What have you bought recently?

[tttoadman]

viper 10x42 binos
AGC bino harness
Kifaru Mountain Warrior bag for my old duplex

 

[_RJ_]

Outside of a $1000 non resident mt elk tag and about to drop another $900 on Idaho non res tags nothing much this year...looking at some late season kenetreks for November if needed

That's pretty hardcore. I've hunted Idaho once when I was 15 or so. Woke up on opening morning to the distinct smell of wildfire smoke. So that ended that. This year most of the area surrounding where I hunt is on fire. I've started to toss around the idea of out of state tags recently. I knocked out the "Bowhunter Ed" course on Friday. Now I have to do the field exercise but that's the price to pay to hunt out of state I guess.

 

[_RJ_]

Well I didn't really NEED anything. But I wanted something.

So I bought a nice knife for the field. I acquired a few bark river kitchen knives this last winter along with a bird an trout (which rocks), and was amazed at the quality, and really fell for the convex edge.

So I bought a new hunting knife. In a2 steel, hopefully to allow for easier field sharpening.

http://www.dlttrading.com/huntsman-black-canvas-micarta

Finally will have a hunting knife from bark river to compliment my kitchen knives along with my bird and trout. Hope to chop up a few whitetail with it this fall.

Jesus, am I turning into one of those knife guys? Hope not, but I have always enjoyed a nice fixed blade knife.

Looks like a solid knife. I'm a fixed blade guy myself. But I've been tossing around the idea of a havalon. I'm not much of an ounce counter. I usually just carry whatever and go. Then some say "you've never truly been out 'there' in the deep country". Whatever that means.

 

[_RJ_]

This will be my 2nd year archery elk hunting. I learned a lot last year and have spent the last 10 months researching and acquiring gear to make this year better than last. Here's what I've got so far:
Kuiu attack pants, 145 merino zip, beanie, gloves, neck gaiter. The clothes I wore last year sucked for hiking and warm weather.
GPS: Garmin Oregon 600. Didn't have one last year.
Boots: Lowa Renegades. My 6 y/o Asolos pinch my big toe now.
Outdoorsman medium tripod.
Here are the things I have yet to buy but plan to in the very near future:
Swarovski 10x42 SLC
FL uncompaghre
Kifaru hunting frame with Nomad and grab it II

I have the nomad and grab it. That's some good stuff. I also added the small pouches that attach to the waist belt. Those are clutch for small stuff.

 

[_RJ_]

I've bought things over the course of the past year to address some issues from last year, but I test EVERYTHING before showtime with a Tag in my pocket. I always like the "what worked, what didn't" threads each year, I could see this going that way.

- Pad: replaced old Neoair Protrail with a neoair. WAY better on my hips.
- Shelter: replaced SD Clip Flashlight 2 (approx 4.5 lbs) with a SO BT2. First trip out with my old man, floorless, sliding on tyvek....didn't go so well, so he bought me a Hille Anjan 2. Hell of an upgrade. Anjan still saves about 0.5 lb and WAY more livable. That scouting trip is a great example of why you test your stuff early, the BT2 was ok for me.....not for my old man.
- Pack: Sold the MR Metcalf, which I loved, but hated the 7lb 7oz weight, and got a SG Solo w/lid. Lost 3 lbs right off of the bat.
- Got more FMJ arrows and some more Slick Trick mag BH's for the season.
- Rangefinder: didn't have one. Have a Vortex now, testing thoroughly during Spring Bear season. First one crapped out on me, Vortex sent another promptly.
- Gloves: went from Sitka shooters to Kuiu ultra merino, simply due to fit.
- Puffy: Didn't have one, added the Kuiu Kenai jacket. Sleeves are too tight in my opinion, they got it about 80% right. Works great on the move, packs small. I'd go with the Sitka Ultralight down jacket if I had another go at it.
- Kifaru meat baggie: kicks butt. I use it as a food bag and pack liner. Got one of those tiny z-packs cuben bags and z-slick line to throw the system over a branch with, HUGE improvement, way less A$# pain.
- Calls: new rocky mtn game calls reed and open reed to replace the Primos. I've noticed the new open reed is really a lot easier to use and get consistent sounds.
- Need to replace the old sitka core with some merino.....or the new sitka treated poly. Probably won't happen before the season, so I'll be washing my core shirt every 2 days to douse the funk. the reek pretty quick.

