heavier side, but I like all the features it has. Thumb holes, pit zippers, 800FP down, and I think it's got the same fill weight (or higher) than some of the more expensive brands. I haven't really gotten to test it in the cold (I'm from Texas), but I should get a chance this week. They're on sale now ($200), and I think I got mine when they were doing an even better sale a few months ago.

2) Astra Optix OTX2400A ballistic rangefinder ($350, amazon). I wanted a rangefinder that does the calculations for me, and this has Applied Ballistics built in, and can be paired with a Kestrel via bluetooth. I know there are better ones on the market, but so far, this has been pretty solid for treestand hunting. Check for sales...I think I got mine a few months ago for around $250.

3) US GI issues Gore-tex. I'm in the Marines, and I know how much we abuse ours and it still keeps me dry. I bought a set of fire-resistant multi-cam (it blends in well where I hunt) for around $100 on ebay. They're a little heavy, but I don't have to worry about where I take them. I'm sure if you get the regular ones, they'd be even cheaper. I also buy the summer-weight multicam/OCP for bow season because it's lightweight, has a TON of pockets and you can get them everywhere cheaply.

4) Etsy Sleeping Quilt - I took a gamble on this last year and I've been pleasantly surprised. I haven't gotten to test it below 40 yet, but using this with an insulated pad kept me plenty warm with nothing but boxer and a t-shirt on. $170 for a 20 degree, 800FP ultralight quilt, and if you read the thousands of reviews, most people say it keeps you warm even below those temps (https://www.etsy.com/listing/703335758/special-edition-heatseeker-20-degree?ref=yr_purchases).

5) If you don't like quilts, there's another company that sells mummy bags ($135 for a 20 degree bag) on there (https://www.etsy.com/listing/114088...search_preloaded_img=1&organic_search_click=1)

6) For an even cheaper option, I bought a Vietnam-era GI issue down sleeping bag that came in a spam can for $30 on marketplace. I've had to unzip the bag in the mid 30's because I'm sweating. It keeps you warm, but it weighs about 6 lb. I think it's the M-1949, and it's rated for mountain survival.

I've got more, but I'm not sure it falls into the cheap category, just cheap compared to the competition.