Backpacking gear? Help

[MuleyMinor]

I am looking at doing an archery 5 day back packing trip and would like some opinions on equipment that you have had good luck with and would recommend?Burners? Tents? Pads?Water filtration?Hammocks?Any help would be appreciated! Thanks

 

[nmwapiti]

As far as packs go, they are personal, like boots. You have to go with the pack that fits you the best. Go to your nearest REI and the salespeople in the camp/climb area are trained very well to help you get the pack thats right for you. Now the packs they sell at REI are not hunt specific, but are multi purpose IMO. If you want a hunt specific pack, you can go to your local archery/gun shop but chances are they don't know how to fit packs like a backpacking specialty store. The MSR pocket rocket stove is light and works very well, I recommend it. I have had a sweet water water filter for 15+ years now, never any problems-just had to replace the filter. The REI brand sleeping pads are just as good as the more expensive brands IMO and are much cheaper than therma rest, etc. I have the super thick pad for car camping and the ultra light for backpacking and think they are both great. Tons of good tents out there, just research which one will work best for your situation. I like sierra designs, good quality and durable.

 

[GSJ]

You'll prolly get recommendations for alot more expensive/better gear but here is what I use:

I have an ancient Camping Gaz international burner thats too heavy and bulky but works like a charm. My dad has a little MSR gizmo called a pocket rocket that works just fine.

My tent is a Marmot something or other. No longer made. Looks like the closest thing they have now is the EOS. Another less expensive option is the Cabelas XPG one man. Both of these tents are light and have kept me and my stuff dry in some extremely bad conditions.

I use a full length thermarest standard thickness. The 3/4 length models are a cruel joke. Trust me.

I use a Sweet Water filter pump. Change the filter every couple seasons or so. Works well.

The biggest ticket Item I own is my sleeping bag. It's a REI kilo plus -0 degree down bag. It's great. Froze my ass off for several seasons in a northface snowshoe synthetic. The REI bag blows it away and is extremely light.

My pack is the Cabelas Alaskan external frame. I'm sure there are much better packs but this one works for me and can haul a stupid heavy load.

I back pack hunt every year for mulies and all this stuff has been field tested and proven itself more than up to the task.





the artist formerly known as "gemstatejake".

 

[bubba]

MuleyMinor,

A few questions to ask about your trip.

Are you going with anyone else?
What time of year are you going?
Do you want to stay mobile?
How much do you plan to spend?
How far do you plan to backpack in?

There is a ton of equipment out on the market from hunting packs,sleeping bags,sleeping pads and ect....

This is the equipment i use and it works great for me.

Eberlestock Bluewidow hunting pack
RIE lite sleeping pad
Cabelas XPG superlight tent
Katadyn water filtration system
Jet boil stove

Try going to Sportsmans Warehouse, Cabelas or REI and checkout the equipmet there. If you plan to hunt in the weather (rain/snow) you want to get out of the weather. By a good tent. I bought a cheap tent before the cabelas tent and it leaked during a rain storm and got all my hunting cloths wet. It made my hunting trip alot shorter than expected. Hope this helps.

If you have anymore question just let me know.

Bubba

 

[MuleyMinor]

Thank you guys for pointing me in the right direction, all the comments were great help.

Bubba,

I will be hunting with one other guy.

August-end of sept.

I would like to be able to jump canons if need be so yes i would like to stay mobile.

I dont want to break the bank but don't want to be ten miles in and have stuff fail.

I plan on hiking in 5-10 miles.

How do you like that Jet Boil? Is it all its cracked up to be?

 

[bubba]

MuleyMinor,

The jet boil worked great! We used two of them this past hunting season, between the 5 of us in camp we never had a issue. I recommend it. If i was you i would try and split up a few things with your hunting partner. One of you buys the tent and the other buys the water filtration and stove. This will help you get started.When it comes to shelter you can look into a Bivy type sleeping system or go with a tent. When buying a tent your size matters. Most tents don't take into acount your gear.I bought a 3 man tent for two people. If you don't have weather you can leave your gear outside. I hunt in California so the weather is Mild most of the time. I'll be hunting Idaho this year and will be Backpacking in around the end of October.There's are alot of good packs out there. Some of them are Eberlestock,Badland,Blackcreek and cabelas. I like the enternal pack frame and rifle scabbern.

Bubba

 

[MuleyMinor]

Yea those are good things to think about. I was looking into the blackcreek Barbarian or the Canadian? Know any info on any of those packs?

 

[bowhunt]

Muley,
Those are good packs, but would be down my list a little bit,for a pack in hunt:
The packs I would choose over it, in no order would be:

-Eberlestock J34, J101, or Dragon Fly
-Nimrod Pack System
-Crooked Horn Exteme
-Any of the Mystery Ranch Packs
-The Outdoorsman system

If you get a great deal on the Canadian or Alaskan they would work great.

