I was emailing back and forth with a few members here talking about what gear we liked and didn't like this season. I want to do the same thing here, lets see what pieces of gear worked, and which ones need to be retired. Pictures to go with thread would be great:

Favorite pieces:

-Kryptek Koldo rain jacket- Perfomed as I expected it too and it replaced the softshell jacket for my first week in deer country. It rained a LOT that trip and having that jacket was worth every bit of it.
-LIl Bug Out Double Base Set Up-I used this shelter for multiple trips this summer and it performed great. Plenty of space for two, and VERY easy to pitch.

Least Favorites:
-Katadyn Vario- Most fickle filter I have ever used. Have sent it in and I am still having problems, will see how their customer service does this off season. If I can't get it to stop spraying water out the top i likely won't ever use it again.
-Goal Zero Battery Pack- I wasn't impressed with the batter pack by itself. It may perform better when it is coupled with their solar panel, but it did not charge my phone as advertised.


What say you?

I could use a new model of knees. They don't have to be new. A pair about 30 years old would be a big improvement. A fresh set of lungs wouldn't hurt any, either. Mine get a little wheezy after a few miles.

I did not use it for hunting, but thus far I am really, really liking this Ultra Copper 3.

And I'm officially a fan of Jetboil after 2013.

Things I liked-

Zeiss 10x40 Classics-Still the [bleep].
Swaro STS 65 20x60, invaluable.
Slik Sprint Pro + Sunpak pistol head-light, stable, compact, awesome.
Tikka T3 Super-Lite 7mm Rem- light, bombproof, ugly enough that I don't feel bad beating it to death.
MR CrewCab-not much to say-it just works.

Dislikes-

Every single pair of boots I've ever worn. From now on I'm wearing lowcut Merrell Phaser Peaks and gaiters.

Tanner

The boot discovery is your best find.



Travis

I have quit using my Goal Zero Guide 10 battery pack, I emailed them a few times and complained about it and got the brush off.

It is supposed to have 10,000mah of juice in it and it only charged my phone one time each time. My Mophie Juice pack Powerstation pro will do 4 charges and it is only rated at 6000mah.

The Nomad 7 solar panel is good, as long as you have sunlight, which is why I got the Mophie and I quit carrying the solar panel. It is also a bit heavy, nearly a pound I think.

I got the Core battery pack for my Petzl headlamp and it has been great, I can top off the charge for a weekend trip and not worry about it going dead, even for a week long trip it lasts plenty. On the off chance I need a recharge, it will plug into the Mophie. I don't even carry my little lantern or a back up light anymore.

Steri-Pen Freedom has also been great, no problems at all and it also recharges from the Mophie.

By getting all electronics to plug into the juice pack, I was able to ditch the extra batteries I needed to carry.

Been using my iPhone instead of a camera for 9 months or so now, it has been the camera, video cam, weather station, GPS and ballistics calculator all rolled into one light weight package. When I get a newer version of the DeLorme InReach it will also give me satellite messaging.

Made the jump to TAG BOMB bags and am very happy I did, they weigh 10 ounces and fold up as small as a large sandwich. Each bag has it's own draw cord and lock and they come with a stuff sack to hold them all. Significant weight savings by switching from my home made canvas meat sacks.

The Stone Glacier Solo continues to impress and Kurt's customer service is just plain awesome, he never refuses to respond to questions or help asked for. The pack is light, comfortable and easy to adjust.

Gaia GPS upgraded something earlier this year and it now works MUCH better, so much better I started leaving my Etrex Vista at home and relied solely on my iPhone and Gaia for navigation.

I didn't get a whole lot of time with Bullet Flight ballistics program, but it was quick and easy to use every time I used and accurate out to the distances I shot with using it.

A friend loaned me a Vortex Viper PST FFP 6-24x50 and it was crystal clear and easy to shoot with out past 600 yards. Although I think for some odd reason the 6x on the Viper is harder to use than my old 6x Leupold, never could put my finger on why. So I think dropping down to a 4-16 in the Viper might be a good call.

KUIU Superdown hooded jacket and pants continues to impress, warm, light and compresses so small you don't even know they are in the pack. Resists water very well and dries quickly. I see they have a vest now too, I want one.

Wetcomb Cruiser LT jacket and pants are beginning to show their age, three years old now and have wetted out twice this year, both times I washed them with the stuff Westcomb suggested to use. If they wet out again I will have to try some extra waterproofing. I have never been happy with the way the hood fit, it was just plain irritating as I had a difficult time adjusting it. Upgrade will be to KUIU when I get around to it.

Vasque Breeze 2.0 boots sucked in a nutshell, the toe box is too narrow even after I spent considerable time using a boot stretcher on them. They named them Breeze for a reason, nice enough to keep your feet cool in hot weather, but will chill your feet quickly when the temps drop.

Minus 33 merino wool base layers gets highest marks, no complaints at all about any of it. Very happy I switched over from synthetic.

My old Cabela's Meindl's (five years old) started falling apart and Cabela's bought them back for what I paid for them. I turned around and bought a pair of Denali's but haven't gotten to wear them much as I have been hampered by tendonitis in my left leg and have to go easy on it this year. High marks for Cabela's customer service though.

