I'm planning my 1st serious elk hunt in 2014. It will be mid Oct. in central WY. I'm starting to equip myself now. We will have a base camp & then live out of our packs day to day if neccesary. I have a good 0 degree mummy bag & I acquired some Ty-vek to make bivy sacks. But I need several other items. Can u folks recommend a good packable sleeping pad? Also should I buy the traditional pump style water filter or the bottle top kind? I'm thinking that the bottle top kind might not be able to suck up good enough out of a seep? Last item that I need help on is a small portable burner for cooking. The one other time that I camped high altitude..my classic white gas stove didnt burn hot enough. what can u guys recommend ? Also, where can I buy big 5 gallon water jugs? Thanks.
Gearing Up For Elk Q's
- Thread starter Trigger50
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pseshooter300
Member
My local Walmart has the water jugs might check yours
rmyoung1
Well-known member
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I like the Thermarest NeoAir. It's really lightweight and I think it's very comfortable. And I have one of the Primus backpacking stoves. It burns really hot and I've used it at elevations over 11,000. Primus makes a number of models. I don't think you can go wrong if you buy one of their good ones. I have never had much faith in the bottle top-type filters but others may know more about those than I do. I use one if the Katadyn pump filters.
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HSi-ESi
Well-known member
This is what I have / use most of the time:
Sleeping pad: Big Agnes insulated core. I've had it several years and like it. I used to use Thermarest - liked those too - but the older ones didn't pack down that well. I still use it for car-camping.
Stoves: My goto is still the old Whisper-lite. It works all the time (bring along an extra jet and tools to clean it). I also have one of the Primus stoves. It works great except in temps below 15 degrees or so (in my experience). Those compressed fuel cans seem to not work as well at low temps.
Water pump / filtration: I use a First-Need water pump. It's a little heavy, but the double-action pump works great. I can really fill up the bottles quickly. On an aside - always carry some iodine tablets not matter what water filtration you select. They take up no room - and can save your butt if you need it.
As for the 5 gallon jugs, I just get whatever. They are going to stay in my truck / base camp. As long as it holds the water I need - I don't really care.
Sleeping pad: Big Agnes insulated core. I've had it several years and like it. I used to use Thermarest - liked those too - but the older ones didn't pack down that well. I still use it for car-camping.
Stoves: My goto is still the old Whisper-lite. It works all the time (bring along an extra jet and tools to clean it). I also have one of the Primus stoves. It works great except in temps below 15 degrees or so (in my experience). Those compressed fuel cans seem to not work as well at low temps.
Water pump / filtration: I use a First-Need water pump. It's a little heavy, but the double-action pump works great. I can really fill up the bottles quickly. On an aside - always carry some iodine tablets not matter what water filtration you select. They take up no room - and can save your butt if you need it.
As for the 5 gallon jugs, I just get whatever. They are going to stay in my truck / base camp. As long as it holds the water I need - I don't really care.
Jorgy
Active member
good packable sleeping pad? I have used just about every type designed. Thermo rests, and any air inflatable pad work good, but if I can't sleep I am quite bitchy the next day. They always seem go flat that one night that I really need some sleep. For the last 5 or so years I have gone back to the cheaper rigid foam pads like Therma rest RidgeRest. Lots of times I also bring a cheap kid inflatable water mattress. They are only cover your upper body and are super cheap once Sept rolls around. Once they go flat, it's no big deal.
should I buy the traditional pump style water filter or the bottle top kind? I use a pump, I like to be able to get more water when I can
Last item that I need help on is a small portable burner for cooking. Again, I have tried them all over the years. I have a jet boil that works really well, but a few years back I tinkered around with making a jet alcohol stove, it works great and is the only stove I carry now. Took about an hour to make from a pop can. I store fuel (denatured alcohol) in a small contact solution bottle that I have marked for how much fuel it takes to boil 1 cup of water. This stove is always faster to boil water than any stove I have ever owned. Lots of good websites to build one.
