When it comes to backcountry hunting, and just hunting in general really, there are a few pieces of gear that I believe are absolutely key. The first is your boots, for they are your tires of the backcountry. Bad boots can, not just make a hunt miserable, but can also end it. The next is your clothing. Having a solid layering system will go a long way and provide you with the comfort and protection you need from the elements. And finally, the next piece of gear that I think needs to be on the top of our list as backcountry hunters, is our backpacks. It is our mobile apartment and carries everything we need to survive in the dirt. The very vessel that gets our hard earned game meat from the field to the cooler. In light of that, we are diving into the, new for 2019, Exo Mountain Gear 4800 K3 backpack. A more than worthy contender in the backpack world of hunting.
Hey, everyone! So, just recently I posted up my review of the, new for 2019, First Lite x Nemo Recurve 2P shelter. There is both a written version and video version that you can find HERE. I thought it might be cool to get an in the field view of this bad boy, so that is what we’re doing today. You’ll get to see what the shelter looks like when all packed up. Then I’ll show how the shelter is actually set up. From there, I point out some things that I really like about the shelter and some other things that I think could be improved. This shelter is a bomber little piece of gear that comes in just a shade under 2 pounds and has a ton of living space on the inside. It is a fantastic option for early to mid season hunting and I’ve been really liking it. If you have any questions, feel free to drop them down below.
After it’s all said and done, I am pretty stoked on this tent. I spent quite a bit of time in it hunting high county mule deer and had zero issues. I was a bit skeptical of the design at first. The Recurve is just different when compared to other shelters on the market. Today, I know that I can bring this tent in the field with confidence. To learn more head on over and check out the First Lite x Nemo Collection.
I was so fortunate to have, not one, but two high country archery mule deer tags this year. This is a hunt that I’ve dreamed about doing for years and finally pulled the trigger on. The first took place in Utah and the second was in Colorado. Both of these hunts were backpack style hunts and both of them tested my limits. We were packed into the Utah backcountry for 6 days and also 6 days in Colorado. My brother and I made some incredible memories on these adventure hunts and I cannot wait to do it again. There is just something about being above treeline and glassing up big high country mule deer.
If you’ve followed my hunting journey for any amount of time, you probably know by now that I’m a big fan of First Lite clothing and Nemo Equipment. I’ve tried other stuff in the past, but these two companies have constantly impressed me and gave me confidence in the field. In tandem, they have been with me on more than a few adventures and in a multitude of different conditions. It isn’t often that two exceptional companies like this join forces. When I heard that First Lite and Nemo Equipment were going to team up on producing some high quality gear for backcountry hunting, I was ecstatic. Seeing the list of products they were releasing had me counting down the days until availability. I just knew the gear was going to be killer. An item that caught my eye immediately after looking at the specs was the Recurve 2p tent.
Over the past few years, I have really been in search of the perfect knife. For awhile there, I was a replaceable blade knife fan. The thought of having to stop what I was doing to sharpen a knife up isn’t something that I wanted to deal with. What better way than to not sharpen at all and just switch the blade right? Well, that comes with it’s downfalls believe it or not. Whether that is cutting yourself trying to replace the blade or the blade actually breaking inside the animal, I’ve experienced it. Because of that, I decided to bite the bullet and try some fixed blades. The ones that I tried out worked great, but they weren’t exactly what I was looking for. One way or another, I’d find a flaw. When I saw the design of the new Argali Carbon Knife, my attention was caught hook line and sinker.
Before I get into the actual knife itself, let’s chat about the company for a minute. There are so many good companies out there in the hunting industry and I really think that picking who to give your business to, not only comes down to the product, but to what the company stands for. Do you identify with them? Argali is a conservation minded company out of Boise, Idaho focused on backcountry hunting. Their mission is to not only educate people about why we do what we do as hunters, but also to make your life easier on backcountry hunts. Argali sells an array of backpack hunting gear through their website and is pretty damn good at making films. They’ve been featured in Full Draw Film Tour and you can check out their films on their YouTube page.