I got a Exped Downmat XP9 in the spring this year, very warm and comfortable but heavy at nearly 3 pounds with stuff sack, repair kit and air bag/dry sack. I will be getting a Xtherm for fast and light trips. The Exped will remain on winter duty.

Our 4 Kifaru Slick bags are now 3-1/2 years old, two of them belong to two teenage boys. Not one bag has a rip, tear, hole or loose seam in them. Three of them see all year round use. One person got hypothermia on a trip in March, I rolled her up into her Slick bag and it warmed her right up. They fend off snow, rain and condensation with ease. I even crawled in with wet clothes one time to see what would happen, woke up in the morning dry. The bag had beads of water on the outside but I was warm all night. But the 0 degree rating is a tad off as I begin to feel chilled once the temp drops into the mid to high teens and it weighs just shy of 3 pounds.

I was waiting for KUIU to come out with their Superdown bag but it still hasn't seen the light of day yet.

Enlightened Equipment just introduced a Downtek quilt rated for 0 degrees and weighs less than 1-1/2 pounds. That coupled with an Xtherm pad would put my sleep system lighter than my Kifaru bag all by itself.

Interesting info on the 0 Slick, same as many others have posted. That means it weighs the same as NF Cat's Meow, and has the same warmth, except NF doesn't call theirs a 0 bag.

Feathered Friends is currently testing some version of "dry down".

Jacks R' Better's quilts can be ordered right now with Active-Dry down.

Gear I used and really liked this year.

La Sportiva Trekker 180's. I couldn't find any trail runners in my AO. Softer footbeds with heavier loads work far better than stiffer soles do. I get way more miles out of my feet per day that way. EdT made me see the light.

Seek Outside BCS. I freeeekin LOVE this tent. With the panel in it's plenty big for two, and without it, it weighs very little more than a Kifaru Supertarp. The difference is the footage is twice as much room. Plus you can stand up in it...

EdT cylinder stove. It's not hype, it's the best stickburner out there for a floorless tent. I don't know if it's the damper system or what, but they use aat least a 3rd less fuel than the same volume in a box stove. Plus, being a cylinder, to get the same volume, that means it's longer. That means you can buck standing dead lodgepole longer, which means less work...

V2.0 Firesteel. They're that much better...

Firstlite Kanab pants. Been wearing them since bow season. Not your grampa's wool hunting pants...


Gear I bought I didn't like so much...
I bought a summer bag before The Bob through hike. Mountain Hardware Lamina 35... It's close to the same size as my beloved WM Badger. I didn't save any wieght in my kit, but it's a synthetic cheap bag I can beat the [bleep] out of and not care. I hate the zipper in it. It reminds me of being in a Slumberjack bag from Kmart. If you awoke in the middle of the night needing to take an urgent [bleep], things are going to end very badly for you...

Didn't change too much this year, my biggest change and great success was with my Seek Outside 6 man. Came in super handy when Ma Nature decided to drop 8" in late September.

Well my season is far from over. Deer is just opening here in NC but I did take a backpack hunt with Rock Chuck in October and based on that:

My Asolo 520 boots were still a bit stiff during my October pack hunt in Idaho but were totally broken in by the end of the week.(I was pretty well broken in by then too!) The extra ankle support helped and felt better in those mountains than the lightweight Lowa Renegades I wore last year.


The GoLite SL 5 worked well for two. We added a small folding table made coffee and cooked our breakfast each morning in the comfort of our bags. Had a snow the last day which showed the need for a sod skirt but overall it worked pretty good.



The Tikka T3 Lite in 7mm-08 with a Leopold VX-II 3-9 40mm @ about 7 pounds total was much more enjoyable to carry than the 10 1/2 lb Weatherby I carried last year. And it was plenty effective on the little mulie buck, the first animal it was used on.

Second year in a row, I am sold on the Kifaru Gunbearer. I'll take it 100 to 1 over a typical sling.

Rock Chuck's llamas were da bomb! Best "gear" yet. In fact, if I can find a place to keep them, I'm seriously considering a pair of these guys myself! From packing in camp, with plenty of gear as you can see in the tipi photo above, to packing out meat these boys were awesome!


And this isn't my gear but Rock Chuck picked up a little folding aluminum table and two matching stools from Sportsman's Warehouse which were compact, lightweight, and very functional and useful.

My gear acquisitions were minimal this year and granted some of my opinions are biased.

First Lite Uncompahgre Jacket - I really like this jacket a lot. My only complaint is the zipper which isn't bad, but is fiddly. IMO, waterproof zippers are great, but normally more hassle than they are worth.

First Lite Softshell Pants - A radical departure for me. Heavy but perform great. I prefer the wool Kanab pants but most of my time out the past few weeks has been sloppy , sloppy , sloppy and the soft shells were great.

Vasque Talus Boots - I am a trail runner to snow boot type of guy .. but this year the conditions were sloppy , muddy, mucky with some snow and a bit more slop. I put about 15 days in and yes, I'm noticeably slower, but at least in my opinion they are a very nice boot. They feel more like a shoe, but kept me pretty much dry.

