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Gear you liked/disliked 2023

Liked:
Every piece of Sitka I picked up from the classifieds. Favorite piece by far is the incinerator muff. I thought it would be overrated but I haven’t worn gloves yet this season and have hunted to the mid-teens.
OneSticks and predator platform. Huge weight savings for me compared to previous sticks and platform and both are rock solid on the tree.
Trophyline Sumpter pack. Fits my setup well and needs well.
Dislikes and needs/wants:
I don’t have an actual dislike in my setup right now.
Not immediate need but really like my Easton 6.5 mm so I will have to get more of those at some point. Fun to build them in the preseason anyway.
Wants just because: I’d like to upgrade more clothing to Sitka. I could see bibs for early to mid season and late season as well as a late season coat in my future.
I’ll look for add ons to my bow. Sight just to have the bridge lock capability. Rest so the cool kids don’t see me using a whisker biscuit (it works I don’t see why it matters but I’m sure I need a drop away).
 
DelaWhere_Arrow said:
@thedutchtouch @boyne bowhunter the man needs an intervention. Keep that guldern biscuit on that bow!
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Preach! I strayed from the holy biscuit for a spell, twas a frightful summer of unwanted contact and not following a path that was true. Having returned to the biscuit, I've been blessed with a bounty of proportions never known to a man such as me before.

Or... In other words... The drop away was too fiddly for me to tune and I've had the best season of my short hunting career after returning to the WB.
 
thedutchtouch said:
Preach! I strayed from the holy biscuit for a spell, twas a frightful summer of unwanted contact and not following a path that was true. Having returned to the biscuit, I've been blessed with a bounty of proportions never known to a man such as me before.
Click to expand...
Man that was almost as captivating as Paul Bettany in “A Knight’s Tale”.
 
Loved:

1 - EXO K4 pack. After using many inexpensive day packs, this thing is a dream. It's like going from a Pinto to a Ferrari!
2 - PSE Drive NXT bow, new this year. Still haven't connected on a deer, but it's a joy to shoot and easy to tune
3 - Sitka clothes. The quality is off the charts.
4 - Ziess 10x40 SFL binos. Light and with exceptional optics. Good optics are worth every penny they cost, having upgraded from inexpensive Bushnell binos this year.
5 - High quality knives with super steels. But to be fair, I have a penchant for collecting good knives. :tearsofjoy: Anything by Benchmade....but also the Argali Serac
6) Worksharp sharpeners. The field sharpener lives in my pack....handy, light, inexpensive and does a great job. Also the Ken Onion Edition bench sharpener, especially with the grinding attachment. Reasonably priced and a compact pro-grade sharpener that can quickly bring your good blades back to factory shaving sharp
7) Iron Will broadheads. Quality and build is outstanding and they fly same as my field points

Not so much:

1 - Price of Sitka gear, even on sale, since the only Canadian supplier is Cabelas and their selection is marginal
2 - FHF Nav Pouch. Awkward, poor latch, brushes against your hand when on the pack belt and overpriced. Sold it.
3 - JX3 saddle. Find it bulky and awkward, though once set up it is quite comfortable. Ordered an Ape Canyon Pioneer mesh saddle taking advantage of Black Friday sale price. Will evaluate which I like/keep/use (maybe both?) for 2024 hunt season.

Bonus Loved (gear-related but not "gear" per se):

1 - I joined the mindful-reviews.com community, which is a paid service launched by Jay Nichols (Mindful Hunter...adore his gear review and hunt vids on YouTube). Low noise, high quality community for hunting gear afficionados.
 
You’re talking like the season is over - I’m at the halfway mark!

Dislike - amsteel USA rope mod with a Blake’s hitch on a camming platform. While this attachment method worked well on my climbing sticks, it was a pain on the platform. The camming action of the platform causes the friction hitch to cinch way too tight. It was annoying but workable in the early season but late season in the cold it was impossible to loosen the friction hitch.

Like: eberlestock x2. For my saddle hunting needs this pack is amazing. It works well for the kinds of gear I carry and it’s comfortable. The layout really works for me - pockets in good places and it has lots of ways you can configure things - without being overly complicated.
 
Jammintree said:
You’re talking like the season is over - I’m at the halfway mark!
Click to expand...

Moose is long done, bear closes Friday, and deer, there is about a month left, but as snow is starting to pile up and trail cams are showing no movement in the daylight, my season is fast winding down, sadly.
 
Like

-EWO Ultimate One Stick. Don’t see me going back to multiple sticks unless it’s a funky tree.

-Tethrd Lockdown saddle. Best saddle I’ve had yet by far.

-Sitka Ambient jacket and hoodie. Surprisingly warm and packs down small. Nice addition when temps drop in the evenings.

-Dry Shod boots. Built like a tank but super comfortable. Kept my feet warm with minimal socks on with temps in the low 30’s.

