• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Gear you liked/disliked 2022

bigmike23

bigmike23

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Messages
1,672
Location
NE PA
For alot of us archery has come to a close or is getting close. For this year what are some products you liked disliked(doesn't have to be new stuff) and what changes do you see for next year.
Liked:
1. As always my beloved beast stand. The incident last year where it squeaked when the bug buck was in front of me must have been devine intervention in behalf of the buck because after 25 climbs this year it hasn't made a peep. Perfect in every way.
2. This one is a love/hate relationship. The Tactisaddle RC harness. Ive crapped on it before and it feels like a prototype. However, I just kept coming back to it all year. It's extremely light, and it's the first harness I've ever used that feels like I'm not wearing one. My buckles are nothing like Jason shows in the videos where his adjust effortlessly. Mine are difficult to adjust with even 2 hands. See if I can send mine back to get a buckle upgrade.
3. Kuiu Proximity pants. I love love them. So glad I finally could ditch the stratus bibs. They're not 100% windproof, but def 90% windproof. I wore them on a 25° day with just FL Furnace bottoms on and my legs were toasty. I can't say the same for the top...
4. FL Source Jacket. This jacket finally dethroned the Celsius Midi for me. Its without question warmer. It's more stretchy. It's soft. It's cheaper. Perfect mid layer.
Disliked:
1. Kuiu Proximity Jacket. This one was weird to me and can't back up what I say with empirical evidence. According to the Kuiu website the jacket and pants have the same amount of insulation, but there's no question the pants feel heavier, are much warmer, and block the wind alot better. The jacket I consistently kept feeling wind on my arms and shoulders and wasn't as warm as I felt I should have been. I like the layout and fit alot but the top needs some work.
2. Beast sticks. I love these sticks are recommended then whenever I can. But holy God are they awful for walking through Mtn Laurel. The snag factor is 10/10 bad. Rage inducing. I might try the Tethrd 1 sticks for next year. When I briefly had the gen 1 sticks I was able to tuck them beautifully behind the stand so they didn't get snagged.
3. Fanatic bibs. They are extremely warm, but suck for mobile hunting. They are way too bulky for me and heavy. Might see if I can just use the proximity pants in even colder temps with more layering. This will sound weird but they give me an awful headache every time I wear them. The weight on the bibs suspenders pushes down into my traps and causes a wicked tension headache. It never happens when I don't wear bibs/suspenders.
4. Mtn bike. The bike cut my time down dramatically from a 2 hr walk in to 40 minutes. But it's still miserable. You get soaked with sweat. Going up hills absolutely sucks. I'm definitely getting a ebike for next year.

I see myself getting a saddle again for next year. Some trees were not well suited for a stand and a saddle would have been perfect.
 
I will play…

Going into this season I planned on deciding if I wanted to saddle hunt or treestand hunt. Stick with one or the other. I have spent about 60% of my sits in a treestand.

My conclusion? I think both belong in the stable. Ease of setup goes to the saddle for me. Hanging a treestand just takes more work no if ands or buts about it. For hunts that will be around 3 to 4 hours I would probably grab the saddle. However, I have been really concentrating on keeping still this year. I find it much harder and it takes active thought to stay still in a saddle. I find myself swaying subconsciously in a saddle. The treestand I find more comfortable especially for longer sits. I can be statue still without any thought. I also find it easier to get shots off and prefer the open view. But, grabbing my one sticking stick and my saddle is just so much less bulk. I also find myself hunting higher in the saddle to try and mitigate my movement being noticed as much as possible. I have been one sticking till I run out of tree.

Products I liked:

1) Lone Wolf Custom Gear fix platform. I criticized it early before trying it cuz I hated the ambush. But the fix is the most solid platform on the market by a good margin. No other platform I have tried feels welded to the tree like that. I could not get the platform to kickout in my testing. Even with lots of side pressure. That’s being said there is a little bit of a learning curve to get it to set properly. But once you figured it out. It’s awesome!

2) Lone Wolf Custom Gear .75 treestand. Another item I wasn’t going to purchase but they screwed up the price and I had a 10% off code so I ordered it. Glad I did. Amazing treestand. They corrected the issue they had with sharp edges. The whole stand is exceptionally smooth it looks CNC no waterjet marks. IMO it’s just perfect.

