Back Country Gear review

[mfllood3800]

My General items used that I chose not to fully review (because there are so many reviews already) are as follows:

Pack: Kifaru Fulcrum
- yes a bit strappy, but really a nice set up for big hauls as well as day mode.
- Center zipper is sweet to get to bottom of bag w/o having to dump it
-Im only 5-9 and am running this on a 26" Duplex.
But it works for me with some serious shoulder strap adjustments.

Tipi/Shelter: Seek Outside Redcliffe
-Best all around shelter IMO


Sleeping Bag: Western Mountaineering
- Best bag for warmth IMO
- I bought mine used and it had extra fill when ordered
I was "Hot" in the teens with no stove in this down filled bag


Head lamp: Fenix hl25 I believe
-its an older one
18650 recharge battery
2 separate light with a red light

Boots- Crispi Summits
- feet never got cold
- I have some Salomons I run too, but crispi is in another level in every category

Clothing- All First Lite
- excellent in all areas of needs

Binos: swaro 10X42
- perfect for elk in spot and stalk situations

Bino Harness: Alaska Guide Creations
- I don't mind the extra bulk, cause it carries a lot of essential stuff
- PODS8 made me a pistol holder to mount to this as well, more on that later.

Camp stove: JetBoil
- will switch to another brand when this dies
- but it is a decent stove and I got a killer deal on it 5 years ago


Shelter stove: Lite Outdoors 18" w/ spark arrestor


Socks: Darn Tough Hikers


Bow: PSE Full Throttle
Arrows: Axis Match Grade 3 fletch 510 gr
Broad Heads- Iron Will 150 gr


Range Finder: Leupold RX1300i


GPS
OnX Phone app
Garmin InReach
Garmin watch Fenix 5s

 

[mfllood3800]

For my cook stove (Jet Boil mini mo)
I used the jet boil fuel canisters, small ones.

I read a lot of questions on how long do they last, and guys doing 7 - 10 dayers wonder if one is enough.

We ll for me on a 7 day one was enough.
I made coffee in the AM, and dinner in the evening. I even cooked a hot dog or 2 one night.

If you are aware- it will last you. I didn't boil coffee water till it boiled nor did I boil the Mtn House water till it was boiling like crazy, just long enough on the coffee to know it was hot and long enough on the Mtn H to know it would rehydrate and still be hot. No reason to sit there and get it rolling with boiling water- to me that's a waste, especially for coffee, cause then ya gotta wait 5 minutes for it to cool down to drink it.

 

[mfllood3800]

Tent stakes: MSR Ground stakes

These do what they are suppose to.
In rocky ground, they bent at guy out loop and one broke.
In normal ground they were flawless

 

[mfllood3800]

Custom items:

I got a hold of Pods8 a vendor from here to make me a few items

-gps pouch- notice extra elastic pouches
range finder pouch- more elastic pouches
bugle tube/Nalgene holster
pistol holder for bino harness

all worked flawlessly

also

William Hanson sent me a tarp to try out.
- more of a rain shelter or emergency shelter if spiked out away from camp
- what a guy
- under a pound with cordage, stakes and Velcro strap
- I ordered a specific design and he was busy, so sent me this one to get me by until he could fab up the one I wanted

These 2 sponsors on here are awesome and deserve our support, they go above and beyond most vendors

Pics to follow::

 

[mfllood3800]

William Hanson
Tarp

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[Tick]

Good info. Thanks

 

[aion2come]

Here is my grade on several items. I'll grade them 1-10. Keep in mind that these grades reflect the type of hunting I am doing, which is a mix of spike and bivy hunting.

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow. 4 oz. Grade: 9.5 (I almost left this home. My oh my, I'm glad I didn't!)

Exped Synmat 7 Insulated Long/Wide Grade: 6.5 (I love its bullet prove design. Super comfy and warm. Weighs a LOT for early fall. Will be getting something lighter for my next trip.)

Enlightened Equipment 10 degree Quilt. Grade 9.5 (I won't be going back to a sleeping bag. Super light. Super comfy. Super warm. No drafts. Love it!)

Garmin Inreach Mini. Grade: 8.5 (Glad I got it. Paired with the phone it was great. A little tough to use without phone.)

Sawyer Gravity Filter w/ Platypus Dirty Bag and Osprey Quick Disconnect. Grade: 7.5 (I made my own gravity filter system. This was an upgrade over my MSR Sweetwater. However, the Sawyer filter was slower than I liked. I may try a different filter or the Sawyer squeeze. Loved the Platypus dirty bag and the Osprey quick disconnect. This was the only disconnect I could find that water didn't squirt out of it when you disconnected it.)

