With multiple backpacking hunts lined up for 2021, my main goal for the upcoming season has been to reduce as much excess weight as possible. There are multiple pieces of gear, such as my sleeping system as well as cooking system, that made the “Reduce Weight” list. However, looking at the list, I noticed that my heaviest, as well as most utilized items, were in my optics/glassing system.
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Hilleberg has been a top name in the tent making industry for over 45 years. Their mission is to produce the highest quality lightweight tents available. Hilleberg was founded in Sweden and has expanded to the US. I first heard about Hilleberg tents years ago, but didn’t purchase one of my own until last year. In all the trip reports and gear reviews that I’ve read about them, if I had to choose one word that is commonly used to describe them, it would be ‘bombproof’. They are on the expensive side, but it’s with good reason, and you get what you pay for with a Hilleberg tent.
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What’s in a boot?...... A foot! Now that the lame joke is out of the way, I can address the topic at hand. What does it mean to select the right boot for you? What kind of features do you look for? What brands are out there? Why does any of this matter, it is just a boot…...right? My intention for this article is to share my experience from lessons learned to help shed some light on selecting a boot that is right for you.
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Created by Jason Phelps in 2009, Phelps Game Calls took off quickly and is one of the most recognizable has trusted names in elk calling. As the product line has expanded, it can get a little overwhelming to figure out the difference between all the diaphragm calls, bugle tubes, and external elk calls!
In this latest video podcast, we called Jason Phelps up to ask him just that. Watch below as we cover the entire line of elk calls from Phelps.
Every year as archery hunters are making preparations for the Fall, it seems like broadheads are often the last thing on the list. Many guys will head to the local store, pick up a pack or two of whatever catches their eye, screw them on the front of their arrow and head out. Without fail every year you will hear a story about somebody who made a “perfect shot” only to never recover the animal. Most of the time the blame gets placed on the broadhead and it seems like it is usually an expandable broadhead.
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I’ve owned my Kifaru pack since 2014. I’ve taken it on many adventures, from scouting the high country for mule deer to hunting Dall sheep in Alaska, and it has never let me down. It’s been able to handle everything I’ve thrown into it. I always feel confident taking it on trips with me, whether it’s a day trip or a week long hunt.
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We need to talk about trends. The year is 2020 and you have been quarantined, social distanced, and terrified. With businesses shutting down and your house starting to feel like a prison, medical professionals have given the encouragement to go outside and take advantage of the fresh air. Great! Fantastic! You know, the outdoors that you enjoyed as a kid? There are millions of miles you can social distance in the outdoors. Here’s the kicker: People tried it and decided it was too much work.
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As hunters, we all have the “never-ending” list of items that we need, want, and HAVE to have. Over the course of a two-year period, a Kifaru pack slowly worked its way to the top of the list. After reading a handful of articles, watching review after review, and especially the referrals and reviews from satisfied hunting friends, I decided to pull the trigger… and man, am I glad that I did.
Here in the west we are six to eight weeks away from most archery seasons opening up. With prep time getting short a lot of folks are looking at broadheads trying to decide what to shoot. Both fixed blade and expandable broadheads have advantages and disadvantages, but in the article I will be focusing on fixed blade style broadheads.
Did Sitka revolutionize a whole new era in the optics harness space? The Sitka Mountain Binocular harness is one of the most versatile pieces of gear here in 2020. Prior to receiving this binocular harness, my mind was pretty set on that a binocular harness is just a bulky uncomfortable necessity and there was no other way to carry your binoculars. This sleek design packs a punch and has many hidden features that have taken years of developing and testing to perfect.
The product itself comes in a Pyrite solid color, as well as Gore Optifade Open Country and Gore Optifade Sub-Alpine camouflage. Starting from the top of this harness and working down, the low profile straps are made to fit comfortably under your pack. These straps feel very durable and are also breathable with loads of adjustments to fit any body type.
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