3) Dare I say this…. Tethrd ONE sticks Gen3 - 1lb, doublestep sticks haven’t had a single issue. Love them.

4) Wild Line Rope Lineman belt. The 5mm rope is scary at first… but it’s so compact and the WLR hitch is simply amazing. 1 handed operation. Works flawlessly…

5) Kuiu guide pants and jacket comfortable just awesome. Bought another set for everyday wear in ash.

6) Kuiu attack pants bought a pair then bought 2 more. Love them…

Products most disappointed in:

1) Topping the list is the Beast stand. I tried to love this stand because the weight/size ratio. But I bent 3 of them. 1 the front middle of the platform and 2 seat leveling brackets. As crappy as that was I figured I would just be really careful with it. No more toe camming whatever. But tried hanging it in some crooked thin trees in the swamp and it would not set. It wanted to align with the tree I needed it to offset and it just wouldn’t do it. Also I found the platform very squeaky with some boots. Deemed this sucker a Turd finally and I am done with it.

2) Tactacam Reveal cell cameras. Back when it was just Gen1 cams the picture quality was excellent. Those cameras had a narrow trigger window though. Then the revealx came out and they went down the crapper. Now regular pics it sends are so pixelated you cant even tell it’s a deer half the time. Then they scam you to pay extra for HD pics. I hate them. Pieces of crap.

3) Out On A Limb Big Bob. When this thing was delivered I was excited to try it. I pulled it out of the box and it was the poorest craftsmanship I have every seen on any product I received from them. It looked hacked together. Poor looking welds etc…. I put in on the tree and cammed the top over and it ovalized the mounting holes for the top. Obviously a design defect they fixed after this. But they charged me shipping both directions for a defective TURD. Probably the last item I purchase from them.

4) Lone Wolf Custom Gear double step sticks. Yep I tried to like them again. Yep they still suck just as bad.
 
bigmike23 said:
I see myself getting a saddle again for next year. Some trees were not well suited for a stand and a saddle would have been perfect.
Click to expand...
I run a saddle with a LW Assault hang-on in one of my trees. I like the roominess but it doesn’t handle side-pressure at all so I find myself slacking my tether and adjusting way out from tree. Not a bad preset situation, though I still prefer to just preset sticks/steps and use my Ambush or Predator. Which brings me to my first submission to this thread:
1) I absolutely love my Trophyline Ambush platform. I always wanted a LW Assassin but they stopped making them around the first or second year I hunted, and I never had the cash to grab a second-hander, so when the Ambush was released it was the first thing I asked Mrs Claus for. Although I prefer the Predator for packability, stealth and comfort can’t be beat in the Ambush. I have put 6+ hour hunts in it as a 100% leaner, and only minimal back strain (especially compared to getting my toddler or fussy infant around for a few hours). It’s actually pretty packable as well, just not AS packable as the Predator (but quieter in the tree).

2) Muck Apex Mid-Zip Boots are a winner for me. Got a pair in black last year, so comfy and convenient, I had to buy a new pair this year in olive drab specifically for hunting and made the black ones my everyday farm boots. Great as far as waterproof/windproof. Could be a little warmer but a good pair of socks and a little monkeying around on my platform keeps my toes pretty warm. Toe warmers or heated soles could work too, but haven’t needed to try yet.
 
The Sitka stratus is a dang nice super versatile jacket. Just wish they made it a little longer in the torso for those of us that refuse to wear bibs.

I got a ONE stick for one sticking and it's an awesome ultralight piece of gear. No complaints with mine.

Tried Salomon Quest boots, mixed feelings. Fit is great but rand is already coming loose. Same reason I ditched Lowas.

No real gear fails but I invested a decent chunk of time learning SRT and it's a good skill to have but not practical at all for hunting imo.
 
elk yinzer said:
The Sitka stratus is a dang nice super versatile jacket. Just wish they made it a little longer in the torso for those of us that refuse to wear bibs.

I got a ONE stick for one sticking and it's an awesome ultralight piece of gear. No complaints with mine.

