Thread: The gear wars

Don’t regret buying my kuiu pants second hand from here,one of the best hunting investments I’ve ever made.I am a bit of a pack collector though.

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

I think there's something to be said for buying lots of gear to begin with (Cue applause from all hunting stores) for two main reasons:

To have a backup in case an item of gear gets lost, or you need to lend it to a mate (I'm talking genuine mates here, not idiots who are out to use and abuse)

And most importantly, to begin the journey of finding what you like, what suits you, and in the end, what works best, and may one day save your life.

I agree with the above. It's often that you start out buying lower end kit (your young with less disposable income, not sure if you will be into it so don't want to over invest, etc.)

Then you get into it big time, buy next level up gear (plus some well marketed but not necessary extra bits).

Then you start specializing (alpine, LR, bow, etc) or chasing the ultralight gear

Then you seem to come full circle and stick with a simple set of high end gear that works and use your experience/developed skills/brain for the rest.

You end up with a few generations of gear that is sometimes kind of useful, or you lend to mates, or your own kids as they grow up (which I am starting to have happen ).

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My problem is i don't get out enough to wear my gear out. See lots of fancy new stuff I would love to buy but hard to justify the cost.
Partly because I'm so far north any cold weather gear only gets packed on a trip once or twice a year. even they it may not get taken out of the bag.
Saw some real nice close fitting wind proof (shower resistant) insulating outer wear from First Light last year. Was good pushing through matagoury and Tee Tree, Southerly wind and misty crap. etc
Though I would splash out on one but was talked out of it by the Agent and into a cheaper lighter weight version as I would not make enough use of the insulating property's. (good call by the rep)
Z

Originally Posted by dannyb

I've tried giving gear away on a few occasions with no takers, I guess it's just cause I'm a big tall bugger.
Of all my gear I have I favour 2 of my shirts and 1 of my shorts for warmer weather hunting and one pair of longs, got plenty of back ups too though

I could probably use one of your socks as a sleeping bag..

Im abit of a slut for new gears. Gonna have a look through the stuff I dont use and see if any new hunters would make use of it

Anyone who buys Hunters Element won't have old gear.

Bought a lot of Stoney Creek gear over the years (mainly because it was a good price compared to other brands) but have to say I have had to repair just about every item at some stage. Mostly failing stitching. I am fairly easy on gear and also use a lot of non hunting brands. I have a Fairydown Terra Nova pack that has done a few kms and Fairydown Scorpion sleeping bag I have spent a lot of nights in. They were big investments for me at the time but have paid for themselves many times over.

Originally Posted by HOO

Haha. Yup
I’m in the market for new boots too. Was hoping to find something halfway decent for under 250.


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talk to Sarvo.......Im very impressed with the pair I bought off him....and Im a lace up gummy man through and through....

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

Re; boots. I talked to a lot of backcountry farmer friends and the majority recommended these. About $220.... Really good bang for buck Highlander 2.0 | John Bull Footwear It may be different if I was tahr hunting etc

yip but beware they are LEATHAL on slippery tussock.... dont know what john bull has done to the soles but they just let go like nothing else Ive worn....my slip on john bulls are worse still,nearly crippled myself on dry grass covered hillside.

Originally Posted by HOO

Good call. I usually wear everything until it’s full of holes or doesn’t work anymore. Or I get too fat for it, whichever comes first


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Sums up me to a T!

If the arm holes are still bigger than all the other holes and I can ooze into it then it’s ‘suitable for purpose’!

Originally Posted by Tahr

Anyone who buys Hunters Element won't have old gear.

Perhaps, but they wont be seen by deer !

Originally Posted by Tahr

Anyone who buys Hunters Element won't have old gear.

They'll have new gear that falls apart, if my experiences with Hunters Element are anything to go by

Originally Posted by Tahr

Anyone who buys Hunters Element won't have old gear.

100% new stuff doesn't seem to be any better, mate loves it but had seams fall apart, zips fail etc he only dose a few hunts a year

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I like to have the right equipment for the job, so accumulated a few toys, but I'm not fickle and don't change stuff just for the sake of it. I have a 23 year old Goretex jacket which is still going strong, so no need to replace it. Having said that, something that has come on leaps and bounds in the last two decades is cooking gear. The old stuff was heavy and bulky. My new budget cooking gear fits in a 700ml pot and weighs next to nothing.

I think hunting clothing here in NZ is price driven. The retailers and suppliers work on the minimum cost maximum margin ( so the gear is generally quite costly and falls apart). I am on my third Stoney Creek Stowit and my Shooters jacket has all the domes on the front fall off. The US stuff i bloody expensive by the time it arrives here but I have found it (from the 2 jackets and a couple of tops I wear most all the time) seems to last and hold up better (Sitka and Kuiu from personal experience). I think in the US the suppliers work on the Smaller Margins + Less failures = less complaints which if you deal those with really well = more sales system, something which NZ Retailer seem is a very difficult concet to grasp.