Back Country Backpack Hunting

Thanks guys for all the info. Will continue to do some research on all the items here. I have not really come down with a solid price range yet. Just putting prices together from what I find online. It seems that BA has been recommended by many people so I will be doing some physical research there. I think my hardest thing is going to be my sleep system. I do believe I will be spending some more money on the system since a good nights rest is priceless. Although I don't sleep much at night when I am hunting maybe about 6 hours or less a night. Don't ask me why just never have slept much more than that.

Here is the items I have been looking at from BA

Tent
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/lynxpass2
Sleeping Bag
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Bag/lostranger15

Having trouble with the pads. Not sure what is best. What I really want etc.
 
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Skip the water filter & spend more on your sleeping bag (need to decide on down or synthetic), save $ & weight with Iodine tablets & nutrilizers. Go with the other guys suggestions besides UA, Champion, Merino wool. The Jetboil is slick but there are lighter options for stoves. Good luck
 
For a pad I use the Big Agnes IAC pad. Sleeping bag is a Marmot Sawtooth 15 degree. Look on Sierra Trading Post, they have a Sierra Designs down bag (15 degrees) for a really good price.

For a tent, I got a BA Seedhouse 2 for about 170 bucks. Shop around, I think I got mine on Ebay.

Watch for REI's Memorial Day sale. I got a Snowpeak titanium cup/gigapower stove set for about 60 bucks or so. I picked up a Katadyn Pro Hiker on sale for about 60 bucks also.

Also, go to Backpacking Light forums and look through their classifieds. Those guys are nuts and are always upgrading gear.

You know NV better than I do, but I think I would forego the rain gear for now and get the other stuff.
 
JohnDeereGreen said:
Don't think you can get a good bag for that price, I'd be prepared to spend some more on the bag. How well you sleep will determine how hard you hunt the next day. Ditto the remarks on the Camelbak, they give the water a bad taste. Skip the under armor and buy Smartwool. It's the best thermal stuff out there, by far. It's not cheap but you just can't beat it.
Click to expand...
Totally agree with you there, i suggest you get a down sleeping bag.
I dont like the camelbak, i use the Platypus, no synthetic taste.
I have Under Armour and Smartwool, Smartwool (merino) is the dogs danglies of base layer, UA stinks after a hard days hiking, Smartwool doesnt, or at least i think thats the case, whether the missus agrees i wouldnt know.
Cheers
Richard
 
Ok made some changes due to more shopping and prices that I have, this is what i am looking at now.

Sleeping Bag
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Bag/MysticSL15
Price $400.00

Tent
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/FlyCreekUL2
Price $369.95

Pad
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Pad/InsulatedAirCore
or
http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___40055
$100 difference in price between the pads, however the thermarest weight is 12oz.
the big agnes weight is 24oz.

Total Price with the more expensive pad is 735 + tax and shipping.
635 + tax and shipping with the big agnes pad.

What you guys think. Any and all input is appreciated.


huntbux said:
Thanks guys for all the info. Will continue to do some research on all the items here. I have not really come down with a solid price range yet. Just putting prices together from what I find online. It seems that BA has been recommended by many people so I will be doing some physical research there. I think my hardest thing is going to be my sleep system. I do believe I will be spending some more money on the system since a good nights rest is priceless. Although I don't sleep much at night when I am hunting maybe about 6 hours or less a night. Don't ask me why just never have slept much more than that.

Here is the items I have been looking at from BA

Tent
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Tent/lynxpass2
Sleeping Bag
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Bag/lostranger15

Having trouble with the pads. Not sure what is best. What I really want etc.
Click to expand...
 
+1 on the Platypus for water.

Do yourself a favor and buy a Kifaru pack. They are not cheap, but everyone I've hunted with has bought one after seeing mine in action. www.kifaru.net Their videos will sell you on the pack. You fill out a measurement form and they build the pack to fit you. My pack is eleven years old and been from AK to AZ packed everything from antelope to elk and is still going strong. I average about three 7-10 day hunts a year. If my Kifaru ever dies, I will buy another.
 