Tried Salomon Quest boots, mixed feelings. Fit is great but rand is already coming loose. Same reason I ditched Lowas.

No real gear fails but I invested a decent chunk of time learning SRT and it's a good skill to have but not practical at all for hunting imo.
Click to expand...

They do make the stratus jacket in tall sizes. I have an XLT
 
enkriss said:
They do make the stratus jacket in tall sizes. I have an XLT
Click to expand...

I looked at that when I bought it but I think the sleeves would have been too long even sizing down to medium tall. I have t rex arms and a long torso so that sizing issue isn't unique to Sitka to be fair.
 
I mostly have things I really liked this year. This was the first year I bought expensive camo and I really liked it compared to the cheaper stuff I wore last year.

Major winners:
First Lite Source Jacket - This sucker is super light, packs super small, and is super warm. Shrugged off thorns and brambles without incident. Super versatile layer, both as an early season outer layer and later season mid layer.
First Lite Sanctuary 2.0 Bibs - Very warm and easy to get on at height
FHF Gear Blaze backpack panel - A great little blaze panel with a stretch pocket that can fit several layers in it

Winners I owed last year:
EDP
EWO Ultimate One Stick

Things I'm not sure about yet:
Eberlestock F1 Mainframe + Bagwings - Heavy and not a ton of organization. I like it, but think I need to experiment a bit more. I don't like climbing with this as much as I liked climbing with my SOG Opord; it feels like the center of gravity is further away from my back and pulls me off balance more than I'd like. I'm going to start hauling it up with my rappel rope.
Eberlestock Accessory Pouch instead of CGM Dropout for my rappel stuff: Fits a ton, but a tight fit. I have a Kong Futura + footloop, Pulldown rope + biner, autoblock + biner, madrock + biner, ATC + HMS biner (madrock backup), and 40 ft of CIV in it.

Things I wouldn't buy again:
FHF Gear Rifle Sling that clips into backpack - doesn't work well with the F1 mainframe IMO

Things I want to buy to try:
Latitude Method 2 (I tried my friend's and loved it, which is surprising, because I bought the Method 2 XL and tried it this fall and did not care for it over my Aerohunter)
Tethrd One Sticks Gen 3 + GC-One Aider (I like one sticking, but there's something to be said for the simplicity of running sticks.
 
bigmike23 said:
For alot of us archery has come to a close or is getting close. For this year what are some products you liked disliked(doesn't have to be new stuff) and what changes do you see for next year.
Liked:
1. As always my beloved beast stand. The incident last year where it squeaked when the bug buck was in front of me must have been devine intervention in behalf of the buck because after 25 climbs this year it hasn't made a peep. Perfect in every way.
2. This one is a love/hate relationship. The Tactisaddle RC harness. Ive crapped on it before and it feels like a prototype. However, I just kept coming back to it all year. It's extremely light, and it's the first harness I've ever used that feels like I'm not wearing one. My buckles are nothing like Jason shows in the videos where his adjust effortlessly. Mine are difficult to adjust with even 2 hands. See if I can send mine back to get a buckle upgrade.
3. Kuiu Proximity pants. I love love them. So glad I finally could ditch the stratus bibs. They're not 100% windproof, but def 90% windproof. I wore them on a 25° day with just FL Furnace bottoms on and my legs were toasty. I can't say the same for the top...
4. FL Source Jacket. This jacket finally dethroned the Celsius Midi for me. Its without question warmer. It's more stretchy. It's soft. It's cheaper. Perfect mid layer.
Disliked:
1. Kuiu Proximity Jacket. This one was weird to me and can't back up what I say with empirical evidence. According to the Kuiu website the jacket and pants have the same amount of insulation, but there's no question the pants feel heavier, are much warmer, and block the wind alot better. The jacket I consistently kept feeling wind on my arms and shoulders and wasn't as warm as I felt I should have been. I like the layout and fit alot but the top needs some work.
2. Beast sticks. I love these sticks are recommended then whenever I can. But holy God are they awful for walking through Mtn Laurel. The snag factor is 10/10 bad. Rage inducing. I might try the Tethrd 1 sticks for next year. When I briefly had the gen 1 sticks I was able to tuck them beautifully behind the stand so they didn't get snagged.
3. Fanatic bibs. They are extremely warm, but suck for mobile hunting. They are way too bulky for me and heavy. Might see if I can just use the proximity pants in even colder temps with more layering. This will sound weird but they give me an awful headache every time I wear them. The weight on the bibs suspenders pushes down into my traps and causes a wicked tension headache. It never happens when I don't wear bibs/suspenders.
4. Mtn bike. The bike cut my time down dramatically from a 2 hr walk in to 40 minutes. But it's still miserable. You get soaked with sweat. Going up hills absolutely sucks. I'm definitely getting a ebike for next year.