So, what is this new Carbon Knife from Argali? Let’s look at the “why” first. Founder Brad Brooks set out to make an ultralight knife for backcountry hunting. One that was the weight of a skeleton-ized knife, with the feel of a full on handled fixed blade knife. He also wanted to be able to process an entire elk in the field without sharpening it. No big deal right? Yes, that was a tall order, but an order that was met believe it or not.
The Argali Carbon Knife is a drop point design made with the ounce counter in mind. At a mere 1.8 ounces, this isn’t going to be weighing your pack down. It may help make your pack heavier with all of the meat you cut up with it, but the knife is a feather. A feather that packs a punch being made out of S35VN steel. This steel is tough as nails, but not so tough that you couldn’t sharpen it yourself. The problem with harder steels than this is that they tend to be a bit more brittle and once they lose their edge, it is a pain in the butt to get it back yourself. Those knives are also more prone to snapping actually. I’ve seen it. The Carbon Knife doesn’t fall into that category.
The handle on the Carbon Knife is definitely another feature to point out. Made out of G10, this has a very tacky feeling to it. Meaning that it isn’t going to be slipping out of the user’s hand anytime soon. A hunter does have the ability to actually take this G10 off of the handle and apply paracord if they choose. I don’t see any reason to do so though. The handle is pretty ergonomical as well and a great size. Not too big, not too small. Some others out there I’ve found are either too skinny or the handle just doesn’t fit the hand as well. This handle is 4″ long.
This 3.25″ blade comes sheathed in an ultralight Kydex sheath. They come in both First Lite Fusion/Orange and just plain old black. In my experience, Kydex has always been super tough and I haven’t had any issues. Another cool feature of the sheath is that the user can actually change the tension by which it holds the knife via a simple screw.
Right off of the bat, when I first got this knife in hand, I was beyond stoked. The knife is wicked ultralight, which I always appreciate as a backcountry hunter. From the handle to the design of the blade and everything in between, I had a great feeling about adding this to my kit. Not to mention, this knife just plain looks great and is aesthetically pleasing. All of that aside, the real test would come when I got something on the ground.
In the past few months, I have had the pleasure of using this new Carbon Knife to process 2 black bears and a mule deer. All animals were skinned and cut up using the gutless method. The knife performed flawlessly. This thing is SHARP! Being the one cutting, I could feel it, but my hunting partners all commented on how easily the knife glided through the animal. While I didn’t feel like I had to sharpen the knife during these animals, I tried anyways, just so I could see if their was a difference. I was surprised to find that there wasn’t really a difference. This means that the knife indeed held its edge like it was suppose to.
Some other things that I appreciated about the knife were the shape, length, and jibbing. The back of the knife is actually slightly curved inwards. Argali does this so when cutting through the hide with the blade up, you avoid cutting the meat beneath. So, the point is actually up off of the meat, not level with it when making that slice through the hide. Pretty nifty. The blade length was perfect and I never felt like I needed more knife. The jibbing on the back of the blade is also handy. These are just super handy for being more precise with cuts when skinning or quartering. Overall, the knife performed better than I thought it would.
Pros
Cons
All and all, I am very happy with this knife and think it will be a resident in my backpack for quite some time to come. Finding good gear is fairly easy, but finding great gear is a challenge. I can confidently say that this knife isn’t anything short of great. It’s ultralight and packs a wicked punch. Whether a backcountry hunter or not, this new Carbon Knife from Argali should be on your radar. It has all of the benefits of a skeleton knife with the power of a full handled fixed blade. Winner winner chicken dinner…..or should I say venison dinner?
To learn more about the Argali Carbon Knife visit www.argalioutdoors.com.
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Years ago I looked at bowhunting as this thing that would never really yield success. It was more of an experience and an excuse to get outside. That was back when I was really getting into this whole hunting thing. For me, rifle hunting was what I’d focus on in terms of success. Hunting with a rifle just seemed like the right thing to do at the time, and looking back it was. Rifle hunting is a great way to introduce someone into big game hunting. The chances of success are much greater. I feel as if it can also act like a vessel to guide one through certain experiences. With the low success rates of bowhunting, it’s kind of hard for a newb to get proficient at butchering animals. It’s also hard to get practice shooting at live critters. All of these things take time. With that time though, my perspective on the matter changed slightly. Why I prefer bowhunting over rifle hunting is something that came to me through years of experience.
