Starter Setup

[MTElkChaser]

If your backpack hunting spend the most you can on quality lightweight gear.
Car camping anything will work, backpacking totally different. Every once of weight and warmth count.
That pretty much means a down bag, a silnylon or dyneema tent, and a pad with a high R rating.

This ^^^^^^

Everyone laughed at my dyneema tent, titanium pots and stove, and other lightweight gear until they lifted my pack vs theirs. One area where I don’t count ounces though is in my sleeping pad and pillow. Lack of sleep in the backcountry because you’re uncomfortable is a miserable time. There’s a ton of knowledge on this site from guys who have made mistakes. My goal is to have people learn from mine over the years and not repeat them! Good luck!!

 

[HuntnPack]

Thanks again! I’m liking the seek outside tents. Still undecided on the bag and pad.

A good approach for me is to build a flexible sleeping system, with a means to
Make some comfort adjustments to that system.
For instance my Sleeping bag has vent & hood features to allow me to control temp. It also has a pocket to keep a pillow from sliding out & creating a draft area.
Also get a sleeping bag length that is not too long.

I also utilize a ground cloth & or a reflective cloth, & a z pad as needed under my pad.


Several things to consider in pad selection:

Weight, thickness, size/shape, intended use, ie: seasonal / temp., Materials used,
& Design / Comfort features,
( some pads have noisy or slippery surface materials, or cold spots in between air chambers)

Total sleep system ie; shelter type,
floor / floorless, Bivy, Tarp.
Ground cloth, secondary foam pad,
pillow use, etc to name just a few.
Choose a pad to support your
sleeping bag / quilt temp ratings,

Thermal conductivity design. R value

(Not all manufacturers have adopted
Standardized R value rating procedures.
ASTM F3340-18.)

 

[Ross]

You can scrimp on many things but things that will break the hunt and cut it short are poor boot selection, bad sleep and your worn out and beat down body. You don’t have to spend a fortune but spend wisely and use stuff before you go to your hunt lots of good info provided good luck…..

 

[Bowhunter471]

Following

 

[jdwelch93]

A good approach for me is to build a flexible sleeping system, with a means to
Make some comfort adjustments to that system.
For instance my Sleeping bag has vent & hood features to allow me to control temp. It also has a pocket to keep a pillow from sliding out & creating a draft area.
Also get a sleeping bag length that is not too long.

I also utilize a ground cloth & or a reflective cloth, & a z pad as needed under my pad.


Several things to consider in pad selection:

Weight, thickness, size/shape, intended use, ie: seasonal / temp., Materials used,
& Design / Comfort features,
( some pads have noisy or slippery surface materials, or cold spots in between air chambers)

Total sleep system ie; shelter type,
floor / floorless, Bivy, Tarp.
Ground cloth, secondary foam pad,
pillow use, etc to name just a few.
Choose a pad to support your
sleeping bag / quilt temp ratings,

Thermal conductivity design. R value

(Not all manufacturers have adopted
Standardized R value rating procedures.
ASTM F3340-18.)

What sleeping bag do you run? I like your point of keeping the pillow from sliding out.

 

[Eldoradotim]

Too many questions, not enough details.

We can spend your money for you on recommendations super easy, but if we don’t know what you want/need then it’s just a guessing game.

For example: “the West” is a big place, Arizona or Northern Montana?

What are you wanting to hunt?
When(ish)?
Where(ish)?
Budget? (Your numbers mentioned earlier are likely more than enough for top quality gear)

 

[Eldoradotim]

P.s. Are you a starving college student or grown ass man?

I started as a grown up and so budget wasn’t as much a factor, I already understood the “buy once cry once“ principle and therefore I wanted to just start with high quality gear from the start.

 

[HuntnPack]

I have a Nemo Riff 15.

 

[jdwelch93]

Too many questions, not enough details.

We can spend your money for you on recommendations super easy, but if we don’t know what you want/need then it’s just a guessing game.

For example: “the West” is a big place, Arizona or Northern Montana?

What are you wanting to hunt?
When(ish)?
Where(ish)?
Budget? (Your numbers mentioned earlier are likely more than enough for top quality gear)

Looking at a Wyoming or western Montana mule deer hunt as a first trip then I hope to bow hunt elk in Colorado. These trips will be once a year for me because I’m in Mississippi and only get so much vacation. I’ll also be using them on 2-3 day trips to the smoky mountains in Tennessee.

maybe this helps? I really was just trying to get a starting point. I know this has been discussed on the forums. I’ve read and watched a lot of videos since posting.

