Kuiu sleeping bags/expensive gear

[WyoBowhunter21]

I know it's been touched on a bit but I just received the email from kuiu about the sleeping bags. I didn't think they would actually put a price tag of 450-750 for them. Holy cow! I guess they are targeting those millionaires who can afford that. This brings me to my thought...how do you budget for gear? I personally have a certain amount allotted per year. It's only enough to purchase a few odds and ends. I sell stuff to buy new stuff. But say a person wanted to buy a new sleeping bag, kuiu for instance. Were at $450 without tax and shipping, say $500 with that. Now we want a new pack, another $500. Oh maybe a tent too, $300. I hope you see where I am getting at. I was just curious on how everyone does it and still can afford to live.

 

[boom]

its a balancing act.

my wife give me an allowance..monthly. kinda embarrasing..but it saved our marriage. i save it up and buy whatever. that is the rule..she cant say s__!

i got that same email..havent opened it yet. that is crazy expensive!! you can get any of the top tier bags for that money.

in business school..we learned it was called "prestige pricing"..

 

[Rizzy]

A lopsided mix of quality gear and cheap gear until you build up your arsenal of quality gear season after season.

 

[JWP58]

Never pay full retail, bottom line. Wait for sales, become members of special offer sites, ect. Im lucky enough to be able to drive 5mins and be at Sierra Trading Post and have them pull stuff form their warehouse to try on or look at (boots, sleeping bags, ect, ect)

With a little leg work you'd be surprised how easy it is to get Sitka, First lite, lowa,ect, ect, at 30-40% off.

Would I ever pay $500-700 for a pack? Lol only if it carried itself. Same goes for boots, tent, ect.

 

[hammer0419]

They look nice but definitely expensive. Are they on a level of Western bags??? Guess time will tell.

 

[tipsntails7]

I'm single, young, no kids and a pretty good job. All my monthly expenses get paid, then 200 to saving and 200 to retirement and I've got about 3-400 bucks that I can do with what I please with. At some point that will change but for now it's pretty nice. But I'll be damned if I'm paying 600 bucks for a long 15 degree bag. To me that's just ridiculous, especially since I've been reading a lot about the super down jackets really losing a lot of their warmth just within a year. I'll pay the weight penalty of synthetic for the added cash and piece of mind in wet weather. And in the summer I don't need to worry about my 30 degree down bag getting wet.
For me It really comes down to this, an extra pound or two is not going to kill me, a bag that no longer meets it's rating and could have the possibility of not lofting properly could.

 

[drthornton]

I don't think they are over pricing the bags. I have no doubt KUIU is using the absolute top end materials for them which costs big bucks. I can only imagine what they would cost should they follow a normal distribution model. Kuiu's target customer is the deep pocket hunter and the normal Joe that is willing to spend most of his expendable income on hunting. The price tag is quite shocking though.

As for buying expensive gear....once you have a base of gear and clothing...spend yearly to upgrade 1 piece.

 

[Gman]

As for buying expensive gear....once you have a base of gear and clothing...spend yearly to upgrade 1 piece.

This is where it's at. If you buy quality gear you most won't have to upgrade ever or if you do it will be because of a freak accident or 10 years later. For example, my WM down bag will last until the time I get too close to the fire (again), and my kifaru pack will only need to be upgraded when the new trendy camo comes out and I have to have it (but the pack will still be functionally perfect), same with glass and optics. If you do the major items right, it will save you in the long run but that first wave of getting set up can be a punch in the balls. I know lots of guys that go big on one piece of gear a year for the first couple of years and make do with the other stuff. But they never regret the upgrades they can make and afford.

 

[E Wa Hunter]

I have been pricing WM bags and was just on thier site the other day and the prices are pretty close, for example a badger with treaded down goes for 730. not saying which one is better just that prices are in the same area. As the saying goes buy once cry once

 

[todd kelly]

Not being a gear head helps. I try to buy gear that I am going to be happy with the first time. My last backpacking tent lasted me 13 years before I upgraded it last year. I only have ever owned one rifle in my life. I`m on my second sleeping bag for the last 20 years, and the only reason I bought a new one is because the wife took over my old one. My backpacking stove is 12 years old and still going strong. The list goes on.....

I ask myself the same question as you. I can`t believe how many guys on here upgrade their kit over and over again every year. There is no way I could afford to do it. But at the same time, I get a lot of guys asking me how I can afford to go on so many trips and travel so far to go hunting.

My wife has no problem with me spending big money on gear, the only thing she asks of me is that I better be happy with what I buy and that it is going to last a long time.

 

[Beastmode]

Buy once cry once is a good theory, but not everyone can afford top of the line gear right off the bat. As wyobowhunter pointed out it adds up fast. I bought descent stuff that I knew would resale. I took good care of it and upgraded when I could. I would rather go in to the mountains with good but not great gear than be sitting at home wishing I was in the mountains. Get what you can afford to get started. If there is one thing I do recommend not to go cheap on it is boots. Buy the absolute best you can afford. Eat pb&j sandwiches for a month if you have to but buy great boots!