what could possibly be left? The elephant in the room is glass, looking to get into some Swaro SLC's and a tripod, using a trekking pole for support is still quite a bit of shake at distance. Nikon's aren't cutting it at dusk, and edge clarity, CA is quite noticeable. I chose to take care of the above this year over glass, simply because I'm not doing a ton of long range glassing. Maybe not the right call, we'll see.

You're on your way for sure. I might suggest an in person look at the Vortex Razor HD. I'm a big Swarovski fan myself. But I have to be honest, for hunting and really for most of us that scope is spot on for the money. I was in the Corps from '03-'07 and we had M49 spotting scopes. In case you're not familiar those were new in WW2... Seriously.

I fletched up some FMJ's the other day. Mostly because no matter what I'm hunting or when, I will shoot at a coyote. And it's no guarantee your arrow is going to make it through unscathed.

 

[_RJ_]

I was going to start a list but that's not a good idea I realized. Wayyyy toooo much ! Every time I get shut in the house with weather and get bored it costs me a fortune !

I hear ya. I'm not sure what's more expensive, drugs or hunting?

 

[CrzyTrekker]

Went from Lowa Trekkers to Kenetrek Mountain Extremes, but only for late-season hunts. Still using the Lowas on most trips. The Kenetreks are very warm with the waterproof liner. Been breaking them in slowly and have about 18 training miles on them. Hoping they are a great boot, because they're crazy expensive.
Went from Kifaru Supertarp to Hilleberg Akto for summer scouting and solo hunting. Wanted a bug-proof, quieter shelter. Thought long and hard about the new Enan, but ultimately decided I could get more use from the 4-season Akto. Used it a couple times so far and liking it.

 

[HunterHawk]

I am definitely not going to list everything because I have bought a ton of stuff this year unfortunately! I even bought a new truck just so I wouldn't have to worry about my truck breaking down in the mountains!

My brother and dad are finally coming out for an elk hunt this year after talking about it for the last 20 years so I am beyond pumped! my dad is 65 and hunts traditional but for whitetail in michigan and hasn't been to colorado in 20 years so he needed a lot of gear and my brother has never hunted out west so he also needed a ton of gear! my dad was a drywaller and still does today so for him this hunt is already expensive enough with just the out of state tag so I bought him all new camo and hiking boots because all his camo was for cold weather and we will be hunting 2nd week archery. My brother has 2 kids and just started his own chiropractor business so he doesn't have a lot of money either... I DEFINITELY don't make a lot of money but I worked a TON of overtime just so I could try and outfit this hunt because after all memories last a lot longer than money! luckily my brother and I are about the same size. I think i pretty much got everything but I'm sure there will be stuff I forgot so that will be a bummer but i tried to pull stuff together on a tight budget while trying to make new truck payments :/ but with my rear differential going out there was no way I was taking any chances.

after our hunt don't be surprised when I post up a lot of gear for sale! unless of course they act like it will be a yearly thing then I will keep it!

but that is the sole reason I bought so much new gear.. my bow is from 2010 I am not a guy who buys new gear every year. But I would if i could

 

[wawhitey]

I'm always curious when hunting season rolls around how everything is out of stock. Is there that many new hunters annually? Are that many people trying new gear?

I just find it strange how grunt tubes or camo is never around. Does your grunt tube no longer work? Is last years camo no longer effective? What's your hypothesis? So what have you bought before the season that you've never used? Like maybe a new knife or new camo 'system'(outfit)....?

