It is my belief that Merino wool is the ultimate base layer, not only for hunters, but for outdoorsman all of types. I base this on merino’s ability to wick moisture, dry quickly, insulate when wet, and fight odors. While merino wool may cost more than its polypropylene counterparts, and require more care when laundering, its long term benefits outweigh the cost. Polypropylene has its place, but for pursuits of a wilder nature, when base layers are worn many days in
Xpedition Archery; Xcentric 7 For my day job I work with engineers and highly technical people. I respect the way they think and analyze data. I am fortunate to live in Alaska, and as such conversations typically end up leading to outdoor adventures. One of these discussions led to an excited outburst, on a co-worker’s new bow. He touted the clean, precise lines, and aerospace roots from which his new found treasure evolved. It was a comment I heard several
Options... I spend many years searching to find a pack. I hope that my journey helps you as you search for that perfect pack. My trouble with packs is that if I get much over 50lbs in them they start to sag off my waist, primarily at the small of my back. I have to constantly crank down on the waist belt and it’s a nagging issue. I have had deal with it
Continuing my train of thought from Thursday’s post (Kitting up with First Lite) and last Friday’s post (Kitting up with KUIU) I am going to use the same potential hunt scenario (Mid October Elk & Black Tail hunt on Raspberry Island) to build a kit highlighting Cabela’s new Instinct line Once again in this scenario we are flying in via a Beaver and operating out of a base camp so I can take more gear than I typically do. As
Continuing my train of thought from yesterday’s post (Kitting up with First Lite) I am going to use the same hunt scenario (Mid October Elk & Black Tail hunt on Raspberry Island) to build this KUIU kit. As mentioned we are flying in via a Beaver and operating out of a base camp so I can take more gear than I typically do. As in my earlier post I’ll need a good base layer, solid pants, insulation, and of course
I was having a conversation with a few guys and decided to turn that into a blog entry as it seemed to be an interesting topic. My kit (kit = backcountry clothing system) is a mixture of several brands and is a combination of colors and camouflage patterns. The conversation focused on what your setup would be if you could only run ONE brand. This is actually a bit harder than we thought because even though guys may, or may
Day 1 - Fresh Legs! 2014’s DIY Alaskan Dall sheep hunt has come and gone. A redo might be possible, but that is likely wishful thinking. Again the full curls have eluded us. It started out with the success of last year fresh on the mind, but as the days evaporated so did hope. This year we covered more miles than the last 2 years combined and saw our fair share of rams, just never one that crossed
I started this journey out of a desire to better understand rain gear and its performance in the field; vs. the hyperbole of marketing and internet biases. This journey has been huge, its exposed to me a behind the scenes peek at the technologies, thought, and processes that it takes to make a high quality, high performing set of rain gear. In reality rain gear performance is both complicated and simple, and the key is to use the gear as
Mule Deer Camp I grew up hunting mule deer in Eastern WA and dreaming of a sheep hunt I thought would never happen. In 2006 my wife and I relocated to Anchorage, Alaska. As fall came around and the boys back home headed to the Mule Deer camp, reality set in that I was in Alaska complete with all of its opportunities and challenges. Dall Sheep were spotted on a hike, and I could see them from
In my professional world I deal with all sorts of numbers, trends, statistics, and percentages. I transfer these skills to my passions, and using my planning and Excel skills I build pack lists and organize my excursions. This skill set has evolved since moving to Alaska, and my overall field success ratio (%) is lower than I would like it to be. Analyzing this trend led to me several conclusions. Dad & I My L48 pursuits were far less complex, and
