Gear you liked/disliked 2023

[Iron_llama]

Liked - pretty much everything except for
Disliked - 4x scope for shots past 100yd. I can do it on the range, but in low light I had a tough time making out the buck of a lifetime and had a clean miss.
Disliked - KI Boss 405 crossbow. Eats strings and customer support won't answer emails or their phone. I wish I had bought any other brand of crossbow.
Need more time with - 2TC and SRT. Tried it, shows promise, got to hunting height, I just need a lot more practice.

Like - long (15') tether with footloop. Footloop is on a Longhorn Agile hitch, so when not 2TC, it just hangs out by the stopper knot, out of the way. But it's right there when I want it. Being a bit longer than conventional tethers I can toss my quick link over branches above my head, or use my Hooeyman saw pole, and advance it that way, getting more height per move.

 

[Plebe]

Liked:
- Exo K4
- Sladder
- Badlands Shift set
- Badlands Exo set
- Latitude X-Wing
- Lumbar belt setup
- Dryad Mini-Drey/Killdeer setup
- Sticht hitch
- Crispi Shimek boots
- Argali Serac knife
- Amsteel gear hanger setup
- CGM custom dump pouches
- Kuiu Mountain Star tent

Disliked:
Tethrd HYS gear strap (too bulky)
Tethrd SYS ES dump pouches
First Lite Sanctuary Set 2.0 (weird fit and restrictive)
Nemo Tracker tent (restrictive living space)
Mystery Ranch Treehouse 9

Undecided:
Exo K4 2200 bag (too small for late season layers)
Canyon Elite (too bulky...?)

The Shimek GTX boots sound great and I’m going to be looking into them further. There is a review coming sometime by one of the Rokslide mods who listed it as a staff favorite, but I’d be interested to have your thoughts and any comparisons to previous boots.

My 200g L&S MTN Hunter Warm are incredibly comfortable and awesome boots, but I really wanted 400g boots. I’m good down into the 20s w/ 200g, but I’ve pushed 450g toe/350g upper boots down below 0. Maybe the Shimek can go deeper into the season than my L&S and should be over a pound lighter on my feet which would be awesome. They are rated Flex 2, which is less stiff than the L&S, but I think I’m comfortable with that having used the flex 2 Crossover GTX from Crispi.

Anyway, your experience is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[woodsdog2]

If you want to ruin the temper on your good knives, stick them in the dishwasher. Prolonged and repeated exposure to super hot dishwasher temps, constant pattering of spray and degreasing agents, and it won’t be long before you’re wondering why your hardened steel Japanese santoku knife won’t hold an edge anymore and chips or rolls at the mere sight of an onion skin.
Anything tamped out of sheet steel and used for basic cooking chores (peeling potatoes, cutting sandwiches, etc), and costing less than $10 per knife might get put in a dishwasher on the regular because it’s already cheap and not necessary to sharpen.
Anything over $10 that required a legit forging process and a human bladesmith (or at least a competent mechanical bladesmith) doesn’t even hear me utter the word dishwasher around it.

I try to never wash our good knives in the DW. Dawn spray and warm water and air dry. Touch them up with the steel before going into the holder. I’m better going forward on the steel than reverse so I typically do a 12/6/1 with a “shaving a thin slice off steel” from moderate to very light on the shave out swing (I’m a lefty) and 14/8/3 on the “in shave” off of the steel. Seems to be able to keep slicing tomato reasonably well using that.

 

[brydan]

They were mentioned earlier but I was really happy with the pair of Lite boots I bought pre-season. I don't really care about the weight, it was the comfort over a much wider range of temps compared to rubber boots that really sold me on them. On the ground putting in the miles I still prefer my old rubber boots for the better fit and flexibility but in the stand there's no comparison.

 

[Cajunyankee]

Made that same switch a couple years ago and absolutely love it

Same here. The wiggys stuff just didn’t give enough to be comfortable.

 

[bowhunthard88]

The Shimek GTX boots sound great and I’m going to be looking into them further. There is a review coming sometime by one of the Rokslide mods who listed it as a staff favorite, but I’d be interested to have your thoughts and any comparisons to previous boots.

My 200g L&S MTN Hunter Warm are incredibly comfortable and awesome boots, but I really wanted 400g boots. I’m good down into the 20s w/ 200g, but I’ve pushed 450g toe/350g upper boots down below 0. Maybe the Shimek can go deeper into the season than my L&S and should be over a pound lighter on my feet which would be awesome. They are rated Flex 2, which is less stiff than the L&S, but I think I’m comfortable with that having used the flex 2 Crossover GTX from Crispi.

Anyway, your experience is appreciated. Thanks.

