Roksliders,
I was able to test quite a bit of gear hard in AK during the moose hunt. I thought I would get some of the clothes and sundries out of the way:
Sitka Ascent pants:
I always liked these pants, and own three pairs. They are lightweight, breath well, and dry quickly. I have torn and repaired all three pairs, but brought he best pair with to AK. I never put them on, however, because ....
Kuiu Attack pants:
I love these pants. They are similar in weight to the Ascents, but have a thicker feel to them. They are more resistant to snags and tears than the Sitkas. Breathability and drying time are awesome. After soaking my VIAS version in moose blood (Oh yeah!), I stuck them under some rocks in the stream bed, and they were stain free in the morning. A half-day later, after hanging on a tree branch, they were dry and ready for action.
Kuiu Guide Vest:
A staple. Every day. Breaks the wind. Adds a little warmth. Sheds off light rain. Super light. Great piece of kit.
REI Kimtah:
We only had a few showers to deal with, amazingly, but the Kimtah never leaked, and breathes like eVent should. It is a good jacket that packs down small.
Patagonia Capilene:
Warm, dries fast, and stink-resistant. This stuff really works. It feels great next to the skin, too.
Icebreaker merino top:
Warm, dries fast, and doesn't smell AT ALL. Really great stuff, but still itches a bit when it was next to my skin. I preferred to run it over capilene.
Patagonia R1 pullover:
Super high warmth-to-weight ratio. Slim fitting and easy to layer. Smell resistant. If you don't have one of these low=-profile grid fleeces, you need one. I brought, and used two. I even layered them together on some cold nights.
Patagonia Micropuff pullover:
Nice for extra warmth in low temps. Not much of a weight penalty. Similar to most synthetic puffies.
Smartwool socks:
I haven't got any Darn Tough socks yet, because these won't wear out.
Lacrosse Alpha Burly over-the-calf mud boots 800g Thinsulate:
Tough mud boots you can actually walk in. Sized small. I brought my Hanwag Mountain Lights and Danner Canadians, but only used the Lacrosses, due to the prolific water crossings and marshes that are everywhere in AK. I was very impressed with how hiking-friendly these boots were, but my left foot developed a tendon pain near the pinky toe. Since they only come in whole sizes, My foot was a little cramped, and I think that was the issue. Jared poked a hole near the top in his, but Austin and I never had a problem. We went through some nasty chit with them, too.
The North Face Balacava:
Like a hug for your head. Essential on a four wheeler in an arctic wind.
Eberlestock J104 Just One backpack. This pack was a perfect match for this hunt. It carried extremely well with moderate loads, caused zero discomfort, and the rifle scabbard was awesome to free up the hands for hiking on tundra (uuggghhh ... tundra). The accessory pockets on the belt were really handy (Thanks Muleman!)
FHF gear:
The bear spray holster held securely, but I never had to quick-draw it, thank God.
The Bino Pouch needs its own review. In a word: Awesome.
Much more to come.
I was able to test quite a bit of gear hard in AK during the moose hunt. I thought I would get some of the clothes and sundries out of the way:
Sitka Ascent pants:
I always liked these pants, and own three pairs. They are lightweight, breath well, and dry quickly. I have torn and repaired all three pairs, but brought he best pair with to AK. I never put them on, however, because ....
Kuiu Attack pants:
I love these pants. They are similar in weight to the Ascents, but have a thicker feel to them. They are more resistant to snags and tears than the Sitkas. Breathability and drying time are awesome. After soaking my VIAS version in moose blood (Oh yeah!), I stuck them under some rocks in the stream bed, and they were stain free in the morning. A half-day later, after hanging on a tree branch, they were dry and ready for action.
Kuiu Guide Vest:
A staple. Every day. Breaks the wind. Adds a little warmth. Sheds off light rain. Super light. Great piece of kit.
REI Kimtah:
We only had a few showers to deal with, amazingly, but the Kimtah never leaked, and breathes like eVent should. It is a good jacket that packs down small.
Patagonia Capilene:
Warm, dries fast, and stink-resistant. This stuff really works. It feels great next to the skin, too.
Icebreaker merino top:
Warm, dries fast, and doesn't smell AT ALL. Really great stuff, but still itches a bit when it was next to my skin. I preferred to run it over capilene.
Patagonia R1 pullover:
Super high warmth-to-weight ratio. Slim fitting and easy to layer. Smell resistant. If you don't have one of these low=-profile grid fleeces, you need one. I brought, and used two. I even layered them together on some cold nights.
Patagonia Micropuff pullover:
Nice for extra warmth in low temps. Not much of a weight penalty. Similar to most synthetic puffies.
Smartwool socks:
I haven't got any Darn Tough socks yet, because these won't wear out.
Lacrosse Alpha Burly over-the-calf mud boots 800g Thinsulate:
Tough mud boots you can actually walk in. Sized small. I brought my Hanwag Mountain Lights and Danner Canadians, but only used the Lacrosses, due to the prolific water crossings and marshes that are everywhere in AK. I was very impressed with how hiking-friendly these boots were, but my left foot developed a tendon pain near the pinky toe. Since they only come in whole sizes, My foot was a little cramped, and I think that was the issue. Jared poked a hole near the top in his, but Austin and I never had a problem. We went through some nasty chit with them, too.
The North Face Balacava:
Like a hug for your head. Essential on a four wheeler in an arctic wind.
Eberlestock J104 Just One backpack. This pack was a perfect match for this hunt. It carried extremely well with moderate loads, caused zero discomfort, and the rifle scabbard was awesome to free up the hands for hiking on tundra (uuggghhh ... tundra). The accessory pockets on the belt were really handy (Thanks Muleman!)
FHF gear:
The bear spray holster held securely, but I never had to quick-draw it, thank God.
The Bino Pouch needs its own review. In a word: Awesome.
Much more to come.