I see myself getting a saddle again for next year. Some trees were not well suited for a stand and a saddle would have been perfect.
Click to expand...

This is a good topic. I'm sure you can understand my laughing emoji, some gear is a bit confounding and you've experienced that. It's why the pro-con debates help folks think it through.

The two most impactful adds for me (archery season) were 1. Frame packs. 2. Sevr 1.5 broadheads.

1. It was an eye opener that "heavy" backpacks can make loads feel significantly lighter and more manageable.

2. Sevr 1.5 mechanicals really did the trick for me. I had pre-ordered Vector Custom Shop MD3 coc broadheads. They never made it to market and I needed a last minute solution. Sevr shipped fast, shot straight, and did a heck of a job on my buck. I have exactly one data point on game, so take that for what it's worth. But I was nonetheless impressed.
 
Gear I liked. Yes I’m gonna sound like a fan girl of “bandwagon” brands.

LWCG.5 I love this thing. The combo of how it carry’s sticks and it eliminates the need for a pack. Which then makes me carry less stuff. I love it. I’m using it with a saddle.

Cruzr xc season 2- this thing finally did it for me. 12-13 hour sit and I was comfortable all day. I like it so much it’s hard for me to want to buy another saddle even to just try.

Sitka clothing/higher quality clothes. Not saying the brand itself is what makes the difference but higher quality hunting clothing is worth it. I always find it used or on sale which helps.


Dislike. Pull up ropes. I’m using paracord and it just always ends up ticking me off. Really wish I could find a perfect solution to this.
 
Bowtie747 said:
Gear I liked. Yes I’m gonna sound like a fan girl of “bandwagon” brands.

LWCG.5 I love this thing. The combo of how it carry’s sticks and it eliminates the need for a pack. Which then makes me carry less stuff. I love it. I’m using it with a saddle.

Cruzr xc season 2- this thing finally did it for me. 12-13 hour sit and I was comfortable all day. I like it so much it’s hard for me to want to buy another saddle even to just try.

Sitka clothing/higher quality clothes. Not saying the brand itself is what makes the difference but higher quality hunting clothing is worth it. I always find it used or on sale which helps.


Dislike. Pull up ropes. I’m using paracord and it just always ends up ticking me off. Really wish I could find a perfect solution to this.
Click to expand...

Doyle’s…. Worth every excruciating ounce.
 
bigmike23 said:
.
3. Fanatic bibs. They are extremely warm, but suck for mobile hunting. They are way too bulky for me and heavy. Might see if I can just use the proximity pants in even colder temps with more layering. This will sound weird but they give me an awful headache every time I wear them. The weight on the bibs suspenders pushes down into my traps and causes a wicked tension headache. It never happens when I don't wear bibs/suspenders.
Click to expand...
I agree with your comments about the Fanatic bibs, which I’ve worn in very cold temps with the Incinerator jacket. I love them, even with many seasons of burrs stuck to them. This past trip I too wished the bibs weren’t as bulky on the legs. I love the warmth and layout of pockets, but is there something as good but not “bell bottoms”?
 
Liked:
Nock On Silverback. Just makes you work on execution.
Sitka Stratus pants and jacket. Very versatile.
Overwatch Transformer. Very comfortable.
Exomountain packs. I just love how simple and durable they are.
Nopes:
Benchmade Altitude. Possibly the worst knife I have ever owned.
G5 montec. I tried to sharpen one for a buddy. That thing won’t cut melted butter.
Wild Edge Steps. Too much work to make them stay on a tree.
 
