Share your "Hunting Items I've overspent on with no advantage"

[KurtR]

I froze my ass off as a kid sitting in ditches waiting to shoot a goose. Frost bite on fingers, walls coveralls and bread sacks in my boots to keep my feet dry. Have used a bunch of cheap junk and I dont regret any of the nice things I have now. I suffered enough to make me really appreciate good clothes and gear. Probably biggest regret is the used bow I bought just don’t have the patience or time to enjoy bow hunting.

 

[Maverick1]

Preference points in Colorado!........oops, errr.....sorry, wrong thread!...........

 

[Sportsman247]

Man This post hits home and definitely hits my pocket book. When I first decided to go out west and hunt, I spent numerous hours researching this site and others for the “perfect” gear. After spending literally thousands of dollars on different packs, clothing, rifles, tents, and all the lightweight gear to pack in; I have concluded that I should have shopped for used gear or off brand on some items to keep from spending so much. I don’t regret owning all the totes of “stuff” that I only use for a limited time every year, but I do wish I would have been more frugal with my decisions. I have truly enjoyed my experiences and caught the western hunting bug late in life but I wouldn’t trade any of it regardless of what I’ve spent. Life is short and we only get one shot at it!

 

[ndlawrence]

Every piece of gear I own. I could downgrade everything I own and still have the same outcome.

This. While I really enjoy some of my nice gear, the only value it truly add is making me feel warm and fuzzy inside. My rule is more like 95:5 than 80:20. 95% of the desired result is achieved with 5% of the money I spend on gear.

 

[PhilipC]

I moved to the US 5 years ago and started hunting with what I could afford. A pair of Timberland boots I bought on sale, my bow that was already almost a decade old and a daypack and solids. I still killed bucks with what basic gear I had, but all the gear I’ve acquired since sure makes it more comfortable


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[Breddoch]

Unquestionably rifles. No telling what time and money I’ve spent trading in and out of rifles, buying ammo,etc. Every animal I’ve taken, with exception of one, could have been taken with the first 7mm I bought in 1995. I would be upset about it if I hadn’t had so much fun doing it.

 

[Beckjhong]

This thread should be a must read for new hunters. Otherwise, it seems aphorisms force high dollar purchases in every category. “Boots and pack is where you want to spend your money,” or “buy the best glass you can”, etc.

I spent too much on the Western hunt “formula” kit, and ended up with a bunch of stuff I don’t use.

 

[Marmots]

I bought a spotting scope because all the cool guys had spotting scopes. I hauled it around the mountains for years before I realized it's not something I need to carry for the type of hunting I do.

I'll probably never care too much about antler scores, so glassing usually involved me looking at an elk through binos, then switching to the spotting scope and saying, "Yep, there's that same elk. But a little more magnified".

 

[fngTony]

I received an Ultralighter Kestrel Knife as a gift. It was the titanium with tungsten carbide. Supposedly to create a micro-serrated edge that would hold an edge.

I felt really bad that someone spent a good chunk of money on me for a knife that became frustratingly dull before I’d finish a deer.

After a few deer, and the required sharpening mid task, I just couldn’t use it anymore. No way I’d use it on an elk hunt. No weight savings if packing hones or stones plus increased time breaking down an animal.

I’m glad I sold mine before using it then. It also just didn’t feel secure in my hand. Maybe a good backpacker knife.

 

[fngTony]

Clothing, lots of it. Here’s what DID have an advantage, zip off bottoms, active insulation, hip vents and Sitka makes some really nice hoods. Lighted knocks, inconsistent quality.

 

[cmahoney]

BSA scope, for $75 I really don’t see an advantage over my $50 Tasco


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[mooretitan]

Guessing most of my money that I could have done without is so much clothing. Spent a lot the last couple years on it. Pretty muich over spending money on camo. I got by this year with a pair of paints from costco (-$20) and a dicounted patagonia light weight long sleeve. Been pretty much all I wore this year and I have been out in the field a ton. Pretty sure I can get another year out of both of them.
Guns would have to be the other one. Son always ask me why I need another one. Really could get by with just a handful.
Have a couple back tents in the closet that have not even been open. Just use the same one I have been using.

I think if I was just getting started out I would just buy things for the hunting I did 90% of the time and not worry about the rest of it. But I am pretty sure I have broken that habit now or at least there really isn't anything I need so I have been able to save a lot more this year

 

[orionsbrother]

I’m glad I sold mine before using it then. It also just didn’t feel secure in my hand. Maybe a good backpacker knife.

Alas, in my opinion, it’d only be a good backpacker knife if you don’t need to cut anything. I was really disappointed.

 

[NEWAoutdoors]

Kuu attacks for me

 

[wind gypsy]

hardly ever use my bigger glass (12x50 el and meopta s2) and heavier promaster 525 tripod.

Rifles are the biggest overall $$ waste but it’s more a separate hobby than to have better hunting tools.

I never use my lite outdoors backpacking stove.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Hi. May name is Desk Jockey and I am a gear junkie...

Yeah...so...I could write book here. I am a bit OCD and have probably overspent on every category of gear over the years some of it barely gets used before I sell it and move on.

My biggest recent flirtation was with some lightweight backpacking gear I bought for hiking but also hunting. That gear is fine but most of it is focused on the through hiker crowd that obsess about weight and throw a lot of money at shaving ounces. Dyneema tarps and tents are probably top of the list. 1/2 the weight for 3x the cost. Some of those piece are starting to show wear after a couple of trips too which makes me cranky. That stuff has its place but I could have saved a lot of money if I wouldn’t have turned down that particular alley.

 

[eoperator]

I've wasted alot of money on high end gloves, always disappointed. The good ol kinko pigskin "farmers gloves" with a spray of silicone are just as good for 1/8 the price.

 

[RMac5]

High end bows. My old bows kill just as good as my newer faster lighter bows. No telling what I’ve spent buying them and they lose money just like a pick up. Wish they held value like a rifle or shotgun. I understand why they don’t. My deer really don’t care which bow I hunt them with.

 

[Goatie]

One of the only things I’ve bought that really dissapointed me for the money was a heavy camo wool sweater from cabelas. I debated buying it for months due to the price. It was some wind proof, classy 1/4 zip that was around $150 when I had absolutely no money in college. I splurged and literally skipped meals because of it.

I’ve worn it twice in ten years. The first time I wore it I froze due to lack of a hood and back that pulled up, my neck was raw from the zipper, wind went straight through it. Second time, Velcro tabs and burrs caught everywhere and mangled it, pulling it over my head ripped an internal layer, it got muddy and the care instructions were absolutely tedious. It remains on a hanger front and center in my gear closet, taunting me, as I religiously grab my carhart hooded sweatshirt to go hunt.

 

[paxamus]

Lighted nocks for sure- the inconsistency in flight and weight drive me crazy, but yea I did have them on all my arrows.

Fancy carbon fiber bipods. I admit they are cool and I got one for my rifle for an elk hunt, but the “ounces” I saved on it didn’t really matter because I over pack my pack every hunt “just in case” when I knowingly could walk out of anywhere I was hunting in a few hours.


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