What else, well i really like the Paradox pack with a 4800 bag. I don't know of anything else that carries as well over a long time. I used the day talon a lot this year and thought it was great for quick hikes and peak bagging. I have some tents I've used I thought were pretty darn cool as well

I just did not acquire much gear this year.

I didn't use much that was new this year either. I really like the Sawyer squeeze filter, the SL-5, and the HPG kit bag. And although I've had it for probably 10 years, I still like my Marmot Helium bag, it's great for the early seasons in the mountains.

I did a run down a week or so ago but I forgot to mention the Trader Joe's instant coffee with cream and sugar. The perfect ratio every time! Use two pouches for one cup.

Big Agnes Seedhouse 3. Really liking this thing. It's a stand out for sure.

Kuiu Tiburon pants. Light weight, breathable and tough. Can hardly believe I didn't rip them to shreds.

Kuiu Spindrift. 13 oz jacket/pillow. 2nd season with this thing. Won't be without it.

Great thread BTW.

Better than Starbucks Via?

Snubbie mentioned the folding table & stools we took on our llama trip. The item on the left of this photo is one item I don't go without unless it all has to be on my back. As you get older, some small comforts are worth the extra luggage.

First Lite baselayer- This stuff was the difference that kept us from getting hypothermia in the terrible rain storm that we encountered up Barnard.

Koldo rainwear - Way better than Sitka. Its a bit heavier but it is much more durable in the brush.

Alpine Aire Dehydrated- Spicy but with less sodium than the MH.

Razor HD 11-33-50mm Spotter- light but still very useful. It is excellent for fast and light.

BD Cyborg Crampons- They rock on ice. They were extremely handy on the glacier and on the chutes above.

More stuff but I can't remember right now.

10-4 good buddy.

This pic Snubbie posted about our llama pack trip is funny. It looks like we had enough gear to stock a hotel. Most of what you see is empty panniers but they're spread out on the ground so it looks like a camp for 40 people. We didn't have nearly as much as it appears.

Thanks for the part I bolded. I haven't read much in the way of reviews on Krypteks gear. However, I do like the specs of it. Anymore you care to share about the Koldo or anything else you used would be appreciated.

Sorry, but snubbie's pic of the toilet seat has blown your cover!

Nothing new here other than I'm thrilled Milkman is available again... started with it in the 1970's and it went out of production a few years back. Also found a coconut based milk powder at our local hippy co-op that is terrific too. I felt like it was Christmas finding these sources, which got me back to the type of breakfast I prefer... ie, Granola/Musli w/ nuts and fruit.

http://www.rei.com/product/829886/milkman-instant-low-fat-dry-powdered-milk-1-quart

8th year with Jetboil, 3rd year with the Sol Ti. Best stoves I've ever used, and IMO one of the most important pieces of "breakthrough" gear in the last decade +.

2nd year for MSR Hubba HP. A nearly perfect solo tent. Will likely get Fibraplex poles for it to drop more weight.

Back to the Kimber MT 308. A backpack rifle par-excellence.

Likes:
Salomon Speedcross 3 climashield for all hunting until it gets damn cold. I'm getting to the point that I absolutely hate boots however I've got some Schnee's enroute for snow. The rougher it gets the better my feet feel wearing trail shoes. 2 years of training in minimalist Inov-8's have led me here.

Rei XT 85 pack. I may buy another to salt away for when they stop making it. Weight is nil and nothing I don't like about it.

Jetboil remains king in my realm. Hot coffee in a minute for the win.


Big Agnes Insulated Q-core. Nuttin' but comfort.

Priorities, Man, priorities!

Lemme tell you, when you have a real toilet seat on a "backpack" trip, LIFE IS GOOD! (Just be sure to remove the frost in the morning! Ouch!)


I enjoyed my HPG Kitbag again this year, as well as the Kuiu Spindrift jacket. Both good pieces of gear.

Not entirely thrilled with my Eberlestock J107. It worked fine, is completely functional, and well built IMO. It's just that, with an empty weight of almost 9 pounds, when you add field dressing kit, first aid kit, poncho (just in case), jacket, lunch, etc., you know, just typical stuff you'd put in a day pack, before you know it, you've got twenty pounds you're carrying all day to hunt.
I can see why people pursue light weight packs. I just can't quite make myself drop 6 bills +/- on a pack.

I have a really good Kelty day pack that gets left home most of the time. It has stays, a really good waist belt, lots of pockets...and weighs as much as a cinder block. I have a homemade day pack that always gets to go. It only weighs a couple lb empty and is very functional.

That reminds me, I used a Go-lite pack this year, and liked it a lot for what it is. I forget what I payed for it, but I got it at their local outlet for $200 or less. I'll weigh it again, but it's right around 4 lbs IIRC. It carries up to 50 lbs pretty well, and has a rigid frame sheet, which helps. I used it to pack in my gear, and to pack out the first load of elk meat. After the first load, I swapped it for the Kifaru LH Guide pack for the heavy lifting though.

It's all about the proper application for the selected tool.

The only new thing I fell in love with this year was some BD trekking poles. Despite being relatively young and in some of my best shape ever going into this fall, I don't know how I backpacked without them all these years. Saved my ass numerous times on the packout from a mtn goat hunt.

