Gear...What's a week in the woods look like for you?

[bald9eagle]

Just some general discussion here on some of you favorite things. Anything from boots to packs to calls to coffee.

(Yes....this is a weak attempt to try to prepare a gear list....lol)

[WapitiTalk1]

That's a pretty broad question. Are you base camping and doing day hunts? Base camp and several nigh bivy hunts in to the back country? Straight backcountry hunting? Are you interested in base camp gear, or, are you more interested in "what's in your daypack"? Whittle it down a bit and you'll get some good feedback here. RJ

Oh, and no big deal but we do have a DIY-Gear-Training forum also that your thread may be moved to. Lastly, don't sleep on the search function here... there is tons of buried information on previous threads/posts.

[bald9eagle]

Well I guess I was just curious as to what guys didn't think they couldn't leave home without or maybe what guys favorite brands were or such. I was being semi-funny about the gear list as I have found a few of those already and have a decent handle on that.

I was just looking for some general discussion like...."Man I love my XXX boots!" "My range finder made by XXX goes everywhere with me!"

I did see the gear forum just after I posted this...lol. If it gets moved that's cool.

[WapitiTalk1]

Gotcha.. OK, an "all in one" pack is probably one of my top pieces of gear. Something that contains all my day hunt gear and can convert easily into a pack that can bring out a large chunk of boned out meat. It's loony tunes to me to have to go back to the truck or camp and get a meat hauler pack. I have an Eberlestock Blue Widow pack that I really like.. yes, it's a bit heavier than some of the other big name brands but it is functional, and, you could throw that thing out of a plane and it would be fine

[Fridaythe13th]

I like this one. Simple for me, friends, good stories around the camp fire at night, bugling elk, and a bottle of Captain. I am tired from the day hunt but there is nothing better than sitting under the star by the fire and BS ing about the days hunt and planning the next.
I would not make a solo hunter.

[Elkduds]

Things w batteries: rangefinder, headlamps, tiny tent lantern, GPS, SPOT, camera, wakeup alarm. 2-way radios if I'm not alone. Charged jumpstarter for vehicle. No phone service where I go, but I have phone in camp.

[Lefty]

"Man I love my XXX boots!"

Being fatter than most out of shape a bit I like a nice pads to sleep on and my Big Johnson -5 sleeping bag. Lay on top of the bag on those warm nights or zip it up to my waist on the cooler nights

[Puttncut]

As an extension to this post, has anyone used any of the drop-ship equipment rental sources found on the web? I have most of my equipment stored in a friend's barn out in Colorado...and I plan to drive out this September - so purchasing the few remaining items wouldn't be THAT big a deal. But I've looked at renting a few items...such as ground pads, pocket rocket, water filter - even a large backpack...things I didn't need previously because we truck-camped. Opinions welcome. Have a GREAT trip around the sun everyone!!

[jmez]

Big Agnes Q core SL. This pad made a big difference in my sleeping. Much better quality sleep due to the comfort of the pad.

Helinox chair. The best extra 2lbs I've ever carried. Yes you can sit on a stump, log or the ground but these chairs are comfortable.

[jmez]

As an extension to this post, has anyone used any of the drop-ship equipment rental sources found on the web? I have most of my equipment stored in a friend's barn out in Colorado...and I plan to drive out this September - so purchasing the few remaining items wouldn't be THAT big a deal. But I've looked at renting a few items...such as ground pads, pocket rocket, water filter - even a large backpack...things I didn't need previously because we truck-camped. Opinions welcome. Have a GREAT trip around the sun everyone!!

Never used one of the rental services but I wouldn't recommend renting a pad or a pack. You want to be sure your pad doesn't have any holes and will hold air. You may get one with a leak. As for a pack, proper fit is pretty important in comfort and function. It takes quite a while to get a pack dialed in with the correct fit, not something you have time for or want to be doing on a hunt.