Everything around me is on fire. Since there's a possibility that I'll have to hunt in new areas that are more tightly regulated, I purchased a GPS with OnXmaps. I hunt the same areas most every year and know a lot of ground, so I've never owned a GPS. In my mind a GPS isn't something that would fly off the shelves. As luck would have it almost no one had one in stock, that I could look at in person. I guess they do fly off the shelves.

I constantly buy all new crap. Not that i need it, i just have a little kids obsession with new toys, and i doubt im alone in that.

 

[rodney482]

2nd pr of Salomon quests
3 firstlite llanos
Firstlite puffy
Razor raptor
2 exodus trail cams
Easton backpack (deer hunting)
G force ultimate pkg apparel
Vortex 2.5x10 and 30mm rings
Scott release
MBG pure 75 sight
Electric ATV (club car)
Kifaru Duplex and mt warrior bag
Sitka Ascent jacket
Glendel buck target
2 Athens Solaces
Ky tag, IL tag, AZ tag
Flight to AZ

 

[5MilesBack]

and splurged for a new Kifaru Slick 20 degree bag. I tend to react impulsively when something fails me, so after freezing in my 20 year old sleeping bag the last few years I had enough.

It couldn't have been that bad if you only went with the 20 degree. After freezing in my sub par sleeping bag several years ago, I went out and bought a -30 bag. Wasn't going to let that happen again.

 

[Hungarydog]

It couldn't have been that bad if you only went with the 20 degree. After freezing in my sub par sleeping bag several years ago, I went out and bought a -30 bag. Wasn't going to let that happen again.

If you're going to be a bear, be a grizzly

 

[JWP58]

I splurged on a jetboil. Never had one, and it does boil water fast.

 

[Lawnboi]

Looks like a solid knife. I'm a fixed blade guy myself. But I've been tossing around the idea of a havalon. I'm not much of an ounce counter. I usually just carry whatever and go. Then some say "you've never truly been out 'there' in the deep country". Whatever that means.

I'm no ounce counter myself, though my gear is pretty light weight. Couldn't tell you what my gear weighs for any given trip. I too just fill up the pack and go.

The havalon is worth a shot, I broke down a number of deer with it, tried multiple styles and just did not care for it.

Bark river makes a hell of a knife though, right here in the USA.

 

[Frosty82]

I didn't need it, but I just ordered a Revelation 800DT 10F bag in the garage sale bin from EE. Looking forward to trying it out!

 

[Floorguy]

Nothing big game related in fact I think u have sold more than I have bought lol. I did get a new shotgun to go with my hunting pup, a CZ Canvasback.

I did pick up a BOB wagon to go with my fatbike for bike based hunts.

 

[sodaksooner]

Too much stuff this year...Not typical as I am pretty cheap

2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
BPWD Luna 6
Lite outdoors 18" stove
Kuiu Chinook Jacket
Kuiu Tiburon gloves
Kuiu Merino gloves
Icon 5200 bag.
REI branded Carbon Fiber Trekking poles
Icebreaker Merino long johns

Crap...that's a lot of stuff now that I added it all up....need to slow down.

 

[camelcluch]

Montana decoy and a few hats. Oh, a shirt too. Light year for me.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

I bought the following:
Vortex viper hd 12x50
Vortex unidaptor
North Face Superlight Sleeping bag
Sea to summit reactor sleeping bag liner
DIY cylinder stove
DIY cargo chair
Kuiu bino harness large- hoping to purchase XL soon
Lowa tibets
Ice breaker merino socks
Items received as gifts:
Sitka merino bottoms
Sitka accent jacket

 

[Dukejb]

I decided last year it was time to upgrade my hunting clothes system from whatever I could get on clearance to Kuiu. So far I've picked up attack pants, tiburon pants, short sleeve merino, long sleeve merino, 145 zip shirt and a peloton hoodie. If I get a chance to, I would like to add a pair of 145 zip off bottoms and a chinook jacket, but those may have to wait. I also picked up a Dana designs k2 longbed external frame pack last week. It's not a kifaru, but it did fit in my budget.