Other than that I continue to be impressed with my first gen Late Season pack and Firstlite wool top. They have both taken a lot of abuse in the years I've owned them and they look none the worse for wear.

New stuff that worked:

Kind of like Kevin T, I have usually hunted in trail runners, but with more wet weather I went to a pair of Lowa Renegade's. They are almost as light as trail runners, but higher and better support. Great boot.

Tried some new gaiters this year, the OR Wrapid Gaiter:
http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/review/product/list/id/32455/?pageId=61110OR

I really like these. Time will tell if the Velcro or Omni Tape or what ever brand fastener they use will hold up. But so far they are great.


Black Diamond Ultra Mountain Carbon Trekking Pole. Awesome and fantastic comes to mind. These are the burlier big brother to my BD Z poles. Very sturdy, compact, accept both trekking pole baskets and bigger snow baskets. I have shot my last 5 animals using trekking poles as a rifle rest and these are the best so far.


Paradox Evolution Backpack. The more I use it the more I like it. I'll have a more complete write-up on this.

Not really new but I've been really pleased with the Dahlgren Alpaca socks. Actually like them better than Merino.

Also not exactly new, but the Ibex Hooded Indie Merino top has replaced my nearly worn out BPL Merino Hoodie. The Indie is slightly heavier weight Merino but still light enough for a base layer. I love a Hoodie, as I can then just wear a ball-cap and not carry an extra hat unless it is really cold.

Existing gear that just flat works:

Kimber .308 with Barnes 150 TTSX. This little rifle/bullet combo has tipped over somewhere around 8 elk, several sheep and a couple deer over the past years.

Kahtoola MicroSpikes. For me they are essential for packing big loads in slippery conditions.

Zebra light headlamp. Love the size, brightness and the fact that it takes a single AA battery. You do need to remember to throttle down the light output when you can for maximum battery life.

Rab Vapour Rise pants. Still the best I have ever used. Light, great comfort temperature range, work well in the snow and wet. I plan on picking up a pair of the Vapour Rise Guide pants next.

Sawvivor, still the most efficient saw for the backcountry IMO.

GB axes. They rock and are one of the quickest ways to get a good fire going. Still not sure on the Outdoor Ax. I've been carrying the Small Forest or the Scandinavian Forest Ax more and more. I am beginning to think the handle is too straight on the Outdoor Ax.

More season left, more stuff to decide on.

All this gear was used on a third season CO Elk hunt, backpack style:

Gear that I loved:

- Paradox 4800 pack and base Talon. Going to do a full report on this pack. Used it to haul camp in, used it as a daypack, and used it to pack down nearly 100 pounds of boned out meat. Passed with flying colors.

- Seek Outside 6 Man and Large stove. I've always read - you can get the inside of the tent HOT with a stove. Was hard to believe, but let me tell you - 18 degrees outside, 65 inside. Had it glowing, and boy it felt good.

- Jetboil. Too easy. Too much fun. I've had it for years and it keeps on trucking. No problem getting a good boil at high elevations.

- Kimber Montana 270. What can't it do? I wish the stainless was a little more resistant (may get it coated someday), but love this little rifle.

Clothing that I loved:

- Marmot Scree pants. Boy howdy. These were awesome. I thought MANY times that I would rip them on a dead fall or oak brush. Never tore a hole in them. Paired with a light base layer, they took me through all kids of temps. Have become my go to hunting pants. Will be keeping an eye out for more 34 waist, long inseam to have another pair.

- Patagonia Houdini. I felt like an idiot buying this little garment. So light and small. How could it do anything? And for $100? It was one of the BEST items I had in my day pack. Need to sit on a windy open hill side to glass? Put it on, and slap on the hood - instant wind block. I highly recommend a wind shell to everyone. And one with a hood. The warmth difference with and without the hood was huge.

Gear I could improve:

- My sleeping system is heavy. Big Agnes Lost Ranger, Insulated Air Core pad (that has never leaked - going on 5 years) and a Z-Lite. Too much stuff, too heavy. I know it can be expensive to shed ounces in the sleep system, so I'm putting it off for now. I could probably shed 1.5 pounds and have a warmer set-up.

- My binos. I see why guys like range finding binos. One less gadget to have in my pocket - its all around my neck. I will be asking questions about the Swaro and Leica rangefinding binos. So damn expensive, but so quick to range and make a call on legal animal or trophy animal.

- Game bags. Brought cotton pillow cases. Heavy, don't compact. Will buy real game bags next time. Maybe the TAG BOMB bags as mentioned here. So light at compact.

Clothing I could improve:

- I think I'm leaving the soft shell behind. Wool base layer, fleece layer, puffy and a wind shell was plenty. The soft shell is just too much of a "tweener", does a good job on a lot of things, but not a great job. The puffy/wind shell combo does better and does it lighter. I'll keep it around for less physical hunts, but it won't go up the mountain with me again.

- Boots. Blew em out. On the search. Looking at everything. Buddy has some Kennetrek Mountain Extremes. Was surprised how light they are for such a substantial boot.

All for now. Hope this helps someone!

It appears the Sawvivor did not survive. Feel free to elaborate on hatchets/axes if you would Ed. If you are packing a saw, what justifies the weight of anything larger than a GB Mini?

