Help with newbie gear list.

[ffparamedic]

**Updated** see last post/gear list

Hello all, I am new here. I was pointed to this site by a guy from another forum after talking to him about elk hunting. I am planning a archery hunt for 2014, this will be my first back country hunt and I have a lot to learn. I don't care if I make a kill or not just as long as I have a good safe time. I am trying to put together my kit and while I don't have a lot of money I do believe in the buy once cry once philosophy so I want to do it right the first time.

Please share your thoughts/pros/cons with me as I list the gear I am looking at. (yes I have searched these and done a lot of reading to form my opinions) but I am looking for specific input into what I'm putting together from people with exp. Thanks!

So right now I am looking into packs but am a little while out on that, (I am looking at a reasonable used one on classifieds) ultimately I want a Kifaru...waiting on the 2014 release...

But for now I have the chance at Pro pricing on some Big Agnes products and I have pretty much built my camp, please look over it and see if I have made any mistakes.

BA: Scout 2 https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/scoutul2
Pro price is $170, I also will order the footprint...it's half price.
BA: Lost Ranger 15* https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Bag/lostranger15 Pro price is $144
BA: Q core SLhttps://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Pad/qcoresl
Pro price is $84
Now should I get a pillow? is it worth the weight SL is 3oz, deluxe memory foam is 8.5...price is half.
Helinox poles: https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Helinox/RidgelineTwistLock
Pro price is $71.

The savings are about $300 on what I have listed so I don't want to let this get away as it will be free money to invest in more quality kit.

Does this look like a good setup? if not what should I adjust?

Thanks.

 

[Aron Snyder]

Deals are great, but I would shop around as well.

Rokslide is loaded with Gear Heads, so deals pop up all the time. You can find Big Agnes Copper Spurs, Fly Creeks and other shelters for CHEAP if you shop around.

The Lost Ranger isn't a bad bag at all and the Q pad is good too, but again.....SHOP AROUND before you purchase anything.

 

[Kotaman]

One thing I might recommend is going from the Lost Ranger to the Storm King as for me, BA's temp ratings are bit off. I've owned both the Lost Ranger and the Storm King and have about froze in some pretty decent temps in the Lost Ranger. I now run a Kifaru 0 Degree Slick Bag.

Love my Q Core Pad.

I like having a pillow, but it is not necessary as you can use your stuff sack filled with clothes for a pillow. I use an Exped that is tiny and light and I like it.

Can't help you on the tent or poles but I am sure they are both quality items at a great price.

Take Aron's advice and do a little more research and shop around. Deals to be had here in the classifieds daily. In fact I sold my Lost Ranger and STorm King and about gave them away!

 

[dotman]

Off season is coming and since 2014 items will be coming out some smokin deals will be coming up on classifieds and with stores selling off remaining 2013 inventory. If you have an REI checkout when their next garage sale is. If you dig you'll find smokin deals. I bet Cabelas has better sale on first lite, sitka and kryptek in early 2014. First lite has a great sale on outerwear currently.

There are always great deals to be had from Nov-Apr.

Just do your research and then keep your eyes open.

 

[lintond]

Just a fair warning being on Rokslide can lead to a gear shopping addiction. so much good info. This last fall was my first year back country hunting and I felt totally prepared because of the knowledge I absorbed here.

 

[Darren Best]

You didn't mention where you will be elk hunting, given that most places you find elk can get cold, I would drop to a 0 or -20 degree bag, synthetics tend to be a little chilly according to their rating, even the Kifaru slick. I have a 0 Slick and I get chilled in it below 20 degrees. For conversation I have personally seen 16 degree temps in North Idaho during archery season in September.

I have two rules on gear.

1. Less is more, only bring what you absolutely need and no more, this is both cheaper and lighter.

2. Buy once, cry once, start off with quality gear right from the start and you will save yourself a ton of money in the long run.

Good luck, have fun and welcome to the dark side.

 

[ffparamedic]

Thanks for the suggestions so far, and please keep them coming. I have been looking at the sales/classifieds...I'll continue to do that.

I will also look into the sleeping bag.

I am looking at CO for OTC to gain exp and then venture out from there.

Thanks everyone very much.

 

[HOT ROD]

I can't agree more. By once and cry once. There is a lot of good gear sold right here..,

 

[larryschwartz]

Since this is going to be your first backcountry hunting trip, PLEASE tell me that you have already been backpacking and camping and know from first hand experience what it is like!!! If you have not then you really should get your gear together by the end of February and then do some cool/cold weather backpacking and camping weekend trips during the Spring so you 1) know what it will be like, and 2) know how your gear will (or won't) work for you. Too many "greenhorns" head out to the West thinking that their reading and research will cover them and then have a miserable trip, or worse, get in trouble 5-10 miles back in.

Some of the things this practical experience will teach you are...