After just getting back from my high country mule deer hunt in Colorado, I thought it would be cool to put together a video of the gear that I brought with me on this hunt. I did this before leaving actually and the only item that I switched out from the photo is the spotting scope. Instead of the 11-33×50 Vortex Razor, I went with the 22-48×65 Vortex Razor. That extra reach with the glass was much appreciated in the big high country that is Colorado. In the video, I also forgot to mention my Garmin Inreach Explorer+. That is something that I never leave home without as far as hunting is concerned. Other than that, I hope you enjoy! As always, if you have any questions, feel free to drop them below! High country mule deer is definitely something that I am now addicted to! Good luck to those still out there in the field!
Just a few items that I want to mention after being in the field with them were the Argali Carbon Knife, Exo Mountain Gear 4800 Pack, and the Nemo x First Lite Recurve 2p Tent. Each one of these items stood out to me after vigorous in the field testing. The Argali Carbon Knife has proved its weight in gold after going through 2 bears and a mule deer. Feels fantastic in the hand and holds an edge like a champ. The new Exo Mountain Gear 4800 did not disappoint in the least bit. We packed out my buck and camp through the dark. That was the easiest 80-90 pounds I have ever carried. Can’t wait to load it up again! Lastly, the Nemo x First Lite Recurve 2p tent was something I was worried about it. I even mention that in the video. After spending almost a week in it, my worries cease to exist. This shelter is as light as light can get for a 2p tent and offers plenty of room inside for livability. That won’t be the last time I use it.
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The end of the month is finally here! I can’t believe this 6 month dieting journey is over. It has been a long time coming and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everyone that reached out with tips along the way. Whether that was in the form of recipes or just letting me know about your overall experience, thank you. The Paleo Diet is over and I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t excited about it. Not because of the diet itself. That has been great. But because of the dieting experience as a whole this last 6 months. Not a regret exists though on my end. So, let’s talk Paleo Diet. What did I like? What did I not like? How was backpack hunting on the paleo diet? Here we go!
Let’s start off with what I liked about Paleo. Right when I started down the path of Paleo, I wasn’t too worried at all. It sounded like a slightly more restricted version of clean eating, which I did great on, and remains my favorite out of the diets that I tried. So, in that regard, I thought the Paleo Diet was great just from a livability standpoint. This stuff isn’t that hard at all to incorporate into your daily life, which is huge for me. Sometimes, we are on the go and need something quick. With some forethought, Paleo does the trick just fine. Quick snacks and or meals that I would resort to were Banana Chia Pudding for breakfast, smoothies, and maybe an apple with almond butter. Dinner was super easy as well and fit well along with what my wife would happen to be eating that night. For instance, if she was eating spaghetti, I’d make zoodles and venison meatballs. The translation was fairly smooth.
I didn’t experience a ton of weight loss during the Paleo Diet, but I also lost quite a bit from eating clean. There wasn’t a whole lot for me to drop at that point. I lost a few pounds on Paleo, but nothing to go crazy about. Something that was great though was how I felt. It was fairly identical to how I felt eating clean. Great energy levels, no stomach issues, and zero constipation. Keto left me constipated.
Another thing that has really been consistent throughout this whole experience was how these diets made me get out of my comfort zone of food. They required me to try new foods and new recipes which was both fun and eye opening. The Paleo diet was no exception here. My favorite dish that came out of it was Venison stir fry with cauliflower rice and broccoli. MY GOODNESS. This will remain in constant rotation in my house, except I will likely use brown rice instead of cauliflower rice.
This section won’t be super long at all, because I was quite pleased with Paleo. There were some minor things that stuck out to me. The first was the inconsistency of information within the Paleo community. Some people consider certain things Paleo, while others don’t. That was frustrating when trying to figure out what to eat. Sweet potatoes were one of those items that some ate, and some didn’t. I chose to eat them, because it just worked better for me. Not a ton was incorporated, but I did use them in some recipes throughout the month. There is a such thing as “modified paleo.” I don’t entirely understand how that is. From what I gathered it was basically clean eating. So, why call it paleo? Call it what it is.