Unsure

-Tethrd FAS Pack. I’ve carried it a few times and have liked it. But I’m still on the fence about it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Liked:
-Gun bearer…received it as a gift before opening day in PA and worked awesome with my short barreled Model 7 (scope down)
-Still loving my EV1 Incinerator bibs. Compress and pack well, and warm.
-Climbing platform with post
-Padded 2 panel saddle, bulky but super comfy for all day sits in the cold
-Tom’s Unscented deodorant, overtop of unscented crystal…won’t do antiperspirant

Disliked:
Hard to hate on things that might work for others, but…

-EXO K4 2200. Haven’t even used it, but it’s so narrow it’s like a tube. Buckles on the sides of the back panel would be a huge upgrade, I hate having to compress the bag to tighten the load in the meat shelf. A bag this thin hardly needs compressing. At worst, have both options. It’s a miss, imo, but there’s things I like about it too. Besides, the other bags aren’t any better.
-I ripped a Darn Tough wool sock about in half…I disliked that…but I liked the lifetime warranty
 
Likes
Switched from Sitka and first lite to all wool and won’t go back. (At least anytime soon) cheaper wool military issue pants and older button downs to sleeping Indian and Filson pieces for late season.

Still extremely happy with my Ruger American 450 for when I do gun hunt. Seems to put em down fast and is small for the thick stuff.

Micro pan fluid head and fourth arrow saddle lite are an awesome package for filming

Waldrop pac seat picked up a second one I liked it so much

E4 5000 great pack but need some more time with it and possibly add the smaller bag for early season use

Dislikes
No real hard dislikes this year but def changed our a lot of gear from platforms, climbing methods clothing and packs.

Excited for a few pieces coming mainly Pnuma heated base layers and some gerbing heated sock liners all on the way yet
 
Plebe said:
Liked:
-Gun bearer…received it as a gift before opening day in PA and worked awesome with my short barreled Model 7 (scope down)
-Still loving my EV1 Incinerator bibs. Compress and pack well, and warm.
-Climbing platform with post
-Padded 2 panel saddle, bulky but super comfy for all day sits in the cold
-Tom’s Unscented deodorant, overtop of unscented crystal…won’t do antiperspirant

Disliked:
Hard to hate on things that might work for others, but…

-EXO K4 2200. Haven’t even used it, but it’s so narrow it’s like a tube. Buckles on the sides of the back panel would be a huge upgrade, I hate having to compress the bag to tighten the load in the meat shelf. A bag this thin hardly needs compressing. At worst, have both options. It’s a miss, imo, but there’s things I like about it too. Besides, the other bags aren’t any better.
-I ripped a Darn Tough wool sock about in half…I disliked that…but I liked the lifetime warranty
Click to expand...
+1 For the Tom's Unscented Deodorant. I like it so much better than any "Unscented Deodorant / Antiperspirant" that is marketed directly for hunters.
 
Plebe said:
Liked:
-Gun bearer…received it as a gift before opening day in PA and worked awesome with my short barreled Model 7 (scope down)
-Still loving my EV1 Incinerator bibs. Compress and pack well, and warm.
-Climbing platform with post
-Padded 2 panel saddle, bulky but super comfy for all day sits in the cold
-Tom’s Unscented deodorant, overtop of unscented crystal…won’t do antiperspirant

Disliked:
Hard to hate on things that might work for others, but…

-EXO K4 2200. Haven’t even used it, but it’s so narrow it’s like a tube. Buckles on the sides of the back panel would be a huge upgrade, I hate having to compress the bag to tighten the load in the meat shelf. A bag this thin hardly needs compressing. At worst, have both options. It’s a miss, imo, but there’s things I like about it too. Besides, the other bags aren’t any better.
-I ripped a Darn Tough wool sock about in half…I disliked that…but I liked the lifetime warranty
Click to expand...
This is why I bring tp. Even when I don’t have tp I would cut my britches before my darn tough socks.

Seriously though, how in the world did you rip the socks? I have had the same pair and used for skiing and hunting for 5 years and they are still in excellent shape.
 
gcr0003 said:
This is why I bring tp. Even when I don’t have tp I would cut my britches before my darn tough socks.

Seriously though, how in the world did you rip the socks? I have had the same pair and used for skiing and hunting for 5 years and they are still in excellent shape.
Click to expand...
Unscented wet wipes FTW.
Y’all forest-poopers are a different breed as it is, but if you’re gunna drop logs where logs are born and raised, do your brown eye and your saddle a favor, use some dern Huggies.
 
My Season is still in full swing, so I am still testing some of this gear.

Liked:
* Buzzard Roost 2 Panel Saddle
* EXO K4 Frame and Load Crib. I have the 5000l bag, but haven't used it.
* Tethrd One Sticks
* 8mm Tether and Lineman's Belt

Disliked:
* Latitude Carbon SS Sticks (these just weren't for me)
* ScentLok BE:1 Grinder Backpack

Probation (Still Testing)::
* Bullman ROS
* OCB Strap
 
Likes: LWCG 1.0
Skelator Sticks I would like to try the One sticks.
TideWe heated vest
Browning stalker 7mm PRC
Primos Trigger stick tree stand attachment

Dislikes:
Price of ammo for 7mm PRC
 
I’ll mention one piece of gear I haven’t seen anyone else talk about. I have really enjoyed using my Rick Young bino harness. It’s just a simple harness made out of shock cord and a couple attachment points. It works really well and you can wear it a few different ways. I’m able to shoot my bow while wearing it. It keeps the binos out of the way. Also I’m just using a cheaper pair of Redfield 8x32’s. If I had Swaros I might go a different route.


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