Whats your game changer purchase?

bignocks

FNG
Joined
Mar 15, 2018
Messages
99
Location
nebraska
This year I decided to upgrage most of my hunting gear. Im sure this post has been done before but Id like to know what you all have bought, especially stuff you have been able to test that make you say.........Why did I wait so long to get this.


Just a few things ill say for me is I am totally sold on a carbon bow for cold weather. Im also looking forward to seeing how my heavier arrow (500g) injexions penetrate on elk. I also have kifaru pack thats on order. Im trying out a lighter boot which is the under armour infl ops boot. So comfy. I can go on but those come to mind.

Thanks
 

ljalberta

WKR
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
1,439
Tripod for binos, kifaru gun bearer, and zip off long underwear are the three that quickly come to my mind.
 
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
352
Good pack (also Kifaru in my opinion), good boots (Crispi worked best for me) and the last is great glass. Boots and pack expand the comfort level and hunt distance... but now you’ve got to find the animals! I’ve found more animals glassing 10x42 EL HD’s (or a Swaro spotter) from a tripod or than I ever thought possible.

Picking up just the tines moving on a bedded buck from 400-500 yards away is only possible with good glass and a stable glassing platform. Here is last year’s buck we owe to good glass and the exact above scenario:
d7ed1bdc2ce0b6af226b4ca8a243843c.jpg


I don’t generally run my spotter while hunting, but I do while scouting, and I was able to pick up a couple groups of deer from
5.5 miles away (according to Google Earth)... I went into that area the next weekend and located 60 deer (15 of them small bucks) within a 1 mile radius... that’s just not possible without a tripod and great glass.

Best of luck to everyone on their 2018 adventures!


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FlyGuy

WKR
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
2,087
Location
The Woodlands, TX
Primarily optics for me this year. Kowa 77, meopta 15x56 & an outdoorsmans tripod system.

Also, less game changer but still exciting additions for me this year: 496 gr arrows from Valkyrie, tyto knife, apex pants and hoody, and a used Kifaru Supertarp + annex, and a lite outdoors stove.

Edit: forgot to add a 0° Revelation Quilt from EE. My 1st quilt and excited about the potential for better sleep. I have a slick bag now and it's great, but I am an active sleeper and I just fight the bag all night getting twisted up in it.

Also, I am going to try and dial in my footwear this Fall. I'm going to Idaho with 3 different options, but my primary choice is my Salomon Speedcross GTX trail running shoes. I'll still have my Kenetreks at the truck, and for something in between those two I've got a new pair of Scarpa Zodiac Plus.


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Napperm4

WKR
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
444
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
This years game changing purchases:

Carbon Fibre tall tripod. So much sturdier than anything aluminum I’ve tried and nice to have the option for standing height as some of the old logged areas and burns I glass from have grown in over the years.

65mm lens for my swaro STX for backpacking. Huge performance upgrade from all my 50mm spotters. Able to ID and score bulls from miles out.

Outdoorsmans Bino mount system for my 10’s and 15’s

Top tier 15x binos

Novagrade phone digiscoping adapter - miles and miles ahead of phoneskope or the S2 I’ve tried. Fits any phone and any optic. Rock solid, way easier to use once set up and I’ll never again have another bunch of useless plastic sitting around or thrown away when I upgrade my phone or switch out optics.

Helinox chair zero for around camp and glassing. Still using an inflatable pad on top for extra comfort / insulation but having the back support is awesome for all day comfort

New firstlite gear. I have to say the merino x really is something. I’ve been using merino from firstlite, MEC, icebreaker and Costco for about 10 years and nothing comes close to the comfort of this stuff so far. Even the new Klamath in non merino is a huge step up in comfort and fit over the halstead and I’m a hoodie fanatic

I have a Kuiu super down pro in the mail right now too that I haven’t got to try in the field yet but after some feedback and checking one out at gear days I’m confident it’ll make this list too

Lite outdoors stove for my lbo. It’s tough as nails and disappears in my pack. Easy to set up and burns for quite a while

Wide enlightened equipment revelation and Nemo tensor wide pad. Never had such a comfortable sleep in 20 years of tearing up the back country.

Currexsole insoles. Made the change to these from superfeet and it’s like walking on a cloud in my semi mountaineering stuff boots. They feel like crocs without the embarrassment.
 

Jardo

WKR
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
468
Location
Hawaii and Utah
Where to start...

