Gear is great, BUT you need to get in the field!

[ScottR_EHJ]

I'll admit there's probably been a few times when I've posted over my pay grade, but hopefully those have been rare. Probably not as rare as I'd like, but always learning...

The issue with this thread is that those that think they're experts will continue to post and assume this is directed at others.

There is truth to that, and it's honestly very hard to verify who the experts or keyboard experts really are. Kool-Aid is tough to identify when you don't know you are drinking it.

I will admit that I am a picture follower. If you have pictures of gear in use, animals on the ground, then it's pretty apparent you spend a significant amount of time off of the beaten path. I won't pump up any particular member, but we know who posts these kinds of pictures year in and year out. Those are the guys I want to be a sponge with the information they post. The ones who are actually out there, for days on end, their posts will be helpful regardless of how much time I spend in the woods myself. It is helpful because with real use you will find out what gear they broke from normal use. Not on accident, but because they wore it out, that is long term use and abuse, information really worth sharing.

 

[Jager]

i had a health inspector lecture me about using garbage bags to carry food. i had fish flllets in one from a trip. it was personal food i was dropping off for some workers. he said it was not food grade plastic. he said it was like drinking from a garden hose. well, i've done that too.

whatever floats your boat..it is probably safe, but i remember that guy talking to me about it. now i do have big plastic food safe bags fish mongers use. no BPA's..i get them for free from a buddy.

as far as the rest of the topic..i cant believe it generates PM's to the moderators. maybe we are too friendly? a quick and simple.."i call BS" may be worth the effort. no?

Know I am digressing a bit, but very interesting Boom.

I have never hunted in the US, my original reason for joining RS was looking for info on an Elk trip, anyway, I understand that most of your hunting over there is done in the cooler months of the year.

The issue in Aust. is that generally speaking a lot of our hunting is not done in the absolute frigid cold you guys experience, hence meat can take longer to cool. I have found meat to sweat in garbage bags or any plastic bag for that matter, especially in our environment. I remember a few years back a mate shot a good Sambar stag and the back straps were placed in a plastic bag, then into a daypack, and forgotten about. Even though it was a southern winter in the mountains, where it gets very cold, the fact the meat had gone in warm made it pretty unpleasant by the next day.

I used a few TAG bags recently and they kept everything quiet clean.

 

[justinspicher]

I have had the exact opposite issue on this site. I've asked for help, specifically on bear hunting tactics for Washington and gotten nothing. I tried to meet up with others in Washington from this site and gotten no response. I do still frequent this site though because there is a ton of info to get for backcountry use.

 

[tttoadman]

I am new on this forum, but I have been on another forum for awhile. I can tell you the info that is available has improved my overall hunting experience and excitement level considerably. Funds play a large part in everybody's gear and hunting. It is great that some of the guys on this forum are able to test high dollar equipment and give the rest of us feedback. Just because they go out and test equipment that will likely remain outside my price range doesn't mean I won't benefit from their review of the product. A case and point for me is a pack. I am a pretty wimpy guy. I don't think you will ever find me in the woods packing 125lbs like Aron does. This made me realize that I needed to target the gear that is the lightest weight I can find and still stand to pay for it. I bought a SG pack because it is truly the lightest weight minimalist pack(I think). The opposite side of that coin for me is optics. I have fantastic eyesite(for now??), and the last thing I need is a pair of $2500 binos when a pair of $180 Nikons(and 1/2 the weight) does the job for me.

My point is this. Take it all in and use the information to make the best choices for you. If you feel you have some input, throw it into the collective pile and maybe a few guys will get something positive out of it. My goal is to be more of a hardcore spike out hunter, and this forum definitely fits that bill more than the other. I am thankful I found this forum awhile ago, and look forward to surfing and learning while keeping my mouth shut most of the time.

 

[Jake Leibke]

This is one of the reasons I don't post very much..... I am not as experienced as some here so I don't feel I have the place to be "lipping off" I have learned a lot from roksliders though.

 

[coOverwatch]

Okay, I will jump in with a few comments myself. I take the OP as a friendly reminder that posting comments on subjects that a person might have limited experience with could get others less experienced in a pretty serious situation. With that said, it is always the readers responsibility to decipher what is good advice and what is polished bull chit. I think we need a new Bull Chit icon.

I find it a bit dishonest when a number of people praise how great a piece of gear is and how everyone should run out and buy it, then once the season is over everything can be found in the classified section with no reason stated for dumping the gear. If it was such a great piece of gear then why are you selling it?

