equipment that you can swear by???
 

Is there any piece of equipment that you could swear by and would never leave home without? I'm not talking about a Mathews bow or Swarovski binoculars. It doesn't have to be expensive or cheap, just something that you really wouldn't want to be without.

I have found a couple of items that I use an would recommend for anybody to use. One being a small, black strap thatis made by coleman.Itcan befound in most camping sections. I use them all the time on my back pack and pack frame to help tie down loads. They cost about $3 for a 2 pack.

My pack frame is another piece of equipment that I believe couldn't be any better. My first one that I bought cost about $120. It was part of the Dwight Schuh mega pack made by fieldline. Found out that the frame worked great by itself but the pack was too bulky/heavy. The frame is made of plastic and doesn't have a shelf but works great for me. I actually was able to buy a second pack frame off of ebay for $25.

I also carry a nylon stap that is about 1" wide and 15' long at all times when I am hunting. Costs less than $5 and has many uses. I have used it to secure game bags (pillow cases) to my pack frame. I use it to raise and lower my bow out of tree stands. When gutting or quartering an elk by yourself it works great to hold a leg. Last year I used it to drag a whole elk.

Sorry if this got kind of long but hopefully someone might get something out of this. It seems I am constantly trying to better my gear in order to make things a little bit easier. If you have anything that you find yourself constantly using in the field please share. Thanks

RE: equipment that you can swear by???
 

I really like my Buck Alpha Hunter knife, Alaskan game bags, parachute cord, and moleskin.

RE: equipment that you can swear by???
 

Advil (ibuprofin), take at night after a long day of hiking, golfing, cutting wood... anything that physically is a lot more than average. Don't wait untill the next day, when you're sore. Take that night and the next day will be much more enjoyable.

Bugs.

RE: equipment that you can swear by???
 

Black nylon zip ties (the heavy duty ones) they can be used for many things and take up no room in my pack. BIC lighter, number one on any survivor list for me.
Buck Saw and a Buck Vanguard knife.........both have many years of use and I wouldn't consider hunting without them both.

RE: equipment that you can swear by???
 

Headlamp!!! I got lost in a spruce thicket in 2006 in washington state, it was so fricking thick! even with a light I couldn't see 3-4 feet. But it was sure nice to have that light!

RE: equipment that you can swear by???
 

At the risk of being kicked out of the manlly man club and being the but end of many a joke form here on out, I will relucktantly reveal this fact. plastic deer cleaning gloves are my most needed and valued piece of equiptment (and not because I kill so many deer that it saves me from washing my hands all the time)when I enter the deer woods.Unfortunatly god has a sick sense of humor and cursed me with a severe allergy to (you guessed it) DEER hair. It's so bad, even with the gloves on I canhardly breath and my eyes will swell shut by the time I'm done field dressing a deer. I will say this though it seems that deer hair is the only thing I seem to be allergic to as no other substance to date bothers me.

Equipment that you can swear by???
 

Well I don't think that'll get you kicked out of the manly man club. At least I hope not, I use gloves a lot too. But I got one that'll get me closer to getting the boot. I don't go anywhere without unscented baby wipes. They are awesome for cleaning just about anything and work excellent on bloody hands, tree sap, butt wipes, (wipe AND clean at the same time). Plus they are easy on your equipment, Not harmful at all, they are very tough for scrubbing and easy to pack. Throw a few in a Ziploc bag and toss them in your pack.

I also have a few otherthings I wouldn't be without in my pack. Normal survival stuff like a flashlight, fire source (I put a lighter in a Ziploc bag), First Aid kit, wateretc. But the not always carried items I have are a headlight, Leatherman multi-tool, roll of strong string/small rope, and I'll never leave home without a camera. Some stories are best told with a picture!!

RE: Equipment that you can swear by???
 

Electrical tape, duct tape, leatherman wave, zip ties, 50 ft of parachute cord, 2 lighters, 2 space blankets, benchmade auto folding knife, S&W model 686 .357 revolver, compass, fleece gloves, headlamp and micro led light,TP,these are the items that are always in my pack, other gear changes depending on activity.

RE: Equipment that you can swear by???
 

My Redwing Boots

RE: Equipment that you can swear by???
 

Here's some itoms that i've had for many many years... Inever left on a hunt without them, and they have proven themselves as"best buys".

Swaro Bino's... You wouldn't believe what they have been through, and still work as new. I can't tell you how many other brands i've seen fog up or give headaches on hunts that friends have brought hunting.

700 Rem's... They have been great rifles. Many times keeping me alive while i was in the bush, as many times i was hunting alone. The oldest700 that i own, i bought new in 1971. My brown bear rifle is built on a 700 Rem. action/Douglas bbl.that i put togetherabout 1980.

S&W M-29, 44 mag... I always wore a shoulder holster with my M-29 in it when flying "anyplace". If the plane crashed, i wasn't going to be with a gun... On hunts, i took a lot of big game with my 29, as many times i'd leave my rifle in camp.

Eddy Bauer sleeping bag thatbought it in 1975. I've slept many a night in below zerotemps in this bag, and it's also still like new.

Coleman tent (Prairie schnooer?) that looks like a covered wagon. I bought it in 1974, and it's still in excelent condition. Ithas taken unbelivable rain and winds on the Alaskan Peninsula! Yes, i took really good care of it, and it's proven to have been worth it!

Leupold scopes. My Leupolds have been about as reliable as rocks! They may be old, but they sure have been reliable.

Gerber knives. I have three that i've owned since the 70's... I remember Gerber advertised at the time, that the blades were HARD at RC62. The models are, C-475 and two C-375's... I bought one and liked it so much that i bought two more. They are HARD to sharpen, but do they everhold an edge! I always took the 475 for a camp knife and for backup...And an375 always stayed in my pack... I couldn't even guess how many moose, bear, deer, caribou ect... they have gutted, skinned and quartered or boned out!!

Lastly... MY Eddie Bauer Poncho! It's also been to hell and back, and it's still working like it shoud. It's been living in my pack, ready for action since the 70's when i bought it new!

DM