Which Items are Worth Upgrading

[Deleted member 28227]

 

[Irrelevant]

^he's got a point.

Heat is great, but they're wet and buggy. The ideal situation for a single wall with a heat source is cold and dry.

IMO there's a big difference between what I would want for a truck based hunt (big with heat) and backpacking (dry).

 

[Irrelevant]

View attachment 196769

To be fair, by late Oct there's not a ton of daylight so you end up sitting around somewhere, and somewhere with a fire is better than somewhere without one.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Here's my thing, your hunting. If you want to go glamping that's another thread. Non-hunting spouse + kids, buddies from Florida who want to go on an elk hunt, sure whatever, hot tent.

You should only be in your tent if;
1. Weather is super shitty
2. Sleeping.

Get up way before sun up, go to camp after dark, make your food in your bag (freeze dry), go to sleep. It's hunting not screwing around. There is no reason on earth you should be awake in tent on a hunt past 2hours after sundown unless you killed something or your glassing knob is waaaay out there in which case you have a crappy camping spot or your tent is too heavy.

Way to much messing going on with glamping junk and then people complaining about not killing elk.

@neffa3 fires are for emergency situations to warm up, in the last 10 years of hunting I've made 3. 2 of which only because other people in my group demanded them.

If you dream of hunting all year don't make yourself so comfortable in your camp you don't actually hunt. Sleep systems should be comfortable enough to make sure you get a good night sleep, that's it... food good enough that you actually get the calories in your body.

 

[Irrelevant]

Here's my thing, your hunting. If you want to go glamping that's another thread. Non-hunting spouse + kids, buddies from Florida who want to go on an elk hunt, sure whatever, hot tent.

You should only be in your tent if;
1. Weather is super shitty
2. Sleeping.

Get up way before sun up, go to camp after dark, make your food in your bag (freeze dry), go to sleep. It's hunting not screwing around. There is no reason on earth you should be awake in tent on a hunt past 2hours after sundown unless you killed something or your glassing knob is waaaay out there in which case you have a crappy camping spot or your tent is too heavy.

Way to much messing going on with glamping junk and then people complaining about not killing elk.

@neffa3 fires are for emergency situations to warm up, in the last 10 years of hunting I've made 3. 2 of which only because other people in my group demanded them.

If you dream of hunting all year don't make yourself so comfortable in your camp you don't actually hunt. Sleep systems should be comfortable enough to make sure you get a good night sleep, that's it... food good enough that you actually get the calories in your body.

Dude, how much beauty sleep do you need?

Oct 31 sunset is 5:45pm, sun rise is 7:44am. that's 14 hrs. If you need to get up 1.5 hr before light (though to be fair the point of backpack hunting is to camp closer to your quarry), and you come back 2 hrs after sundown. That's still 10.5 hrs! And that doesn't include any mid-day naps! Maybe it's that after a decade of parenting I can't sleep more than 7 hrs if I tried, but I definitely end up with time to kill before bed.

 

[Irrelevant]

@neffa3 fires are for emergency situations to warm up, in the last 10 years of hunting I've made 3. 2 of which only because other people in my group demanded them.

negative. If it's below freezing I build one when I stop every time. They're to prevent emergencies. Ever read To Build A Fire by London? I've made more fires in a day than you've made in a career. But there was also a mixup and I was suppose to be born in a tropical climate...

 

[Deleted member 28227]

BA, MSR, Mountain Hardware, Stone Glacier are all good mid range option tents. I like a tent with poles that you can set up with just a fly and ground cloth. Gives you tons of flexibility and can be used on 90% of the hunts in NA.

I've gone all over with bags trying to figure out what will be my upgrade. IMHO 10-15 degree is a good rating if you just have one, you can use it in the summer and make it work in the late season with puffy jacket + puffy pants, which you want anyway for glassing in the cold.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I would love a floorless w/ stove as an option, but for me if I'm gonna have one or two solid shelters it just doesn't fill a niche I need very often. I've slept in them a fair amount, as recently as a couple falls ago on a bp hunt. Just personal preference.

I know they are ridiculously expensive, but the closest thing to "buy once cry once" for a shelter in my experience is Hilleberg. At this point I've had and used a bunch, and they've been worth the coin. The Nallo's are the best value Hille out there IMO, particularly if you have a regular length bag. I slightly prefer the Kaitum and Allak, but I kinda need the length.

The problem with sleeping bag selection is you really need to climb inside them to know what's right for you. I'd add Feathered Friends to those listed above. You can look at specs until you're blue in the face but at the end of the day it's pretty nuanced at the top, outside of a few coarse differentiations. I personally would avoid any windstopper or wp/b membranes on a sleeping bag, breathability is worth a lot.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Dude, how much beauty sleep do you need?

Oct 31 sunset is 5:45pm, sun rise is 7:44am. that's 14 hrs. If you need to get up 1.5 hr before light (though to be fair the point of backpack hunting is to camp closer to your quarry), and you come back 2 hrs after sundown. That's still 10.5 hrs! And that doesn't include any mid-day naps! Maybe it's that after a decade of parenting I can't sleep more than 7 hrs if I tried, but I definitely end up with time to kill before bed.

