boots: The best boot won’t help you if the fit isn’t right fit so buy your footwear from a knowl- edgeable dealer with a wide variety of makes and models. I personally feel that a full leather boot is required to meet the demands of hard hunts, and I wouldn’t consider a boot without Gore-Tex construction. The Italians and Germans seem to have figured out the boot making art and you’ll find good options from Lowa, Scarpa, Crispi and others.
pack: Packs are another area where fit is crucial although modern designs allow for a high degree of customization from a given model through adjustable suspension and hip-belts. A good rule of thumb is to have a pack that weighs 10% of what you are going to put in it. This rule seems to ensure sufficient structure for the job and avoids pack failure and discomfort under heavy loads. I have run a dozen packs in the past few seasons and the Eberlestock Battleship and Mystery Ranch 6500 have both stood out for comfort and durability.
optics: Expensive binos will generally weigh more. Optical glass with ideal properties for high quality binoculars, spotters, and riflescopes is denser (read: heavier) than its lesser quality brethren. While marketing might have you believe otherwise, true HD (high density/high defini- tion) glass currently shows up only in top tier products in the $1,500+ range. Good glass plays a defining role in success by allowing for longer more comfortable spotting sessions and helping you find game in subtle ways like discerning antler tine from branches and fur from foliage. Keep your expectations for cost and weight savings confined to anything that doesn’t detract from the performance required for success.
5. thoSe itemS that weigh the moSt aRe the oneS moSt likely to offeR weight SavingS So you’ve traded in Monday night football for Monday night trail runs and your buddies have nicknamed you “Mr. Rocky Mountains”. Now it’s time to start slashing gear weight. If you’ve ever watched the TV show “The Biggest Loser” you know that contestants have to weigh a lot in order to lose a lot. Cutting the handle off your toothbrush to shave an ounce if you’re carrying pounds of unnecessary weight in your pack makes about as much sense as bugling for Big Horns. To help us get started I’ve broken down common gear by type. HERE IS MY LIST FROM A RECENT 10 DAY HUNT:
gear category
Optics (Binos, Spotting Scope, Tripod, Camera) Pack (including pouches and empty bladder) Camp (tent, bag, mat, stove, fuel)
“Essentials” (Knives, GPS, Batteries, etc.) Hunt Accessories (Calls, game bags etc.) Rifle system (Gun, Scope, Bipod, Ammo) Clothing & Footwear Food & Water Total
pounds 10.7 11.5 6.4 7.5 2.2
11.2 19.5 17.1 86.1
% of total pack weight 12% 13% 7% 9% 3%
13% 23% 20%
100%
This list comprises everything I carried or wore into the field and it is nearly ten pounds lighter than what I had for the same hunt last year.
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