~ Can you really live in a short bivy shelter for more than a couple of days or does your knees and/or back need a shelter that you can kneel or stand up in.
~ How much water you need to carry and how you should carry it. I noticed you have not mentioned how you will handle water purification. This is a subject that you will have to have ironed out before you head out on your hunt.
~ How much weight can YOU reasonably carry and for how far, both on the flat and up and down hills.
~ The importance of getting a pack that fits your torso, not just your height.
~ Do you know how to read a map, and how to use a compass, and how to use them together. GPS units are great tools but the batteries can run low or you may not be able to get a satellite lock in some locations due to terrain blocking your view of the satellite, so counting on one as your only means of navigation is a fools errand. Also, they don't tell you the best route to take based on the terrain, only being able to read a topo map will do that for you.

Well, that should give you enough incentive to practice with your gear BEFORE you go on your hunt. So, fine tune your kit and then bring us back a great story with amazing pictures to go with it!!!

Larry

 

[ffparamedic]

Thanks for the advice!! I have camped before yes, backpacked it no, so to say it is remotely close is stretching it I think. That is also my goal, I live in lat land of S. Ga. so I am planning some runs up to the public land in the mountains of N. Ga. to fine tune my kit and work out the bugs and see what works and what doesn't.

I consume a LOT of water. I run marathons so I will be heavy on water, as is usual for me I carry water just about everywhere I go. I will have some on me, Katadyn filter and emergency tablets.

I'm pretty certain I can carry a good bit of weight considering my background but there again I haven't BTDT so I can't say for sure, plus whatever I can do here isn't in the thin air there........

Yes I can read a map, am I a pro? nope but I have taken some land nav classes that centered on grid searches for rescues so close but not the same....And yes I will have a compass, I wouldn't trust my life or the welfare of a search party to the use of anything electronic.

Please keep these coming as it does give me plenty to think about!!

 

[marc]

I will second going to REI garage sales if you have a store near you. As an example I have purchased 2 Arcteryx pro shells for $60 a piece in the past year and a BA fly creek UL 2 for $110. Just get there early, go after prime stuff first and then wait! People grab all sorts of stuff right away then decide they don't want it and put it back after an hour or so. I like to spend about 3 hours just combing the racks and bins for stuff that gets put back.

Check out good maps for your area and locate water, no need to carry more than you need in if you have good re-supply points, water is heavy!

 

[Lawnboi]

If you have no backpacking experience I would highly suggest getting your gear and testing it out for a weekend or go scouting with it. A little time in the woods will help you out a lot, a lot more than just reading.

Where are you from? And what's your experience like? I can say going from knowing nothing, to being 5 miles in living off your back out west can be a bit of a shock, especially if your alone. The more you use your gear before your hunt the more comfortable your going to be.

You can get a good idea on what's going to work on the net, but ultimately it's still a lot of personal preference. The only way to find out what you like is really to try it. I'd say your setup is looking pretty good, certainly higher end than I went when I started. My suggestion is to get some solid gear and spend as much time in the woods with it as you can, your preferences will really show after a week away from the truck.

And the deals.... If your patient most stuff can be had for at least 30% off. Some companies you won't get a discount at all bit most of the big names can be had for well under retail if you shop around.

By your name... I'd look at the Leo adventures site, lots of good deals for fire/ems

 

[Rucker61]

By your name... I'd look at the Leo adventures site, lots of good deals for fire/ems

Oh, hell yes. Sitka, MSR, Thermarest, Jetboil, Marmot, Kelty, Sierra Designs, Mountainsmith, etc. I spent a lot of money through LEOAdventures.

 

[tttoadman]

The body of a marathon runner is much different than a backcountry hunter. Make sure you are conditioning as early as possible with your hunting footwear and a weighted pack on. I cover miles at a whopping 2.0MPH with a 40+ pack on. You will find all those "other" muscles that you don't use very often. You will also be able to see how your boots will work under a load. More weight means more pressure, and things change a little from just hiking around.

I saw a post a couple days ago that reminded us that our shelter is our sanctuary that we spend a great deal of time in while hunting. Don't go so light and skimpy that it doesn't allow you to regenerate in comfort. Make sure you get your pad and your tent from a place like REI. You can return stuff up to a year to get something else. They don't want people to be jerks about it, but they want their customers happy. I had a 1" thermarest and a BA flycreek 2 at the beginning of the year. I finished the year with a BA Copper Spur 2 and a BA insulated air core. The extra weight is well worth it if not required for me.

Have fun researching. It is much cheaper than purchasing!!

 

[8Crow]

Gear List

I certainly won't discount taking your gear on trips for trial runs, but I've also learned a lot about what I do and don't like about tents, sleeping pads and sleeping bags just camping in my back yard in the winter. I'm sure my neighbors wonder about me a bit, but it's good to keep people guessing, right?