 

[E Wa Hunter]

I agree completely with beast on this get what you can afford and upgrade when you can, I have spent many cold nights and wet days before upgrading. Save as long as it takes to get what you want or need, especiallly boots!

 

[nflesher]

I am lucky enough to have a really great job that pays me well. I can pretty much buy what I want, when I want. I don't know how much I spent last year on all my gear to get set-up for my hunt, but it was a good amount. I try to watch for stuff to go on sale or buy it used off geartrade or ebay. My wife doesn't give two cents what I buy. I bought my last Harley on a quick decision over the phone. It was to good of a deal to pass up. She came home from work, and I told her I bought a Harley and was having a lot of custom things added to it, and her reply was how much. I told her it would be 28K or so, and she asked if I would take her out to eat because she didn't feel like cooking. So, we ate Italian that night.

 

[flatfoot]

I can pretty much afford anything I want. However, I see little to no reason to buy a Kuiu bag versus feathered friends or WM. Both are small cottage industry companies that build most everything here and for the most part are "direct to consumer". Patrick is rightly pricing the gear to the price people are willing to pay, but in this case I would rather buy the gear that is proven for the same price. If I were pinching pennies I would then search the classifieds here or on backpacking light to save some money.

 

[Bighorse]

I save my bucks for Air Charters! I've sprung for high end gear over the years. It brings me piece of mind to know I've got a ready arsenal of quality kit to deploy should the seasons and leave match up. I've come to a point where enough is enough and I'm not chasing gear improvements anymore. The most important aspect of my game is time and acess. I'll change out something should the functionality of it degrade but beyond that I'm very tolerant.

I guess I don't envy the up and commers among us. Wading through the advertising and media is challenging to get to the core of what is fully functional and a high value. Money is hard to come by and paying too much for kit just adds to the cost of our families venison.

 

[Manosteel]

Getting older is how I can afford to buy good gear true story lol

When I was young and in university I made due with what I was given, traded or gifted. As you get older and find a career you can afford the good stuff and buy it when you want it. I still look for sales but I always buy top gear in all areas. Got my first set of Kuiu clothing this year (during their big pre-christmas sales) and all I can say is that I am impressed. It all fits perfect for my body type, feels great and I can't wait to test it in the field. Would I buy anything else from them not clothing related.. probably not since I have what I need from other established companies that I am happy with and will last me a long while, or I lose something or just what to go another direction.

My big thing is not buying the newest and flashest bows every year! its so hard to walk by them and not pick them up!

My advice on affording top notch gear and $$ to hunt is to find a good paying job or career. Do it young and you will enjoy the fruits of your sacrifice while you are still young enough to do it.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

Dang guys. This is turning into a good thread. I have a pretty good job. I am 23 and have a house, own my truck. I feel pretty good about that but somehow I can't justify spending so much on sleeping bags and tents. I really would like a Megatarp but somehow I can't bring myself to spending that much on one. Its a tarp. haha. I like mentioned above am working on my gear upgrades. I am working with clothing right now but man it is expensive. Keep up the posts. This is turning into a good topic.

 

[Floorguy]

Right now I am just not buying anything. Work has been super slow. When work is moving my wife and I have an agreement its funny and doesn't sound like alot but every hour I work I take a dollar. Doesn't seem like much but working construction I can have some big hours.

 

[Russp17]

Bags

I can pretty much afford anything I want. However, I see little to no reason to buy a Kuiu bag versus feathered friends or WM. Both are small cottage industry companies that build most everything here and for the most part are "direct to consumer". Patrick is rightly pricing the gear to the price people are willing to pay, but in this case I would rather buy the gear that is proven for the same price. If I were pinching pennies I would then search the classifieds here or on backpacking light to save some money.

Not to mention the labor in the United States is much higher. This is not a locally made bag where high labor costs are involved. These bags compare to a mountain Hardwear or a marmot not a feathered friends or a Western Mountaineering.

 

[Bighorse]

At the end of a trip, when your loading an 80 pound meat bag, your gonna wish you spent that extra $$$$ on a personal trainer, better nutrition, gym membership, bicycle, or Yoga. Saving a pound isn't that big of a deal if you've dedicated yourself to fitness. The fitness is what buys you sucess. Mental fitness is what earns you opportunity. The gear no matter how heavy or light is just a weight and when your load is 110 vs 120 it's still gonna hurt.

Work hard to get yourself financially set up to live where the hunting is great. Work hard so that you can have the Time off to enjoy the Great hunting. Work hard so that when you've earned the money and time to hunt your fit enough to hunt hard! Thats the true expense of being a hunter. The gear isn't the major hurdle.