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.
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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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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Season is about to get going here in a few days! Time has really flown by and I feel like only a few months ago I was elk hunting in September. I’m sure there are more than a few of you that feel the same as I do! Before season starts is gear season if you ask me. One of the new gear items I got for my hunts is the new Exo Mountain Gear 4800 Backpack. Exo packs have never disappointed me in the past and I’m sure that this one will deliver as well. There has been a ton of anticipation for this new pack and I thought it might be cool to do, not a review, but a quick overview and first impression type piece. For this I thought a video format would do the best so that’s the route I went. It’s just way easier to show you this kind of stuff, rather than type it out. So, here it is! Exo Mountain Gear 4800: First Impressions. Enjoy!
The past few years I have spent a good portion of late August/early September chasing elk around with my bow. Along the way, I’ve made some incredible memories and harnessed a potent love for archery elk hunting. While that love has not faded, this year is going to be a little bit different for me. This year, I was fortunate enough to draw not one, but two early archery mule deer tags. One is in Utah and the other is in Colorado. A high country mule deer hunt is something I’ve wanted to do for quite a few years now, but never have because of elk season. I decided to finally pull the trigger and try to make it happen. Looks like it worked…..double! Both of these hunts will be backpack hunts lasting from 7-10 days each. As you can imagine, my head has been racing trying to figure out what I’ll be bringing with me gear wise and all. So, with this post, I wanted to lay out just that. What I will be packing with me along the way for the 17 in total days of backcountry hunting for velvet mule deer!
As you may have read in a previous review I did on the Crispi Wyoming, things got off to a rocky start, but ended very favorably. With what learned from the Wyoming I took right over to a new release for Crispi this year, the Colorado. This boot was made in mind for folks that wanted a beefier boot without sacrificing flexibility. The Colorado is equipped with the same upper that many know and love from their ever popular boot The Summit. Unlike the EVA sole that came on The Summit though, The Colorado packs a polyurethane sole for more rigidity and longevity. With that they threw in their dual density polyurethane sole in the high impact areas of the boot. This is going to help fight against foot fatigue. Abrasion resistant cordura is what makes up the upper of this boot. This is super breathable and lightweight, making The Colorado a fantastic boot choice for early season hunting. Another feature that Crispi has added is their ABSS or ankle bone support system. The ABSS is going to give you the support you need in heavy pack outs and steep terrain. Of course The Colorado comes with a full Gortex wrap as well, making it waterproof.
If you have followed my content for any amount of time, you probably already know that I am a gear junkie! I just love getting new gear and putting it to the test in the field. Anything I can do to make my system more efficient, I am usually game to check out. Plus, I just like trying out new stuff. These are a few gear highlights that I am pretty stoked on for the 2019 hunting seasons. You can expect that I will be putting together in depth reviews for each of these items in the future. They are simply too good not to. Check out the video below for the overview and I’ll include links to each item down below! Thanks for watching and let me know if you have any questions. What are some gear highlights that you are pumped on for 2019?
Father’s Day is right around the corner and I thought it would be cool to highlight a certain product that I think would be a perfect Father’s Day Gift! If your Dad is anything like mine, he loves his firearms. He doesn’t just love them, he takes an immense amount of pride in keeping those firearms clean. Hours are spent cleaning every crease of a gun by hand. My Father’s generation was filled with craftsman who truly cared about what they did. That very trait is sadly somewhat of a lost art. Good craftsman come far and few between, so when a company like Sage and Braker break the surface, my eyes are wide open. They are the makers of a truly high quality gun cleaning kit crafted at the highest caliber. A kit that will care about your Father’s guns as much as he does.
Boots have become sort of a frustrating topic for me. It seems that I’m always looking for the right boot for my needs and am usually left scratching my head. In the past, I have always landed on a soft sole boot. These have been great in terms of comfort, but in the land of durability and being waterproof? Well, that’s another story and an area that they lack in. When I have found boots that were more durable, they just lacked in comfort. So, now I am left with a situation of give and take. Do I want my feet to be more comfortable and possibly wet or do I want dry feet and less comfort? The Crispi Wyoming GTX was a boot that stood out to me as a “tweener,” if you would. Something in between comfort and durability that didn’t lack in being waterproof.
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