Hunting gear that punches BELOW its price point

[OntarioHunter]

For a "multi-millionaire" you sure sound like a cheap bastard!

A fool and his money are soon parted. I am indeed a multimillionaire ... which should tell you something about my lack of foolishness. Trophy fees for this critter cost $10K ... and there were the other eight animals to pay for as well ... for this trip to Africa. And eight animals for the previous trip two years ago. So I'm a cheap bastard, eh? I am smart enough to know how to spend money wisely. I can take trips like this because I don't blow $$$ on useless crap that I really don't need. Look carefully at the photo. No fancy safari hat to blow off my head. My cap was a freebie from the lodge that actually FITS my size 7½ head. My polarfleece jacket is Columbia @ $20 on sale over ten years ago. It sports a replaced zipper and two small burn holes on the right shoulder. The fleece vest underneath the jacket came from Goodwill. Top quality and nearly new. Looks great and cost five bucks. What's not to like? You can't see it but my pants were green Wrangler jeans with ragged hems and pockets. I'd replace them but Wrangler no longer makes their jeans in green. Maybe those duds don't look new but they fit well and killed game just fine. I don't mind looking like a guy who works at the plant. I think the five years spent as a laborer at the aluminum plant was probably the most satisfying period of my life.

 

[fowladdict]

I believe Dave Ramsey said something along the lines that most millionaires are indeed cheap bastards. OH has a slight resemblance to DR, but types a mouthful!

 

[MThuntr]

This thread went the wrong direction fast. Kind of was hoping it would have stayed on topic so we all could avoid bad products...turns out it's the thread itself that punches below its pricepoint

 

[Tiredofthebickering]

This thread went the wrong direction fast. Kind of was hoping it would have stayed on topic so we all could avoid bad products...turns out it's the thread itself that punches below its pricepoint

Too many people getting personal, either taking or receiving, around here lately. Like I said in the other thread, winter boredom seems to have come early and heavy this year.

 

[KB_]

Vortex Ranger 1300. Worst range finder I have had. hardly works and costs way to much.

Sometimes it would range, other times it just refused to range. Other times it would mis read and give me off the wall ranges. Idk if I just got a dud or what, but the thing is crap. Also eats battery's really fast.

Luckily I bought it with my bonus points with my Cabela's card that I would build up buying gas every month. That is not a thing anymore so I don't shop at Cabela's.

Just went back to my ol Bushnell that still works great with angle compensation after 10 years of hard use. May look at a Leopold when it stops working.

 

[Brentc]

Anything made by Vortex (unless you like that you're always returning it to be fixed)

Facts!!

Vortex Optics below the Razor line.

Shoot... I've had to return all three Razor AMGs I've owned for new parallax guts.

 

[OntarioHunter]

This thread went the wrong direction fast. Kind of was hoping it would have stayed on topic so we all could avoid bad products...turns out it's the thread itself that punches below its pricepoint

Sorry. Guilty as charged. Bad weather-itis.

 

[2rocky]

View attachment 205667
For all of you questioning the rifle purse, specifically @OntarioHunter… I use a full length soft case in the truck but no way in hell that thing is leaving the truck. When covering rough ski try it is nice to have the extra padding and it wraps around the bolt and trigger keeping it much cleaner than a traditional neoprene scope cover. And best of all when your hunting partner loses and bet and has to carry your rifle he can carry two rifles in a variety of ways so he doesn’t get to sore.

Id be interested in a Gen 1 of this idea.....

 

[OntarioHunter]

The comment about an oilcloth flag from Filson's was intended to steer the topic back on course. I have been to the Filson's store in Seattle (1988) and the people there were great. Craftsmanship is tops too, but ... Who nowadays in their right mind would pay that kind of megabucks for tincloth outerwear? It doesn't hold up well, it's cold, and it's impossible to keep clean or get cleaned when it's dirty. Yeah they made tincloth stuff for the Klondikers but that was top technology 120 years ago. And their very pricey upland vest. Sure it has that classic look ... but buttons up the front? Really? Like my old arthritic fingers want to fight with those, especially when hunting in the cold. Hell, I can hardly make the zipper on my Browning vest work. Ah ... and speaking of useless classics, how about Levi button fly jeans. How do they even sell those damn overpriced things? With my inflated prostrate and crippled fingers I'd have to keep a mop next to the toilet.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

A fool and his money are soon parted. I am indeed a multimillionaire ... which should tell you something about my lack of foolishness.

