Starter back country setup .

[isu22andy]

Im going to preface this post by saying Im from Iowa so Im new at backcountry camping. Ive tent camped before a million times with buddys around here, but we are always out fishing or messing around and it rarely dips below 50 degrees. Iv been out west hunting muleys with a bow and Antelope with a rifle but always done so from hotels.

Im looking at finally getting away from hotels but getting a little hung up on the price of some of this stuff. Im cold blooded and tight money wise by nature. I cant stand being cold and it will take alot of the hunt out for me very quickly so if Im miserable. Love the looks of the tipi setups from Seekoutdoors. Ideally Id like the 4 man or the redcliff. Throw a stove in it your 1100 -1200 dollars easy. Now you need a cold weather bag and sleeping pad. 2-500 dollars can get wrapped up in that quick .

Is all that necessary to hunt and camp in 20-40 degree weather ? Ill probably never hunt bighorns in the mountains , but id like a setup that would be versatile and comfortable enough to hunt from September elk in Colorado to late nov muleys in Montana.

So Im thinking at the bare minimum I can get into this around 1600 bucks - at that price though can sure split a lot of 75 dollar hotel rooms with a buddy. Bottom line - Is it worth it to make the commitment even when I only come out west hunting once a year? Is there cheaper alternatives as far as tents and bags and staying warm ? Seems everywhere you turn on here theres guys with 5 k of setups to sleep in the backcountry.

 

[Mike 338]

Discretionary funds can buy convenience but if you wait around till your rich or completely prepared, you'll never do anything in life. Most people in the West only hunt once a year. You get on these forums and it seems like nobody has a job but in reality, the vast majority of those who enter the field have to fit hunting around work and family. You don't need a fancy tent, ultralight sleeping bag or even a fancy rifle. You do need a decent sleeping pad to insulate you from the cold ground. You need a good pair of boots, a warm coat you can hike in and something to shed the rain. You also need to not get lost or hurt. Almost any backpack big enough to carry meat can be left back at base camp, to be used to pack meat if you get something down. Almost any bag with straps can be used for a daypack. People have successfully camped and hunted for many centuries without the benifit "ultra" materials. Truth is, the things that contribute most to being successful or even having a good time, can be had without writing a sizeable check. If you get cold, bring more stuff to cover up with. Oh, take some tarps with you. They may come in handy. If you get blown off the mountain, there's always the motel.

 

[Jwhitney]

It comes down to what you want out of the hunt. Don't think you have to be 6 miles in to see elk. There are lots of places you can truck camp and bring your current gear and a heater or a few extra blankets. I would recommend doing that to start out. Then if you find an area you like you can slowly purchase better gear, to hike in. You will also have a better idea what the weather will be like without being committed to the backcountry and getting yourself into trouble.

 

[Young Blood]

Check out the Hunt Backcountry Podcast from Exo Mountain Gear. They just put out a budget backcountry gear episode (episode 160) that gets you decent quality gear for around $750 (tent, pad, bag, filter, cook stove). Those guys live for backcountry hunting so I would put a lot of stock in their advice and recommendations.

 

[BRTreedogs]

So Hunt Backcountry just did a budget gear podcast, check that out.
I would suggest truck camping 1 yr to test the waters.
But no. The higher prices mostly equate to lighter weight not necessarily comfy.
I also think a stove would only be needed on very foul weather hunts.
1st thing 1st you gotta know no matter what you pack, backpack hunting is uncomfortable, you have to be ok with that. Safe but ok with being uncomfortable.
As far as budget gear.
Trek poles, Costco $30
Mt Shelter Lt $100
Kylmit static v lite $59
Marmot trestles 15 bag, cant remember think I got it for $189 on sale at rei.
Sawyer squeeze, $35
Stove $100
Long spoon $10
Tyvek ground cloth. $10.
Plan on sleeping in all your clothes at lower temps.
As far as me all other gear is the same because even if truck camping I use the same stuff.
For about $525 that's a pretty good start. And solid gear and middle of road weight wise.
No stove but unless ur deep and the weather really poor I wouldn't want to carry it or mess w wood any ways.

