What gear items do you compromise on with not having the best? This may be because you can't afford it or the lower grade stuff you think works good enough. I bet most of us wish we had something better but either can't or don't want to spend the money. Mine: Camo- I have not spent the money on really good camo yet for various reasons. Thinking about getting a ASAT 3d leafy suit but don't know when. Whisker Biscuit - I'll admit it, I use one. Its fine and idiot proof. Great hunting rest. Boots- I have Muck boots that are pretty good but my leather boots are just average Irish Setters. I guess I could be spending more on Danner or other top end brands but I have not needed to. Backpack- I just have some chepo backpack and it has served me well. Binoculars - I have some decent Nikons but they are not Zeiss or Vortex quality optics. Safety Vest - I still have the old style HSS pro vest. There are a lot better vests out there now. I just am trying to wear out this HSS one first and get my money out of it. I hate how loud the buckles are when you bump them.
Early season footwear. I do have a pair of snake boots, but I prefer to, and almost always do, hunt with brown tennis shoes. They're comfortable and cool. Up until this year it was packs too. I always made do with something inexpensive from BPS. I did finally break down this year and got a Badlands Treehugger fanny pack, but the jury is still out on that one. You should get the ASAT 3D suit for early season. You'll be amazed.
Treestands. I don't own any Summit or Lone Wolf treestands. We get ours at ****'s Sporting Goods when they put them on end of season clearance. They are $20 a piece and climbing sticks are $20 too. They are perfect for what we use them for. Have at least a16 sets.
Range Finder - I have a not so fancy Bushnell, its probably close to 10 years old or so. Pack - I did upgrade this year to a Blacks Creek 3:16, I think I will really like it. Binos - Again, some not so expensive Bushnell 10x42s, they serve the purpose for now.
I would have to say my camo. It gets the job done and it will this year too, but it's an old bib/3 jacket setup I got at ****s on clearance a few years ago. I've slowly been upgrading but the outer layers have yet to be.
I'd say whisker biscuit as well. It works for my level of hunting and I don't want sometime else to keep tuned. It's reliable. IMO
I have been wearing the same camo pants that I have had since JZ and I won the Campbell's challenge. They are so torn up now and the elastic worn out that they will be retired. But I liked them and was just too cheap to buy new pants. This Spring I finally bought some Prois hunting pants. (I'm on Prois staff so I get a discount... woot!!) I have no plans to buy a new bow. I'll be using my TNT Revolution and my '08 bowtech equalizer. To be honest, the new bows don't offer anything to make them worth switching. The TNT is really good at being a packable bow, which is probably what I'll be carrying in the mountains.... and the equalizer is just a damn good bow, even still. (I am planning on buying a new Tikka T3 SS Lite in 300 Win Mag... but I have no big game sized rifle so I HAVE to buy it. MUST! ha) My old alpha burlys developed holes so last year I begrudgingly bought a 75.00 pair of leather 'hikers'. They're fine for walking to and from the stand.. not so much for 'for realz' hiking. Something else I HAVE to buy. (Boo!.. Unlike most women.. I hate buying shoes) I'm using the same beat up range finder that I bought at least ten years ago. Bushnell Scout Pro. It has developed some issues in the past two years but still works on most days. Eventually, I'm going to need a newer range finder. I think the ARC feature may be useful in the mountains. That's pretty low on my list tho'. I'm using a Seat of the Pants safety harness. Do they even make those anymore? Not buying a new one in the foreseeable future. Won't need one in the mountains and it still seems solid enough for my whitetail adventures. I was using a really cheap youth model release until Dustin was kind enough to send me a better one that he wasn't using. Yay for generous friends with better stuff than you!! I haven't had a pair of binos in years. But just yesterday I bought a new pair of Steiner Predator 12 x 40 binocs. ($300.. ugh) But again... I NEED them. Must have!! :D
What release do you have. If you want one I have a Scott little goose wrist strap release I would sell for 20 dollars + shipping. Special price to help a fellow bowhunting.com member. Very nice release but I switched to a spot Hogg. And it's very adjustable. Just shoot me a pm.
Quiver - Apex Nano (and before now I always used a 3 arrow Kwikee) Arrows - Cabela's brand Release - Cabela's brand (under $30) Early season boots - $20 pair from Farm & Fleet Camo - super cheap stuff I got on clearance or flannel shirts Baselayers - old wool sweaters and sweatpants Pack - I don't use a pack Binoculars - Got a nice pair for a birthday gift last month, but before that I had an old pair I found in my grandmas basement Range finder - don't have one Safety harness - just use one that came with a cheap treestand I bought. I cut the straps and re-sewed the ends so they were shorter and easier to use in the dark. Clothes storage - big plastic bags I'll be upgrading a few of these items before next season. New arrows and safety harness for sure. But spending money on equipment will not make you a better hunter, regardless of what you see on TV or sponsored websites.
My release. It's a cheapo Tru-Fire I bought for $20 years ago. Also range finder. I keep saying I'm going to buy one but just can't seem to part with that much cash haha.
I pretty much compromise on everything hunting gear wise. I just cannot afford to buy real good stuff.
I always wear cheap camo, also a cheap release. The cheap camo doesn't bother me but I think I'm going to shop for a new release.
IMO the most overpriced, overrated piece of equipment is the sight. There is no reason to spend big money on one, it just sits there. As long as it is of reasonable quality it will do exactly the same job as an expensive one. I picked up a 5 pin sight on Ebay for I think $18 brand new. It is every bit as functional as any sight on the market. Camo is a big ripoff too. I buy good quality wind resistant fleece sweat pants and jacket in light grey or tan, and I take a permanent marker to draw some big "branches" on it in a large pattern. Most camo in the stores is too dark and too tight a pattern for my liking, you look like a big brown blob up in a tree.
Fitz - 1999 called and they want their release back. I've been using the same Nikon Archer's Choice rangefinder for about 4-5 years now with no plans on changing or upgrading. Works great and I love the neoprene case and harness. I've also had the same Vortex Viper binos going on their 7th or 8th season I think. They're beat all the heck, bent eye cups and scratched lenses but they still work and I'm too cheap to buy a new pair. Why fix it if it's not broken. For most of the early season I get by with standard brown Jersey gloves from the gas station.
I do not have good boots or any binoculars. Dad says I grow out of boots to quickly to get a really good pair. He also says if I want binoculars I have to buy them. I start my first real job on Monday ( I am 15) so may have binocs this fall.