My Sitka and kuiu layering systems have made a huge difference for my comfort. My stone glacier pack has made everything easier to carry. My cooper backcountry 280 AI with Swarovski z5 and ballistic turret is so light it can be carried all day and will group 5 inches at 700 yds. My Kowa 883 saves a lot of walking and is just cool as hell to count points at 2500 yds. My kenetrek boots keep me out longer. Onx maps on my phone help me get where I need to go and back to the truck or camp. My zebra headlight kicks everything else's ass. My bark river fox river stays sharp and is good for 3 or 4 deer and 1 to 2 elk before needing a sharpening. My Zeiss sf 10x42 make long glossing sessions easy and productive.

Damn, I am lucky to have been able to accumulate all the best gear. My wife would kill me if she knew what I spent getting all of this crap. I learned the hard way to save and buy the best and it will save you in the long run. I have bought a half dozen $500 binoculars in the last 20 years. I'm thinking my Zeiss are the last pair I'll buy.


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oldgoat

WKR
Joined
Mar 5, 2015
Messages
2,063
Location
Arvada, CO
Boots that actually fit versus boots that I thought fit! Without them, none of the other game changer purchases would be that big of game changers!
 

mtwarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
9,487
Location
Montana
binoculars on a tripod- tried it last year- could glass longer, was seeing more game and left the spotting scope home (this is for deer/elk, not selling my spotting scope anytime soon)

fortunately I've had my pack, clothing, footwear dialed in for some time now :)
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
2,191
Picked me up a pair or 15X swaros. I think it will take my spotting to the next level.
 

LandYacht

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
773
Location
Frisco
I’ll echo the binos on a tripod. I didn’t believe it would make a big difference and thought that it would just be extra weight on my pack. How wrong I was!

I use an Alite Mayfly to sit in, behind my Zeiss 10x42 HTs, and have them mounted on a Brunton carbon tripod with a Leica pan head. I use a DIY bino mount that doubles as rifle rest. The tripod will allow me to stand if needed as well.

Someday I will bite the bullet and get an Outdoorsmans stud put on my binos and maybe spend the extra coin for a lighter tripod, but those are secondary thoughts after running this setup for a couple years now.

I’ve found that there is no need for a spotter, but am intrigued with seeing what a BTX setup could do. There always has to be something to day dream about.


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Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Messages
3,034
I changed up my arrows and broadheads and release. I messed up two shots on a big bull last year and hit trees each time so I changed up my system to ensure I make the shot count. Originally shot Carter Quickie Plus and Carbon Express Maxima Hunter 350's at 450 grains using shuttle T's or tooth broadheads and what I have left for ulmers. These are old arrows and I felt I was on the weaker side of spine so I moved on to Gold Tip Pro Hunters in 300 spine and maintained the exact same weight and about the same FOC. Changed broadheads to ATAC originals and Iron Will and also got a few SEVR. I have always had good shooting fixed blades but the ATAC and Iron Will truly fly better and more consistent than I have ever been able to in the past. The Gold Tip pro's are very consistent and have me now shooting 2-3" groups at 100 which I have never been able to do before either. For a release change this has actually been a two year process starting with the silverback, nock 2 it and carter colby, I had some target panic anxiety and needed to get rid of that even though I usually shot pretty well. Wasn't quite confident enough for last season to use one of these releases and never fully committed and setup my bow for use with one of them. After the misses this past season I put the index fingers down and went to a Wise Choice 3 finger and Evolution plus then a 2 Smooth. Target panic is gone and I can let my pin float and execute a great shot and with the arrow/broadhead change instead of just touching the spot I am aiming at for each distance more often than not my broadhead is pretty much dead center in the spot.
 

Trial153

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Joined
Oct 28, 2014
Messages
8,187
Location
NY
Two things.

1) quiverlizer. I am shooting as well or better with then I was with front or back bars. I am carrying less weight and less total packed weight. Wind no wind ..broadheads ect ect ..i havent had a situation yet where I dont shoot better with it.

2) going to quilts. Again cutting weight and getting a better nights sleep. I toss and turn, mostly belly sleep ...I would be twisted and wraped like a burrito in the morning in my bags.

Between these two I cut out 2 pounds from kit and let's me pack more creature comforts
 

blackdawg

WKR
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
537
A Pack Horse is going to be my game changer, no more Mountain
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house on the menu .


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TRD1911

WKR
Joined
Nov 3, 2014
Messages
538
Location
W. Washington
Now that's funny

I admitted that I'm not as young as I once was and picked up some Black Diamond carbon cork trekking poles.
 

blackdawg

WKR
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
537
I spit up my tea when I read that myself,,, I was just finishing a thin sliced ribeye sandwich.
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Jsunkler

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
251
Location
Eastern Shore
My game changer purchase: gym membership, license lottery's/preference point accrual, and time to use them

New gear is all well and good, but being in shape with have a high value tag and time to possibly punch it is the most important to me
 
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