 

[sndmn11]

Closeouts and used gear can get you under $1k easy. Look for coupons to stack on closeouts.
https://www.moosejaw.com/product/nemo-sonic-0-sleeping-bag_10272237

There was a dozen or so listed on the SO page this morning, but it looks like most have sold. https://seekoutside.com/shelter-closeouts

 

[*zap*]

If you have been tent camping a million times in Iowa but not under 50 degrees then I would imagine you have or have access to some camping gear. It gets under 50 right now in Iowa so why not get some gear together and camp out and see what you can make work and what you may want to upgrade on? Find a place you can walk in a bit (1-4 miles) close by to where you live and camp out. If things really suck you can walk back to your vehicle easily and you have learned a lesson, which is much better than any advice you can get over the net.

You can buy a wiggys bag that will keep you warm down to 10 degrees for $100 on ebay, grab a tent and go camp every Tuesday (for example) night no matter what the weather is for the next three months and you will become a good camper/like it or be able to tolerate it at the end of 12-15 nights...…...or have a change of heart and want to continue motel rooming it.

For an overnight you need very little specialized gear. Food grade parchment paper, place meal inside and wrap up, cover with barbecue grade aluminum foil and you can cook that on any cheap propane/butane stove or on coals. Cheap mess kits are e-z to find. If below freezing they make an adapter for iso stoves that allows you to use propane cylinders for that stove....pocket rocket is fairly inexpensive stove option. Some Nalgene bottles for water/coffee and make your coffee before you go and just heat it up...Borrow tent, $100 bag, $40 stove and look on ebay for a klymit static v used...I got the lux for under $70 delivered. Roll of refletix and cut out some pieces for the tent floor and another piece for under sleeping pad and your good to 0.

Nothing beats personal experience for knowing what you can make work and what you may want to invest in.

 

[aion2come]

Can do WAY cheaper, sleep warm, and get lighter gear. I sleep cold and can tell you that you do not need a stove at 30 degrees if you have a good tent, insulated pad and bag/quilt. I have a Stratospire 2 Tarptent with solid sidewalls to help retain more heat and cut the wind, then an Exped Synmat that is very well insulated, and use an Enlightened Equipment 10 degree quilt. Sleeping in one light layer of clothes, I am toasty warm. In fact, this year, to cut weight, I am going to be trying a different insulated pad and see how I do. I'm thinking I'll be fine.

 

[Bryanboss429]

IF you've never done much or any backpacking, I'd start by accumulating some gear for that and doing some 1-3 three night hikes. Get your gear dialed in for that. Just jumping into backcountry backpack hunting isn't a good idea. I've been backpacking for years before I decided to backpack hunt. When I decided that's the direction I wanted to go, I started upgrading some of my gear. Hunting out of your backpack adds a whole other element. I'm not trying to discourage you in anyway. But get confident in your backpacking skills first and learn you and your gears limitations. Make upgrades based on that experience. Start looking for sales and deals in the classifieds, eBay, discount websites, etc. It can be done without breaking the bank. Enjoy and good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[isu22andy]

For right now , I think I would be okay with truck camping first for a few years after some thought. With that you always have the safety of turning the key and hopping in for some heat if things turn south. Then I could slowly build my gear. Good bag and pad first, then any standard tent that we use around here should do as long as it keeps the elements off I would think. Thanks for the help and criticism.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

I’m a run it first check it second kind of guy..

mountainsmith lt shelter is good to go 75$ used

Enlightened equipment 10 degree bag, 200$

Thwrmarest x therm. Not sure.. maybe 150$ ish??


That’s my setup and i’ve Ran it a bunch of different ways. That’s good as cold as I ever want to hunt. Cheapy double diamond or whatever it’s called down throw is a handy addition if you gotta cut it a bit colder then Expected but don’t want to buy a new quilt/sleeping bag

 

[rayporter]

test now with what you have. grow slow. take baby steps. do some camping around home as much as you can in cool weather as you acquire each piece of gear. you will make decisions based on your experience this way.

you don't need it all at once. staying close to the truck for a trip is a great idea.


