The Gear I’ll Never Use Again

[Gato2]

my quick list is: (1) no more Solar Battery Chargers, (2) No more synthetic base layers, nothing other than wool base layers, (3) No other socks that are not Darn Tough 2012's, (4) No more 1st focal plane rifle scopes for me

 

[HunterGatherer]

Interesting. I have done several elk entirely with one blade. I haven't used it lately though since I went back to a fixed blade.

Like I said, I’ve done entire elk with a single havalon blade- at least 15 of them. The OE blades dulled significantly faster - definitely not true surgical blades. Although, the bull I used them on was the biggest bull I have taken and I caped him up to the ears. Maybe that had something to do with it. The hide on the neck, not including the hair was almost 2” thick. Either way, I’ll never use OE again when the havalon is so much better.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Tight Spot quiver.

What a rattle trap

What do you use?

 

[CJ19]

The great valu zip locks. Ill always be using the name brand ones from now on.

 

[Schmo]

Rem 700 style actions
Monolithic bullets
Super stiff boots

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I will guess I'll be flamed for this, but I have had horrible luck with Remingtons. I own 2, one of them was given to me. Both are junk. I don't want to sell them as I would not do that to someone. I will never own another, even if it's free.

 

[cnelk]

What do you use?

Alpine Archery Soft Loc
Been on my bow for 20+ years.

I did try a Tight Spot a few years ago but man, it rattled and vibrated so I put the Soft Loc back on

 

[Ucsdryder]

The koolaid drinkers are easy to spot in this thread!

 

[COJoe]

Old ass Johnson/Evinrude boat engines.

I had an old vintage 5 hp evinrude or something, can't remember, that we used on a canoe in AK. That stupid motor would run like a champ in my garage in a bucket of water. But, you get it halfway out on a lake and it would quit, everytime! I threatened a couple times to release it to it's death in the lake. I finally set it out for someone to take at a dumpster station in Fairbanks, AK.

 

[flyfisher117]

Costco trekking poles
Havalon Knives
And Camelbaks as a main hydration carrier.

 

[Lawnboi]

Vivo barefoot boots for work or hunting. I love them normally. They are my everyday boot around the property. After a couple of toe-crushing accidents while working, they no longer are used for work boots. After taking them on multiple hunting trips as “secondary” boots, I’ll never wear them any time there are cactus (the soles and leather will absolutely not stop a cactus) or rocks. I tried wearing them with a moderate pack size and rocks on the trail and it was murder. This is coming from someone who only wears barefoot shoes for the last year. Not having any sole support when walking on medium size rocks means your foot just gets hammered. Otherwise, they are great boots for general hiking, scouting, everyday wear.

I just finished a pretty rough elk hunt; my first mountain hunt in barefoot boots 100% of the time and was afraid of this happening to me. I am using resoled Jim green troopers which I’d look at if you really like barefoot boots. More solid construction than vivo trackers for sure and to my surprise, even the pack out, zero issues, not even sore feet like I would get in my kenetreks.

Now it was also wet or snowy for 5 of 6 days. Waterproof socks worked decently, but after 4 days my boots were just wet, but so were my buddies kenetreks.

The biggest downside of the barefoot boot imo now having used it from bouldering to snow and most in between; steep snowy terrain. My buddies could easily grab going up, down and side hilling, I think because of the rigid edge of the boot. I was swearing in my Jim greens and wishing I had my micro spikes, which imo in a scales with for barefoot boots in steep slick conditions. I resorted to supporting my foot on a planted trekking pole asa fall would have resulted in serious injury.

Anyways all that to say don’t give up. I’d explore some different boots. Jim green or those new nicks look to be a more appropriate boot for rough terrain.

 

[HunterGatherer]

Alpine Archery Soft Loc
Been on my bow for 20+ years.

I did try a Tight Spot a few years ago but man, it rattled and vibrated so I put the Soft Loc back on

That’s funny, I had that Alpine quiver for years and it was super quiet but I made the mistake of getting the 3-arrow version, which I regretted a couple times

 

[307]

I just finished a pretty rough elk hunt; my first mountain hunt in barefoot boots 100% of the time and was afraid of this happening to me. I am using resoled Jim green troopers which I’d look at if you really like barefoot boots. More solid construction than vivo trackers for sure and to my surprise, even the pack out, zero issues, not even sore feet like I would get in my kenetreks.

Now it was also wet or snowy for 5 of 6 days. Waterproof socks worked decently, but after 4 days my boots were just wet, but so were my buddies kenetreks.

The biggest downside of the barefoot boot imo now having used it from bouldering to snow and most in between; steep snowy terrain. My buddies could easily grab going up, down and side hilling, I think because of the rigid edge of the boot. I was swearing in my Jim greens and wishing I had my micro spikes, which imo in a scales with for barefoot boots in steep slick conditions. I resorted to supporting my foot on a planted trekking pole asa fall would have resulted in serious injury.

Anyways all that to say don’t give up. I’d explore some different boots. Jim green or those new nicks look to be a more appropriate boot for rough terrain.

Why not just pick a more appropriate tool (footwear) for the job (terrain)?

 

[Lawnboi]

Why not just pick a more appropriate tool (footwear) for the job (terrain)?

I think with microspikes they would be. I always got sore feet with mountaineering boots but never really had serious issues. 90% of the time the barefoot boots were better and didn’t leave my soles or knees feeling sore. The jury is still out for me somewhat. A year ago if you told me packing out an elk with barefoot boots was doable I would have said no way.

 

[huntnful]

Oh yeah, Outdoor Edge knives - was missing my havalon before my elk hunt so grabbed the OE disposable blade version that came with four blades on my way to the woods. Couldn’t even finish quartering my bull before the 4 blades dulled. Stupid push button blade release kept jamming too. I can quarter a whole elk with one or two havalon blades…

Man if this isn’t SPOT ON. Their blades suck, and their blade retention system sucks even more lol. I’ll never have another one. The havalon is superior for sure.

 

[Blurry1]

Superfeet. I’ve tried them several times over the years and they always trash my feet.

 

[CMF]

Things I'll never use again......Danner Pronghorn boots

what happened to the pronghorns? Just curious since we have a few pair of insulated ones, but we don't do much late season so I haven't used them much.

 

[CMF]

Oh yeah, Outdoor Edge knives - was missing my havalon before my elk hunt so grabbed the OE disposable blade version that came with four blades on my way to the woods. Couldn’t even finish quartering my bull before the 4 blades dulled. Stupid push button blade release kept jamming too. I can quarter a whole elk with one or two havalon blades…

Interesting. I have done several elk entirely with one blade. I haven't used it lately though since I went back to a fixed blade.

agree, I think maybe 2, maybe 3 on an elk. just one for an entire deer.

What do you use?(quiver)

For Matthews, the fixed lo pro is awesome. I hated the tight spot too.

 

[missjordan]

Garmin Oregon GPS because smartphones have basically made handheld GPS a dinosaur

Rugged Ridge Extreme rear support system- that thing is a piece of crap. And why did I buy two of them? Plus there expensive AF

Water purification systems- just not hunting far enough away anymore to justify needing to fill up on water in the backcountry

Any other brand of socks except for Darn Tough. They’re my favorite and I wear them in my everyday street clothes too. Never want to wear anything else

Benchmade knife that i own- hate that thing. Never stays sharp.


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[BoilerBowHunter]

Insulated rubber boots

Took a long time to understand why my damn feet were always freezing despite heavy wool socks and 2,000 grams of insulation! Some things you just learn the hard way….