Best bang for your buck Gear

[TJ]

Wal Mart has stuff sacks pretty cheap.

 

[sodak]

Usually the quality expensive stuff that I researched, bought because I had a need, and continue to use every year.

When that stuff fails I’ll replace it.


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[WoolyBugger]

I'm gonna say T-tape. It has been a very important part of my system, I wouldn't say it saved my ass but it has made things a lot better than it would have been without it

 

[blindfocus]

Under Armor rain jacket from TJ max for 30 bucks has lasted for years

 

[Ndbowhunter]

All the below gear is stuff I run irregardless of price. Looking back, wasted a lot of time and money buying what others claimed to be top tier stuff and in reality it was the newest, or most expensive.

So for me a baseline is that apiece of gear needs to fulfill a specific need. If it costs 10$ or 1000$ so be it.. so for me baseline equipment, antelope hunt to NZ Tahr.

Take rifles for instance. A ruger American Short action (300$ new), 450 bushmaster single stack mag with loctite bases, warne maxima rings correctly fastened onto a swfa 6x sighted in 10 shots with hornady precision hunter at 100 yards.


Mountainsmith lt shelter 85$.. there's not a lot of tents that will work in 80+ wind, and even less at the sub 100$ mark.

Tyvek for groundsheet. Simple.

NOS asolo boots from Sierra.

Enlightened equipment quilt. Defines bang for the buck. Simple

Chuck a double diamond down throw on for 30$ and get another 10degreew of comfort if need be.

Meopta meostar hd 10x42.. especially at used prices (600$ or so) Beat this horse enough over the years, but the cheapest glass i can stand to get behind all day.

Baseline glass would be bushnell legend ultra hd 10x bino's off of eBay for 80$ or so.

Swfa 6x. my go to is a lrhs 3-12, but I'd not feel lacking on a fixed six in any scenario. At 260$ new makes it beyond a bargain.

Warne maxima rings..

Mora knives are real good. It's hard to beat a 10$ knife that works that well. Winklers and bark river's haven't seen much field time in recent years


Cascade tech poles are super bomber. At least that's what Skurka purported. That said you gotta spend into the 100$ mark to get into something I'd trust my life to.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Been real pleased with a small piece of 300 grit sandpaper to keep knifes reasonably sharp in the field.

Eddie Bauer wool shirts at 25$ are a great buy

Same thing with their guide pants when on 50% off sales.

 

[allday]

I've used quite a bit of Eddie Bauer gear for more controlled trips. Only thing ill bring on a mountain hunt is the microdown puffy.

You can return anything if it gets banged up or torn too.

 

[EastMT]

I like my 8oz hound dawgs shoes for camp $10

Victorinox 6” boning knife $20

Jack links lil chub sausage, loved this for part of a midday meal on the mountain

DIY webbing belt with backpack clips, doesn’t rub under my pack like my leather ones

Sawyer water filter

Borah 8oz 6x9 tarp $50? With extra tie outs. When fogged in nice to lay out under it in rain gear instead of in tent

Mil surplus aluminum cup

1 liter coke bottle or 2 to connect to sawyer

Allen’s game bags, $30. Good quality, decent price

Mechanix gloves for hiking with poles in decent weather

All I can think of that’s cheap.




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[Ndbowhunter]

I've used quite a bit of Eddie Bauer gear for more controlled trips. Only thing ill bring on a mountain hunt is the microdown puffy.

You can return anything if it gets banged up or torn too.

All the first ascent clothing ever run has been exemplary. Besides not being camo can’t fault it at all.

go to for replacing clothing nowadays. Really helpful that they have stores all over the place to try stuff on, and then shelf it till you see a 50% off sale and then pull the trigger.

 

[3sdad]

OnX maps. My number one utilized tool for hunting hands down. Second item would be smoke in a bottle. And for the last few years I've been wearing prana zion pants for everything from summer fishing to calling coyotes below freezing. Just add a good merino baselayer. Super versatile and usually 50 bucks or less on amazon.

 

[Downeaster]

Ill second the Mora knives. The one with fire steel is extra useful for still cheap money. Those cheap $10 chinese stoves off of amazon have not let me or anyone i know down. Along those lines, the steel camp cup with lid from stanley for $14 is a steal too if all youre doing is boiling water. EB tech pants, tikka rifles, slick trick heads, vortex glass, salomon 4d quests (for fair weather), Glock G20's. All great stuff.

 

[qacwac]

I'm a newbie and appreciate all the responses. Ordering the Vecto for my Sawyer. I hate filling the bag up through that tiny hole.

Would have ordered the foot pad/seat, but while $5 is great, $4 for shipping kind of ruins it.

Will be getting the trekking poles when they become available. I'd never used them in all the backpacking I'd done, but packing out my buddy's elk 2 years ago and borrowing his I realized how crucial they were for really heavy loads.

 

[rklein]

BRS 3000 Stove

 

[ryangrantjones]

Vanguard Endeavor Binos and usually can find a good sale or rebate

+1 for Eddie Bauer First ascent. They also offer better sizing including Tall options

 

[OFFHNTN]

A light weight Merino beanie. I can't tell you how many times I have taken it off and put it back on in a day to regulate heat as I hike, then glass, then hike, then glass. It takes seconds to put it in a pocket and take it back out, and I don't even know it's there.

 

[Tonto]

I bought an inexpensive Vortex tripod for my binos. That was worth its weight in gold. Also, Costco trekking poles. When you're going downhill with a heavy load, those will be priceless as well.

 

[gabenzeke]

Kershaw knives. Cheap, come sharp, easy to sharpen. Or onx. For the money, I get more use from that than almost anything else.

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[bluegrassbackcountry]

I've used columbia silver ridge pants with good results. 20$ on amazon and work from summer creek wading/fishing to February coyote hunts

 

[BIG_B.]

Havalon knife! Best knife you can buy for $35


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[WV Mountaineer]

Browning Tommy Boy jacket. Extremely warm and light weight. Packs up very small and works for bow hunting it is so quiet