Need some advice.

[fort fireman]

Ok, kind of a long story but I've had AFLAC for several years with work and have never used it. I've gone to the Dr. but I've just never pushed the paper work forward to get my reimbursement benefits. Until the other week!! It was well worth it to me. I don't go a bunch but the couple hours it took to fill out the paper work was worth it.

So, I have a little extra money I wasn't counting on. I am leaning pretty hard on using some to upgrade something in the outdoor pursuits. Here is my list of upgrades and I need help narrowing it down.

1. A Kifaru pack frame. I have a Slumberjack bounty 4500 pack and really like the pack itself but I cant help but think an upgrade to the frame would be a good upgrade in comfort and load carrying capability. It looks like with the frame and a few K clips I can make it work pretty easy. $338-375

2. A new tree stand. I'm thinking I could upgrade to a lone wolf climber. I have an old climber and don't use it because it is so damn heavy and I'm doing more pack trip style hunts. Of course with a lone wolf being lighter and fold down the way it does I may use a tree stand more and I could pack it in on these longer hunts. $350ish

3. New binos. I don't hunt with Binos since I do most of my hunting in the Nc mountains or Pa but I think at times they would be good to have. I'd look for maybe vortex binos in the same price range as the above examples. In that 300-350 range. I know that wont give me top of the line Binos but they would be decent.

4. An entry level fishing Kayak in the price range as above. Just because I don't have one and always thought it would be nice to paddle out in some of these small lakes and fly fish for Bass and Blue gills. That and I think it would be fun to find some public land that is hard to get to by foot but that you could paddle to

Now spend my money wisely for me. GO!!!!

 

[mlob1one]

Ok, kind of a long story but I've had AFLAC for several years with work and have never used it. I've gone to the Dr. but I've just never pushed the paper work forward to get my reimbursement benefits. Until the other week!! It was well worth it to me. I don't go a bunch but the couple hours it took to fill out the paper work was worth it.



I'd start with the pack.
Then a tree stand.
Would need to know about your fishing conditions before making a rec on a kayak.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

 

[280twoeighty]

I think the frame and pack thing is overrated myself. For between 500 and $600 you can get a used pair of Swarovski 8x bino's. You will never be sorry you have them for your entire life.

Btw you can buy a good pack frame for around a $100. No it won't be a $350-400 Kifaru. But it will work fine and last a life time.

 

[COlineman78]

Get a used Kifaru hunter frame once the market is flooded after the new frame goes on sale within the next 2 weeks and pick up a cargo panel for carrying the tree stand. Once you get the frame the heavier tree stand won't bother you as much.

For someone who isn't gonna use your binos a ton, check out the Nikon Prostaffs. They are probably plenty good enough for less $; best value out there IMO if you're not trying to get an exact score from 1000 yards.

 

[philos]

I would absolutely suggest binoculars above all else for you. First and foremost for me-I never hunt without them for a few reasons. First-safety. If you need to see any thing magnified the binos are there. NEVER look at anything through a scope that you do not have fully identified. I am not suggesting you do not hunt safety but have to throw that out there. I've had folks look at me through the rifle scope because they did not have binos-not a good feeling. I hunt in SC and much like you many targets are very close. You will be amazed how much binos can help even at fairly short distances. Good binos help you see through the forest cover and help identify many off distance things not just animals.

You do not need to spend hundreds to get decent quality. I mostly use an older pair of 8x42 Leupolds and I have used them out west many times. I feel naked with binos even on turkey hunts. I would say you could get by with decent glass for well under $300. As you say this will not get you top end but much better than the big box store cheapies.

If you use them wisely I promise you will see animals you never can without binos.