Glen,

The Sawvivor is my choice for bucking up a lot of wood and also for sawing skull plates on elk.

I got rid of my GB Mini when the Outdoors Ax came out. Much more efficient and not that much heavier. However, I have gotten to where I mostly prefer a big knife like this:



When used baton style I think it is as efficient and safer than a small ax/hatchet.

There are time though, like this fall where our weather was like NW Montana, almost Pacific Northwest like, in the amount of rain and wet snow. This past week, I couldn't get red slash pine needles to burn without first drying them, Everything was soaked. The only way to get a sustainable fire was through sawing and then splitting wood. In those instances an ax like the GB Small Forest or Scandinavian Forest axes really shine and well worth the added weight.

Dry wood and the Scandinavian Forest Ax:



The resulting fire:



I have learned that there is no one kit that works for all conditions and I try to adapt to current conditions as necessary.

Some thoughts from this year. Much of this is copied from my elk hunt thread, but I added to it a bit.



The Seek Outside BCS tent and ED T Ti stove are incredible. Borderline life savers the first night this year. The ability to go from dark, cold, wet conditions to reasonably comfortable in minutes is amazing. I will likely upgrade to the new version of the BCS with two zippers for ease of access though.

My MRE Pocket Rocket and the Ti cup worked great yet again. I may add a small, light skillet so I can cook up eggs or pancakes (luxury items!).

Need a backup lighter. Only had a single lighter. Had that failed I would have been in a difficult situation.

Gaiters are a great thing. I picked up some from Cabela�s (Alaskan Guide Gore Tex) and they proved invaluable when plowing through snow all day. Great to get back to camp, pull them off and have the bottoms of my pants and top of boots be dry.

Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots were excellent. Although not insulated, my feet remained reasonably comfortable when paired with wool socks. Despite slogging through wet snow for days and the occasional bog and creek, my feet stayed completely dry. Toes were a bit cold when standing in camp in the evenings after it cooled off or after stopping during the day for a length of time. I would want more insulation if I knew I was spending significant time in snow and cold (our forecast was a small chance of an inch or two, it actually snowed 8�+).

My Eberlestock J104 again worked great. The versatility is amazing. Used the top bag and existing straps to hold the antlers and it was like they weren�t even there. Opening it up to carry the camp or closing it down for day-pack use while hunting worked well. Could be lighter though. Given that, I am looking hard at the Paradox pack. I would like to have a really light pack to have on while hunting. Just needs to carry a few things, but be able to take on a load of elk meat.

I switched to Mtn House meals vice MREs. I think I�ll go back to MREs for lunch. That eliminates need to carry source of hot water all day (stove) and the MRE is easier. And, I prefer the variety of an MRE (Main course, snack, etc.). I will use single serving Mtn House for dinner and keep the PowerBars, fruit snacks and almonds to cover the rest of the day.

The small Wyoming saw worked well. Only drawback is that it is not large enough to cut the skull plate of an elk in one cut. Have to turn the head around come from the other side to finish. Moving and twisting a dead elk�s head is easier said than done.

The 338 FED with the 160 TTSX is great for elk (the 185 TTSX worked real well too). Given its excellent accuracy in my rifle and what I saw it do on elk, I think this is my go-to load for now. There just might be something to the light and fast for monometal bullets. A 338 Cal bullet hitting the chest at ~3000 FPS makes a mess, in a good way! Combine that with the Kimber Montana rifle and it is an absolutely fantastic mountain hunting rifle. I will never carry a heavy rifle again in the mountains. Here's where he was standing when hit. He's down just on the other side of the timber in the upper right side of the picture.



Checking to see if it was still sighted in properly prior to leaving. (Truth in advertising, that was only 50yds - length of indoor range)



On a related note; I did learn the importance of proper rifle care. During the hike in it was snowing very heavily and the rifle got placed in the snow on a few occasions. Apparently some snow got inside the trigger, or possibly it got in around the bolt. Either way, the next morning it was quite chilly (~15 deg) and discovered during a quick function check that it would not cock. The small piece that catches the bolt would not engage. One minute of heat from the MSR Pocket Rocket fixed the issue. I have since cleaned and degreased it all out.

Kuiu DCS Guide jacket worked great. Hours in very heavy snow and I never had the slightest problem with moisture. They don�t recommend it as a true rain jacket, but it certainly did well in heavy snow and then in significant melting snow in the forest the following days. It�s a keeper. Layered with a Cabela�s Switzer Primaloft jacket and Kuiu and/or First Lite Merino wool kept me comfortable with temps in the teens.

Need better gloves. Mine got wet working through heavy snow and getting them dry was always a challenge. Priority for next year. I picked up some warm gloves at Cabela�s. They claim to be waterproof, we�ll see. I�ll try them out during deer season this year.

Home!

Least favorite piece of gear this past season was a Thermarest inflatable sleeping pad that almost went flat on the first night of a deep wilderness Coues deer hunt.

Most favorite item of gear this past season was a new Frontier Gear pack harness which was installed on an old Frontier Gear frame, right before a hunt in pursuit of Alaska/Yukon moose.