Regarding my background: I am by no means an expert outdoorsman but I am also not inexperienced. My knowledge is from a “base Camp” point of view accessed via vehicle or horseback. I can start a fire, navigate via compass (still working on the star nav), and build a shelter. The basics that anyone should have in venturing out into the backcountry. You do not need thousands of dollars worth of gear to be comfortable in the backcountry. What you do need is the knowledge in how to use them.

What keeps me coming back (daily) is to share others experiences, both good and bad, and to hopefully learn or re-learn something forgotten. I am always looking for new areas to explore, not necessarily to hunt, but to get out and experience, to push myself past my comfort zone and to test myself. So as they say on TV; Take someone out the next time you go… but more important make sure you bring them back.
Also, I have take my fare share of both deer and elk.

 

[Bighorse]

Gear wise....I'm a tent repairing SOB. I patch together boots. I'm sewing up loose stitching on backpacks. I glue on water resistent barriers on pants.
I'm doing all my own ATV and Boat repairs. I'm getting as many miles as possible on my gear. You won't find my stuff on classifieds because I'm throwing it away because I get every last mile out of a purchase.

My rifles are old and ugly! My bow gets a new string. My arrows are refletched by yourstruly. I'm reloading.

It's expensive buying and maintaining high end gear. Make your comments count. Someone is basing a decison to purchase off your online advice. They may be spending their last discresionary funds or even tapping into essential funds for a purchase.

Gear doesn't make the outdoorsman either. Up here in AK we see some serious backcountry crushers in old school threads. Put safety and strategy first. Don't fall for hype. Everybody is after your hard earned $$$

 

[fillthefreezer]

i like the intention of this thread but my bet is this will go over the heads of those.
takes me back to this thread....
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?5987-Best-Gear-what-is-yours&highlight=favorite+gear

 

[robby denning]

You know Robby Denning too?

That's right, Luke!

I can say slowly making the transition from older technology gear to the modern has convinced me there is better gear available. If you can afford it, you should upgrade but I say start with what you have and make the changes as you can (I'm still doing that). If you got lots of funds, great, you'll make the transition faster. If not, no worries. It's not likely the difference between a 20-year old wool jacket or a First Lite puffy that is keeping you from being successful- that is your personal hunting abilities and those can be honed yearly.

I catch a bit of light-hearted flack for shooting a 10-year old, sub-300-feet-per second bow. I'd love to have a new bow and am working on it. I doubt however it will make a big difference in whether I kill a good buck or not. Too much room to improve on my hunting skills to say a single piece of equipment will do that.

So glad you brought this up Aron.

Oh, also concerning this comment by crumy:

What I like is, I have yet to see a "you should do a search before posting that question" or visible disrespect to another member. Now whether that is because everyone here are just standup people or they are afraid aron will come visit them I don't know...

Yes, I check Priceline, Kayak, etc every morning in case I need to send Aron out to take care of Ryan's and my light work.

Seriously, good job to all who post helpful, honest, info backed by real experience- you are what make Rokslide a great place to be.

 

[luke moffat]

HAHA...I know it Robby....you are exactly why it shows that gear is a distance 2nd to experience and actually hunting skill when it comes to taking an animal home.


It was meant at a compliment that you can get it done regardless of what you are using, you just know what works even if your pack is older than me

 

[Bighorse]

I've got these great legs. They have a 100,000 mile warantee. I get them serviced every fall. On occasion they have to go to the weight shop for a tune up. They clunk a little when I start em up in the morning. The versatility and flexablity is amazing on par with Tibetan models. I think of upgrading but I'm far too attached. Ya, thats my best gear. Tested and true.

 

[robby denning]

It was meant at a compliment that you can get it done regardless of what you are using, you just know what works even if your pack is older than me

... and likely weighs as much as you!

 

[strawhunt]

Thanks Aron, I think this type of accountability is what sets this site apart. I know we all want to be the back country hard core hunter, but guess what, its really hard! I have learned in my personal hunting that its really easy to quit or get frustrated or feel like you suck. I think the gear itself is really addicting, cause its freaking cool! But real world experience and use is what we need. So thanks

 

[vegas hunter]

Regarding post #4. I disagree with judging someones experience by the city/ state they live in. Does not matter where you live as long as you are commenting on equipment you have experience using, I appreciate the input. I live in Vegas but I contradicted Aron once on a pair of pants because I had a different experience with them after some hard use over more then a season. To be honest I've never hunted out of a hike in camp once but I've put gear through some hellacious brush and snow filled death marches in several western states. Alot of guys here are from back east, but it only takes a few days with sucky gear to be a bonafide expert!