Probably my favorite boot to date, although it took me two shots to get the sizing right lol. I picked these up to cover 90% of my season (+70dF thru ~10dF this year) and I wore them from day one down to about 15-20dF with absolutely zero issues. I do have warmer boots, but not warmer boots suited for miles lol. I prefer the level of flex on these soles, and I don't think for general use that I'd go above a 3 rating. Looking for an uninsulated pair of boots now to break in before end of September...

If if get's cold, and I have to hike, I do have some boot blankets; but I didn't even pull them out this year...

 

[Plebe]

Probably my favorite boot to date, although it took me two shots to get the sizing right lol. I picked these up to cover 90% of my season (+70dF thru ~10dF this year) and I wore them from day one down to about 15-20dF with absolutely zero issues. I do have warmer boots, but not warmer boots suited for miles lol. I prefer the level of flex on these soles, and I don't think for general use that I'd go above a 3 rating. Looking for an uninsulated pair of boots now to break in before end of September...

If if get's cold, and I have to hike, I do have some boot blankets; but I didn't even pull them out this year...

How was the sizing then? I think I’ll try them.

 

[bowhunthard88]

How was the sizing then? I think I’ll try them.

For me, they ran large. I bought a pair in my "normal" size, compensating an extra 1/2 size up for my sock setup; had to exchange for smaller, and then exchange for smaller once more. With my "heavy" sock setup, I'm a half-size smaller than my normal boot size (probably could get away with one full size smaller)... I also need a wide, so I do love that these boots give you that option.

 

[Plebe]

For me, they ran large. I bought a pair in my "normal" size, compensating an extra 1/2 size up for my sock setup; had to exchange for smaller, and then exchange for smaller once more. With my "heavy" sock setup, I'm a half-size smaller than my normal boot size (probably could get away with one full size smaller)... I also need a wide, so I do love that these boots give you that option.

How would you compare to running shoe size?

 

[bowhunthard88]

How would you compare to running shoe size?

I wish I knew lol (never owned a "running" shoe)! It wears more like a sneaker than a boot to me, usually I wear a half size down with typical sneakers (but then again I don't wear heavy socks in sneakers). I wear the same size across all my quality cowboy boots, loggers, work boots, and wellingtons; so I do have a decent cross section to base my sizing off of, but I also have never actually had my foot measured either...

 

[bigmike23]

I really want the lapponia 3s... that said no way Im buying another pair of boots. got like 7 already lol

 

[Longdraw38]

Liked:
My tethrd skeletors upgrade from hawk heliums. The weight and the step off from the tree and ease of connection to the tree is nice.
Dislike:
These two for starting out they were nice but definately need to move on to a better piece of gear. Atleast for me.
The latitude classic 2 and xop edge platform.
The saddle will kill you if you have a long sit in it. My lord.
The platform is sturdy and will absolutely not move. No complaints there but it is like lugging a small child on your back. When you add it with all your gear. I will replace it with the trophyline hyperlite if they will ever come out with it lol.

 

[MtnCodger]

Liked:
- Irish Setter Elk Trackers (uninsulated) - hunting in the southeast, the uninsulated was perfectly fine and worked well layering socks later into the season. Rigid but not difficult to traverse mountain sides or climb sticks. A little cumbersome compared to slimmer profile boots I normally go with but absolutely worth the purchase in my book.
- Mathews Phase 4 29 - I upgraded my bow setup after about 13yr of deploying my Diamond Dead Eye. It was a significant upgrade and was very pleased with the purchase. I didn't get an opportunity at a deer with it during the season but I was able to practice plenty and gained a lot of confidence quickly.
- Spot Hogg Fast Eddie single pin - upgraded to this from and HHA single pin. Nothing wrong with the HHA by any means but I liked the roller adjustment of the Fast Eddie over the slider mechanism in the HHA. Plus it worked in the dovetail attachment in the Mathews I purchased a few months afterwards.
- Spot Hogg Wise Guy - upgraded from a Scott Caliper I'd been shooting since the beginning of my archery existence 12-14yrs prior. Again, nothing wrong with the Scott but I wanted to try something different and really liked the adjustable trigger, fold back design, and adjustable length, etc. Lots of perks that fit my form well and seemed to be the best move for me.
- Under Armor Storm Ayton set - not new gear AT ALL but new to me and love the set. I've had the Ayton bibs for many, many years and they've been perfect for our temps and fit great. I completed the set by adding the coat and vest over the summer in 2023 and regret not doing it sooner. Scoured eBay to find the right pattern and sizes and it payed off ending with getting both pieces for under $100. I like the slimmer profile and plenty of comfort in our coldest temps with room to layer if necessary.

Dislike:
- Hot Shot thumb release - nothing wrong with the release at all, I'm just accustomed to the trigger style that the thumb release didn't feel natural. Glad I tried a $50 AT pick up rather than buying a new UV thumb button and hating myself for spending the money. Ended up with the Wise Guy (listed above). Again, not throwing shade on the thumb releases, it just wasn't my preference.