OnX Maps. Grade 8.5 (Loved just about everything. When they get a 3D tilt mode ... it will be the bomb.)

Tarptent Stratospire 2. Grade 8. (This is a great tent. I love this company. Good quality. Roomy design. Innovative. I love just about everything about it. This year I was using it for 2 people. However, it is a bit heavy for hunting with camp on the back if it was just for one man. Invested in a Tarptent Protrail for those times.)

MSR Reactor 1L Stove system. Grade 9. (I don't know what to complain about here. My nephew had the newer MSR and it had a couple features my Reactor didn't. But this is still lightweight, super fast, and works flawlessly.)

KUIU Gaiters. Grade 6.5 (I REALLY want to like these. Super comfy. At day 3 I was ready to give these a solid "9" ... and then a stick poked a hole through the top section. KUIU is replacing them for me, but I would expect $90 gaiters to be more durable than just 36 hours of use. That said, I liked them enough that I'll be giving them another try next go-around.)

First Lite Kanab 2 pants. Grade 4. (I liked the stretch waist, non-stink character of the fabric, and the camo pattern. That was about it. They were heavier than my Core4Element pants and after 5 days I had rips and tears in multiple places ... while my Core4element pants have lasted far longer hunting the same stuff. And I paid how much for these things???? I'll find something cheaper, lighter, and more durable on my next purchase.)

First Lite Llano and Chama. Grade 6.5. (I did like these much better than the pants. But I had pretty significant pilling on these after just a few days. Both my old Core4Element Merino and my KUIU held up better.)

First Lite Halstead Grid Fleece. Grade 7.5. (I got this second hand and really liked it as a layer on those cool evenings.)

KUIU Kenai Jacket. Grade 8. (I didn't get to use this too much, but the times I broke it out it did it's job. Super lite and super warm.)

Old worn out slip-on water shoes. Grade 8. (Lite. Super inexpensive. Easy to slip on for the old man's pee parade at night. Also great for just taking my boots off at night and relaxing. Took ones that you had to tie last time. Slip-on's rule.)

Washing Machine. Grade 9.9. (I had my hunting partners laughing when I told them I brought one. But they were using it before long. All it involved was bringing a 2 gallon ziplok bag and a tiny bit of laundry detergent. Add a small amount of water and soap and use your hands to squish it around. Presto. Air dry clothes during your afternoon siesta. Felt good to put on clean clothes when baths and showers were not being taken. 1 oz.)

Wet wipes. Grade 9. (I echo what was said above. When I'm not showering, having those things makes a world a difference. Between wearing merino, washing clothes and the wipes, I wasn't stinking after 9 days and having only 1 semi-wash-off with regular soap and water. I'll carry the extra 3-4 oz those things add to my pack.)

Body Glide (anti-chafing stick.) Grade 9. (When the grime gets thick and the chafing starts ... or you get camp-butt ... having a little of this stuff is awfully nice. Won't go without it.)

Payday Candy Bars. Grade 9. (My nephew is an ultra-runner and turned me on to this. More protein and less sugar than a Clif bar. I didn't confirm that. But they worked for me and saved me a lot of money. So unless someone tells me otherwise, I'm going with it.)

Orange Gatorade G2 Drink powder + Crystal Light Lemonade powder. Grade 9. (Did this by accident, but together these taste like Tang. Super refreshing and got some electrolytes to boot. Perfect in my Nalgene.)

NUUN Electrolyte tabs. Grade 4. (I wasn't crazy about the flavor and they gave me gas. I'll stick with Gatorade G2 flavor paks.)

Wilderness Athlete Ignite Apple Cider. Grade 7.5. (Man was this stuff yummy and refreshing. I can't say I could tell a difference in my performance and endurance during the day, but it was still a great thing to look forward to at mealtime. I'd give it a "9" if it wasn't so freaking expensive.)

Sea to Summit Long Handle Spoon. Grade 10. (Never want to eat Mountain House without it. Great little invention over those short handled sporks everyone uses.)

RavPower 26800 Battery Pak. Grade 8. (I charged my phone twice and my Inreach twice and still had between 50 and 70% charge left in the battery pack. I do wish it was lighter though. It is like having a brick in my pack.)

Rugged Stitching Nalgene Holder for Kifaru Pack. Grade 10. (This guy makes great stuff and is a Rokslide sponsor. Easy to get Nalgene out and back in with one hand. Really like this!)

My DIY Bag for my Kifaru frame. Grade 7. (This is my second bag. Was about 7000 C.I. I loved the overall design and I made this thing bomb-proof. In hindsight, I overbuilt it though. I doubled 500D Cordura with 200D Xpac and it was just too much for bivy hunting.
I will hopefully sew a new one. I'll cut some C.I out of it to around 5500 to 6000, use a similar overall concept while making it much lighter weight.)

