Mountain gear essentials.

[chrislibby88]

some quality waders, a Big Agnus Copper Spur 3 person tent, a wall tent that can handle a wood-burning stove, some insulated Crispi boots, or perhaps some kenetrek mountain extremes.

I carry a few contractor trash bags, for wading streams if I must, and for lining my pack interior before meat goes in. Or whatever else, rain cover for your pack, poncho, etc.

 

[Mountainbuck]

Mystery Ranch pack. There is no better. They are so well made and they are so functional that you will be shocked. Spend the money. You will never regret it. I bit the bullet and bought one, then I bought three more.

Which mystery ranch?

 

[Professor]

Which mystery ranch?

That would depend on your specific anticipated needs and what you can find on clearance. I think the cabinet is great because it is a day pack but can be expanded for multi-day trips. Of course, it has the overload feature for packing meat.

 

[Mountainbuck]

That would depend on your specific anticipated needs and what you can find on clearance. I think the cabinet is great because it is a day pack but can be expanded for multi-day trips. Of course, it has the overload feature for packing meat.

Paking in a few layers of clothes and packing meat out.

 

[Professor]

I carry a few contractor trash bags, for wading streams if I must, and for lining my pack interior before meat goes in. Or whatever else, rain cover for your pack, poncho, etc.

I might try the heavy bags for stream crossing. I carry them in my kill kit already.

 

[Professor]

Paking in a few layers of clothes and packing meat out.

cabinet or mule if you can find one. The sizing is odd. I am 6 ft and 210 and I can wear an extra small - a small fits well. I can not imagine how big the guy that fits into an extra-large is. You can usually find a good selection of used MR packs at the rokslide classified form thread.

 

[Thunder Head]

Just a note on packs.
A ill fitting pack does not tote heavy loads well. It will beat yo down in a hurry.

If your a standard size guy. You can find a pack from most company's that will fit you. If not you might want to look into Kifaru packs. They have different frame sizes.

 

[Joe Brandon]

I'm looking at all the news on the 2 missing hunters in Murray who went to coon hunt around Beach Bottoms. I've been lost in Beach Bottoms with a buddy and it was not fun. I'm praying for their safe return as we enter this Christmas week. I know my buddy and I entered that day only thinking we would do a couple miles. We bought no food or water. I know not bright and some very important lessons learned. This thread on gear just made me think about the importance of bare essentials to stay a few nights in the mountains. It's a scary place when lost. The gun will do you no good and it feels quite impending. God bless all and enjoy all your new gear!!!! Dont forget the basics.❤ now I'm headed to these darn woods to try to swack one more doe for the season! Got about 20-30 pounds so far this season from a doe I killed couple weeks back.

 

[CroMagnum]

Well guys, it’s coming into the off season and there’s gonna be a lot of sales on gear coming up. I’m somewhat of a gear junkie, and always looking for the next piece of kit to make life easier. Let’s hear some game changers and essentials for hunting rough terrain.

For me, this year it was my Crispi Nevada’s, took a while to break in, but man these things are nice in the hills. Also picked up some cheap compression bags from Amazon. I’m probably most impressed with them. My medium compressions bag turns my heavy bibs and jacket into just over a milk jug in my pack, and my packable insulation cinches down to over half that size.

I’m going to be looking to upgrades climbers and backpacks for next season. My tomcat is just too awkward strapped on the outside of my pack, I’ve been looking at the XOP ambush, it isn’t much lighter than the tomcat, but looks ALOT more comfy, and breaks down flat, so should be way less awkward going though laurel thickets. My pack is an eberlestock JustOne and its a good pack, major upgrade from the milsurp ALICE pack I used last season, but I wanna get one where the bag separates from the frame so I can put the load closer to my body.

I just started using trekking poles and, man! Using those in rough terrain is like shifting into four-wheel drive. I bought middle of the road Mountainsmith and I like them

 

[CroMagnum]

Im getting a saddle and my wife got me a nice Sitka heavy weight hoodie and some First Lite gear. Less is more I am learning. As you mentioned less is more. Quality layers that dry quick are worth the money. Im done with cotton.

Yep, I now own a metric-ton worth of First Lite gear. They are worth the money in my opinion and I try to sneak a new piece in every time the wife's not looking...?

 

[CroMagnum]

I carry a few contractor trash bags, for wading streams if I must, and for lining my pack interior before meat goes in. Or whatever else, rain cover for your pack, poncho, etc.

Likewise

 

[CroMagnum]

cabinet or mule if you can find one. The sizing is odd. I am 6 ft and 210 and I can wear an extra small - a small fits well. I can not imagine how big the guy that fits into an extra-large is. You can usually find a good selection of used MR packs at the rokslide classified form thread.

If I recall I saw the Metcalf on Camofire last week

 

[CroMagnum]

Just a note on packs.
A ill fitting pack does not tote heavy loads well. It will beat yo down in a hurry.

If your a standard size guy. You can find a pack from most company's that will fit you. If not you might want to look into Kifaru packs. They have different frame sizes.

I'm looking at the Kifaru Lost Park parka but haven't pulled the trigger yet. A friend of mine has one and just can't stop talking about how good it is.

 

[chrislibby88]

Oh forgot to mention, @Tadpole23 showed me his Sawyer water filter, it’s the squeeze filter model. Fill a bag with dirty water, screw the filter in, then you can squeeze the bag, or just hang it and let it drip into your clean water bottle. I carry a life straw now, but gonna grab a Sawyer for next season.

 

[chrislibby88]

Yep, I now own a metric-ton worth of First Lite gear. They are worth the money in my opinion and I try to sneak a new piece in every time the wife's not looking...?

If you get nothing else get the uncompadgre insulation, and the obsidian wool pants, I can’t stop wearing them.

 

[chrislibby88]

I'm looking at all the news on the 2 missing hunters in Murray who went to coon hunt around Beach Bottoms. I've been lost in Beach Bottoms with a buddy and it was not fun. I'm praying for their safe return as we enter this Christmas week. I know my buddy and I entered that day only thinking we would do a couple miles. We bought no food or water. I know not bright and some very important lessons learned. This thread on gear just made me think about the importance of bare essentials to stay a few nights in the mountains. It's a scary place when lost. The gun will do you no good and it feels quite impending. God bless all and enjoy all your new gear!!!! Dont forget the basics.❤ now I'm headed to these darn woods to try to swack one more doe for the season! Got about 20-30 pounds so far this season from a doe I killed couple weeks back.

I’ve got Onx on my phone, and I carry a small battery pack for recharging. I usually stay in airplane mode to save battery too.

 

[Professor]

I’ve got Onx on my phone, and I carry a small battery pack for recharging. I usually stay in airplane mode to save battery too.

I do exactly the same.

 

[CroMagnum]

If you get nothing else get the uncompadgre insulation, and the obsidian wool pants, I can’t stop wearing them.

I have the Sawtooth pants and I love them but hesitated on the Obsidian besaure I wasn't sure if they would hold up well in the briar patches I often find myself in. The only thing I don't like about the Sawtooh pants is they don't have cargo pockets. I do like the Uncompagre. Based on several other posts throughout this forum, you and I have a lot in common when it comes to gear

 

[NCHillbilly]

I guess I'm weird. I've hunted these mountains day and night for half a century without most of that stuff and did just fine. I won't turn it down if you send me a load of it for free, though.

 

[CroMagnum]

I guess I'm weird. I've hunted these mountains day and night for half a century without most of that stuff and did just fine. I won't turn it down if you send me a load of it for free, though.

Living in the NC mountains, you're probably tougher than us so you don't count...lol