Says the guy who just admitted to dumpster diving bio hazard garbage and sharps containers for $8 hemostats and forceps...

 

[OntarioHunter]

Says the guy who just admitted to dumpster diving bio hazard garbage and sharps containers for $8 hemostats and forceps...

Usually I can grab scissors without cutting myself. Heck, those things hardly cut gauze. Sharpen them up a bit at home and they work okay for fly tying. I don't see forceps as being any kind of dangerous risk. Great for removing hooks from small fish. I lose a couple every year. Most of the time if I ask for the stuff, the Dr or nurse will just leave it where I can get it or simply hand it to me on condition I don't tell anyone. Liability risk there though.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

View attachment 205667View attachment 205668View attachment 205669View attachment 205670
For all of you questioning the rifle purse, specifically @OntarioHunter… I use a full length soft case in the truck but no way in hell that thing is leaving the truck. When covering rough ski try it is nice to have the extra padding and it wraps around the bolt and trigger keeping it much cleaner than a traditional neoprene scope cover. And best of all when your hunting partner loses and bet and has to carry your rifle he can carry two rifles in a variety of ways so he doesn’t get to sore.

Man... some real eye openers this year. I'm feel like I'm finally understanding the thinking behind various beefcake bros posts...

"Training for that time when you need to carry your buddies purse gun"

 

[Elkoholic]

Kuiu range finder holder, bought one this summer, it's tiny. I'd really like to know who manufactures a range finder that can fit in this thing, and can be removed!

 

[KB_]

Feel like I'm bashing vortex kind of hard today. But a few years back I bought a vortex bino harness. Holy sweet mother of god was that thing a pile of crap. Fell apart the first year and I swore off a bino harness as I thought they were pointless. Finally talked myself into a new one this last year and I got a T&K hunting gear bino harness. Well I can now say that if you spend the money on quality gear you get a quality product.

Learned my lesson on buying cheap gear.

With that said I do like my diamondback 12x50 and my diamondback rifle scope. No issues with either of them, and they work well with my eyes. As much as I really like the zeiss and burris glass but I cant justify the cost personally. Vortex was a happy medium for me and have a great warrantee that I have yet to use. lol

 

[VOLhunter]

Sitka bivy pack: (I think it was the 45) My kid's Jansport would have been 100x more comfortable.

KUIU gaiters and chugach rain gear: Purchased both for my 1st elk hunt in 2016. Gaiters lasted almost 2 miles before busting stitches. Rain gear last less than 1yr before soaking through even with DWR re-treatment. Way too expensive.

FL SEAK rain jacket: I didn't learn from above.

Every Tink's product I bought when I began hunting.

The full body game backs meant for hanging deer. They wouldn't hold 20lbs without ripping apart.

 

[PorterHouse]

This opinion might ruffle some feathers cause I know some are big time believers in it, but I just shake my head every time I see any of the Scent-A-Away, ozone Crusher, Dead Down Wind type stuff…talk about a gimmick!

 

[Salmonchaser]

I was walking a fly fishing aisle at a sporting goods store the other day.View attachment 205411
Wtf. Why. Why are these 50 bucks? You have to be autistic to buy these and think they are “better” than nail clippers from the god damn dollar store.

But they’re orange, you won’t find them if you drop them but the next guy surely will.

 

[Chad Gus]

Anything from wildgame innovation

 

[RobertD]

This opinion might ruffle some feathers cause I know some are big time believers in it, but I just shake my head every time I see any of the Scent-A-Away, ozone Crusher, Dead Down Wind type stuff…talk about a gimmick!

I came back to this thread to post something like this.

I like the scent away soap, the goofy green stuff with the plastic smell, just because you can get clean without smelling like perfume during a hunting trip. But beyond that I think God invented the only scent control product worth investing in... wind.

 

[Dakotakid]

What comes to mind for me are my kenetrek gaiters.
I know my father always said us kids could destroy an anvil, but I expected more from them.