where can I buy big 5 gallon water jugs? Walmart
should I buy the traditional pump style water filter or the bottle top kind? I use a pump, I like to be able to get more water when I can
Last item that I need help on is a small portable burner for cooking. Again, I have tried them all over the years. I have a jet boil that works really well, but a few years back I tinkered around with making a jet alcohol stove, it works great and is the only stove I carry now. Took about an hour to make from a pop can. I store fuel (denatured alcohol) in a small contact solution bottle that I have marked for how much fuel it takes to boil 1 cup of water. This stove is always faster to boil water than any stove I have ever owned. Lots of good websites to build one.
where can I buy big 5 gallon water jugs? Walmart
PADS: depends on your budget and sleeping style. I sleep on my side only, and have a hell of a time on a foam pad. My 1.5" REI self-inflatable still isn't that comfortable to me and my hips are sore in the morning, so I'm going to a big agnes IAC. Since you are going in October, get something with a high R-value so you don't freeze from the bottom. Or you can double a thermarest style pad (or any pad) with a foam one to up your bottom insulation.
PUMP/FILTER: I use an old MSR pump if I'm moving around a lot, and a Katadyn Base camp if I'm not. Both have their + and -. I've seen a Sawyer Inline in action and was impressed. Simple, fast, lightweight - if I was buying new I'd probably go this route. Its only major downside is that you have to keep it from freezing. My wife has a bottle filter, I don't like it.
STOVE: Lately I have been running a Jetboil or a MSR pocket rocket. Both burn isopro compressed fuel, which does seem to not do as well in the cold. It hasn't let me down yet though, I leave my whisperlite at home now. The jetboil/msr are so simple, and most of the time when I'm hunting I want cooking to be as easy as possible.
JUGS: There is a Walmart in Laramie if you don't want to haul them from wherever you are coming from.
Good luck. Good your starting early too, mid-October could be nice or a blizzard.
On the stoves - the isopro depends on its own vapor pressure, which drops way off at cold temperatures. The pressure in a white gas stove is from pumping, so it can do well at low temp. As far as the alcohol stoves go, alcohol has less heat per pound than white gas.
Redwood
New member
Therma rest hiking pad, the orange one. The standard jet boil cooker is my preferred system but they are not the smallest. Water filter vs purifier, they are not the same. You need to get the "bugs" that you can't see out or you can get real sick. .02 micron is we're you should be to catch them all, I use an msr dual action for faster pumping.
Bambistew
Well-known member
Get a Sawyer squeeze/gravity filter. Pumping sucks. Its
super light and will filter as fast or faster than any pump. I think ot weighs 4oz. I filter a couple gallons while i cook dinner
Big Agnes insulated air core, neoair or Exped for a pad.
I have 5-6 stoves. The ones that get used the most are the whisper lite and Soto with a Jetboil pot.
I would seriously reconsider the Tyvek bivy if ot was me...
super light and will filter as fast or faster than any pump. I think ot weighs 4oz. I filter a couple gallons while i cook dinner
Big Agnes insulated air core, neoair or Exped for a pad.
I have 5-6 stoves. The ones that get used the most are the whisper lite and Soto with a Jetboil pot.
I would seriously reconsider the Tyvek bivy if ot was me...
Carrion Carrier
Member
Don't get an inflatable pad. They just don't last on mountain rocks. A Ridge Rest is the way to go.
For many years I've used a Pocket Rocket (Iso blend) and an MSR ceramic pump filter and they have never let me down.
For many years I've used a Pocket Rocket (Iso blend) and an MSR ceramic pump filter and they have never let me down.
Keep the tips coming. This is my 1st backcountry trip other than the boundary waters here in MN. I'm really excited, but alittle nervous @ living out of a frame pack. For me, I think I need to make sure that I have a good sleeping pad. I'm not a good sleeper, even in my own bed. But I'm a guy who doesn't need alot of sleep.