My list of MUST have's for pack in:
-Water Purifier
-Jet Boil
-Light Weight 3 season pad, Big Agnes, or Neo Air
-Good Tent, Hillenberg, Marmot, etc...light weight 3 season
-Great Sleeping bag, I use a Moonstone, just get a good one.

Lots of other stuff, but I usually start there.

 

[MuleyMinor]

Thanks for the info guys, it has helped alot.

 

[troutsniffer]

I have used the pocket rocket and the jetboil. The pocket rocket is great and cheaper, but the jetboil works a lot faster. It also comes with the container. I have both, but the jetboil is the one that makes it in my pack.
A water filter beats boiling your drinking water. If you are camping near a stream or lake, you should try a platypus. It will not filter from a mud puddle, but if you have a bigger source of water to purify, the platypus is way more convenient than my mini works.
I like my marmot helium. Super light and warm for the weight. It is easy to be warm and comfortable in the backcountry, just wrap yourself in money!
For less money, I like the Cabelas XPG ultralight tents.
Good luck!

 

[mshred]

msr pocket rocket is a good little stove. reasonably priced if i remember correctly.

i was happy with mine on last years backpack hunt.

 

[Yoyak]

Stove: I have a pocket rocket but plan on upgrading to the new smaller jetboil sol (10.5oz). They just came out with this new smaller version that is much lighter and now meets my criteria.

Tent: Big Agnes SL1 is what I have because it was the lightest and longest at the time I bought it. Now they have a Fly creek Ultra Light series that are the way to go IMO.

Bag and pad: Check out the Big agnes bags that have no insulation on the bottom, but have a sleeve for their insulated air core pads. I have the full length pad and love it.
Down offers very little warmth when compressed by your body so lose the extra down and replace it with an insulated air mattress that you'll need anyway.

Pack: Right now I have the Badlands 4500 and 2200. 2200 will work on overnighters but is pretty small for multiple day trips. 4500 works the rest of the time but is too heavy and big. And I had the frame break one me once, at home thankfully.

I still feel that there isn't the perfect pack out there yet. I would like something the 3000-4000 CI range, lightweight yet built well enough to handle 100 lb+ loads, FUNCTIONING LOAD LIFTERS, vented back and great hip belt.

Good luck hope this helps.

 

[PleaseDear]

http://www.junglehammock.com/

Robb

 

[MuleyMinor]

Wow!! That jungle hammock looks amazing!! I'm 6'4 210 pounds do you think it would be comfortable? Any one use one of these?

 

[pig]

If there is two people going dont double up on gear that both can use. Go with iodine tablets the cost and weight are both a plus. To get started bivsacs w/ quality sleeping bags. There is a ton of info out there. Quality light equipment is very pricey, buy the basics see if you like the backcountry thing before you invest a ton cash. Go on a 2-4 day trip in the summer and see if you enjoy it before you kill hunting time on something you wont enjoy.

 

[cabinfever]

jetboil stove for trips longer than 5 days and snowpeak titanium with a titanium cup for trips shorter than 3 days.One of the lightest most durable stoves on the market

Mystery Ranch is hands down the best pack I have ever owned....period. My badlands and eberlstock went into retirement after trying the MR.

I use a big agnus SL1 tent....it's almost as light as most bivy's and has never let me down.

Thermarest pad

 

[sneeky]

I have used the Jungle Hammock for about six years now and love it. The only thing I don't like about it is I sleep so sound it is hard to wake up. You can't be claustrophobic.
Todd

 

[Outdoordan]

If you need any questions answered we can help. We are backpacking freaks, my associate is the new Outdoor Life live hunt guy. He has tried virtually everything. You can check out Aron's threads at bowsite, his handle is "elk reaper". And I have been backpack hunting for 25 years.

Check out www.hunthardcorestore.com
or our rental service
www.westernhuntrentals.com

Call me anytime at 208-720-3698
Dan
hunthardcore.com

 

[Tank]

Just a thought about the Big Agnes sleeping systems that might be useful. It is true that you compress down when you lay on it making it virtually useless. Big Agnes bags are made to slide your sleeping pad in the bottom of the bag, giving you added insulation. The problem is you can never predict the weather. I have a 15 degree bag and while elk hunting last Sept it never got below 60 degrees. The top of the bag has extra down, so I flipped the bag around so I was laying on the down and the bottom side was up. After I did that I slept comfortably for the entire 8 day trip. If it would have turned off cold I could simply reverse the process. Thus your sleeping bag has a wider range of use, from summer scouting trips to late October hunts.

 

[beavis14]

don't forget a fleshlight

 

[Outdoordan]

Good point Tank never thought of that. It is always usually cold where I bivy to, but, there are those areas...