• Tent - In a single wall you will generally have more condensation than in a double wall. Condensation in a big structure where you can stand up and move around may be tolerable for some. Condensation in a tiny little tent where you sit up in the morning and rub your head and shoulders all over the wet (or frosted) walls drives me nuts. Then you come back at night to find pools of water sitting on your down bag. I bought a true double-wall, 4 season tent after my last trip in a single wall, hoping that really cuts down on my condensation, but I've yet to test it. Lots of folks on here love single walls and floorless...to each his own. But again, try it out first to figure out what YOU like.
• Pad - A really thick (3" min), well insulated, long and wide air pad is the only way this guy will camp going forward. I love my Exped downmat.
• Bag - As others have said, go with a bag rated 15-20 colder than the lowest temp you expect to encounter.
• Water - I've always used Katadyn Hiker Pro and it works great, but next time I will have a Platypus gravity flow filter just so I can spend my time in camp relaxing instead of pumping water (after you go a couple times and start to really refine things, it's the little things that will bug you). If you go with a pump, though, I can't say enough good things about having quick connect fittings on the end of your bladder drink hose and your water filter: no muss, no fuss.
• Clothes - Again, as others have said, know what you need, bring that and nothing more. Our first trip out we brought way too much junk. One thing I really enjoy is a good down jacket for camp. I can go from a toasty down sleeping bag to a toasty down jacket and be unbelievably comfortable when it's 15 deg--without a stove. Once I'm up and walking it's more about staying cool than staying warm.
• Fitness - I don't know much about the benefits of running because I hate it. But we started road cycling a few months before our last trip (should have started a lot earlier), usually pushing ourselves hard over ~ 20 miles through steep, hilly country. Even though we got a late start, I couldn't believe how much better in shape I was than the last time. It really did two things for me: built leg strength and lung capacity/fitness. Which leads me to something else I think helped us acclimate--getting to elevation and taking it fairly easy at least a day or two before your hunt.

For me, the benefits of a good night's sleep out there cannot be over-emphasized. If you get poor sleep at home and drag a bit sitting in a cubicle or some other sedentary environment, no big deal. Getting little/no/bad sleep out there will quickly wear you down to the point that you aren't going where you need to go or doing what you need to do to be successful after you spent all that time and money preparing for the trip. I like to have a little melatonin with me in very small doses-- < 1mg. A sleep specialist actually recommended it for me and I find on those nights I can't shut my mind off, the melatonin will really help me get to sleep and stay asleep, but at the same time if I need to get up in the middle of the night I'm not a zombie.

 

[SHTF]

hey FFP Welcome to Rokslide. This list should really help you out. It will keep track of the weight of your gear and give you a good check list to keep things in order and make sure you dont forget anything.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9fxs6j88pj0f4kj/ScoutingHikingChecklist.xlsx

Good luck on your hunt in 2014. Colorado is a wonderful place to start. Some great places out here to really spread your wings.

 

[Manosteel]

I am sure you have done this but search this site and you will find great gear lists from guys who have hunted in the backcountry for awhile and excellent reviews on what they used.

Good luck and make sure you are in shape! Gettting in shape is the cheapest but sometimes the hardest upgrade for the backcountry.

 

[swat8888]

I've not had such luck with REI garage sales....all I ever found was ripped fabric and a bunch of crap that had been used for 2 years before returning it to REI. But then again it probably depends where you live, doubt there is even an REI there. I would also say shop around. I'm cheap and I have access to just about every prodeal out there. The only one I've found to be worth it 95% of the time is Sitka, through leoadventures.com. The Big Agnes, Mountain Hardwear, Marmot, etc. are good deals but you can find cheaper, sometimes significantly on Sierra Trading Post and other sites. The good stuff you'll find there are non-camo puffy jackets, rain gear, sleeping bags, tents, trekking poles, water purification, and a bunch of other things you'll need. Throw all the stuff you want in your wishlist, sign up for the email deals and wait till you get a 35% or 40% off deal and go nuts. Be careful though, I have spend thousands of dollars at STP thus far.

To answer your pillow question.....I carry a Big Agnes older clearview pillow, 4oz...worth every oz as it is way better than sleeping on balled up shirts. Just my opinion, all depends where and how much you are willing to sacrifice for nice to have items. I'd try looking elsewhere if you want to save money on a pack. With patience craigslist can payoff, this site carries a premium for Kifaru packs and other high end used gear. There are deals but you better be refreshing that classifieds forum hourly as the good deals go fast.

 

[Jordan Budd]

I have the ba lost ranger 15 and ba q core insulated pad. love that set up. I agree with the above on the pillow deal... anything to help get a good nights sleep is worth its weight and cash in my opinion.

 

[ffparamedic]

Guy's I really appreciate all the tips and advice and encouragement....Trust me I am reading all of it even if I don't specifically respond back to you. I try to read much/post little.
I am reading everything I can and watching for deals. I am going over any gear list I find and figuring out what I will take as well....I plan to keep this going up until I go as a way to bounce ideas off of you guy's with experience.

FWIW I ordered the camping stuff listed above, except I ordered a lighter pillow and better poles. I will def be camping in the yard also.