I've had nothing but good performance from Thermarest products over the past 30 years or so, probably 4 or 5 different models. Used one this year with the same results.

I've consistently used Thermarest pads the past 20 years, while providing guided hunts across North America and especially in Alaska.

I've never had a problem till this past week, when a pad failed me during a hunt in extreme wilderness and while in pursuit of world-class Coues whitetail deer. I was disappointed, but not daunted.

The hunt recent Arizona continued, regardless of my lack-of-sleep because of the hard ground beneath my sleeping bag, each and every night.

Thermarest sells a little patch kit that works like a champ. You prep the damaged area with an alcohol pad, then boil a pot of water, then apply the glue to the patch, stick the patch over the hole, then set the pot of hot water on it. When the water cools, you are good to go. The problem sometimes is finding a pinhole leak if you don't have water to dunk it in.

That's great, but I took my "leaking" Thermarest pad back to Sportsmen's Warehouse in Phoenix and they offered me an upgrade to a better pad and I actually was able to get some money back, too.

Have been using Thermarest pads since the mid 1980's... some have failed. Anything that is blow-up will have issues sooner or later, which is one reason I carry a 1/4" Evazote pad to use on top of any inflatable.

Yeah, I had a closed-cell foam pad that was stashed in the four-wheel-drive at the trailhead and I debated taking that pad as well, but after considering bulk and subsequent noise factor while negotiating dense oak and dense pinon pine and dense mountain mahogany )all combined together) I decided to stay as compact as possible while chasing whitetails in a very remote stretch of mountains along the Arizona/New Mexico border. After my first night afield, though, I was wishing I'd just brought the closed-cell pad and had just left that Thermarest behind.

It's so easy to get accustomed to something and ignore its down-side when you've not had a failure. It's just human nature!

I always carry a Thermarest patch kit for my inflatables, but also pack the redundancy of a closed cell pad. The closed cell is super-nice on top of my Neoair, whatever the outside temps.

Typically I don't carry a Thermarest when backpacking and especially when I'm in Arizona. For some reason and I think it's due to age, I decided to take along a Thermarest, this time. Oh well, next year I'll be toting a closed-cell pad and thereby not fretting about any uncomfortable sleeping arrangements on some mountainside in the middle of nowhere.

Well, I switched to an inflatable as my primary in my mid-40's and won't be going back now that I'm in my 50's. The Neoair is revolutionary for its weight to comfort ratio.

Course as a young guy I could sleep soundly on a 3/8" Ensolite pad... those days are gone forever

Yes, like you, my sound sleeping on a 3/8 inch closed-cell happened a long, long time ago. Last winter (January 2013) I was packed onto an extremely remote ridgeline in southeastern Arizona and sleeping on a closed-cell pad for two weeks, while "under the stars" and also while snowstorms and nearly zero degree (Fahrenheit) temperatures tried to bite through my sleeping bag at night. That was fun, but I think it was fun because I was trying to get within bow range of a couple of world-class Coues whitetails. The thing that separates that hunt from the one last week, is that I was "off the ground" (in a sense). The closed-cell kept me levitated from the cold ground while the malfunctioned Thermarest lefty me flat on hard rock.

Understand now.

Gotta say, I'd dearly love to be in on a Coues hunt... that Sonora country looks amazing!

Oh yeah, I love it down here. I've been chasing these little deer since the late 70's. Back in "the day" (late 1970's through the mid 1980's) a guy could hunt mulies and also get a Coues deer tag as a bonus. That's all changed nowadays, though. Nevertheless, there's nothing quite like these little deer, down here. They're my absolute favorite North American game animal. The country they inhabit is awesome, too, especially the really remote stuff that no one hunts.

My friend Mark Dobrenski, who no longer posts here, guided in Sonora for several years on the Mexican side. He is absolutely in love with the country and that animal. From his descriptions I think I'd love it as well...

You there now?

Heck Brad I'm a younger guy and I still prefer an air pad over just an Esolite so don't feel bad. I used to take a thermarest CCF in addition to my neo air pad. Now I take a Neo air and a prolite 3 short in a trekker chair combo so I have pad back up and a chair with a back rest....if both pads fail on the same hunt I guess I'll be SOL.

How is the NeoAir Xtherm? I'm considering replacing my Exped Downmat 7. The XTherm is quite a bit lighter and packs smaller.

Other than a couple of pieces of hunting clothing that worked great on a recent CO elk hunt, the two items of gear that I acquired this year was a ThermaRest Ultralite cot and a new Redhead Backpack. I have 4 or 5 pack including a Kifaru Longhunter and a Eberlestock J34 but needed a true day pack. The pack I found is an inexpensive Redhead Primal Bow/Rifle pack. It is a small 18.3 Liter pack that is comfortable, lightweight and can carry a rifle, bow or crossbow. It is very rigid pack that is tall enough to use as a shooting rest in the field. I've very pleased with the pack.

You're a hard core airman! Glad to hear I'm not the only one that thinks sleeping comfort can't be measured in ounce and lbs.


BTW, always enjoy reading about your hunts. I haven't been in Wasilla sine the mid 90's but it's fantastic country.

I'm going to give an xtherm a run this week so should have a little information on it. Temps should be right around freezing at night.

