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.

 

[Nicaburns]

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.

Dunno that it qualifies as “cheap” but these are legit. Weighs less than an ounce more than my stone glacier Grumman but has pit zips, welded baffle construction, and is about half the price of the Grumman or the Kuiu pro. I got mine for $172 a couple of months ago and used it for 2nd rifle in CO with no complaints.