Likes:
1. EWO LP and ULS added to a muddy main tube with a three step Ultimaider. Even though it’s a little bulkier and heavier overall than the stock EWO UOS I used last season, it’s very stable and comfortable and although I only use the full three step aider on my first climb, two more moves just using the second and top step gets me to my average 18-20 foot hunting height with ease. I found myself going to this with every saddle hunt I did.

2.Garmin Xero series bowsights. I picked up a used one on here and with my aging eyes, I absolutely love this sight so far. Although I still am hesitant to use it in severely inclement conditions, I did use it in light rain and in deep in hunts on public and it has worked flawlessly. On my hikes in and out before and after hours I covered it with a cheap elevation release pouch and when I raised And lowered it from the tree. Once you go through the sight in process and get it dailed in, oh man oh man it’s almost like cheating. One interesting side benefit of this sight is I have found myself actually being able to increase my overall average setup distance from stand location attractors. This adds a number of benefits in a saddle hunting situation especially on quiet or still mornings or afternoon hunts. Anything that can allow you to back away 10 + more yards on average and still get great shot opportunities increases your odds on many different levels.

3. ‘21 PSE Xpedite NXT compound. For my 27-27.5” draw, this bow gives me the added efficiency to propel a medium to heavier arrow with a still acceptable trajectory and not sacrifice a smooth and comfortable draw cycle. I didn’t think anything would help appreciably over the Darton Spectra E but the Evolve Cam takes away much of the issues historically associated with speed bows and addsspeed bow efficiencies I’ve not been able to realize before.

4. Hikers and/or Mtn. Boots with gaitors. I’m never going back to rubber boots again.My buddies laughed at me but they also noticed how much more hunting and mobility I have now than ever before. I used Keen Hikers with merino wool socks, light in early season, medium in later season and my feet stayed warm and I actually kind of enjoyed hiking in and out because I didn’t have the cement feet syndrome anymore. Gaitors do help with overall foot warmth as well and also stick slap. I also think they help prevent ticks and because they snug your lower pant legs close to your legs, I believe they are quieter for accessing areas with a lot of low ground cover (annoying briars, small brushy saplings etc. that in the past would slap my lower pant legs or boots making unduly noise. I didn’t notice any additional issues with ground scent at all.

5. Pursuit Platform- I love this thing folks. It’s light and sets up well, quiet and warm. If I can just get a stick system down I like I may be using this more especially as season progresses and having to west bulkier clothes. It can be a pain one sticking when having to west bulkier extreme conditions clothing. It’s so light I may even try adding it to my one stick setups on fatter trees as an alternative to side steps etc.

6. Hot Shot Impetus Release. Robust, USA made, Super crisp trigger. Super quick D loop attachment, Lower cost alternative to the Spott Hogg Wiseguy. Love this release!! Highly, highly recommend!!

Cell Cams. I know everyone hates this phrase but all I can say is GAME CHANGER!! Not
Not only did they tell me when to try to get into the woods, they also helped me STAY in the woods when I would have most likely packed things up. For those reasons alone I believe they are worth it.

STILL On The Fence:

1. Kifaru Shape Charge. I used this all season for my saddle hunting day pack. Although it carry’s a hunting load out really well, and I mean really well ( I could hike all day with this thing on), Like @Plebe said, when you come to the realization of the utility of a frame pack system, you will not look back, but it’s heavy and bulky and it has an internal frame system as opposed to something like a Stryker XL or 22Mag etc. I would have probably gone with something like that which you can compress down to the external frame system. I’ve found with the shape charge, it doesn’t have all of the capabilities a full frame system has but still has all the weight. The shape charge is way better (IMHO) than something like the OG, MR Treehouse but I found myself over and over again regretting getting rid of the MR Divide I used last season. I’m still using the Shape Charge but anyone reading this trying to find a happy medium, the only thing I would say is for the capability to weight ratio, go with something like the Styker XL.

2. LWCG double step sticks. I can’t see-much if any weight savings over other options and although they pack and stack nice, four of them are seemingly as heavy as my One stick setups I described earlier and I can’t get as high with them unless I’m using aiders. I’m stilltrying to give them another chance and going to try and use them more before making a final decision.
 
