the official 2017 edition of "the good, the meh, and the ugly"

[Arctic Hunter]

Cool thread.

The good: Lowa Tibet high boots. I have issues rolling my ankle so I went with these boots this year. They did awesome and have become my favorite boot.

The meh: kifaru composite stays. I broke a set of these. It is my own fault. I dropped the pack with about 100 pounds in it and snapped them. Kifaru had already sent me the aluminum stays when I was trying to get the pack to fit right (which was awesome of them), so I just use them now with no issues. Given the fact that kifaru stuff is usually bomb proof, I guess I didn't think about that. That being said, I will probably order another set because they're so stinking light

The bad: didn't really have a bad. I got a couple spools of 452X string material and twisted up some Flemish strings for my recurves. I was not impressed with it and much prefer the BCY X.

 

[fngTony]

The good: xcurve frame. Fits me like glove, belt doesn’t slip. Skre hard scrabble pants and kaibab bottoms, flat out quality and value. Trekking poles, My father in law reluctantly tried some and now he loves them because he can do more and get farther.

The meh: Kuiu kenai with hood. I really like a lot about this but the hood just didn’t work for me and it is pretty bulky to pack. Rage broadheads, proved to be deadly but not a fan of sensitive rubber bands to hold the blades. Just not something I’m confident with.

The ugly: sawyer filters. Both my mini and regular stopped working in August (before hunting started thankfully). I didn’t do anything different to store them and didn’t let them freeze. My bow shooting, almost lost a wounded deer.

 

[Arctic Hunter]

The good: xcurve frame. Fits me like glove, belt doesn’t slip. Skre hard scrabble pants and kaibab bottoms, flat out quality and value. Trekking poles, My father in law reluctantly tried some and now he loves them because he can do more and get farther.

The meh: Kuiu kenai with hood. I really like a lot about this but the hood just didn’t work for me and it is pretty bulky to pack. Rage broadheads, proved to be deadly but not a fan of sensitive rubber bands to hold the blades. Just not something I’m confident with.

The ugly: sawyer filters. Both my mini and regular stopped working in August (before hunting started thankfully). I didn’t do anything different to store them and didn’t let them freeze. My bow shooting, almost lost a wounded deer.

Curious to know about the filters. Did they get clogged or did they stop filtering out the bacteria?

 

[fngTony]

Curious to know about the filters. Did they get clogged or did they stop filtering out the bacteria?

Clogged or broke. Zero flow.

 

[Huntindog45]

I had an interesting year. Stayed here in California so I will jump forward to the bad first. California. Yah that covers it. I did manage to kill two bucks here and my son got one also, so we have meat in the freezer. I guess i should not complain too much. But i hunted very hard to kill one below average mule deer and we got a couple better than average blacktails. in all not a bad season...for California public land but it just keeps getting harder here to have a quality hunt. too many people, too much land not producing deer, so many more gates going up, access being lost. It is just a tough state to be a big game hunter in.

The good. I purchased a Metcalf and a Marshall bag from Mystery ranch this year. I have a son that hunts so having two decent packs is nice. plus i got to play around figuring out which one i liked best. I loved both of them, and packed a deer out in each of them. They both worked awesome as hunting packs and general back packing packs. the only downside to these packs, especially the Marshall is the number of straps and buckles gets a little overwhelming. aside from that they are awesome. I just purchased a pintler now that I can get it in the bag only option and I am looking forward to having that for day hunt options. I will put these to much greater use this year in a planned Colorado hunt and possibly a nevada hunt if the gods treat me well in the drawing
Also have to throw finding Rokslide in the good catagory. There is a HUGE wealth of information here. And I have not seen too much attitude toward anyone. Thanks for the welcoming and the great deals i have found on a few purchases off the classifieds (which reminds me that I need to donate some dollars)
Another good, my new Jimmy tarp hudson. Really enjoyed that tent.
Also in the good. discovered First Lite products. I just like the company, i like their gear, i like that they have an active roll in conservation, i like their stance on public land. Glad to see a company that we give our money to take some of that money and use it to support public land hunters. I live here in northern California where there is a similar company and i have done some research and I cannot find much they have done in the name of conservation other than buy their owner some high end tags. i could be wrong but ..... anyway.