[U]Ndbowhunter[/U] gives good examples. but I know myself and I would freeze in that set up. I need some insulation on top of the x therm in 20* temps cause even a minus 10 bag would have me freezing. and even then a plus 10 bag would barely get me to 30*. a lot will depend on the quality of the build of the bag, too. study them to understand what features are important.

 

[Oldffemt]

Keep in mind that there is almost no humidity in the mountains. When I lived there and worked outside every day I’d get used to -20* and come back to the midwest and be cold at 20*. Truck camping for a few years can be really beneficial. Study maps of your area and maybe just go camp out for a season to check it out, see what kind of pressure and road conditions you’ll face. And for God’s sakes get a pair of tire chains and know how to use them.

 

[3227hunter]

A buddy and I contemplated buying a seek tipi tent and stove for 2 years before we finally pulled the trigger and bought one. What I can say is with the stove you can pack less clothes, get away with a cheaper sleeping bag, and don’t have to sit in the tent when the weather gets bad, (as long as you have access to fire wood) you can stock pile some wood and stay plenty warm at night with minimal warm clothes and if it is raining out you can chance getting your clothes wet cause you can dry them out in the tent at night. If your going to splurge I would start with the heated tent.

 

[wind gypsy]

Another vote for truck camping. Despite what rokslide makes things seem like, there aren’t many people backpack camping late oct-nov in the northern Rockys for good reason.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Take a look at non hunting brands you’ll find plenty of stuff for much more affordable prices. My wife is very happy with her marmot down bag, we got it for less than 200 bucks, we also found her a nice sleep pad for less than 100 bucks. There are plenty of good tents out there for less than 300 dollars and some of those basic MSR stocks are like 30 dollars.

 

[loggerchas]

From Complacent to Capable, Striving for Competent

From Complacent to Capable, Striving for Competent By Chas Carmichael How many threads here at Rokslide start with “What pack/frame should I get?”, “First time out West…” or “What tent/tarp/bag/boot/quilt will work best for me”? I stopped counting at 100 just in 2018. Improvements in hunting...

www.rokslide.com

 

[WyoKid]

There have been times all I had was my rifle, knife and the clothes I wore. Slept under a tree with a small fire and pine bough bed - wasn't the most comfortable but doable if there is no rain and you are dry. I don't recommend it unless you know your limits and have a good idea of the night temps and forecasted weather. The point is fancy gear makes it more comfortable but with the added cost of weight and money.

 

[wesGiddingshunt]

From Complacent to Capable, Striving for Competent

From Complacent to Capable, Striving for Competent By Chas Carmichael How many threads here at Rokslide start with “What pack/frame should I get?”, “First time out West…” or “What tent/tarp/bag/boot/quilt will work best for me”? I stopped counting at 100 just in 2018. Improvements in hunting...

www.rokslide.com

Good article man. This is what people need to see. One step at a time. You can go what you have on your back until you get it really dialed in.

 

[Bcoonce117]

I will list the gear that is most important to me in order
1. Good boots. Your feet take you everywhere. Take care of them. Also merino wool socks as well
2. A good or at least decent pack. My first pack was an alps outdoors commander freighter pack. And when I got it, I wondered why people would spend so much on a pack when that one was so inexpensive. After quite a few heavy loads and hunting trips, I always wondered why my shoulders and my back were so sore. I upgraded to a nicer pack and this doesn’t happen to me any more.
3. Good clothing Layers. Base, mid, and outer layer. This will keep you comfortable in those colder months.
4. Weigh your needs. Watch a few YouTube videos. I think remi warren has done a pack dump. Adam greentree as well.
Don’t pack too much stuff either. I used to always say “oh it only a little more weight” well you say that a few times then all the sudden you have 5lbs extra.