 

[mfllood3800]

Thx for the great insight

 

[rbljack]

This is a great topic. I am putting together gear right now for an upcoming hunt! Keep this great info coming...plz. I have a few upgrades to try out this year. I got the inreach mini, and the first lite puffy pants for cold weather glassing. thinking about ditching the First Llite Alegany Long john bottoms and just bring the FL puffy pant. I also picked up a dark energy charger to run with my phone and inreach mini for charging. I have the Goal zero solar panel...but think its going to stay at the truck. Hunt is 7 days long. Thanks for the info on the stove fuel too....I may try to get buy with one canister, and just leave a second one at the truck. If all goes well, we would be packing meat back to the truck BEFORE the 7th day anyway...LOL. OH, and two more upgrades to mention....my fenix3 GPS watch for marking the camp and the truck location...and my JUST RECEIVED kifaru duplex frame and reckoning with guide lid. Starting to get that nervous excited anticipation going....its GO TIME!! More reviews and info is certainly helpful. I always enjoy those reads. Hearing how the gear worked in detail fresh after a trip gives others an opportunity to evaluate whether those ounces (or pounds) are worth the weight.

I decided to run a bladder and Nalgene this year as well. I ordered the capcap last week, so glad to hear it worked out well as a system. One of the problems with only running a bladder is you never know when that last sip of water will be. The Nalgene is more visible for sure, and will also allow me to mix some Mtn Ops, or Gatorade powder, etc.

 

[silverbullet555]

Great thread. I've got some reading to do.

In the meantime, on most igloo/coleman coolers you can buy replacement metal hinges. Quieter and last longer. I run a mix of coleman and igloo max coolers that we've had for a number of years. The two that don't have access ports on the kids will keep ice for a week in the shade, but hot temps if not accessed a lot.

For all of my meat coolers, I cut PVC pipe to fit in the bottom. Keeps the meat out of the water and facilitates drainage when I pull the plug.

I hunt alone and was looking for a pulley to have in my pack in case I needed the leverage.

I found a marine micro pulley which weighs an ounce and is sized within range for paracord. It has a 200lb limit which should be fine.

Harken Sailboat Hardware and Accessories


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[mfllood3800]

Great thread. I've got some reading to do.

In the meantime, on most igloo/coleman coolers you can buy replacement metal hinges. Quieter and last longer. I run a mix of coleman and igloo max coolers that we've had for a number of years. The two that don't have access ports on the kids will keep ice for a week in the shade, but hot temps if not accessed a lot.

For all of my meat coolers, I cut PVC pipe to fit in the bottom. Keeps the meat out of the water and facilitates drainage when I pull the plug.

I hunt alone and was looking for a pulley to have in my pack in case I needed the leverage.

I found a marine micro pulley which weighs an ounce and is sized within range for paracord. It has a 200lb limit which should be fine.

Harken Sailboat Hardware and Accessories


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Pulleys certainly help, I have a complete set up I will try to post up. But I took a 350 class bull last year and got by w/o the pulley set up, so I leave it at home unless I am in Brown Bear country. Then it comes. It is more than just for hanging meat, it is for camp food as well. My set up is a complete set up with several pulleys and cordage which is a little heavy. I used to carry it in my kill kit but ditched it as I can still hoist meat up (even solo) over a tree branch just fine. They do have their place, but I personally feel more when in Grizz country.

 

[mfllood3800]

I must add to the clothing list - Gaiters
These are a must if you're spot and stalking IMO

Even if no rain or snow is in the forecast.
I wore the FL kanab 2.0 and loved them. I was in burrs, thistles you name it. I was picking stickers out for days and then realized, "hey I have gaiters"
SO I pulled them out and eliminated 80% of those nasty stickers. I still had some get on my knees, but no where near the amount previously. The gaiters even added some protection to the pants as well as some wind resistance. I had zero days of rain, but wore the gaiters evry day but that 1st one.



I will add, I never wore any merino base on the bottom, and adding the gaiters helped on those early morning beginnings. They aren't for warmth at all, so don't think hey can be a substitute for that, but they did seem to help a little- maybe it was mental. Maybe I am mental

 

[mfllood3800]

GPS-

I bought the expensive Fenix watch, the 5S model so I could have maps, waypoints, tracking for a "back up" system for hunting.I will be honest, I never used it.


I already had my Onx Hunt app on my phone, and My Garmin In Reach. I would use both these out of habit, everytime I moved camp(mark a way point) or began a long hike (tracking).