Makes up for the august hunts in AK

 

[Irrelevant]

Also Montbell to down items list.

 

[Irrelevant]

Makes up for the august hunts in AK

yeah, that's definitely a brutal extreme up there. I may not be able to sleep more than 7, but I damn sure need 6.

 

[44hunter45]

Here's my thing. Quality gear used when I can get it.

There lots of gear snobs out there. (none of them are HTers, I am sure.) These folks sell off high quality gear all the time.

I surf sites like GearTrade, eBay, backpacking and trail hike forums, etc.

I find that gear is a very personal thing. Sleeping gear and boots are not one size fits all. Before you BOCO on a $500 bag or $300-$400 boots, you need to do some experimentation to see what works for you. Used gear helps take some of the bite out of that process.

 

[NDGuy]

Marmot, mountain hardware, Stone Glacier, Valandre, Western Mountaineering, there’s lots of good bags out there. Something 800 plus fill and warm.

That’s assuming backpack hunting. If you’re camping from the truck just get a big 0 degree or lower synthetic bag for a lot less money.

What are the good synthetic bags? Kifaru and Wiggy's?

 

[nrpate05]

Lots of good info here. Getting a good night's rest is pretty important especially if you are going to be out there more than a couple of days. My advice is to not skimp on your sleeping pad. I like a big one that is insulated (but still packs small). Mine is made by Nemo. You'd be amazed how much warmer that keeps you.

Other than that, don't overcomplicate it. Backpack hunting is really hunting boiled down to the basics. Dinner is the only hot meal of the day, no coffee, fires, etc. It really allows you to simply focus on hunting.

 

[Redman]

I do like the idea of a stove. I know nothing about which tent to get to go with it but that seems like it would make the evenings a lot more enjoyable. This might be a dumb question, do you cook on your stove? Or do you still bring a jet boil or something along those lines?

I cook on it. It is titanium and heats up red hot fast. That being said I always have my MSR Pocket rocket and a butane canister, just incase I don't make it back to camp and want coffee or a hot meal without building a fire.

 

[KB_]

I have been eyeing a tipi style tent and heater. I have 2 concerns though, without a floor are you ever fighting bugs when it's warmer? And what do you do if it's raining or if you have to set up on snow? I live the idea of being able to get warm at night but definitely don't want my gear getting wet.

My wall tent has a floor that is kind of bowl with about a foot high walls that Velcro and buckles to the walls of the tent. No issues with bugs since it has screens on the windows and the door. Sometimes you get a spider or two but its not a big issue. We went thru a wind and rain storm twice with it with 40mph gusts, did not get wet or feel any wind inside the tent. I can give you some more details via PM if you like.

 

[Irrelevant]

Backpack hunting is really hunting boiled down to the basics.

I will politely disagree. Backpack hunting is backpacking with a gun. If you have backpacked then you can backpack hunt. Just add 8 lbs and a plan to get another ~100 lbs back out.

 

[TOGIE]

I will politely disagree. Backpack hunting is backpacking with a gun. If you have backpacked then you can backpack hunt. Just add 8 lbs and a plan to get another ~100 lbs back out.

i would only add more nuance that backpacking hunting is typically backpacking with a gun and optics in typically much colder weather. if you're good with gear maybe expect 15 lbs extra, even 20. warmer clothes, boots not trail runners, binos, slightly heavier sleeping bag, maybe two pairs of gloves.

not to mention my summer backpack is like 6lbs lighter than my hunting pack. edit: okay not six, i just double checked, 4.5 or so.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

yeah, that's definitely a brutal extreme up there. I may not be able to sleep more than 7, but I damn sure need 6.

Also... Montana Dec 21 shortest day of the year
4:30 pm sunset
5:00pm last light
5:30pm get to camp
6:30pm deal with water for the next day, make food, pack bag for morning etc.
7:00pm go to sleep
6:30am wake up- get ready
6:50am hike to glassing spot
7:20am shooting light
7:50am sunrise

So less than 12:30 hours of "sleep" on the very shortest day of the year.

People, IMHO suck at time management. At home I sleep 8hours at most, but on a long hunt can do more especially if it's super cold.

Day length in sept is 13+ hours so between hiking in and out after dark, making dinner, getting water, etc camp chores, I think one is actually hard pressed to truly get 8hrs of sleep.... and if you are getting more you likely are complaining about not seeing elk because you're a jabroni and looking for firewood at 7:30pm instead of glassing bulls as they are feeding between stands of dark timber and aspens.

 

[KB_]

I think most are looking at this with blinders on. If your hunting area gives you the ability to run a big comfortable shelter why suffer with a tiny tent? If your hunting area is in an area where getting a wall tent in is not reasonable then yea don't bring it an run the small shelter, I do it plenty.

I have areas that I consistently get into critters where I use both. But going spartan for the sake of going spartan cause you want to focus on hunting? Give me a break, Nothing is more motivating after a long day of hunting then a hot meal and a comfortable sleeping situation. If your staying in the tent all day that's on you. I know I like my beauty sleep and i'm freakin fired up each morning cause I slept good.

Again if your just staying in/around your tent all day. That's on you, has nothing to do with your tent and comfort situation.