My biggest win this year was an Enlightend Equipment RevelationX quilt. Light, cheap, warm, very well made. I like the first one so much I bought a second one.

Tanner, you might want to try a pair of Zamberlans.
I bought a pair last Winter and really like them. They appear to be very well made boots, wear them all day walking and they are very comfortable. Reasonably stiff but didn't require much of a break-in.

Of course feet are subjective but they might work for you.

You probably have bigger feet but if you are a size 10.5(M) order a pair and if they don't fit I'll buy them from you. Was thinking about getting a spare pair anyway before they discontinue the model.

http://www.amazon.com/Zamberlan-631...amp;sr=8-14&keywords=zamberlan+boots

LOL, who said they hadn't had one fail? What I said was, I've had good performance from them over the past 30 years. I don't think a leak or two cancels that, I've had not-so-good performance from other brands. You're not the only one who carries a closed cell pad. They have a lot of other uses, besides just as a back-up.

Anyway, from the number of comments about Neoairs, it appears I'm not the only one who thinks Thermarest makes good products.

My feet are too hard to fit. For boots, I'm limited to what they sell at Sportsmans Warehouse or Cabelas (when I can get to Boise) because I have to try them on.

That is the problem ordering boots/clothing on-line.

No where local to buy good boots though so I take my chances ordering.

Hey smokepole... I was talking with Maverick, not you. I haven't even read your post on this thread.

My mistake, carry on.

No worries my man.

Good news for me, a forum member who read my post on wanting to add Fibraplex poles to my Hubba alerted me to a NIB pair over at backpackinglight.com for sale at $80.

They're on their way...

I've had a big Agnes inflatable fail on a spring trip that involved mostly slick rock. It sucked !!!!!! That being said, I have taken just the down mat UL7 on a couple trips but it is always against my better judgement. IMO nothing compares to the down mat line ... But they are heavier than I would like and my philosophy is the best gear is what gets used a lot. If it was lighter it would get used more

Kevin, that's why I went to a Neoair and Evazote... for less weight than a single down mat, I can have the same comfort and insulation with the redundancy a closed cell provides.

Just my way...

I often go EVA and torso prolite which is a decent combo but not as comfy as the down mat. I sometimes add a Lawson Eva pad under the downmat but it is not substantial enough to be used on its own.

I may somewhat redo my setup but I would probably start with a ccf / Eva I can feel ok with in case of failure and then add the comfort factor. The neo xlite is comfortable but loud. I doubt it would bother me much sleeping on it, but I might kick a restless tent mate out that used one

Anything with air in it can fail. It doesn't have to be punctured. A rock can push the bottom up into a tight angle and stress a seam. If you use air, you're smart to use some kind of ensolite or something under it to protect it. Yeah, I know. One more thing to carry.

My Big Agnes pad started leaking this summer, I never could find the leak. I'm a Neoair/ torso length Z-rest fan myself.

Sammo,

Thanks for the idea. I believe I've tried on a pair or 2 of Zamberlans at REI, but they were the hardcore looking mountaineering boots. I was still pretty impressed. I'm going to see if the local one has any of the ones you're wearing.

I've actually got smaller feet (9.5) so I get lucky in that most places have that size in stock. Lowas fit my feet pretty good, too.

I think with some gaiters, those Zamberlans you've got would be perfect for all the hunting I do.

Tanner

Any body have a recommendation on a day+ pack?

Looking for something that is 1800ish, <4lbs, decent suspension and hip belt, compact, bladder, <$150.

Basically a solid sleek daypack that can do a night or two and maybe even a boned deer.

I looked at a Osprey 26 or 28? Liked it quite a bit. Just want to see what somebody else miught be using.

Tanner- Finding boots sucks. I LOVED an old pair of Scarpa Rios. Had them re-soled until there just wasn't enough left to do anything with. I should have bought 4 pair, because of course they are discontinued.

I have a pair of AKU boots now that I like almost as well. Assolo, Kennetrek, Vasque, newer Scarpa, Miendls,....none of them worked for me. Feet get pickier as you get older(fatter).

I ended up buying a few pair from STP and returning all but the AKU's.

Good luck.

Personally, I find a 50 liter pack more appropriate to what you describe.

Hill People Gear Ute with a Tara Pocket panel.

I had two of the Big Aggy Aircore pads fail before I went to the Exped Downmat. They like to leak where the valve is glued into the pad. On a couple other backpack forums, this seems to be common knowledge.

From about mid September on, I use the Exped, with a space blanket under it (usually folded in half) I've been going to try the two pad method for a long time, but what I do has been working for me. I usually spend some time kicking rocks, twigs, and dirt around where I plan to sleep before I pitch a tent on it. I've had "leakers" but I've never popped an air matress in the backcountry.

I like a closed cell pad not only for extra cushion/back-up but also for sitting on around a campfire, sitting on while glassing, eating lunch, mid-afternoon siesta, etc.. It usually goes with me in the day pack.

I would say my handy "rope come along"..It sure helped when the grandson dropped his first moose right on the edge of the swamp....
Second, big kudus to TiGoat for the 8 man tipi.. 6 lbs. of luxury

You might want to check this out:

http://www.golite.com/Mens-Quest-50L-Pack-P46803.aspx

I used their Odyssey pack this year on a few trips and liked it a lot, for the money.