I usually don't give many
reviews on gear til i have at least a few dozen sits.
Here i go again rambling on lmao :)

I think i have 10 sits this year due to just responsibilities getting in the way.

The Gear i used or am still using is
Cruzr xcsaddle , lwcg the fix platform, be sticks and lwcg double-steps , usa attachment method and daisy chains for my sticks and the Kong duck whatever they are lol
My loves
Kong duck
Only words for these and the ropemans are I love them. Lol
My cruzr xc saddle
I cant say enough about how much i love this saddle. Its comfortable, light, and perfectly adjustable.
the only thing i may change is getting a removable fleece for the panel to keep my rear end warm on those cold days.
Beast sticks and lwcg double steps
I love my beast stick mini’s.
I sold my full length beast sticks last spring and got the mini’s i love them and would very much recommend them to anyone who is looking for sticks.
They bite to almost any tree and stick like they are glued.
Some trees with hard bark or skin like Holly’s they can make some squeeking noise from slipping but my doubles do the same thing. My lwcg double steps
These sticks are a close second to the beast sticks but-with them your tree diameter is limited to the spacing of the bolts.
Another difference is I hate how the beast sticks stack they snag on alot of brush and limbs. Getting the mini’s helped this big time.
The double steps stack pretty much perfectly flat and either strap to pack or secure to the .5 and your good.
I do use the cable aiders with my doublesteps and I have a love hate or a somewhat annoying relationship with how they wrap up with the doubles. other than a few small things i would highly recommend either stick.

lwcg the fix platform
Theres is not one thing i dont like about this platform.
to be honest it is absolutely perfect for how i like to do things.
packs right into my xop striker pack and wraps up almost flat.
I’ve honestly have not found anything i dislike about this platform.
The dquisto’s definitely hit a grand slam with this on i use this 90% of the year and would again highly recommend this to anyone looking for a platform.
lwcg .5 stand
Like the platform i love this stand.
its quiet, compact, light, and just great for a hybrid setup for those really long hour or all day sits. Thats really the only time i use it.
I am a big fella and I am fine in this stand.
Plenty of room for me.
I will switch up and face tree then sit for a bit.
Xop striker pack
Love this pack early season til around the rut
It fits everything i need inside the pack and lets me attach sticks to the outside very nicely
$69 at xop snd so far worth every penny
Stitching is great.
Zippers seem to be pretty heavy duty.
The compartments are plenty big with several small netted ones throughout the bag. Light weight and not bulky at all. Not much noise when shifting bag around or opening zippers. Lots of packs are made from i think fire house material like carthart jackets and pants are and are bulky, stiff , and for a time noisy.
My dislikes

My sitka gear
I hated it it was really conforming which fat guys hate, the fabric was in my opinion weak as hell. Seemed like every time i went in the woods i added a new fray or rip.
i tried it and its just not for me.
back to the silent hide wind shear bibs and coat for the chilly days and, for the more colder times of year I swear by the woolmate line from cabelas. Super warm.

the USA amsteal and daisy chain attachment method.
The amsteal usa attachment mods were for me awful and i just could not get my sticks tight enough for my liking.
they sagged and bounced using them.
After attaching and getting them as tight as I possibly could it was like doing brain surgery to get the prussic loose lol.
I do hear that this issue was fixed and i believe some sort of tender now is included.
I tried ropes ,strapless, daisy chains and now the usa attachment methods.
to me the tightest i can get is 2ways.
cam straps or i tried regular daisy chains using a truckers hitch.
i tried daisy chains on both sets of my sticks but like the usa method it just did not get tight enough for me.
i fixed this issue by using a truckers hitch with the daisy chains.
they rock tight solid now.
not to get technical but i think keeping an attachment method as even to the button as possible makes it just that much more solid.
i see so many guys post how to videos snd see their ropes or straps almost going in a 45 degree upward angle.
this is really bad for a posdible kick out.
They will sag a bit but not that much. But, thats a whole other conversation.

i will add a pair of boots that i am really liking.
i bought a pair of irish setters with the whole boa cable system.
Only thing i notice and its not a big deal is when walking they have a kind of dud sound im not sure what it is but its no big deal.
they have been great.
I have not sat in them in cold weather yet so warmth is still out there to be seen.
I have probably a few hundred miles in the woods with them and so far. I love them.
 