[zpd307]

Gotcha.. OK, an "all in one" pack is probably one of my top pieces of gear. Something that contains all my day hunt gear and can convert easily into a pack that can bring out a large chunk of boned out meat. It's loony tunes to me to have to go back to the truck or camp and get a meat hauler pack. I have an Eberlestock Blue Widow pack that I really like.. yes, it's a bit heavier than some of the other big name brands but it is functional, and, you could throw that thing out of a plane and it would be fine

rory, my first 2 years in colorado i had the same mentality as you. why in the heck would i want to make an extra trip to pack meat out. so i bought a an all in one pack, the full curl. last year i found myself taking everything except the kitchen sink with in my pack for all day, just to be on the safe side if anything went wrong. it wore me out. so i bought a smaller pack and really cut down what i think that i need to take. this year was soooo much more pleasant hunting all day. to compound that, i switched to my big pack when i went back to find my elk. i immediately noticed, even though it was only packed with stuff to cut up and haul out an elk, that the pack was so much more larger and uncomfortable. i would gladly wear that smaller pack hunting all day and have to go back for my bigger pack, than haul that big sucker around all day. especially since after year #3 i havent had to pack out an elk yet....

[G Posik]

I use a Stone Glacier pack and limit what I take out for the day. Kill kit and the basics to stay out in an emergency. I will take my stove and a full day of food. If you shoot late and need to debone an elk, you will need some nutrition so you can haul the meat out.

As far as the spike camp goes the one thing not to leave behind is comfortable sleeping gear. You need a good quality nights sleep to be able to hunt hard the next day. Depending on where I am hunting the one luxury item I will take is a small fishing pole.

Glenn

[bald9eagle]

Good stuff again guys.

One of my reasons for asking this question was because I have a buddy that is a "kitchen sink" type guy. He turkey hunts with a vest AND a backpack on. Personally I could go with a pair of 6 pocket pants to hold my calls, my gun, and a pad strapped to my belt for my rearend.

My buddy is really big on layering. Short sleeve shirt, long sleeve tee, button up shirt, and maybe a light jacket early season. I wear a polyester long sleeve shrit under a heavy cotton button up so if it gets warm I only have one shirt to strip off. April in Alabama isn't that bad. 40-45 early warming up to 60-70 later. I can only imagine how he will pack for Colorado.

But....haha...we make sure to bring him along cause we always forget something and he brings it.

[under H2O hunter]

I won't leave home without my havalon knife. Hands down the best elk knife I have ever used. This past archery season I had my girlfriend with me so we were sleeping on an air mattress for a month I am sold on using it over my cot. I am a pack mule at times so I take a Tenzing 5000 pack as my day pack. I don't care for it when it comes to hauling meat out. But it will haul my first load then I switch out to a frame pack that can handle larger loads. I love wall tent camping and bivy camping or spike camping out from there. I have never had to "Rough It" Here is a picture of my set up this year. You can even see my shower in my cook tent. Heat water up on the stove pour it into a solar shower and kneel down and shower away. Having a women in camp is a nice touch. They know how to make it feel like home for sure.

[six]

X2 on the Blue Widow. It hauls everything I need and when its time to strap on some meat no problem.

Here's my must haves.

1 Gps/compass/SPOT.

2 Frog Toggs rain suit. Good lightweight raingear plus an extra layer if I end up doing an all nighter on the side of the mountain.

3 Matches along with 10 cotton balls rolled in Vaseline.

4 Water and food for the day. I usually have extra mountain house in case of an all nighter.

5 Headlamp/extra batteries/ extra flashlight.

6 Knife and knife sharpener.

7 50 feet of parachute cord and game bags.

[njdoxie]

I hike in 6 miles to Basecamp, everything I bring is must have, starting with the items l least want to forget at home....
Neoair air mattress, -20 sleeping bag, rei camp chair, food, rangefinder, rifle, water purification pills, etc.....too much to list