The Meh. spent a lot of dinero on license and tag applications to secure another point in a couple of states. I really wish that was not so expensive. I don't mind spending money on a tag, spending money on a point hurts. That being said, i know how strapped these agencies are. so if our money goes toward something i am glad i can help. I have enough Pollyanna in me to still believe that most wildlife agencies, even here in California, try hard to do good for hunters. it is an expensive battle for them and they are dealing with more issues with less money, and trying to please a bunch of different user groups. they are in a tough spot.

The bad. well already covered California. I REALLY love this state. I hunt and fish 365 days a year. This place has everything. but the value seems to be diminishing. my son graduates from high school in a little over a year. I may be looking outside the boundaries of this state for a place to live. Sorry Oregon, you may be getting another Californian.
Getting over the loss of my young son continues to be a huge struggle for me. That is the kind of bad I hope none of you ever have to deal with. Depression is overwhelming at times. Hunting has been therapeutic but it also carries a huge emotion. so much of my quality time with him was spent in a duck blind. I think that is sort of why I have become so much more active in big game hunting again. He did not do a lot of that with me so there is not a memory of him sitting with me on every hilltop. The duck blind was just too much for me to handle often this year. Getting my oldest son into an elk and hopefully into a college close to elk country so i will have a place to visit will be huge on my list of priorities in 2018 and on.

 

[NDGuy]

Getting over the loss of my young son continues to be a huge struggle for me.
View attachment 65855View attachment 65856

Sorry to hear that man. I am glad you are finding comfort in the outdoors, it is pretty magical how it can bring you peace.

Best wishes from my family and we will pray for your lost son.

 

[Riplip]

Good thread.

Good:
Sitka Clothes -I have been slowly building a serious arsenal of clothing over the last five years. I hunted hard in some very thick conditions this
year and amazed at how the materials held up. Favorite piece - Ascent Pants (original, not the new version). Super light weight, but tough. Also
loved the core light weight hoody.

Exo 2200 Pack - 2nd year in a row packing out a bull. Very comfortable and perfect size for day pack, very impressed with durability and weight
hauling capabilty once an animal is down. Super happy with this pack and its organization. Big fan of the load shelf and crib panel.

Gaia GPS app - found myself using my phone a lot more this year and particularly the GAIA app, more than the On X. Very reliable and like the
interface.

Lowa Ticam II Gtx - not fully broken in just yet, but so far really liking this boot. I had Tibets originally and couldn't get comfortable with them.
Ticam has a narrower last, feel much lighter on my feet and feel a little less stiff and clunky than the Tibets.

Spypoint WIreless Trail Cam - not a big trail cam guy in the past, but hunted a particular area last fall that lent itself for game cams. Wireless
part was pretty cool as it could be set to deliver text messages to me at a particular time of day. I set it up a few weeks before season and it
was fun getting updates while I was at home. Got some cool pics, lots of elk and bear.

Meh:
Salomon Quest 4D GTX - love these boots, so comfortable right out of box and still my go to for archery. However as many have reported they
just aren't very waterproof. I am on my 2nd pair and both eventually leaked.

Bad:
Tight Spot Quiver - screws kept loosening on my hunt causing the quiver to move, very frustrating. I understand they have a new version out
in 2018 with improved adjustments and connections, but doesn't help me much.

Me! - talked myself into hunting an area that was easier to access and hunt vs. an area that was brutal to get to but I knew had elk. My
hunting partner made the trek and ended up killing a nice bull. Worst part about it, I had to go to the spot anyway to help him pack out his
bull. Brutal six hour pack out in one load between three of us. Almost killed me. Might have been easier if it was my bull. Resolution for 2018,
dont be such a p--sy....

 

[Ridge Ghost]

The ugly: sawyer filters. Both my mini and regular stopped working in August (before hunting started thankfully). I didn’t do anything different to store them and didn’t let them freeze. My bow shooting, almost lost a wounded deer.