I have a down bag rated to +15-I carry a silk liner for colder nights plus it is easier to wash than the entire bag. I have a self inflating pad I got from REI 2 years ago. I like it but I made one modification. I put a row of moleskin down each side of the top. That way I stay on the pad without slipping off. I use a katadyne base-camp filter with a couple of Nalgene water bottles. I purchased Helly Hansen rain gear 4 years ago for a moose hunt and have never actually had to use it (so far no complaints). I carry 2 MSR whisperlite stoves with rebuild kits. I place one in an old aluminum pan with lid my dad gave me in 1978-takes up less space than 1 soda can. This will be my first year with my new pack from Badlands. I used an old external from Dwight Shue for years but it finally passed on (15 years).
Get good rest, get good boots. The old saying is "this is where the rubber meets the road" That means good footwear! Dozens of options out there.
Lighten up your rifle. Probably lose the mounted bi-pod. Sew a button out on the end of your shoulders of your exterior layer to keep your sling from riding off. SMALL digital camera-if it has been more than 15 minutes since your last photo, you are not taking enough! Cotton, generally, should be a last option. Spork. I use an XPG when I have company and a tarp when I don't.
 
Between the two pads you mentioned I'd lean towards the BA because the material is so much stronger which I think is worth the 12 oz difference. Also I've found that I'm much less likely to slide of a pad with verticle baffles than horizontal. I think even if they were the SAME price I would still get the BA. I've seen so many NeoAir's with holes in them at REI garage sales, I just wouldn't trust 5+ nights sleep in the backcountry on one, unless you were using a heavy duty footprint, but backpacking, I doubt it.

Also for packs I'd throw in looking at Oregon Pack Works, the "Wholeshebang". Extemely versatile, much less spendy than the other high quality pack system that's also made in the U.S.
 
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You should avoid poly-pro at least for a base layer(after a couple of days the smell will be horrendous )you can wear light weight wool for days without allot of stink.
Tarptents and Kifaru shelters are great,check out classified adds you can usually find one or two for sale,just be don't be in a hurry.
If I were in the market for a water filter I would try to find a Sawyer Squeeze Filter
 
Well went to REI to get info, the one here in Reno. That was mostly a huge waste of time. Can not believe the lack of customer service that they have there. Sat and waited patiently at the tents to ask some questions while he helped another customer, however, when he was done, he left forgot I was there and then went off to wherever.
Not much help anywhere else in the store either.

Do have a question if anyone knows anything about Exped products. Nice looking sleeping mat I found at REI, pretty pricey. However just looking at more options and wanted an opinion.

http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf/b43HomePageE?openframeset
 
I just caught that you used a Black's Creek Canadian. I used the Bounty Hunter for about the last 4 years and it got the job done. I did two pack outs this season that were well over 100lbs so it should hold up. You could save yourself some money in the pack area and upgrade some of the other stuff inf 1000 is a bottom line.
 
huntbux said:
Well went to REI to get info, the one here in Reno. That was mostly a huge waste of time. Can not believe the lack of customer service that they have there. Sat and waited patiently at the tents to ask some questions while he helped another customer, however, when he was done, he left forgot I was there and then went off to wherever.
Not much help anywhere else in the store either.

Do have a question if anyone knows anything about Exped products. Nice looking sleeping mat I found at REI, pretty pricey. However just looking at more options and wanted an opinion.

http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf/b43HomePageE?openframeset
Click to expand...

I bought a used Exped Downmat 7. I love it. Its definitely heavier than others you can get but also much warmer. I had a hand-me-down 35 degree Northface sleeping bag, which is super light weight, so needed to offset that with a warmer pad. With the 35 degree bag with a Sea to Summit Reactor liner and the Exped I've made it very comfortably through 15-20 degree nights. I never thought that'd be possible with a 35 degree bag. And its much more durable than some of those ultra light blow up pads.
 
huntbux said:
Well went to REI to get info, the one here in Reno. That was mostly a huge waste of time. Can not believe the lack of customer service that they have there. Sat and waited patiently at the tents to ask some questions while he helped another customer, however, when he was done, he left forgot I was there and then went off to wherever.
Not much help anywhere else in the store either.

Do have a question if anyone knows anything about Exped products. Nice looking sleeping mat I found at REI, pretty pricey. However just looking at more options and wanted an opinion.

http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf/b43HomePageE?openframeset
Click to expand...

I bought a used Exped Downmat 7. I love it. Its definitely heavier than others you can get but also much warmer. I had a hand-me-down 35 degree Northface sleeping bag, which is super light weight, so needed to offset that with a warmer pad. With the 35 degree bag with a Sea to Summit Reactor liner and the Exped I've made it very comfortably through 15-20 degree nights. I never thought that'd be possible with a 35 degree bag. And its much more durable than those ultra light blow up pads.
 
I've been watching www.steepandcheap.com for a couple weeks and the deals go by so fast it is hard to keep up with them. I've looked to see if they have an email they send out like camofire does that gives you a heads up on what deals they are planning on running that day but haven't figured it out if they do or not.

They had an ALPS Mountaineering ultra light sleeping pad on at 52% off for $43, but I didn't think ALPS was a very good brand.
 
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