Another year has flown by. It’s crazy how fast the months end up in the rearview mirror sooner than later. You know what they say though. Time flies when you’re having fun, and I’ve had a boat load of it this year. From chasing Arizona coues in January to Idaho elk in September, this year has been jam packed with adventure. Throughout that time, I’ve been fortunate to bring along some remarkable gear. Stuff that has made life easier and some that I just flat out am psyched about. So, in light of that I’m going to run through my top 12 favorite gear items I’ve used throughout 2021. I figure, it’s December, so why not 12 items to reflect the month? Keep in mind most of these did not come out in 2021, but I did in fact use them in 2021. This is going to be a 2 PART series, so stay tuned!
Earlier this year, I made the decision to really dive more into bow tuning and learning that side of bowhunting more. One doesn’t have to be a pro, but I am a firm believer that it pays to know at least some of this stuff to better your experience. Because of that, I was doing a fair amount of tinkering on my arrow rest, being the Hamskea Trinity Hunter Pro. I’ve always loved this rest, as it is built like a tank, and I’ve also said “built for the backcountry” on several occasions. What I never dove into though was the micro adjusting that it offers. After going through the seamless process that is micro adjusting this rest, I can’t imagine not having such a thing. It makes fine tuning both insanely easy and painless. So, if you want an arrow rest that can handle whatever you can throw at it AND will cater to ultimate precision, take a glance at the Hamskea Trinity Hunter Pro.
I had the ultimate pleasure of testing out the new for 2021 Vortex Razor LHT 4.5-22×50 rifle scope earlier this year before release. This scope came with me through the rugged backcountry of Idaho and into the unforgiving canyon/bluff country of Arizona. Both were bear hunts and both were brutal. All that being said, the scope came out unscathed each time. This scope caters to the hunter looking for a lightweight option that doesn’t give up dependability and it delivered on all fronts for me. Sure, it might have some scratches that weren’t there before, but the bullets are still driving home where they should. This may just be the perfect rifle scope for backpack hunting, which is predominantly what I do. For an in depth review of this scope, CLICK HERE.
I’ve been a fan since the beginning and that hasn’t changed a lick. Exo packs have always impressed me and put a smile on my face when it’s time to pack heavy loads. This year I again rocked the Exo Mountain Gear K3 4800. It’s the perfect size for most of the trips I do. I can get about 8 days in here without using the space between the pack and frame. I say “about” because it depends on what time of year we’re talking. For colder months, that number will decrease, due to bulkier clothing. Exo made a few minor changes to the 4800 this year that I really dug. They swapped out some of the zippers for beefier versions and added a different pull string to them. The older one tended to not last as long. So far, these are all still in tip top shape. It’s always the little things with Exo and that’s one of the reasons I appreciate them as a company. Always trying to make things better and they did just that yet again. For a functional backpack that was built by backcountry hunters for backcountry hunters, Exo Mountain Gear is where it’s at.
Arizona is no slouch in the crunch department on spot and stalk archery hunts. It’s loud and makes approaching an animal that much more difficult. My buddies over at Ross Outdoors developed a solution to mitigate the noise though and they are called the Stalkzone Sneekerz. These easily slip right over your boot and are secured by an adjustable draw cord to get the right fit. The bottom of the Stalkzones are reminiscent of a stuffed animal. It’s soft and quiet. Exactly what you want between your boots and the rocks beneath them. The Stalkzones are lightweight and come with a carabiner that easily clips onto your backpack for quick access. I recently used these on an archery bull elk hunt here in Arizona and after doing so, it’s kind of a no brainer to bring them with on future hunts now. They really do make the approach that much more subtle. Check em out.
Bowhunting flows through my veins. It is the brunt of hunting trips I go on. Having a dependable bow is of the utmost importance for me. Earlier this year, I tried out the PSE Xpedite NXT and I’m happy to say that bow is still in my hands here in December. This is a speed demon, but it doesn’t feel like it. In the past, I’ve had negative experiences with shooting fast bows. The draw cycles are rough and they feel like they’re gonna jump out of your hand at full draw. This is not the case with the Xpedite NXT and that’s what I love about it. It’s no doubt a performance bow, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. I’ve also enjoyed how quiet and dead in the hand it is given the RPM’s behind it. This bow would be great for someone that shoots a heavy arrow looking to throw that thing a little faster downrange to mitigate pin gapping. Check it out. I’m glad I did.
There is just something to be said about a good fixed blade knife for hunting. In years past, I messed around with replaceable bladed knives and was never quite satisfied. They’re scary sharp, tend to break, and have a limited amount of applications. A fixed blade knife though is a true tool. And that’s exactly what the Argali Serac Knife is. This is an ultralight knife(2.1 oz) that delivers on all fronts a fixed blade should. The belly of the knife is deep for skinning, but not too deep to make incisions a pain. The handle material of the knife is a textured G10, which means that even when it’s coated in blood, the knife handle is not going to slip on you. On the spine of the knife you’ll find some conveniently placed jibbing to aid in precision. And on top of all of that, it’s also got a ferro rod striker on the spine of the knife. I’m a guy that still uses a flint and steel in the field to start fires, so this is an appreciated addition. This is my favorite knife for hunting, hands down, no questions asked. That is until Argali ups the ante in the future, which I’m sure they will.
Stay tuned for Gear of the Year Part 2 in the very near future!
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