multi use gear;hiking,hunting,backpacking

[Navesgane]

Hey there. Who else is into alot of sports/hobbies that is gear oriented but doesnt have the funds and/or space to store it all? My current dilemma is that I have a 1 bedroom condo in a very limited housing availability area and dont see the option for upsizing any time soon. We also have a 10'x10' storage area but thats an hour and a half drive away. My wife and I are into skiing,mtn biking, hiking, fishing, backpacking and of course hunting (I more than her) and both agree we have too much crap as it is yet Im always questioning and sometimes daydreaming about more or better crap. My question is what hunting specific gear do you find necessary that only applies to hunting? For example, I have many backpacking backpacks from 30L-80L and not one hunting specific one and am debating purchasing an external frame pack but also want to know how it would be superior than my Arcteryx 80L pack that I can haul 40 pounds of crap in all day comfortably. Also boots. What qualities does a hunting-specific boot have over a pair of scarpa backpacking boot other than being camouflage? Speaking of camo, are camo skivvies necessary? And how does the new technology of synthetics with silver or whatever compare to a good pair of wool base layers on odor control?

[pointysticks]

oh man.

i live in a small home. it is budging with gear. my wife hates it. mountain bike and cyclocross bike eats up storage like no other.

boots. i dont wear camo boots. ever. i dont think it is needed. so my boots can double as hiking boots. but honestly, i would backpack in camo boots as well. boots are about fit. fit is king. my boots are multitaskers for sure.

backpack. i use a kifaru timberline 2. it is more of a regular pack anyways..just grey. and full of straps so i can tie on things. my Gregory carried well and lots..but it was a mofo to tie things like my bow to the outside..it had to go. all that stayed was my Kifaru and a Mystery ranch daypack. if i got a new Mystery ranch, that was modular..i would dump the kifaru. next bowhunter i see in AZ using that outdoorsman pack..i am going to stop and ask him about it..that pack has modular down to a science!!

i've steamlined my camo down to the bare minimum. if i ever hunt super cold stuff..i will have to go to the store. but for now, i can handle all the archery season i hunt. all my camo gear fits into a waterproof duffle, i squish into a closet. my sleeping bag..oof..talk about eating up space. i wish i could store them in the stuff sack. now i just put it in the big storage bag and put it on top of the camo duffel. wife hates it.

[Elkduds]

Most of my hunting is in fact hiking or backpacking w a weapon. Boots, pack, camping gear: gear you own and like, that serves multiple sports, is good gear. Besides weapons, optics are a hunt-specific piece of gear that takes up little space, makes a big difference, and has multiple uses. Sounds like you need a closer, larger storage rental. Have you used every inch of underbed storage, crawl space, attic, garage, etc? The one w the most toys wins!

[Lefty]

A buddy keeps his climbing gear in one room, other mountaineering gear in another,.. but his house is a bit on the ridiculously huge side.
Real no good way of storing some stuff other than a bigger than needed place.
I keep most of my camping hunting gear packed in Plano and Contico bins
During the winter bikes are hung when not being used much. I have a lot of up high storage, for lightweight bulky items
I despise storage units, but maybe one closer to home is in order.

[Navesgane]

Thanks for the replies and tips. We are on the waiting list for a local storage unit, hopefully we'll get one before winter. I also modified one of those cheap steel, folding bedframes and put a lift kit on it by cutting off the original roller-legs and welding on heavy walled box tubing to add an additional 6" to the original height. The overal height is adjustably 14"-18" from floor to frame. This lets us store more of our bulky gear under it such as backpacks stuffed with gear and uncompressed down sleeping bags. I anyone is interested in some photos of the frame I can send them to you or post some.

[DirtyErn]

Replying to the use of synthetic material over wool. With today's fabrics being insulating and water resistant( proof) is hard to go with wool. Polortec powershield weighs in at around 5 oz per yard making a jacket about 8 oz it insulates and is water " resistant" , you just don't get that with wool.
Because I hunt, ski, fish and other outdoor activities I'm also trying to combine gear and lately going for more light weight gear, clothes.