One more question. I know very little @ gps. I have an older Garmin Etrek. Is it up to a backcountry elk hunt? I bought it dirt cheap. Right now all that I use it for is reading trolling speed. Do I need to upgrade? Learning to use gps is gonna be my project this fall before my elk hunt next yr.
One more question. I know very little @ gps. I have an older Garmin Etrek. Is it up to a backcountry elk hunt? I bought it dirt cheap. Right now all that I use it for is reading trolling speed. Do I need to upgrade? Learning to use gps is gonna be my project this fall before my elk hunt next yr.
Hatchie Dawg
Well-known member
Used an Etrek Vista last year. Never got lost. Mine takes the chip though.
Redwood
New member
The most user friendly gps on the market comes from garmin, the etrek series is basic but will do everything a beginner gpser needs. Know how to mark your truck/camp on your gps and then how to get back to it. That is the extent I use my GPS. Lots of things you can do with them but that is all that matters. Your best laid plans change quickly when your standing on the ridge. For early season bow hunts, I don't use a tent but prefer the rain fly for a tarp. They're light weight and have built in bundges which make them great for lean tos.
Carrion Carrier
Member
An old GPS is much better than none at all. Marked waypoints are great when you find something interesting, but you can also add waypoints manually. Find stuff on Google Earth and then manually add those coordinates into your GPS.
Bambistew
Well-known member
Like anything we all have our opinions... I've been on more trips than i can remember with
Big Agnes pad. Many in "the rocks" of Alaska, Colorado and Montana. Probably sleep on it 30 nights a year or more. Had the same pad for almost 10 years... no leaks so far. The last few years i use a 1/3 of a ridge rest under the hips though. Then pack the small pad during the day for a butt pad.
The pocket rocket easily burns twice as much fuel as any stove i own. I haven't used it in years because of it. The Jet Boil or Soto burns half as much on a week hunt. To be honest the whisper lite is a pretty solid stove and one i take when its really cold, around zero or so.
GPS... i have a couple old Etrex. Rarely use a gps and always have a map. I mark way points and some times use the track feature but thats about it.
npaden
Well-known member
Okay. The Sawyer Squeeze filter looks awesome, but I can almost guarantee I will be in some below freezing temperatures on my late October elk hunt at least at night. From what I understand, if the Sawyer filter freezes it's all over, no more filter, right?
Looking at other options, the Steri pen seems to get decent reviews and now they supposedly have fixed their battery drain problems.
Thoughts? Thanks, Nathan
Looking at other options, the Steri pen seems to get decent reviews and now they supposedly have fixed their battery drain problems.
Thoughts? Thanks, Nathan
spook12
New member
Steri Pen.
When they work they leave Crap floating around in your water.
When they work they leave Crap floating around in your water.
JohnDeereGreen
Member
I have both the Katadyn and the steripen. The steripen does a fine job, and takes up less room, but I always feel like the water from the Katadyn is cleaner. Steripen doesn't remove anything from the water per se, it's just killing bugs. So I tend to use that when I know I will be getting water from a relatively clean source and just want to zap it to be sure. When I know the water will be dirtier, I tend to take along the Katadyn. My two cents.
Filtered water ( that kills virus particles ) = iodine taste. Steripen "sterilized" water = whatever water taste was there before. Boiled water = whatever taste was there with "flat" mouth feel and smoky afternotes.
tsswitchback
New member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2012
- Messages
- 15
gps-garmin 62s,very good unit and can down load about anything you can think of,also on sale at cabelas not for very good price.
pad-thermo rest neo-air,very lite weight and compact but use a ground cover under it.
bag-0 degree from cabelas.they have several models and if you live near a store you can compare them side by side.
stove-jet boil
Good luck.
pad-thermo rest neo-air,very lite weight and compact but use a ground cover under it.
bag-0 degree from cabelas.they have several models and if you live near a store you can compare them side by side.
stove-jet boil
Good luck.