My Sawyer inline stopped working a few years ago as well. I'm almost certain that it didn't freeze, either. Even after numerous backflush attempts it just won't flow at all. Bummer.

 

[twall13]

I've had problems with the Sawyer minis plugging up over time and not being able to back flush them out to restore flow. I now use a Sawyer squeeze and a pre-filter bag and haven't had any issues over the last two years. It's my understanding that freezing the filter wouldn't negatively effect flow, the cracked material just allows the gunk to pass through that could get you sick and you won't even know a difference in flow rate.

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[FlyGuy]

The Good:
Sitka Gear Blizzard beanie. Putting your head into this hat is pure paradise. I didn't wear it too much while hunting, but wore it every night to bed.
Arctic Oven Artika tent. Best tent on the face of the planet...unless you have to pack it more than a few yards.
Scarpa Mont Blanc GTX boots. I can't seem to wear these boots out or break them down.
HMG Ultamid 4. For a two person spike camp shelter, this one provides tons of extra space and is super wind/storm resistant, and all for a mere 21 oz.
Helinox cot. I used this for the first time and slept like a log. Fast and easy setup, but I have to use a pad with it or I freeze my ass off.
Stone Glacier Sky 7400 and XC frame. I've been using this bag now for a couple seasons, used the new frame for the first time this season and love it.

The Meh:
Thermarest Zpad. I used this pad for the first time this year in combo with the Helinox cot and, well, I guess it performed like a $35 foam pad would be expected to perform. It did the job okay when it stayed under me, unfortunately keeping it under me was an issue.

The Ugly:
Seal Line zipper duffle dry bay. I left it out in the rain, like I do all my dry bags, and the zipper failed, allowing a fair amount of water into the bag. Fortunately there was nothing in the bag that couldn't take a little water. I notified Seal Line when I got home and mailed the bag back to them, and they promptly sent back a brand new one. Hopefully this one won't leak.
Thermarest UL cot. This was my buddy's cot, it took him about 20 min. to put together and one of the aluminum poles (that runs the length of the cot), ended up breaking on the 4th night of use.

AK troutbum - I had the same issue keeping my pad on my helinox cot the 1st time is used it. Felt like I was mud wrestling a pig. To tame things down a bit I made up a couple of large loops of bungie cord that fit tightly over the ends of the cot and bag near the top and bottom, which has done a good job of keeping things in place for me.

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[TXCO]

The Good: Getting married, helping my friend get his first bear, kuiu kenai jacket, sitka core light hoody

The Meh: Cant find a good fitting pair of gaiters and not sure the Big Agnes Fly Creek Tent is for me.

The Bad: Elk area being overrun with tourists

 

[IdahoElk]

The Good: Getting married, helping my friend get his first bear, kuiu kenai jacket, sitka core light hoody

The Meh: Cant find a good fitting pair of gaiters and not sure the Big Agnes Fly Creek Tent is for me.

The Bad: Elk area being overrun with tourists

Have you tried Kuiu Gaiters? they have worked great for me snowshoeing, going on 4yrs.

 

[TXCO]

Have you tried Kuiu Gaiters? they have worked great for me snowshoeing, going on 4yrs.

I have tried both types and havent loved them. Could be just bad fit.


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[Jskaanland]

Good
- Kifaru Reckoning- I might go smaller this year. Seemed a bit big for working out of camp. I got to the point where I kept everything for the day in the guide lid and left my main bag empty outside of gamebags.
- Iridium Sat phone - While I didn't use it a ton it helped when my daughter got cut right above her eye and got stitches. I think my wife would have killed me if we weren't able to talk at all for that one.

Bad
- Vanguard Espod Tripod/Leupold Bino adapter plate. Wayyy too shaky. I'm patiently waiting for my binos to return from the outdoorsman with a stud.

Ugly
- I tried to go cheap and use a wally world tarp for a little extra protection from the elements. I ripped out 4 of the 10 eyelets. I'm probably gonna try and sew up my own this off season.
- The hydrogen peroxide contact solution... in cold weather... I had to bail and run to town a day into my first hunt to go buy normal contact solution.