Of course another thing that was a pain, which has been consistent with all of these diets, was family events. When we would attend these, I would have to eat beforehand and not enjoy any of the food that our families prepared. That was a bummer. We ate out here and there, but it could only be at certain places. One of our favorites is Chipotle. Here, I would get a salad with double meat, fajitas, mild salsa, and guacamole. Not bad, but definitely not the same.
I was fortunate enough to take the paleo diet into the field with me a few times. One of those times was a backcountry mule deer hunt to Utah. For the most part, I wasn’t too worried about this. Many of the foods that I already bring with my on hunts are actually paleo diet friendly. Stuff like almond butters, RX Bars, Epic Bars, etc. Breakfast and snacks throughout the day were a snap. It was dinner that left me super unsatisfied. I opted to go with Wild Zora for both breakfast and dinner. Breakfast was great. No complaints there. The Cliffside Coconut Berry is awesome for breakfast. Dinner though? Not the greatest. They were filling, yes, but incredibly bland in my opinion. Of course you could absolutely pack in some seasoning or something to alleviate this. The better option though is to just make your own dinners at home and dehydrate them. That way you know you are getting a nice home cooked meal that is something to look forward to. Backpack hunting is hard enough as it is. Having a nice and satisfying meal at the end of a long day is super important to me.
Another thing that was crucial for my backcountry experience was Wilderness Athlete Hydrate and Recover Paleo(ish). Just in general, hydrate and recover from Wilderness Athlete is something that I bring into the field with me on all of my trips. These hunts are physically demanding and recovery is huge back there. Being able to get up day after day and grind over and over again is the name of the game. We beat ourselves up on these trips, so taking care of our bodies needs to be on our radar. My brother didn’t take this stuff on this particular trip and he was in pain. Muscles were locking up and he was left hobbling around. This isn’t what you want to shoot for. I just pack a serving each day for the end of the day and have it with dinner. Ready to rock.
I did it! Like I said, I can’t believe this 6 month journey is at a close. What I got out of it is something I’ll take with me into my every day life. Just knowing more about what is going into your body is eye opening enough. How one’s body reacts to certain foods is also interesting. I really didn’t think I’d have an issue with Keto, but I did. Now, I know that it isn’t for me. Unless one tries this stuff out though, you’ll never know. What my wife and I have decided to do from this point forward is to eat clean, for the most part. The stuff that we buy from the grocery store will likely be 90% clean options. However, if the weekend comes and I want to take here out on a nice date for ice cream? Yeah, we’re getting ice cream. After all, we are human and I don’t think it is a bad thing to indulge here and there. I feel like if we eat good 80-90% of the time, it isn’t a big deal to have some cake or pizza here and there. The great Joe Rogan said it best. “Kale Shakes and Cupcakes.” Do you have a diet that you’ve been wondering about? Maybe it’s time that you took the leap? I say go for it. You don’t know if you don’t go.
Man, what a whirlwind this past few weeks have been. Let me first apologize for the delay in Paleo Diet posts. I’ve just been so busy out in the field hunting. I’ve just gotten back from 2 hunts. The first was in the Utah backcountry for archery mule deer. The second was here in my home state for Arizona Black Bear. Utah was a bust because of my bow getting knocked around pretty good. Ended up dang near emptying my quiver at a buck. I later found out that there was a slew of things “off” on my bow. Bummer, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Just need to be more careful. Arizona was very successful and you can be on the lookout for a full write up of that hunt in the future! We are here to talk about the Paleo Diet though right? Let’s get into how that has been.
Boom! Week 1 of the Paleo Diet is in the books. Another diet in full effect. This journey has been awesome so far and really enlightening. Thanks for following along on my 6 month diet craze and for the tips along the way. This is going to be the last diet in my experiment. For the month of August, I will be eating paleo and that includes on my hunts. I’ve got 12 days of hunting on the horizon where paleo will be on the menu. Bear season opens August 9th here and then I’ll be heading out to Utah in mid August, followed by another bear season here in AZ for late August. All of my meals are bought and I’m ready to start pounding the miles with my bow! With that being said though, you are probably wondering how paleo has been thus far?
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