My 2024 Dall Pack LIst

[mtwarden]

^ you would definitely change your mind when camping in 2'+ snow and need snowshoes on to take a wizz and there is 16 hours of night

hunting Dalls in August- yeah not critical

 

[colin_outdoors]

Man, never realized crocs come in at almost a pound! Backup headlamp likely not necessary in early august with it hardly getting dark. September, absolutely.

 

[Lvthntitall]

Unless you are on your phone a lot I would probably leave one of the battery packs at base camp. Would also consider leaving the bipod at home and leave half the ammunition at base camp.

 

[Cactus kid]

A few thoughts:

I'd leave the bivy. "spending the night" is difficult in a place that gets 20+ hours of daylight. Rain gear and insulaton are plenty for a comfortable nap.

Hydration looks good, but consider replacing the nalgene with Gatoraide bottles with the lid secured. Much lighter and plenty durable. Take an extra for a pee bottle.

Take a pee bottle. Makes rainy days in the tent munch more bearable. Sure its gross. So is not bathing for two weeks on a sheep hunt. Plus its sterile and i like the taste.

Take the tripod. It's great for glassing and a must for telescoping. I see you are bringing a mag view, might as well get some great footage to remember your trip! Id bring the spotter just for the awesome footage.

Id trust you guide on the wiggy waders. They will give you better insite on the amount of stream crossing you will do.

Clothing- the puffy pants wont really be needed. The zip off kuiu peleton + attack + rain pants should keep you plenty warm in august.

Tarp and Glassing pad: I wouldn't take these. If the ground is damp I sit on the rain cover to the pack. It should not be hard to find a soft spot to sit. I could see a tarp being useful on when sitting stationary all day, like say a moose hunt or caribou hunt, but on a sheep hunt i doubt it will ever be used.

Food system: I pack a couple extra ramen packs and an extra peak refuel or two. Its nice to have some extra calories on big days. Id also consider how you are going to organize your food. A bunch of loose packages of freezdried food is a nightmare in a pack. I take Eagle Creek packing cubes- one holds breakfast, one holds snacks/lunch, one holds the dinners. They also double as game bags should the need arise.

Obviously, this is rokslide, and i would be remiss if I didn't berate you for bringing a leupold. Consider yourself scolded.

Id also make sure the "swiss army knife" has all the bits needed to tighten scopes, mounts, action screws should the need arise. I take a leatherman with their little bit kit for insurance.

Have fun! this is a trip of a lifetime!

 

[DBMR]

I read through this thread and never did see a question asked concerning what the guide will actually have at camp (the on the ground guy that will be guiding you personally in the field).

All my clients I have given a detailed list of EVERYTHING that I would have at base camp/strip camp and of that equipment what would be in my pack on my 4-6 day loops away from base camp/strip camp. I had the exact model of these items on that list with it laid out and a picture sent as well.

I also send a list to my clients of what equipment is 100 percent required to be with them coming into base camp and of that, what will also be expected of them to carry on the 4-6 day loops. I listed out in general terms like "rain gear top" and would put in a side note my suggestion.....basically what I used for that particular piece of gear with a helpful link to an internet site if they had to purchase or upgrade.

I would also put a "nice to have" section of this list that makes the trip more enjoyable but would not make or break the hunt. Bottom line if my client shows up with the 100 percent required items.......his hunt would be a success as far as equipment and gear related goes.

As for ballistics, I get all that information prior to my client arriving in the field and enter all that data into my sig 2400 ABS rangefinder so all elevation corrections come from me as the guide when a shot is presented. For guys that don't know their data, I have a Magnospeed Chronograph that I use to get their data in the field after they have ensured zero is still good from airplane bush rides in. And more than not, this is the typical client who has little to no ballistics knowledge of their rifle at all........but are still successful.

Adding what the guide will have at camp down and what gear is expected of the client to have down to the smallest details puts both the client and the guide on the same sheet. And avoiding any unnecessary items needing to be removed at the air strip due to overweight of bags going into the field.

Once at camp, I then leave it up to the client if they want to carry extra stuff in the field (their own spotter/tripod/rangefinder/Jet Boils/knives etc). It is their hunt and if carrying that helps them to enjoy the hunt more, it is a priority of mine then. Safety and enjoyment of the hunt is the number 1 and 2 in priorities for me when guiding. Succes comes in a close third but if the client is not having fun.....then what is the point I've always thought.