 

[Yellowknife]

Oh... I dunno. I color my judgment by location to some degree. Not so much in the way you describe (like you say, sucky gear is sucky gear.), but by using it to filter through the positive reviews. I may not totally discount your positive judgement on raingear, but I'm likely to give far more weight to the guy living in Ketchikan that Las Vegas. You might have used that raingear for several years, and believe you have significant experience with it... and you do. But is that experience relevant to me? Or somebody on the wet side of Washington? Unless you travel quite a bit, probably not.

I think that's more what this thread is about. I believe the issue is guys giving positive reviews or advice on gear that they either have little experience with or may not really have the background and experience to effectively judge. Unless you state additional supporting information, location is one of the few ways I have of judging if your experience may be relevant to my uses.

Frankly, I expect you to judge my gear reviews through the same lens. I'm good with that.

Yk

Regarding post #4. I disagree with judging someones experience by the city/ state they live in. Does not matter where you live as long as you are commenting on equipment you have experience using, I appreciate the input. I live in Vegas but I contradicted Aron once on a pair of pants because I had a different experience with them after some hard use over more then a season. To be honest I've never hunted out of a hike in camp once but I've put gear through some hellacious brush and snow filled death marches in several western states. Alot of guys here are from back east, but it only takes a few days with sucky gear to be a bonafide expert!

 

[fillthefreezer]

I have had the exact opposite issue on this site. I've asked for help, specifically on bear hunting tactics for Washington and gotten nothing. I tried to meet up with others in Washington from this site and gotten no response. I do still frequent this site though because there is a ton of info to get for backcountry use.

find the food...
what time of year are you trying to hunt them?
pm me if you want

 

[Jimbob]

I've learned the hard way that a review is only as good as the reviewer. So I take it upon myself to know who the reviewer is before I believe anything they say. Pretty cool that the higher ups on this site are actually trying to police this so its noy only left up to the user. I make a mental list of people I trust and when they say something I listen. Also people have different values for their gear so you have to take that into account as well. Some people want strong gear and will deal with the weight others want lightweight at all costs, and when they review their philosophy will show itself.

Like others have mentioned it ultimately comes down to your self and using the intended gear. No review will replace you getting out in the spring and summer and giving your stuff a shakedown before the season. Also having the ability to modify gear (a sewing machine and sense of adventure can go a long way) and selling it used will allow you to find the perfect item and stay within budget.

I have some knowledge in some areas but overall I just don't use my gear enough or try many other options to give some solid reviews.

 

[todd kelly]

Good topic Aron and Rokslide Mods, if anything it should make most of us stop and think before we type.

And, I hope I have not misrepresented any of the info/reviews I have given...

 

[Wrongside]

Good topic Aron and Rokslide Mods, if anything it should make most of stop and think before we type.

And, I hope I have not misrepresented any of the info/reviews I have given...

Totally agree, Todd. Excellent thread.

And... I don't think there's any chance of you falling into the category discussed in the OP and thread.

 

[Eagle]

Well, as a very experienced backpacker, but virgin backpack hunter, I feel this may have been somewhat pointed at guys like me. My first backpack hunt will be Wyoming mulies next year, and I'll be using virtually the exact same gear I use for backpacking, except I'll have a pack that can haul meat and a gun/bow depending on what my hunting buddy and I decide to use.

When I give gear advice, its on gear that I have used extensively over a minimum of 5 day long backpacking trips in the Rockies of CO, WY or MT. Did I have a weapon in hand, no, but I can't really see how that makes the advice less informed. I have over 50 days of backpacking experience in the rockies moving camp each day in that environment, with more than 3/4 of those days above or at treeline. Granted a lot of the guys on this forum do that in one season, and if I can ever get a job close to the mountains, I plan on doing the same. Living over 24 hours away limits my time in the mountains.

With that said, if I've screwed up, I apologize. Giving bad or uninformed advice has never been my intention and I don't feel I have. I'll continue to give advice regarding gear I've used for backpacking and techniques that have worked for me, hopefully that's not overstepping my bounds.

Just one more thing to add, I hunt, and hunt a lot, but living in the SE, that's pretty much limited to small game and whitetails.