Added this year and liked:

-Kenetrek Mtn Extreme 400g fit my feet amazingly well. I love em.
-Kifaru frame pack. I've been all over the place with their gear but have finally settled on a 24" lite with a 44 mag. Way more pack than I need most of the year buy I can fit all my late season clothes, saddle, pouches ropes etc, camera arm, camera and platform into the pack and still have some room if needed. I really wanted to keep everything inside the pack and eliminate strapping anything to the outside. This accomplished that and it compresses nicely once up in the tree. I'm going to have a Stryker Xl, Hellbender and 22" frame for sale soon fyi.
-Gray Wolf Woolens Bibs, vest and jacket. The Bibs and vest are only lined with comformax wind lining. Jacket has insulation and wind lining. Predator fall brown is the **** and the clothing is quiet, comfortable and top quality stuff that fits great.
-Duckworth and First Spear heavy wool mid layers. Very warm and comfortable.
-Gulch Gear early season lightweight pants and shirt. Awesome camo pattern and fantastic quality and fit.
-Nitecore HC68 headlamp. Bright, good battery life, red and white lights, flood and spot control, replaceable battery if needed, charges quick. Only thing I did was cut off the top strap bc they annoy me.

Things I may replace

-Burris Oracle 2. It's great for targets but I've had a few moments when hunting that have left me uneasy. I'm still debating what I want to do but I'm close to just grabbing a Fast Eddie XL 3 pin and my old rangefinder and calling it a day.

Things I want to add for 2023

-Gray Wolf Woolens handwarmer muff and hooded jacket with wind lining.
-Kifaru Xpac belt pouches and maybe a Sherman for a lightweight setup where I ditch the 44 mag but keep the frame.
 
woodsdog2 said:
Likes:
4. Hikers and/or Mtn. Boots with gaitors. I’m never going back to rubber boots again.My buddies laughed at me but they also noticed how much more hunting and mobility I have now than ever before. I used Keen Hikers with merino wool socks, light in early season, medium in later season and my feet stayed warm and I actually kind of enjoyed hiking in and out because I didn’t have the cement feet syndrome anymore. Gaitors do help with overall foot warmth as well and also stick slap. I also think they help prevent ticks and because they snug your lower pant legs close to your legs, I believe they are quieter for accessing areas with a lot of low ground cover (annoying briars, small brushy saplings etc. that in the past would slap my lower pant legs or boots making unduly noise. I didn’t notice any additional issues with ground scent at all.
Click to expand...

Agreed as long as you're not hunting swamp. I wish I could get rid of my muck boots and use my hikers.
 
Bowtie747 said:
Sitka clothing/higher quality clothes. Not saying the brand itself is what makes the difference but higher quality hunting clothing is worth it. I always find it used or on sale which helps.
Sitka clothing/higher quality clothes. Not saying the brand itself is what makes the difference but higher quality hunting clothing is worth it. I always find it used or on sale which helps.


Dislike. Pull up ropes. I’m using paracord and it just always ends up ticking me off. Really wish I could find a perfect solution to this.
Click to expand...

I have a Sitka fanatic hoodie that I wear on every hunt as a base layer. Got it two seasons ago, love it. I never would have bought on my own, thanks to the Claus family up North.
I also hate pull-up ropes, added an IKEA retractable dog leash (yes, dog leash) for $4.99 plus tax and it’s rated for like 150# and it’s a little over 20’ long. Beats the hell outta pull-up ropes and I’m not pissed I spent $40 on a “hunting” version of the same thing.
 
After years of holding off temptation I finally bought Sitka pieces this year. 30% sale helped. Fanatic hoody and the bibs/coat. They are incredible. I know that given the price one is likely to develop a stance that justifies it, but they really are nice. I've never been that not cold when hunting snowy late season Vermont. The design details are so well thought out. These will not be resold, and I hope they give me years of the same joy I've had so far. They better at that price!

Those and a JX3 are making me a much happier rifle/late season hunter... something I had been losing interest in previously.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top