If there is one thing in the guiding and outfitting world that is a constant trend is most (not all) owning outfitters are poor in communication and sub-par at best. This poor communication is not only to the client but also to the guides that work for them. I chalk their communication skills up to these owning outfitters look at this as a job and not so much as a passion anymore, and honestly forget that the client booked on this hunt, for years has dreamed of this down to the smallest of details. It is the least they can do is answer simple questions and provide good information from gear to logistics etc......again just my opinion.

I give EVERYONE of my clients the time of day when it comes to this.

 

[william schmaltz]

Im a puffy in August guy. I could drop 5lbs from your pack without touching the puffy. We’ve been in the Brooks opening day with single digit temps and water bottles frozen solid. Have also spent the night waiting out rams with camp in the valley. Very happy to have the puffy gear both times. Even just being up off a glacier with a breeze can make a 40 degree day feel in the teens. Only you know your tolerance for cold. I’ve lived in Northern climate my whole life (last night me and the kid were snow blowing and sledding at -10 and I was in just Prana pants), but once I need to stop or sit down damp, gimme that down!

I’d rather walk outside in crocs and take a 15 second leak than carrying around an extra bulky bottle that smells like piss. But that’s me.

Never been on a guided hunt, but seems like a LOT of duplication. If we’re going on a two man hunt, it’s still one stove, one spotter, one tripod, one first aid, etc.

As someone else mentioned, to me packing light on a sheep hunt is planning for the pack out and not the hunt. Seems like typically a guide takes over 50%. Add in a potential packer on top and a chopper to potentially eliminate a couple day pack job, and you probably don’t have to worry too much.

Always think of this when I hear guys brining piss bottles:

 

[ColeyG]

As others have noted, much of what you need will be based on what is provided by the guide, shared items, etc. My priorities on sheep trips usually revolve around cutting as much weight as possible, sacrificing some comfort in the process. This may not be as high of a priority for you given the nature of your trip, so take these suggestion with a heavy helping of sale.

Based on time of year, location, etc. I'd say you can...

Ditch the Following
-bivy
-one power bank, consider adding a 5w solar panel for the same or less weight than battery banks
-bino adapter, no need for sheep in my opinion
-backup headlamp
-swiss army knife
-mattress pump
-pillow, a pile of puffy clothes in a stuff sack work fine
-food warmer pouch, puffy layers work fine to keep food warm while rehydrating
-water filter
-wiggies
-glassing pad
-pee bag/bottle
-pack cover, use a garbage or trash compactor bag to house stuff that needs to stay dry inside pack
-puffy pants
-extra underwear
-one pair of gloves
-neck gaitor
-bug jacket
-head net
-one knife, keep the havalon
-1.75 boxes of ammo
-rifle and scope covers
-fire making kit

Some others thoughts.

I second the Reactor over the Pocket Rocket. The Windburner would be lighter still.

A 3/4 length sleeping pad is just fine for August. Put extra clothing layers under your legs and feet.

I go back and forth on the sil tarp. More often than not lately I bring an emergency blanket and leave the sil tarp at the trailhead on sheep trips.

Good luck!

 

[cbeard64]

I read through this thread and never did see a question asked concerning what the guide will actually have at camp (the on the ground guy that will be guiding you personally in the field).

All my clients I have given a detailed list of EVERYTHING that I would have at base camp/strip camp and of that equipment what would be in my pack on my 4-6 day loops away from base camp/strip camp. I had the exact model of these items on that list with it laid out and a picture sent as well.

I also send a list to my clients of what equipment is 100 percent required to be with them coming into base camp and of that, what will also be expected of them to carry on the 4-6 day loops. I listed out in general terms like "rain gear top" and would put in a side note my suggestion.....basically what I used for that particular piece of gear with a helpful link to an internet site if they had to purchase or upgrade.

I would also put a "nice to have" section of this list that makes the trip more enjoyable but would not make or break the hunt. Bottom line if my client shows up with the 100 percent required items.......his hunt would be a success as far as equipment and gear related goes.