I noticed that when I used it for tracking and way points as a primary source, I would get about 6 day out of the battery life.
I knew I was doing a 7 dayer and this was a back up, so I opted to use it as a waypoint marker for camp only.

Don't get me wrong, it is a great system, but the phone app is so much more instinctual to use.

My main goal for this was always as a back up to the phone and garmin, thankfully it never needed to be used.,

My battery after 7 days was still at 40%, even in sub freezing temps at night.
I will add I added the little green charge plug to keep debri out of this port. Something Garmin should include IMO. Amazon is your friend here.

 

[Steve O]

Excellent info! Keep up the good work. I will add one here. The Garmin InReach. I was hunting on Nunivak Island our in the Bearing Sea. I’d say that is about as remote as on can get...it was flawless. I sprung for a month of unlimited texting, weather reports, etc. it was wonderful. Battery life excellent. Gave you confirmation your message was sent so you weren’t left wondering. Family and friends loved being updated. Stone Glacier Sky Archer carried heavy loads well enough Ibwill be able to leave my heavier Mystery Ranch packs home now. Tyto scalpel knife simple and rugged; two thumbs up.

 

[mfllood3800]

So I figured I would list and upload some pics later of my kill kit and camp kit and emergency kit. These are the only kits I personally use.
These contain some individualized items and have been reduced in size of the years dramatically and very well might be increased in the same ratio as the years continue. You must carry what you need, and eliminate what you don't use, and add what you needed but didn't have the year before.. I have not used a match in 30 years so I quit bringing them. I have a lighter in my bino harness, camp kit (for cook stove and fire stove) and in my emergency kit. 3 lighters is overkill, but it helps me feel comfortable knowing I am not carrying matches.
lol




Kill kit: In a blue AARP free container- it pays to be old
lol

Tag Bags- from Rokslide, the 24x44
2 sets of surgical gloves, in case one gets a hole or better yet, In case I get 2 animals down as I often hunt with deer and elk tag in pocket
1 large contractor bag, to keep pack clean as possible, key in bear country
partial roll of black elec tape- to attach punched tag to animal
about 75' of para cord to hang meat
small mini type leatherman for replacing blades and working on bow,rifle etc
Havalon knife with extra blades
wet ones for clean up
LED light to hang over animal for night processing, its from harbor freight



Camp Kit: I guess some would call this a partial "possibles pouch"
This is in the red sack
wet wipes, and mosquito wipes,
tooth brush with tooth paste
TP,
shampoo body wash in a small bottle,
Trioxene, I usually bring 5 bars for a 7 day,
Aquamira tabs,
lighter,
lil camp knife,
mini towel,
Not pictured is my Bench made knife for camp duties ( I have it out to clean, sharpen and oil)


Emergency Kit
in yellow sack

trioxane- 1 only in here
moleskin, lueko tape- partial role
antibiotic cream packs (2),
band aids, guaze
emerg foil blanket
lighter



O don't need Ibuprofin, or other meds as I already have some potent RX I bring with me already that are way better than any of the OTC stuff

 

[mfllood3800]

I leave things like my Sven Saw, extra game bags(for the next tag), and such back at the truck.
After my first load back, I will bring these items back as needed, to cut off head etc

 

[ScottinPA]

Good info. Thanks.

 

[amp713]

What do your camp shoes actually weigh in at???

 

[silverbullet555]

GPS-

I bought the expensive Fenix watch, the 5S model so I could have maps, waypoints, tracking for a "back up" system for hunting.I will be honest, I never used it.


I already had my Onx Hunt app on my phone, and My Garmin In Reach. I would use both these out of habit, everytime I moved camp(mark a way point) or began a long hike (tracking).

I noticed that when I used it for tracking and way points as a primary source, I would get about 6 day out of the battery life.
I knew I was doing a 7 dayer and this was a back up, so I opted to use it as a waypoint marker for camp only.

Don't get me wrong, it is a great system, but the phone app is so much more instinctual to use.

My main goal for this was always as a back up to the phone and garmin, thankfully it never needed to be used.,

My battery after 7 days was still at 40%, even in sub freezing temps at night.
I will add I added the little green charge plug to keep debri out of this port. Something Garmin should include IMO. Amazon is your friend here.

Did you buy the 5s plus? I had a 5x and a 5, then the plus came out so I decided to wait and returned the 5.

I still want to get one, but not the x series. Too heavy. I do like they will communicate with the inreach mini which is how I justify it if I can find the right deal.

Thanks for the heads up on real world battery life. That's the one concern i have. I carry a 64s and onx on my phone so it is definitely a redundant system.

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[mfllood3800]

Its the 5x with sapphire glass

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