 

[Eldoradotim]

Sounds like your looking for a good all-arounder setup, nothing too specific.

Only you can decide if you’d prefer floorless vs traditional tent. I go floorless btw, I have a Seek Cimarron (w/ stove if wanted) and I also have a super light tarp for mild weather (September elk hunts). Either way I use a Borah bug bivy to keep everything in and don’t have to mess with a ground sheet.

I think a good bag in the 15-20 degree category will handle your needs, you have to determine whether you personally are a hot/cold sleeper as to err on the warmer bag side or not. I have a REI Magma 10 degree mummy, which I decided is simply too tight for me. Tried a Nemo Disco 15, much roomier and pretty comfortable but found I was still too hot much of the time and the bag was heavy. Now have a new El Coyote 20 degree quilt, so far it’s awesome. Very versatile and can use loosely/as a blanket in warm conditions, and super light/low bulk.

For a pad, just choose something that fits YOU and has an r-value of 4+. For example, I bought a Nemo Tensor Field that is super light, warm enough, and comfy enough....except for the width. Its a 20” wide pad and I’m 6’2” so if I lay on my back, my elbows fall off the pad, on my side it is barely enough. So now I have a Klymit insulated Static V SL, very comfy but almost twice the weight. Oh well, the tarp & quilt help with the weight.

Anyways, with your budget you can buy very nice, very lightweight, gear. Pick a tent style you prefer and buy the lightest you can, same for sleeping bag/quilt. And pick a quality insulated pad that will fit your body.

 

[jdwelch93]

P.s. Are you a starving college student or grown ass man?

I started as a grown up and so budget wasn’t as much a factor, I already understood the “buy once cry once“ principle and therefore I wanted to just start with high quality gear from the start.

28 with a wife and kid so budget is not that big of a deal. anything worth doing is worth over doing. I can’t stand not having the right tools.

 

[jdwelch93]

Sounds like your looking for a good all-arounder setup, nothing too specific.

Only you can decide if you’d prefer floorless vs traditional tent. I go floorless btw, I have a Seek Cimarron (w/ stove if wanted) and I also have a super light tarp for mild weather (September elk hunts). Either way I use a Borah bug bivy to keep everything in and don’t have to mess with a ground sheet.

I think a good bag in the 15-20 degree category will handle your needs, you have to determine whether you personally are a hot/cold sleeper as to err on the warmer bag side or not. I have a REI Magma 10 degree mummy, which I decided is simply too tight for me. Tried a Nemo Disco 15, much roomier and pretty comfortable but found I was still too hot much of the time and the bag was heavy. Now have a new El Coyote 20 degree quilt, so far it’s awesome. Very versatile and can use loosely/as a blanket in warm conditions, and super light/low bulk.

For a pad, just choose something that fits YOU and has an r-value of 4+. For example, I bought a Nemo Tensor Field that is super light, warm enough, and comfy enough....except for the width. Its a 20” wide pad and I’m 6’2” so if I lay on my back, my elbows fall off the pad, on my side it is barely enough. So now I have a Klymit insulated Static V SL, very comfy but almost twice the weight. Oh well, the tarp & quilt help with the weight.

Anyways, with your budget you can buy very nice, very lightweight, gear. Pick a tent style you prefer and buy the lightest you can, same for sleeping bag/quilt. And pick a quality insulated pad that will fit your body.

Thanks for the advice. That definitely gives me some options. I didn’t know half of these brands existed. All you can find around my area is bass pro brand camping gear or Walmart specials so this has been a huge help.

 

[Eldoradotim]

Thanks for the advice. That definitely gives me some options. I didn’t know half of these brands existed. All you can find around my area is bass pro brand camping gear or Walmart specials so this has been a huge help.

If its backpacking (vs base camping/truck camping) stick to places like BlackOvis, goHunt, or even REI. And then small company websites like Seek Outside etc...

 

[jdwelch93]

If its backpacking (vs base camping/truck camping) stick to places like BlackOvis, goHunt, or even REI. And then small company websites like Seek Outside etc...

I just ordered a thermarest pillow and a klymit insulated static v luxe sl from go hunt. Both were on sale. Still kicking around the bag or quilt. I like the EE convert quit. Looks like the best of both worlds?