As for ballistics, I get all that information prior to my client arriving in the field and enter all that data into my sig 2400 ABS rangefinder so all elevation corrections come from me as the guide when a shot is presented. For guys that don't know their data, I have a Magnospeed Chronograph that I use to get their data in the field after they have ensured zero is still good from airplane bush rides in. And more than not, this is the typical client who has little to no ballistics knowledge of their rifle at all........but are still successful.

Adding what the guide will have at camp down and what gear is expected of the client to have down to the smallest details puts both the client and the guide on the same sheet. And avoiding any unnecessary items needing to be removed at the air strip due to overweight of bags going into the field.

Once at camp, I then leave it up to the client if they want to carry extra stuff in the field (their own spotter/tripod/rangefinder/Jet Boils/knives etc). It is their hunt and if carrying that helps them to enjoy the hunt more, it is a priority of mine then. Safety and enjoyment of the hunt is the number 1 and 2 in priorities for me when guiding. Succes comes in a close third but if the client is not having fun.....then what is the point I've always thought.

If there is one thing in the guiding and outfitting world that is a constant trend is most (not all) owning outfitters are poor in communication and sub-par at best. This poor communication is not only to the client but also to the guides that work for them. I chalk their communication skills up to these owning outfitters look at this as a job and not so much as a passion anymore, and honestly forget that the client booked on this hunt, for years has dreamed of this down to the smallest of details. It is the least they can do is answer simple questions and provide good information from gear to logistics etc......again just my opinion.

I give EVERYONE of my clients the time of day when it comes to this.

Kudos to you for being a good communicator. All my outfitters and guides have been great in the field but most have been lacking in pre-hunt communication skills. It’s not a biggie once you go on a few hunts but it can be awfully frustrating and even intimidating when it’s all new to you.

 

[j3butch]

Yeah, I’ve never understood all these people talking about pee bottles for the tent… that shit is gross, I just pee before I go to bed.

Oh man, you livin right not having to get up and piss at least once. #lifegoals

 

[j3butch]

A few thoughts:

I'd leave the bivy. "spending the night" is difficult in a place that gets 20+ hours of daylight. Rain gear and insulaton are plenty for a comfortable nap.

Hydration looks good, but consider replacing the nalgene with Gatoraide bottles with the lid secured. Much lighter and plenty durable. Take an extra for a pee bottle.

Take a pee bottle. Makes rainy days in the tent munch more bearable. Sure its gross. So is not bathing for two weeks on a sheep hunt. Plus its sterile and i like the taste.

Take the tripod. It's great for glassing and a must for telescoping. I see you are bringing a mag view, might as well get some great footage to remember your trip! Id bring the spotter just for the awesome footage.

Id trust you guide on the wiggy waders. They will give you better insite on the amount of stream crossing you will do.

Clothing- the puffy pants wont really be needed. The zip off kuiu peleton + attack + rain pants should keep you plenty warm in august.

Tarp and Glassing pad: I wouldn't take these. If the ground is damp I sit on the rain cover to the pack. It should not be hard to find a soft spot to sit. I could see a tarp being useful on when sitting stationary all day, like say a moose hunt or caribou hunt, but on a sheep hunt i doubt it will ever be used.

Food system: I pack a couple extra ramen packs and an extra peak refuel or two. Its nice to have some extra calories on big days. Id also consider how you are going to organize your food. A bunch of loose packages of freezdried food is a nightmare in a pack. I take Eagle Creek packing cubes- one holds breakfast, one holds snacks/lunch, one holds the dinners. They also double as game bags should the need arise.

Obviously, this is rokslide, and i would be remiss if I didn't berate you for bringing a leupold. Consider yourself scolded.

Id also make sure the "swiss army knife" has all the bits needed to tighten scopes, mounts, action screws should the need arise. I take a leatherman with their little bit kit for insurance.

Have fun! this is a trip of a lifetime!

Solid response. I appreciate it. The Swiss Army knife is very small. Basically a couple tiny blades & tweezers. I've had a hard time justifying a leatherman.
I'm not touching the Leupold debate. That ship has sailed and I'm sticking with it.
Food, I put each day in a ziplock but haven't considered the extra weight and clutter of having 9-10 days of ziplocks by the end of it. Something to think about.
Good stuff! Thx

 

[j3butch]

I read through this thread and never did see a question asked concerning what the guide will actually have at camp (the on the ground guy that will be guiding you personally in the field).