I'm happy with the Scarpa boots that I bought this year. Held up really well on glacier traversing. The rock shale is quite sharp from what I experienced.

Hope you had better luck with the Z's than I did. They did great then one day that shredded my feet. Want to see a pic of some blisters??

Didn't use alot of new stuff this year as most my hunting was pretty tame and no hunts were out of a backpack. One 'piece' was a phone GPS app + data that allowed me to determine land ownership. Quite slick to have that on your phone. Hope the guy I tested if for is able to make it available with a broader coverage. The other was a Leupold 1000i rangefinder. It worked as well as I could aim it. The only downside is that it's lightweight and small size make it harder to hold steady than my ancient Bushnells. One last was 139gr Scenars. In taking 4 pronghorn, I can see no fault in them for that use.

I had the same Zamberlan's as Sam... torture on my feet, but I have a tough time with boots.

No!!!

Finally, happy feet! Best $150 I've spent in a long time. Can't find words to describe how much I like these. They say they are in the utility(work) line but they are most likely better than any hiking boot they make. Been years since I've walked as far I have everyday this hunting season. I can walk from sun up to sun down. Never owned a boot before that allowed me to do so before these...



http://www.keenfootwear.com/us/en/product/shoes/men/industrial/pittsburgh

A lot of people have good luck with keen footwear. Me I trashed one pair on a 5 hr ridge traverse and 2500 ft scree descent .

Speedcross 3 from Salomon for all my spring/summer backpacking. Use them when not hiking the hills sheep hunting (on the long wet approaches with my boots in my pack). Fit my feet like a glove and drain fast which is nice for going through creek after creek or hiking in the swamps enroute to the mountains. You just end up with damp feet, not sloshing feet like you do with GTX boots.

HAHA!

Walk slower.


Travis

The 5 hr ridge traverse was plenty slow with storms brewing . Going down the same way I got up was not much of an option

I love it when you get to the top, look down and think "Did I just climb that?" Next up is "How in the world do I get back down?????"

I only really had one of those moments this season, I found elk though......

I know that feeling too well. Usually it starts with looking down and saying CRAP !!!! In this particular case, me and an older fellow that is a very experienced mountaineer (Logan, Peru, many big peaks) had our eyes on a striking 13er. We tried to avoid the 2500 ft scree slog and ended up on a very slow going 5 hr ridge traverse that had a large amount of "no fall" zones. Storms brewing did not help to settle the nerves either.

That is followed shortly by, what do I do if I shoot an elk here?

The elk were lucky they didn't have head gear, I wasn't dumb enough to shoot a cow there.

Just did a couple days of elk hunting. Was truck camping but included in some gear testing. Tested out the new large xtherm and had no issues. Same neoair performance I've grown to really like. Got down into the high 20s the first night. Xtherm and 10 degree Enlightened Equipment revelation x and I was toasty warm. Took the 30 degree version of the same quilt down to the high 30s. Ran same merino baselayers I always wear when packing both nights. Added a cabelas ecws 1/4 zip in the 30, but I'm confident I could have done without. Quilts are definitely within 10 degrees of listed temperature for me.

Got to spend 2 days with my new Swarovski 8x30 CL. Best I can tell these are THE backpacking glass. Light, small, and glass at least as good as the older Zeiss Victory 8x40 I just sold. Was worried about low light performance but at o'dark thirty they let me see the spikes on an elk that saved my bacon. He was getting ready to catch an arrow to fill my cow tag!

Still liking my HPG Umlindi. It got "borrowed" for a bit...long story, and I got to think hard about replacing it. Were I buying again I might try to find something lighter, but I haven't found anything yet I like better.

Leupold Yosemite again impressed the heck out of me for the money spent. Ran a pair of 8x30 until my Swarovski arrived. Still best bang for the buck for a beginner or someone getting started.

Stupidly sold my Tarptent Contrail and made it a week before I bought another. Still digging it. Sure, not as easy to get into as a side entry but you get an awful lot for very little weight.

Gear I loved:
7mm 120 grain ballistic tip. I shot a quartering away running pig a bit far back, but it did the trick. Entry, exit, and a big mess in between. It acted much like I've seen partitions act.

Zeiss Conquest 3-9X40. Crisp, clear, and it has been lucky.

Cheap Gamewinner fleece balaclava. This thing is awesome at keeping my head and face warm.

Gear I leaned to love:

Muck Boot Edgewater. They tore huge blisters on my heels until I got some good slick liner socks. Now I love them. Good waterproof quit stalking boots.

Gear I'm not sure about:
Leupold CDS. I love the M1 turret, but I'm not sold on the CDS. It seems too easy to get knocked out of zero.

Gear I hated:
Cableas Dri-Plus rain jacket. Granted, this is a few years old, but it utterly failed on a morning sitting in the rain. Water came in through the seams and between the seams. I'm glad it never rained in The Bob Marshall last year when I was depending on this to keep me dry! The Redhead pants I was wearing that day worked fine.

I agree on the Dry-Plus. All it succeeded doing in my parka is make it more noisy...certainly doesn't keep the rain out.