All my clients I have given a detailed list of EVERYTHING that I would have at base camp/strip camp and of that equipment what would be in my pack on my 4-6 day loops away from base camp/strip camp. I had the exact model of these items on that list with it laid out and a picture sent as well.

I also send a list to my clients of what equipment is 100 percent required to be with them coming into base camp and of that, what will also be expected of them to carry on the 4-6 day loops. I listed out in general terms like "rain gear top" and would put in a side note my suggestion.....basically what I used for that particular piece of gear with a helpful link to an internet site if they had to purchase or upgrade.

I would also put a "nice to have" section of this list that makes the trip more enjoyable but would not make or break the hunt. Bottom line if my client shows up with the 100 percent required items.......his hunt would be a success as far as equipment and gear related goes.

As for ballistics, I get all that information prior to my client arriving in the field and enter all that data into my sig 2400 ABS rangefinder so all elevation corrections come from me as the guide when a shot is presented. For guys that don't know their data, I have a Magnospeed Chronograph that I use to get their data in the field after they have ensured zero is still good from airplane bush rides in. And more than not, this is the typical client who has little to no ballistics knowledge of their rifle at all........but are still successful.

Adding what the guide will have at camp down and what gear is expected of the client to have down to the smallest details puts both the client and the guide on the same sheet. And avoiding any unnecessary items needing to be removed at the air strip due to overweight of bags going into the field.

Once at camp, I then leave it up to the client if they want to carry extra stuff in the field (their own spotter/tripod/rangefinder/Jet Boils/knives etc). It is their hunt and if carrying that helps them to enjoy the hunt more, it is a priority of mine then. Safety and enjoyment of the hunt is the number 1 and 2 in priorities for me when guiding. Succes comes in a close third but if the client is not having fun.....then what is the point I've always thought.

If there is one thing in the guiding and outfitting world that is a constant trend is most (not all) owning outfitters are poor in communication and sub-par at best. This poor communication is not only to the client but also to the guides that work for them. I chalk their communication skills up to these owning outfitters look at this as a job and not so much as a passion anymore, and honestly forget that the client booked on this hunt, for years has dreamed of this down to the smallest of details. It is the least they can do is answer simple questions and provide good information from gear to logistics etc......again just my opinion.

I give EVERYONE of my clients the time of day when it comes to this.

You sound like a unicorn! I'm pulling teeth to get any details. The outfitter is respected but the details have yet to come. I have a call set up for March so hope to get a lot of answers.

 

[j3butch]

As others have noted, much of what you need will be based on what is provided by the guide, shared items, etc. My priorities on sheep trips usually revolve around cutting as much weight as possible, sacrificing some comfort in the process. This may not be as high of a priority for you given the nature of your trip, so take these suggestion with a heavy helping of sale.

Based on time of year, location, etc. I'd say you can...

Ditch the Following
-bivy
-one power bank, consider adding a 5w solar panel for the same or less weight than battery banks
-bino adapter, no need for sheep in my opinion
-backup headlamp
-swiss army knife
-mattress pump
-pillow, a pile of puffy clothes in a stuff sack work fine
-food warmer pouch, puffy layers work fine to keep food warm while rehydrating
-water filter
-wiggies
-glassing pad
-pee bag/bottle
-pack cover, use a garbage or trash compactor bag to house stuff that needs to stay dry inside pack
-puffy pants
-extra underwear
-one pair of gloves
-neck gaitor
-bug jacket
-head net
-one knife, keep the havalon
-1.75 boxes of ammo
-rifle and scope covers
-fire making kit

Some others thoughts.

I second the Reactor over the Pocket Rocket. The Windburner would be lighter still.

A 3/4 length sleeping pad is just fine for August. Put extra clothing layers under your legs and feet.

I go back and forth on the sil tarp. More often than not lately I bring an emergency blanket and leave the sil tarp at the trailhead on sheep trips.

Good luck!

Thanks. All good stuff to consider. I’m loving the feedback. On the “-pack cover, use a garbage or trash compactor bag to house stuff that needs to stay dry inside pack”. I totally get it but one concern I can’t get around is the added weight of a soaked pack especially if the weather is shit for a few days without a chance to dry. Living and hunting in CO for the past 16 years I never take one but I just don’t know what to expect with the weather up in the NWT.

 

[maxwellh86]

Oh man, you livin right not having to get up and piss at least once. #lifegoals

Lots of hiking and a couple Advil PM, makes it easy holding it til morning.

 

[maxwellh86]

As others have noted, much of what you need will be based on what is provided by the guide, shared items, etc. My priorities on sheep trips usually revolve around cutting as much weight as possible, sacrificing some comfort in the process. This may not be as high of a priority for you given the nature of your trip, so take these suggestion with a heavy helping of sale.

Based on time of year, location, etc. I'd say you can...

Ditch the Following
-bivy
-one power bank, consider adding a 5w solar panel for the same or less weight than battery banks
-bino adapter, no need for sheep in my opinion
-backup headlamp
-swiss army knife
-mattress pump
-pillow, a pile of puffy clothes in a stuff sack work fine
-food warmer pouch, puffy layers work fine to keep food warm while rehydrating
-water filter
-wiggies
-glassing pad
-pee bag/bottle
-pack cover, use a garbage or trash compactor bag to house stuff that needs to stay dry inside pack
-puffy pants
-extra underwear
-one pair of gloves
-neck gaitor
-bug jacket
-head net
-one knife, keep the havalon
-1.75 boxes of ammo
-rifle and scope covers
-fire making kit

Some others thoughts.

I second the Reactor over the Pocket Rocket. The Windburner would be lighter still.

A 3/4 length sleeping pad is just fine for August. Put extra clothing layers under your legs and feet.

I go back and forth on the sil tarp. More often than not lately I bring an emergency blanket and leave the sil tarp at the trailhead on sheep trips.

Good luck!

I agree that most of the stuff you’re saying to drop would never make it in a pack that I’m hiking with, but there’s definitely a grey area here since he’s being flown into a base camp. If I’m not hiking it all in I’ll bring some nice shit to leave at base camp too… in that regard he’s missing the beers, whiskey, cigars and real food that would be on my list in his case.

 

[j3butch]

I agree that most of the stuff you’re saying to drop would never make it in a pack that I’m hiking with, but there’s definitely a grey area here since he’s being flown into a base camp. If I’m not hiking it all in I’ll bring some nice shit to leave at base camp too… in that regard he’s missing the beers, whiskey, cigars and real food that would be on my list in his case.

Noted!

 

[TWHrunner]

Once at camp, I then leave it up to the client if they want to carry extra stuff in the field (their own spotter/tripod/rangefinder/Jet Boils/knives etc). It is their hunt and if carrying that helps them to enjoy the hunt more, it is a priority of mine then. Safety and enjoyment of the hunt is the number 1 and 2 in priorities for me when guiding. Succes comes in a close third but if the client is not having fun.....then what is the point I've always thought.

This is what it’s all about. It is number one in my opinion. Every hunter should insist on it.

 

[ColeyG]

Thanks. All good stuff to consider. I’m loving the feedback. On the “-pack cover, use a garbage or trash compactor bag to house stuff that needs to stay dry inside pack”. I totally get it but one concern I can’t get around is the added weight of a soaked pack especially if the weather is shit for a few days without a chance to dry. Living and hunting in CO for the past 16 years I never take one but I just don’t know what to expect with the weather up in the NWT.

In my experience my pack winds up pretty well soaked if the weather is bad enough to need a pack cover, which is why I've gone to just trying to keep the critical stuff dry inside the pack. Yes a pack cover will buy you some additional time before full soakage occurs, but the wetout is inevitable when it's raining sideways.

 

[mtwarden]

What’s the fabric on the K4? If it’s Ultra, just use lightweight dry bags inside for sleep/clothing stuff.

If it’s Cordura, that could add weight if wetted out

 

[jofes]

What’s the fabric on the K4? If it’s Ultra, just use lightweight dry bags inside for sleep/clothing stuff.

If it’s Cordura, that could add weight if wetted out

It's Cordura

 

[mtwarden]

^ Ahhhh